KAANAANA
WHEN Hiwa returned from Waipio, and had satisfied the cravings of
hunger, she lay down and slept until the shades of evening fell. She
slept fourteen hours, and then arose and ate again, that she might
have strength for her journey. She put on a _pau_ of _tapa_, for it
was not seemly for her to go to the camp of a great chief unclothed.
Then she embraced Aelani and kissed him, and taking a short spear to
protect herself from sharks, swam forth into the night.
She swam northwesterly, down the coast--that is, with the prevailing
winds--until she came to Niulii, which is just beyond the mountains of
Hamakua and on the edge of Kohala. It was only four or five miles;
but when she reached Niulii she knew not whether her journey was
nearly ended or only just begun, for Kaanaana, not leaving the control
of his affairs to others, travelled much within his domains. So she
went to a hut and wakened a fisherman, who told her that the Lord of
Kohala was camped not a mile away with a hundred fighting men. The
fisherman readily undertook to guide her, for there seemed good
prospect of reward, and also because her bearing proclaimed her a
person of high degree, and it was death to refuse a service to man or
woman of the rank of high-chief.
When she drew near to the camp she dismissed him, telling him to
return on the third day for a recompense. Then she walked boldly up to
a sentinel, who challenged her. But when he saw her face, he fell
grovelling in the dust, and she said to him, "I am the Spirit of Hiwa.
Thy master hath need of me." So she passed on, and the sentinel told
it to others, and it spread through the camp, and all wondered what
this great sign portended, for Ii's death was not yet known in Kohala.
When Hiwa came to the house where Kaanaana slept alone, she found it
guarded, as of old, by Laamaikahiki. He also fell grovelling in the
dust, and crawled away at her command. Then she entered the house and
lay down on Kaanaana's mat, and put her arms around him and kissed his
lips and cried for joy. So she awoke him. At first he thought it was a
dream or a heavenly vision; but when he found that she was indeed Hiwa
in living flesh and blood, his happiness was unbounded, for he had
mourned her as dead sixteen years, and had loved no other woman. And
she lay in his arms all night, and told him everything that had
happened, save only her sin against Ku and her vow. She did not tell
him of the sin lest he should loathe her, or of the vow, for she knew
it would break his heart.
When morning came Kaanaana commanded Laamaikahiki to wait on Hiwa,
for, although Laamaikahiki was no longer lord of broad lands, he was
of ancient and noble blood, and was devoted to his chief, and had the
golden gift of a silent tongue; therefore Kaanaana chose him before
all others for the honor of serving the goddess-queen. But Kaanaana,
having ordered yellow stain, with his own hands stained Hiwa's garment
the royal color. Having done this, he assembled his vassals and
fighting men, all that were with him, and they stood, rank by rank,
with spears in their hands, in front of the house, and their lord
stood at their head.
Hiwa put on her garment, and went out and stood before them. And
Kaanaana fell upon his knees, and bowed his head to the ground, and
kissed her feet. The lesser chiefs, also, fell upon their knees, and
bowed their heads to the earth, and those of low degree lay prostrate
in the dust.
Then Hiwa said: "I am Hiwa, _Moi Wahine_, daughter of Papaakahi, The
Mighty, Child of the Gods. When Aa, the wicked high-priest, pursued me
to kill me, Ukanipo, the God of the Sharks, rescued me and carried me
to a cavern in the mountains known only to himself. There I gave birth
to a son, who is also the son of Kaanaana, your high-chief. The
rainbow covered him at his birth, and Ku thundered from the mountains.
His name is Aelani, The Pledge from Heaven, The Chosen of the Gods.
He is now rightful _moi kane_, for Ii is dead. He shall be mightiest
of his line, and none shall be able to withstand him, for, in the day
of battle, Ku shall go before him, and behind him the hills shall be
black with spearmen."
Then Kaanaana answered: "Hiwa, _Moi Wahine_, daughter of Papaakahi,
The Mighty, Child of the Gods, it is thou who hast said it. No man can
doubt that Ukanipo, the God of Sharks, rescued thee, and carried thee
to a cavern in the mountains known only to himself. Nor is it passing
strange, for we all do know from the ancient _meles_, which have come
to us from many generations of wise men, that Ukanipo often did such
things in olden times. Ii being dead, thy son and mine is _moi kane_.
His word is as the word of Ku. The spearmen of Kohala await his
commands."