Volume 6 / Part 2 — In the Legend of Hiiakaikapoliopele.
Reading edition
Of Pele, her warfare in Kahiki,
That was fought with Punaaikoae,
Pele fled hither to Hawaii,
Fled as her eyeball—
As the lightning’s flash, 5.
Lighting as does the moon,
[Let] awe possess me.
For Pele the ocean sleeps,
For the god a sea hastens toward the islands,
It breaks afar at Hanakahi 10.
Upon the sands of Waiolama,
And guards the house of your god.
The axe is being borne to fell the tree above,
Heavily breaks the surf from Kahiki,
Cresting onward in front of Kilauea, 15.
The sea turned at the front of Papalauahi.
Man called that day
To Puaakanu’s lehua-stringing women
Above at Olaa, my lehua-land,
In the front of Heeia, Kukuena women 20.
The companions entered the entanglement
In the thickets of Puna, irregularly, and dwelt.
Here we are thy many adherents.
[Let] awe possess me.
A spraying sea has Kohalaloa, 25.
Sea roughed by the cliff above.
A sea cliff-watcher is Kakupehau.
Sea invading your pandanus groves.
It crests onward toward Maui,
The sea of the chiefess 30.
Of the lehua-stringing party of Pele,
Of my god indeed.
[Let] awe possess me.
Answer, O mountain, in the cliff mist;
Turn the voice of the moaning ohia, 35.
I see in the fire-consuming rocks
The aged dame sleeping quietly
On hot lava bed, liquid stone,
Till, canoe-shaped, the covering there hid first,
Depressed in center, else flat in the rear, 40.
Spouting was its source, Kamakahakaikea,
Mischievous Niheu, [the] cutting man.
[Let] awe possess me.
On famed Molokai of Hina,
Is Kaunuohua, a cliff, 45.
When Hapuu was lighted—
Hapuu the small god—
Pele came forth, the great god,
With Haumea and Hiiaka,
With Kukuena and Okaoka. 50.
When the small fire lights, it burns
[As] an eye-ball of Pele.
The flash-light of the heavens is it.
[Let] awe possess me.
At Kaulahea, Lanai, 55.
At Mauna-lei, twine the wreath,
Pele is wreathed with the ieie,
Hiiaka shines [her] head,
Haumea anoints [her] body.
Pele enjoys her fish, 60.
The small turtle of Polihua,
Small turtle, short necked,
[Of] crab-like back, of the sea.
The large pattern-backed tortoise
Resembling the food for Pele 65.
If glistening and reflecting in the sun.
[Let] awe possess me.
At Keolewa over Kauai,
At the flowers floating below Wailua,
Pele looks from there: 70.
Oahu is seen set aside,
Longing for the water mirage of the land.
Mokihana [fragrance] arose,
The enjoyment of Hiiaka.
Pele disputed there, 75.
There was no guardian to protect.
Pele stamped with her feet the long waves;
An eye-ball for Pele [was] the flash-light of the heavens.
[Let] awe possess me.
Pele came forth from the east, 80.
The canoe landed at Mookini
[The] battle ceased at Kumalae.
Pele people set up an image,
The image of Pele folk remained for the offspring of Koi.
Pele folk offered sacrifices there; 85.
Pele led them in procession.
At the cape of Leleiwi
[They] inhaled the fragrance of the pandanus;
Of the lehua of Mokaulele,
That was what Pele was wreathing. 90.
Puuloa was a village;
Papalauahi a sleeping house,
A shed for Kilauea.
Pele came forth from Kahiki
[With] the thunder, the earthquake, the bitter rain; 95.
The pelting rain of Haihailaumeaiku,
Of the women in the wilds of Maukele.
Pele came at twilight,
Tossing and turning the long-backed waves.
The ocean was in agitation at the jealousy of Pele; 100.
The great shock is the shock above the heavens,
Tearing the foundation, the surface stratas,
The strata on which Kane surfed at Maui.
Kahiliopua was the god of the day
At Waiakahalaloa, to expand. 105.
It was Waa, whose was the fishing fleet
Remaining at Kohala’s shore.
The ghost-god of Puuloa
Entreated the traveler,
The wreath-stringing god of Kuaokala. 110.
Makanoni was wreath making,
The day Pualaa arose and was observed,
The day after Kahuoi stood cold above.
A red-fisted robber was exercising
Eastward of the sun of Kumukahi 115.
