Hawai'i Island Legends by Mary Kawena Pukui

Author:Mary Kawena Pukui
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kamehameha Publishing

“May I call it?”

“Yes, call your arrow,” the girl said, her face bright with laughter.

Nī‘au called, “O arrow of my grandfather, where are you?”

“Here!” he heard the arrow answer.

“Come to me!” But the arrow did not come. Suddenly Nī‘au knew. That beautiful laughing girl had caught his arrow and held it fast. This was where he belonged!

The husband of Hina had not forgotten. He was a busy chief, yet he thought of her in far Hawai‘i, and he thought of their son. A son? Yes, he was sure the child was a boy—Nī‘au.

Sometimes he dreamed of the boy. He seemed to see him playing with little stones. Again he was catching crabs. Another time he was learning to swim. Years passed. The boy must have grown older. His grandfather must be teaching him to paddle a canoe and fish. At last he must be a man! The time had come! The chief seemed to see his son finding his canoe. He seemed to see his son pulling the kapa from the feather cape and helmet. Now Nī‘au knew who his father was! He knew he was a young chief!

The father seemed to see his son leaving Hawai‘i, sailing in the small canoe. The sail was red in the sunlight, and the feather cape and helmet were bright red. Nī‘au was on his way!

Then the father made ready for his son. He called his servants. “My son is coming,” he said to them. “You must prepare for him. Prepare a house and all its furnishings and a swimming pool in the ocean’s edge.”

He set two guards to watch the sea. “Look for a small canoe,” he commanded. “Soon you will see a canoe with a red sail. It is my son, your young chief. Run to me with the news.” And he chose a wife for Nī‘au. She was the daughter of a chief, and she was beautiful and kind.

All things were ready. The chief looked at the swimming pool fed by sea waves and by a spring. Sunshine was on it and the shadow of a palm tree made it cool. Small, bright fish played there. Nī‘au would be happy in his pool.

The chief looked at the house. The pile of sleeping mats was thick and soft and the kapa soft and warm. A great wooden bowl held a shoulder cape and malo. He lifted the cover and smelled the sweet smell of his son’s clothes. He touched his son’s drum and listened to its song. Soon Nī‘au would be playing it!

The chief stood on the beach and looked. The ocean was blue and still. No red sail yet! But it would come! The watchers would run to tell him. He would welcome his son and hold him in his arms! He would lead him to his house. The girl would come and they would be married. They would love each other as he and Hina had loved.

“O Heavenly One, may you live long!” A servant had come running.

The chief forgot his dreams.

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