Pele and Hiiaka—A Myth
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to welter in their misery. It was seemingly the cruel infliction of the Mahiki. The cry of the two wretches could not be disregarded:
E Hiiaka-i-ka-poli-o-Pele, e,
E ki'i mai oe ia maua;
E ka hookuli i ka ualo, e!
Ka opu aloha ole, e-e!
E ki'i mai oe ia maua;
E ka hookuli i ka ualo, e!
Ka opu aloha ole, e-e!
TRANSLATION
O Hiiaka-of-Pele's-heart,
Come thou and assist us.
Turn not a deaf ear to our cry!
Be not of hard and unfeeling heart!
Come thou and assist us.
Turn not a deaf ear to our cry!
Be not of hard and unfeeling heart!
Hiiaka, with a skill that did credit to her surgery, splinted the maimed limbs, inserting stems from her favorite ti plant to take the place of the long bones that had been removed. She left them seated in comfort at the roadside at Pololú.
The Mahiki, on seeing Hiiaka advance into their territory, threw up the dirt and dust in their front, to express their contempt for such an insignificant body of trespassers. Hiiaka, paying no attention to their insolence, pressed on. Her purpose was to strike directly at Mo'o-lau, the leader of the horde, to whom she addressed this incantation:
A loko au o Mahiki,
Halawai me ke Akua okioki po'o.
Okioki ino, la, i kona po'o;
Kahihi a'e la i kona naau;
Hoale mai ana i kona koko i o'u nei.
E Lau e, Lau e-e!
No'u ke ala, i hele aku ho'i, e-e!
Halawai me ke Akua okioki po'o.
Okioki ino, la, i kona po'o;
Kahihi a'e la i kona naau;
Hoale mai ana i kona koko i o'u nei.
E Lau e, Lau e-e!
No'u ke ala, i hele aku ho'i, e-e!
TRANSLATION
I enter the land of Mahiki;
I counter the head-hunting witch.
See me pluck the head from her body;
See me tear out her very heart,
I counter the head-hunting witch.
See me pluck the head from her body;
See me tear out her very heart,
