HIIAKA MEETS MOTHER-GRUNDY
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Emerson, Nathaniel Bright
It was at this point of the journey that Hiiaka lost the attendance of her sympathetic companion and faithful servant, Paú-o-pala’e. She was persuaded to unite her fortunes with those of a man from Kohala named Pa-ki’i; and we must leave unanswered the question, how she finally settled with Pele this apparent desertion of the trust with which she had been charged, that of acting as aide, kahu, to Hiiaka. Wahine-oma’o now remains as the sole companion of Hiiaka in her future adventures.
On resuming the journey they came before long to the broad stream of Honoli’i, which was swimming deep and, in the lack of other means of crossing, they bundled their clothes, held them above their heads with one hand and easily made the opposite shore by swimming with the aid of the other hand.
At the sight of this performance, the ghost-god, Hina-hina-ku-i-ka-pali and her companion, in a spirit of pure fault-finding and Mother-Grundyism, exclaimed:
Popó ke kapa o ka wahine,
Au kohana wai, hoauau wai o Honoli’i.
E kapu oe, he mau alii;
He mau alii no, o Hina-hina-ku-i-ka-pali.
TRANSLATION
The women bundle their garments
And, naked, they swim the stream,
The water of Hono-li’i—
An action quite unseemly:
’Tis a slur on your noble rank,
I too am a chief, my name
Hina-hina-gem-of-the-cliff.
“For shame!” said Hiiaka. “These ghost-gods have been spying on our nakedness, and now they make sport of us.”
A great fear came upon the ghosts, that the dread goddess would seize them and pinch out their atomy spark of existence. In their terror, they flew home and, perched on the shoulders of their mother, besought her to interpose in their behalf and appease Hiiaka by a suitable offering of luau.
“There burns a fire,” said Wahine-oma’o, as they drew near the house.
“The fire of the ovens built by the ghosts,” Hiiaka answered. “They have saved themselves from death.”
By the time they reached the house the luau was done to a turn and the tables were spread. Wahine-oma’o made an oblation to the gods and then ate of the viands. Hiiaka did not partake of the food.
Hiiaka now spent several days at Hono-kane, in Kohala, anxiously awaiting the departure of some canoe, by which she might pass over to the island of Maui. While thus absorbed, in a sentimental mood, looking one day across the ocean at the misty outline of the distant land, she saw a man of remarkable appearance strike out from one headland of the bay to swim to the opposite point. Her admiration for his physical beauty and his daring performance drew from her a song:
I i au, e au ma kai o ka hula ana.
Kai-ko’o a’e la lalo o ka pali;
Pího-pihó a’e; lele ke kai o Maka’u-kiu;
Au hopohopo ana i ka loa o Hono-kane-iki.
I kane oe a i wahine au.
TRANSLATION
My heart beats high at your venture—
To buffet the raging sea!
Wild heave the waves ’neath the cliff-wall.
To be whelmed by Ocean’s might—
The ocean of Maka’u-kiu!
My heart forgets to beat at sight
Of your rashness, Hono-kane!
Would you were the man, the woman I!
Hono-kane heard, of course, the words that were uttered in his praise and, being a man of chivalrous instincts as well as of honor, he invited Hiiaka and Wahine-oma’o to enjoy the hospitalities of his home.
As they sat at a feast spread in her honor, Hiiaka, as was her wont, bowed her head in prayer with closed eyes, and the others did likewise and when they opened their eyes and looked, the portion that had been set before Hiiaka was gone, spirited away.
In the evening it was announced that a canoe was to sail in the early morning on a voyage to Maui, whereupon Hiiaka secured the promise of a passage for herself and Wahine-oma’o.