Legend of Hanaaumoe. |
Kaao No Hanaaumoe. |
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Hanaaumoe was a flattering spirit who lived in Oahu, as the island of Oahu in the olden days, during the reign of Halalii, was the home of the spirits. The duty of this spirit, Hanaaumoe, was to meet all the canoes that arrived from other lands and through his cunning and flattery urge the people to land. In this way several people were killed and eaten by the spirits. As this spirit had no equal in the art of flattery, he was delegated by Halalii the king of the spirits to guard all the points along the coast of Oahu. While he was on duty one day he saw canoes approaching Oahu from the west. In the double canoe was Kahaookamoku the friend of the king of Kauai, several men and Kaneopa a lame fellow. These people were from Kauai and were on their way to Hawaii to make a visit. Hanaaumoe upon seeing these people invited them to come ashore: “Come ashore, land your canoe. Don’t go to Hawaii for that island is filled with spirits. Hawaii has spirits for Kanikaa lives there. Maui has spirits for Keoloewa lives there. Lanai has spirits for Pahulu lives there. Molokai has spirits for Kaunolu lives there. Here is the island that has no spirits; land the canoe. There is food ashore, there are houses, [478]there are women for each, the paddlers shall have two apiece, as wives, and your chief Kahaookamoku shall have five wives.” |
He wahi akua malimali o Hanaaumoe, no Oahu nei, no ka mea, he moku akua o Oahu nei i ka wa kahiko. O Halalii ke ’lii, a o ka hana a keia wahi akua, o ka malimali i na waa holo mai o na aina e, e makaikai. Nui ka poe i make a pau i ka ai ia e ke akua. No ka maa o keia wahi akua i ka malimali, nolaila, hoonoho o Halalii ke ’lii o ke akua i kiai no na makalae a pau o Oahu nei. Iaia e kiai ana, hoea mai la ka auwaa ma ke komohana mai o Oahu nei, oia o Kahaookamoku, ke aikane a ke ’lii o Kauai, me na waa, a me na kanaka, o Kaneopa kekahi, he wahi oopa ia, mai Kauai mai lakou, e holo ano i Hawaii e makaikai ai, kahea ana o Hanaaumoe mauka. “E pae! E pae ka waa! Mai holo i Hawaii he moku akua, akua Hawaii, akua ia Kanikaa. Akua Maui, akua ia Keoloewa. Akua Lanai, aku ia Pahulu, akua Molokai, akua ia Kaunolu. Eia ka moku akua ole la o Oahu nei, e pae na waa, he ai no o uka, [479]he hale, he wahine, pakahi, palua ka na hoewaa wahine, palima ka ke ’lii o oukou a Kahaookamoku.” |
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When the people heard the invitation extended by Hanaaumoe, they came ashore at the landing at Kou, hauled the canoes on to the beach, entered the long shed where they slept awaiting for the things promised them by Hanaaumoe. Late that evening Hanaaumoe came to the door of the house where the strangers were sleeping, scattered here and there like castaways, being very tired from the effects of the sea trip, and called out: |
A lohe lakou i keia olelo a Hanaaumoe, pae mai la lakou ma ke awa o Kou nei; hapai na waa a kau iuka, komo lakou i ka halau, malaila lakou i moe ai e kali ana i na mea a Hanaaumoe i olelo aku ai ia lakou. A ahiahi poeleele, ku ana o Hanaaumoe ma ka puka o ka hale a lakou e moe nei, no ka mea, ua luhi i ke kai, a e ahu ana lakou mehe mau olulo la: |
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Asleep are you? Piled on one another, Scattered here and there, Are you all asleep? |
Kahea ana o Hanaaumoe, moe ea? Halahala kau e, Halahala kau e, Ua moe oukou? |
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Everybody was fast asleep except Kaneopa who was still sitting up. Upon hearing the call, Kaneopa answered: “We are not asleep, we are still awake waiting for the food, and meat and our wives.” Hanaaumoe then resorted to falsehood: “The things cannot arrive in a hurry as the road from Nuuanu down is long, the climb from Kapukaki is long and the plain Kulaokahua is also afar off.” Hanaaumoe soon after this returned to Halalii and to the rest of the spirits who asked him: “How is it, are they asleep?” Hanaaumoe answered: “No, they are not asleep yet?” At midnight Hanaaumoe again returned and called, the second time: |
