THE GIRL PA-PULEHU--THE FEAST
In the morning while it was still dark, they roused and started
afresh. Their way led through lehua groves of the most luxuriant
growth, the bloom of which crimsons the landscape to this day, exuding
a honey that is most attractive to the birds of heaven. The cool still
air wafted to their ears the hum of voices which was soon explained
when they came upon a bevy of girls who were busily plucking the
bright flowers to string into wreaths and garlands, in anticipation
of some entertainment. This rural scene made an appeal to the poet
in Hiiaka which she could not resist:
A Wai-akea, i ka Hilo-hana-kahi,
Ala i ka wa po iki,
I ka lehua lei o Hilo, o Hi-lo;
E pauku ana no ka hala me ka lehua.
Maikai Hilo, o Hilo-hana-kahi!
TRANSLATION
At Wai-akea, in Hilo--
The Hilo of Hana-kahi--
They rise in the early morning
To weave fresh wreaths of lehua,
Inbeading its bloom with hala--
Gay Hilo of Hana-kahi!
At sight of Hiiaka's party, the lively flower-girls made a rush, as if
to capture and appropriate their friendly acquaintance for individual
possession. The most vivacious and forward of the whole party was
Pa-pulehu, their leader, a buxom young woman, of good family, who
at once took possession of Hiiaka for herself, crowned and bedecked
her with wreaths and garlands, with many expressions of enthusiastic
admiration: "This is my friend!--What a beauty!--How the scarlet lehua
becomes her!--Just look, girls!--And now you are to come and be my
guest.--The feast is set for this very day.--But you are all welcome."
The unrestrained gush of the young woman's rattling talk was quite
in contrast to the selected words of Hiiaka.
Now Pa-pulehu was of a large and important family, embracing numerous
friends and relations, and, having ample means, her hospitalities were
unstinted. The report spread quickly, "Pa-pulehu has a distinguished
guest come to visit her. There is to be a feast this afternoon. All
are invited."
The tables were spread with a great variety of fish, meats, fruits
and vegetables. The parents and guardians of the girl, nevertheless,
came to her and inquired, "What is there that this young woman,
your friend, would specially like to eat?" Paú-o-pala'e took it upon
her to answer, that the one thing that would be most acceptable to
Hiiaka would be a dish of luau. Thereupon a large quantity of young
and delicate taro leaves were prepared for the table.
When they were gathered at the tables, Hiiaka sitting in the place
of honor, Paú-o-pala'e, at her request, bade all the people incline
their heads and close their eyes. Then Hiiaka called upon her allies,
the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the elements and all the gods to come to
the feast and partake; and when the prayer was ended and they opened
their eyes--lo, the tables spread for Hiiaka were empty! Hiiaka had
not been seen to take into her hands any of the food that was spread
before her. It had vanished away as a drop of water evaporates in
the heat of the sun.
The feast being concluded, Hiiaka rose, bade good bye to the people
and resumed her journey, taking with her Pa-pulehu.
This girl Pa-pulehu was of genuine flesh and blood, with no blend
of divine ichor in her veins, such as enriched the blood of Hiiaka;
nor had she, like Wahine-oma'o and Paú-o-pala'e, been strengthened
and made more resistant to spiritual and physical foes--a privilege
granted to those who had enjoyed a close approach to Pele as attendants
and worshippers. This weakness in her nature had its influence in
determining the fate to which her history now quickly leads.
Their journey still lay through Puna. They were at Kalalau, not far
from Haena (at the place where, centuries afterwards, Kamehameha was
struck with that well-nigh fatal blow by an outraged fisherman). Some
fishermen were hauling in their nets full of fish. The sight was too
much for Pa-pulehu. "I hunger for fish," she exclaimed. "These fish
belong to my father. Oh, if I only were at home! how I would eat
until I was satisfied!"
Hiiaka thought it best to indulge the appetite of this novice in her
service. From a little knoll overlooking the ocean, she descried
the canoe of a fisherman named Pahulu floating in the offing, but
already well stocked with fish. Hiiaka used her power and drove away
the school of fish that would have come to his net. The man himself
was so intent on his work that he had no eyes for what was passing
on shore; but his assistant exclaimed, "Look at the beautiful woman
standing on the shore and watching us!"
"I must keep my eyes on my nets," the fisherman replied.
Thereupon Hiiaka attracted his attention with a song:
Nani ku a ka Hilo pali-ku!
O ka au-hula ana o Ka-lalau,
O ka au alana loa i kai, e!
Ho mai he i'a, na ka pehu o uka, ea.
TRANSLATION
A standing wonder, Hilo cliffs!
How daring this Ka-lalau swimming,
Far out to sea on a floating plank!
Pray grant us, O man, of your fish--
Fish for the herb-swollen rustic.
This brought the two fishermen ashore who thereupon willingly parted
with some of their fish to Hiiaka, coupling the gift, however, with a
proposition insulting to the honor of the two women. The fishermen,
imagining they had the two women under their power, were soon after
seen lying in the open embracing two figures of stone which they, in
their insane infatuation, fancied were the two women, thus exposing
themselves to the jeers and derision of their fellows.
Pa-pulehu cooked and ate the fish, but her manner of eating was
lacking in due punctilio, in that she did not dispose properly of the
unconsumed parts--the tails, fins, bones and scales--of the fish. She
should have burned or buried them; instead she left them lying about
in a slovenly way. This neglect was highly offensive to Pele and
caused her to withdraw from Pa-pulehu the protection she otherwise
would have given her.