For information embodied in this paper I am greatly indebted to my brother, Joseph S. Emerson.
A HAWAIIAN VERSION OF THE MAUI-LEGEND.
Hina was a famous maker of paper-cloth[1] (tapa), who lived with her four sons in the rainy district of Hilo. They were called Maui-first, Maui-second, Maui-third, but the youngest of them, the hero of this story, was the Maui par excellence.
The four brothers were fishermen, and resorted, with their canoes, nets, and tackle, to the little, rocky island in Hilo bay called Mokuola,[2] now popularly called "Cocoanut Island," whence they were wont to launch away on their frequent fishing excursions.
Often, while shivering at sea in damp and chilly weather, they would see the gleam of fires on their little island. They knew that these were lighted by the mud-hens (alœ), who alone possessed the secret of producing fire, and they longed to enjoy the comfort and luxury of this boon denied to mortals. But as often as they returned to shore the fires invariably disappeared.
Maui,[3] determined to get at the secret of producing fire, one day remained ashore hid in the shrubbery, while his brothers went on their fishing expedition. But the cunning birds observed this and said to each other, "There are only three in the canoe; one has remained ashore; we will make no fire to-day." So Maui was disappointed. The next day Maui went with his brothers in the canoe, and the fires gleamed as usual. Maui now resorted to stratagem. He rigged up a dummy-image, which he made to resemble himself by girding it with his own loin-cloth (malo), and placing
- ↑ Tapa, or kapa, was commonly made by beating out the macerated inner bark of the wauki (Broussonetia papyrifera, Morus papyrifera of Linnæus) into thin sheets. It was often decorated with patterns in different colors, applied by means of stamps made from plates of bamboo.
- ↑ Moku-ola— literally, "Island of life," so called because designated as one of the three cities or places of refuge on the island of Hawaii, to which resorted fugitives for safety.
- ↑ Maui— This proper name is to be pronounced Mah-wee, with accent on the penult, as is generally the case with Hawaiian words and proper names. The name of the Island of the Hawaiian group, spelled in the same way, Maui, is to be pronounced Mow-ee.