Ua pauhia na mea a pau i ka hiamoe, a koe o Kaneopa e ala ana. Kahea mai o Kaneopa: “Aole makou i moe, ke ala aku nei no. Ke kakali aku nei no i ka ai, i ka ia, i na wahine.” Olelo mai o Hanaaumoe me ka hoopunipuni: “Aole e hiki koke mai; he loihi ka ihona o Nuuanu, he loa ka piina mai o Kapukaki, he kula loa o Kulaokahua.” Hoi aku la o Hanaaumoe a hiki imua o Halalii a me ka nui akua, ninau mai la: “Pehea, ua moe?” Hoole aku o Hanaaumoe: “Aole i moe.” A aumoe, hoi hou aku o Hanaaumoe a kahea hou, o ka lua ia: |
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Piled on one another, Scattered here and there, Are you all asleep? |
Halahala kau e, Halahala kau e, Ua moe oukou? |
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Kaneopa answered: “We are not asleep, we are waiting for the two wives apiece for the paddlers and the five wives for the chief Kahaookamoku.” Hanaaumoe again answered as he did before and then departed, being certain that the people were not asleep yet. |
I mai o Kaneopa: “Aole makou i moe; ke kali aku nei no i na wahine palua a na hoewaa, palima a ke ’lii a Kahaookamoku.” Pane mai o Hanaaumoe e like me na olelo maluna, a hoi aku la; maopopo iho la iaia aole i pau i ka moe. |
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Certain thoughts then entered Kaneopa that the island of Oahu was full of spirits and they would all be eaten by them; so he looked for a place within the house where he could conceal himself. After studying the matter for a while he at last decided to dig a hole under the door sill; for he reasoned that the king would, upon entering the house, naturally sit on the door sill. All this time the rest of the people were in a deep sleep, no one was awake except Kaneopa. Kaneopa was sorry for the chief Kahaookamoku because he would surely be eaten up by the spirits and Kaneopa was at a loss to know how he was going to save him. Kaneopa tried to keep himself awake, but could only last until the crowing of the first cock, when he too became so overcome with sleep and moved under the door sill and sat in the hole. Just as soon as he entered the hole, Hanaaumoe arrived and he again called as before, for the third time. There was no answer. He called again, again there was no answer. Hanaaumoe then said: “You will surely be all killed. Why didn’t you sleep at Kauai instead of coming and sleep on the island of Halalii where the spirits live? You are as good as dead, there is no escape; your flesh, your bones, your bowels, your blood, your eyes, will all be eaten up.” During all this talk by Hanaaumoe, Kaneopa was listening. At the end Hanaaumoe [480]returned to Halalii. Halalii then asked him: “How is it, are they asleep?” “Yes, they are asleep, let us be going,” said Hanaaumoe to the rest of the spirits. |
Ia wa, komo mai la ka noonoo ia Kaneopa, he moku akua keia, o Oahu nei, a e pau ana lakou i ka ai ia. Nolaila, imi iho la ia i wahi nona e nalo ai i loko o ka hale. Aia malalo o ka paepae o ka puka komo, kohi iho la ia a loaa he lua, no ka mea, oia kahi o ke ’lii e noho ai, o Halalii, pela kona noonoo wale iho i loko ona. Aia hoi, ua pau loa lakou i ka pauhia i ka hiamoe nui loa, aohe mea ala, hookahi wale no o Kaneopa, nolaila, minamina loa o Kaneopa i ke ’lii ia Kahaookamoku, i ka pau i ka ai ia e ke akua. Oi hahai ala aku o Kaneopa a kani ka moa mua, ikaika loa ka hiamoe, nee aku la ia a malalo o ka paepae puka, noho iho la. Ku ana o Hanaaumoe, a kahea ana, o ke kolu ia, e like me na olelo mua, aohe leo pane mai; kahea hou, aohe pane mai; i aku o Hanaaumoe: “Make! i hea la ka moe moe aku i Kauai, lawe ia mai ka ka moe a ka moku akua o Halalii. Make, aohe wahi e ola ai, pau ka io, pau ka iwi, pau ka naau, pau ke koko, pau na maka.” I loko o keia wa a Hanaaumoe e olelo nei, ke hoolohe nei o Kaneope. A pau ka olelo ana, hoi aku la o Hanaaumoe a mua o Halalii. [481]Ninau mai la o Halalii: “Pehea, ua moe?” “Ae, ua moe, ina kakou, pela aku o Hanaaumoe i na akua apau loa. |
