7 januari 2017
PELE AND KAHAWALI
_From Ellis's "Tour of Hawaii"_
In the reign of Kealiikukii, an ancient king of
Hawaii, Kahawali, chief of Puna, and one of his favorite companions went one
day to amuse themselves with the _holua_ (sled), on the sloping side of a hill,
which is still called _ka holua ana o Kahawali_ (Kahawali's sliding-place).
Vast numbers of the people gathered at the bottom of the hill to witness the
game, and a company of musicians and dancers repaired thither to add to the
amusement of the spectators. The performers began their dance, and amidst the
sound of drums and the songs of the musicians the sledding of Kahawali and his
companion commenced. The hilarity of the occasion attracted the attention of
Pele, the goddess of the volcano, who came down
from Kilauea to witness the sport. Standing on the summit of the hill in the
form of a woman, she challenged Kahawali to slide with her. He accepted the
offer, and they set off together down the hill. Pele, less acquainted with the
art of balancing herself on the narrow sled than her rival, was beaten, and
Kahawali was applauded by the spectators as he returned up the side of the
hill.
Before starting again, Pele asked him to give
her his _papa holua_, but he, supposing from her appearance that she was no
more than a native woman, said: "_Aole!_ (no!) Are you my wife, that you
should obtain my sled?" And, as if impatient at being delayed, he adjusted
his papa, ran a few yards to take a spring, and then, with this momentum and
all his strength he threw himself upon it and shot down the hill.
Pele, incensed at his answer, stamped her foot
on the ground and an earthquake followed, which rent the hill in sunder. She
called, and fire and liquid lava arose, and, assuming her supernatural form, with
these irresistible ministers of vengeance, she followed down the hill. When
Kahawali reached the bottom, he arose, and on looking behind saw Pele,
accompanied by thunder and lightning, earthquake, and streams of burning lava,
closely pursuing him. He took up his broad spear which he had stuck in the ground
at the beginning of the game, and, accompanied by his friend, fled for his
life. The musicians, dancers, and crowds of spectators were instantly
overwhelmed by the fiery torrent, which, bearing on its foremost wave the
enraged goddess, continued to pursue Kahawali and his companion. They ran till
they came to an eminence called Puukea. Here Kahawali threw off his cloak of
netted ki leaves and proceeded toward his house, which stood near the shore. He
met his favorite pig and saluted it by touching noses, then ran to the house of
his mother, who lived at Kukii, saluted her by touching noses, and said:
"_Aloha ino oe, eia ihonei paha oe e make ai, ke ai mainei Pele._"
(Compassion great to you! Close here, perhaps, is your death; Pele comes
devouring.) Leaving her, he met his wife, Kanakawahine, and saluted her. The
burning torrent approached, and she said: "Stay with me here, and let us
die together." He said: "No; I go, I go." He then saluted his
two children, Poupoulu and Kaohe, and said, "_Ke ue nei au ia olua_."
(I grieve for you two.) The lava rolled near, and he ran till a deep chasm
arrested his progress. He laid down his spear and walked over on it in safety.
His friend called out for his help; he held out his spear over the chasm; his
companion took hold of it and he drew him securely over. By this time Pele was
coming down the chasm with accelerated motion. He ran till he reached Kula.
Here he met his sister, Koai, but had only time to say, _"Aloha oe!"_
(Alas for you!) and then ran on to the shore.
His younger brother had just landed from his fishing-canoe, and had hastened to
his house to provide for the safety of his family, when Kahawali arrived. He
and his friend leaped into the canoe, and with his broad spear paddled out to
sea. Pele, perceiving his escape, ran to the shore and hurled after him, with
prodigious force, great stones and fragments of rock, which fell thickly around
but did not strike his canoe. When he had paddled a short distance from the
shore the _kumukahi_ (east wind) sprung up. He fixed his broad spear upright in
the canoe, that it might answer the double purpose of mast and sail, and by its
aid he soon reached the island of Maui, where they rested one night and then proceeded
to Lanai. The day following they moved on to Molokai, thence to Oahu, the abode
of Kolonohailaau, his father, and Kanewahinekeaho, his sister, to whom he
related his disastrous perils, and with whom he took up his permanent abode.
Terima kasih telah mengunjungi blog @athia00 ikuti terus cerita lainnya..
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