Whose first rays reveal the light.
[The] fine garments of Kohala are spread out
To the sun, warmed not in the night,
When the sun hides the day, placed above
Is the moon. 120.
[Let] awe possess me.
Auaahea meets death; on baking
The hog, unshorn of its bristles,
The acceptable offering to the god,
The sacred observance of the companions, 125.
Thunder shook the heavens, the bitter rain
Of Kaulahea of the revealed altar of light.
Kaomealani rained. So! that’s the fault,
The god was jealous. Pele for the first time was duped;
Pele for the first time drew near; 130.
Pele for the first time was without pau to clothe your companion,
To shake the stones and overflow the mountain with lava.
Where lava flowed, there dwelt
Kalaukaula, at the household of the deities,
Kaneulaapele and Kuihimalanaiakea, 135.
Royal companions of Pele, resident tree eaters,
The women of wonderful prayer of eight-fold power.
[Let] awe possess me.
Stamp, stamp out the people’s fire
Below Kilauea, and as its reward 140.
Arise the shoutings, the confused noise of the gods
On the cliff of Mauli,
The source of tears of this place
Of men who, owl like, seek water.
Gird thou thy weapon with thy countrymen. 145.
I seize my club and strike at the god.
Pele stands raining, Pele’s heaps
Are placed below; heaped [was] the dead.
At reddening below thou doth flow.
Alas! ’tis flowing, it runs canoe-like; 150.
The mountain rocks, Hiiakaikapoliopele is safe,
Flee away! flee above to the light!
[The] crab climbs up Kauiki,
[It] returns distressed at man’s shadow.
Crabs are struck with the stick, 155.
Taken and thrown in the bag,
The soft crab catches the flap of the malo;
The soft crab stays within boundaries,
Entwined with the sea-moss pods.
The soft crab is placed upon the stone, 160.
As chewed bait it leaves the bag.
Other crabs, how many awa drinkers? Four,
The tortoise, turtle, kukuwaa and hinalea,
At the ginger of Kahihiwai, lolipua ate,
Lolikoko ate, lolikae ate, lelea ate, 165.
Of Leleamakua, father of Kahikona,
At his birth the red rain poured,
[A] recognizing sign of the power
Of thy god without, jealous.
[Let] awe possess me. 170.
The heavens and the rain rejoice,
Grief rends the heavens, darkness covers the earth,
At the birth of the princely ones.
At birth of a girl the heavens travailed;
When a male child came forth 175.
The red rain above gathered together.
Kuwalu was born and her lord
Kuihimalanaiakea.
Eat O Pele of thy land!
Source of the ohias, the pandanus grove below Leleiwi, 180.
With Panaewa severed Kau is refuse,
With Pele a mound, Pele flows freely
Over thy land, burying the district.
[Let] awe flee on.
Standing in Wailua is the lover’s hala post, 185.
The call is heard, the loud noise
Of night gatherers singing, not calling for help.
Deep sympathy! this indeed is Ikuwa,
The first indications arise,
The evils of the wind. 190.
Provoking, run away, make known
The sign, O Hiiaka!
Whose is the sacrifice? For the family
Of Haumea is the offering.
Kane stood supporting the valiant, 195.
Done in his time, for Pele;
For Hiiaka; for the land,
This here land,
The floating land of the heaven above.
Anakuku is the assembly within 200.
Haamo, a road that is traveled;
A drum discarded; a fence o’erleaped;
A platform trampled; a comforting grass;
A cane-leaf thatching, end trimmed;
A spread mat; a supply of dishes; 205.
A filling of water; a food offering;
A feast for the house.
Released, released is that house; ’tis o’erleaped; ’tis entered trustfully.
For Waihonua stands the long shed,
The house where Pele lived. 210.
Spying came a multitude of the gods.
Be gone! be gone outside!
A prayerless priest, a prayerless chief
Shall not carelessly enter the house of Pele,
My god indeed! 215.
[Let] awe possess me.
Place dottedly the cross signs,
When the kapu expires I shall be first
Dividing into hills, scattering, dividing dottedly.
The land is freed, children restricted, 220.
The coconut is kapu, the waters flow;
When leaf wrapped, stack the bundles [of food].
Kulipee resides at the pit,
And the companions of Kuwawa
And Kuhailimoe flee away to the mire of Hawaii. 225.
I am first to go out hence
From thy presence,
Flying hither in nakedness.
[Let] awe possess me.