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When the spirits arrived at the long house where Kaneopa and his companions were sleeping they all entered and Halalii sat on the door sill. The spirits were so numerous that they were without number.1 They made but one smack and the people disappeared, all eaten up by the spirits. The spirits then began digging up the floor of the house except that portion under the sill where Halalii was sitting. At the approach of day the spirits all returned to their home and Haneopa came out of his hiding place and limping to the canoe he pushed it into the sea and set sail for Kauai. |
A hiki lakou i ka hale o Kaneopa ma e moe nei, komo ke akua a pau loa i loko o ka hale, noho iho la o Halalii ke ’lii ma ka paepae o ka puka. O ka nui o ke akua, o kini o ke akua, o ka lehu o ke akua o ka mano o ke akua, o ka pukui akua, o ka lalani akua. Hookahi no ka muka ana ae pau na kanaka, aohe mea koe, eli aku la ke akua ia loko o ka hale, a koe kahi a Halalii e noho nei, oia ka paepae puka, ao loa ae la, pau ke akua i ka hoi i ko lakou wahi. Oili ae la o Kaneopa, a nee hele aku la i kahi o na waa e kau ana, a panee aku la i loko o ke kai, a holo aku la, e hoi ana i Kauai. |
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While Kaneopa was on his way to Kauai, Hanaaumoe appeared on the coast and beckoned to Kaneopa, inviting him to land, saying: “Come ashore. Let the canoe come ashore.” Kaneopa then answered angrily: “You are a filthy old spirit. Didn’t you eat up our chief? I will not come ashore.” |
Ia Kaneopa e holo aua i loko o ke kai, ku ana o Hanaaumoe ma ka lae kahakai, peahi ana ia Kaneopa: “E pae! e pae ka waa!” I mai o Kaneopa me ka olelo huhu: “E akua ai lepo o ke kanaka, kai no ua pau ko makou alii ia oukou; aole au e pae aku ana.” |
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Upon Kaneopa’s arrival at Kauai, he informed the king and people how his companions had been eaten up by the spirits of Oahu, and how he was saved only through his wit. The king then asked the priest: “What must we do?” The priest, Hanakapiai, answered: “Proceed and hew out a countless number of wooden images that will look as near as possible to human beings.” After the images were ready, the king, the priest and a large number of followers set sail for Oahu and in course of time hove to directly off Leahi, when they saw Hanaaumoe appear on the coast and called out as he did the other time. Kaneopa, who was in the company on this second visit, said to the people who were with him: “That is Hanaaumoe the great flatterer. That is the spirit who deceived us and got us to land.” The king and priest in answer to the invitation replied: “Yes, we will land.” The people then all came ashore and approached the long house where Kahaookamoku and his companions had stayed and were eaten up by the spirits. |
A hiki o Kaneopa i Kauai, hai aku la i ke ’lii a me na kanaka, i ko lakou pau i ka ai ia e ke akua o Oahu nei, a koe ia ma kona maalea. Ninau aku la ke ’lii i ke kahuna: “Pehea la ka pono?” Olelo mai ke kahuna o Hanakapiai: “E kalai i kii a lehu, a mano; e hana a nui, hoohalike a like loa me ke kanaka.” A makaukau keia mau mea a pau loa, holo ke ’lii me ke kahuna, a me na mea a pau loa, a hiki lakou ma Oahu nei, hoolulu iho la lakou ma waho ae o Leahi, ku ana o Hanaaumoe ma ka lae kahakai. Kahea ana e like me ke kahea ana mamua, o Kaneopa kekahi i holo pu mai i keia huakai alua. I aku o Kaneopa: “O Hanaaumoe kela o ua wahi akua malimali nei. O ko makou mea kela i puni ai, pae ae i uka nei.” Ae, aku ke ’lii a me ke kahuna: “Ae, e pae.” Pae lakou a ka halau mua i noho ia ai e Kahaookamoku ma, a pau ai i ka ai ia e ke akua. |
