Introductory material
Martha Warren Beckwith translation
Introduction
I. The book and its writer
II. Nature and the Gods as reflected in the story 1. Polynesian origin of Hawaiian romance 2. Polynesian cosmogony 3. The demigod as hero 4. The earthly paradise; divinity in man and nature 5. The story: its mythical character 6. The story as a reflection of aristocratic social life
III. The art of composition 1. Aristocratic nature of Polynesian art 2. Nomenclature: its emotional value 3. Analogy: its pictorial quality 4. The double meaning; plays on words 5. Constructive elements of style
IV. Conclusions
Persons in the story Action of the story Background of the story
Text and translation