Once there were four maidens who were the daughters of Talakoa, and
they were so very beautiful that their fame spread through the
universe. The oldest of these maidens was named Kaulualua, and it is
of her that it is to tell this tale.
One day while Kaulualua was combing her hair she saw a tall, fair man
fishing in the rivulet, and he was a stranger to her. Never before had
she seen so fair a man, though in very sooth she had been wooed of many
king's sons and of chiefs from every part of the earth. Then she
called to her three sisters and asked them his name, but they could not
answer; this, however, they knew--he was of no country whereof they had
heard tell, for he was strangely clad and he was of exceeding fair
complexion and his stature surpassed that of other men.
The next day these maidens saw this same tall, fair man, but he no
longer fished in the rivulet; he hunted the hares and was passing
skilful thereat, so that the maidens admired him not only for his
exceeding comeliness but also for his skill as a huntsman, for surely
there was no hare that could escape his vigilance and the point of his
arrow. So when Talakoa, their father, came that evening the maidens
told him of this stranger, and he wondered who he was and whence he
fared. Awaking from sleep in the middle of that night, Kaulualua saw
that the stars shone with rare brilliancy, and that by their light a
man was gazing upon her through the window. And she saw that the man
was the tall, fair man of whom it has been spoken. So she uttered no
cry, but feigned that she slept, for she saw that there was love in the
tall, fair man's eyes, and it pleaseth a maiden to be looked upon in
that wise.
When it was morning this tall, fair man came and entered that house and
laid a fish and a hare upon the hearthstone and called for Talakoa.
And he quoth to Talakoa:
"Old man, I would have your daughter to wife."
Being a full crafty man, as beseemeth one of years, Talakoa replied:
"Four daughters have I."
The tall, fair man announced: "You speak sooth, as well becometh a full
crafty man. Four daughters have you, and it is Kaulualua that I would
have to wife."
Saith that full crafty man, the father: "How many palm trees grow in
thy possession, and how many rivers flow through thy chiefdom? Whence
comest thou, gentle sir, for assuredly neither I nor mine have seen the
like of thee before."
"Good sooth," answered the tall, fair man, "I will tell you no lie, for
I would have that daughter to wife, and the things you require do well
beseem a full crafty man that meaneth for his child's good. I am the
man of the moon, and my name is Marama."
Then Talakoa and his daughters looked at one another and were sore
puzzled, for they knew not whereof Marama spake. And they deemed him a
madman; yet did they not laugh him to scorn, because that he had come
a-wooing, and had laid the fish and the hare upon the hearthstone.
"Kind sir, bringing gifts," quoth Talakoa, "I say no lie to you, but we
know not that country whereof you speak. Pray tell us of the moon and
where is it situate, and how many kumes is it distant from here?"
"Full crafty man, father of her whom I would have to wife, I will tell
you truly," answered Marama. "The moon wherefrom I come is a mighty
island in the vast sea of night, and it is distant from here so great a
space that it were not to count the kumes that lie between. Exceeding
fair is that island in that vast sea, and it hath mountains and valleys
and plains and seas and rivers and lakes, and I am the chief overall.
Atua made that island for me and put it in that mighty sea, for I am
the son of Atua, and over that island in that sea I shall rule forever."
Great wonder had they to hear tell of these things, and they knew now
that Marama was the child of Atua, who made the universe and is the
all-god. Then Marama said on:
"Atua bade me search and find me a wife, and upon the stars have I
walked two hundred years, fishing and hunting, and seeing maidens, but
of all maidens seen there is none that I did love. So now at last, in
this island of this earth, I have found Kaulualua, and have seen the
pearl of her beauty and smelled the cinnamon of her breath, and I would
fain have her to wife that she may be ruler with me over the moon, my
island in the vast, black sea of night."
It was not for Talakoa, being of earth such as all human kind, to
gainsay the words of Marama. And there was a flame in Kaulualua's
heart and incense in her breath and honey in her eyes toward this tall,
fair man that was the son of Atua. So the old father said to her:
"Take up the fish and the hare and roast them, my daughter, and spread
them before us, and we will eat them and so pledge our troth, one to
another."
This thing did Kaulualua, and so the man from the moon had her to wife.
That night they went from the home of Talakoa to the island in the sea
of night, and Talakoa and the three maidens watched for a signal from
that island, for Kaulualua told them she would build a fire thereon
that they might know when she was come thither. Many, many nights they
watched, and their hair grew white, and Time marked their faces with
his fingers, and the moss gathered on the palm trees. At last, as if
he would sleep forever, Talakoa laid himself upon his mat by the door
and asked that the skies be opened to him, for he was enfeebled with
age.
And while he asked this thing the three sisters saw a dim light afar
off in the black sea of night, and it was such a light as had never
before been seen. And this light grew larger and brighter, so that in
seven nights it was thrice the size of the largest palm leaf, and it
lighted up all that far-off island in the sea of night, and they knew
that Kaulualua and the moon-god were in their home at last. So old
Talakoa was soothed and the skies that opened unto him found him
satisfied.
The three sisters lived long, and yet two hundred ages are gone since
the earth received them into its bosom. Yet still upon that island in
the dark sea of night abideth in love the moon-god with his bride.
Atua hath been good to her, for he hath given her eternal youth, as he
giveth to all wives that do truly love and serve their husbands. It is
for us to see that pleasant island wherein Kaulualua liveth; it is for
us to see that when Marama goeth abroad to hunt or to fish his
moon-lady sitteth alone and maketh moan, and heedeth not her fires; it
is for us to see that when anon he cometh back she buildeth up those
fires whereon to cook food for him, and presently the fires grow
brighter and the whole round moon island is lighted and warmed thereby.
In this wise an exceeding fair example is set unto all wives of their
duty unto their mates.
When the sea singeth to the sands, when the cane beckoneth to the
stars, and when the palm-leaves whisper to sweet-breathed night, how
pleasant it is, my brown maiden, to stand with thee and look upon that
island in the azure sea that spreadeth like a veil above the cocoa
trees. For there we see the moon-lady, and she awaiteth her dear lord
and she smileth in love; and that grace warmeth our hearts--your heart
and mine, O little maiden! and we are glad with a joy that knoweth no
speaking.