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Toward dusk that same evening, the priest instructed the people saying: “Let everybody retire to where the canoes are lying and leave the wooden images in the house. Let everybody be supplied with lights with which to set the house on fire as soon as all the spirits have entered the house.” Late that evening, the flatterer, the spirit Hanaaumoe came to the house and called out: |
A ahiahi poeleele, olelo ke kahuna: “E hoi na kanaka a ma kahi o na waa i kau ai, a e waiho ke kii i loko o ka hale, a e makaala na mea a pau me ke ahi e puhi i ka hale i ka wa e pau ai ke ’kua i loko o ka hale.” A ahiahi, a poeleele, ku ana ua wahi akua malimali nei o Hanaaumoe, a kahea ana: |
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Piled up on one another, Scattered here and there, Are you all asleep? |
Halahala kau e, Halahala kau e, Ua moe oukou? |
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No one answered from within; he called a second time, still no answer. Hanaaumoe then spoke to himself: “Ha, ha! Why didn’t you sleep on Kauai instead of coming here and sleep on the spirit island of Halalii? Dead, you will not be saved.” While Hanaaumoe was calling the people were listening. At the end of his call Hanaaumoe returned to Halalii and reported to him that the people were all asleep. Upon hearing this report Halalii issued a call that all the spirits be brought together; after this they proceeded to the long house at the beach. Upon coming up to the house the spirits all entered and Halalii sat on the door sill. The spirits then took up the wooden [482]images and began eating them. “Oh, how tough!” was heard from one of the spirits. “So is the one I am eating,” said another. It was customary in days gone by for the king to receive the choicest portions of the meat, so these portions were given to Halalii by the spirits. Upon taking a bite at one of these choice portions, Halalii remarked: “Very tough.” The rest of the spirits answered: “All these people are very tough, not one of them is fat, they are all thin and tough. They are not at all like the first lot that came.” |
Aohe leo pane o loko, kahea hou, o ka lua ia, aole no he leo pane mai. Olelo iho ua o Hanaaumoe: “A ha ha! Ihea no la ka moe i Kauai, moe aku; lawe ia mai ka ka moe a ka moku akua o Halalii. Make! Aole e ola.” Ma keia olelo a Hanaaumoe, ke hoolohe nei na mea a pau loa, a pau ka olelo ana hoi aku la i kahi o Halalii, e noho ana, a hai aku la ia Halalii, ua pau i ka hiamoe. A lohe o Halalii, kuahaua ae la i na akua a pau loa, hele aku la lakou a hiki i ka hale, noho iho la o Halalii ma ka paepae o ka puka komo, o na akua a pau loa komo [483]aku la i loko. Ia wa lalau lakou i na kii a ai iho la: “Oolea!” pela aku kekahi akua i kekahi akua. I mai kekahi, “pela no hoi ka’u kanaka e ai nei.” He mea mau i na ’lii, o ke ka kana e ai ai o ke kanaka; haawi aku la ke akua ia Halalii i ke ka o ke kii, a ai iho la o Halalii: “Oolea,” pela aku o Halalii. I mai na akua a pau loa, pela wale no na kanaka a pau, aohe kanaka momona, he wiwi wale no, he oolea, aole e like me na kanaka mua i ai ia ai. |
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While the spirits were busy eating the wooden images, the Kauai people surrounded the house and set it on fire, killing all the spirits with the exception of Hanaaumoe who some how managed to escape. [477] |
Ia lakou e walea ana i ka ai i ke kii, hoopuni ia ae la ka hale a puni e na kanaka me ka momoku ahi, o ka manawa ia i puhi ia ai ka hale i ke ahi, a pau loa ke akua i ke ahi, a lilo aku o Hanaaumoe a pakele aku la. [482] |