The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai Part 19

During this very last song of Kahalaomapuana's, Aiwohikupua's heart filled with love, and he called out for the canoe to back up, but Kahalaomapuana had been left far behind, so swiftly were the men paddling, and by the time the canoe had turned about to pick her up she was not to be found.

Here we must leave Aiwohikupua for a little and tell about his sisters, then speak again about Aiwohikupua.

When Aiwohikupua's party forsook his sisters at Honolii and took Kahalaomapuana with them, the girls mourned for love of their younger sister, for they loved Kahalaomapuana better than their parents or their native land.

While they were still mourning Kahalaomapuana appeared by the cliff; then their sorrow was at an end.

They crowded about their younger sister, and she told them what had happened to her and why she had returned, as has been told in the chapter before.

After talking of all these things, they consulted together where they might best live, and agreed to go back to Paliuli.

After their council they left Honolii and returned to the uplands of Paliuli, to a place near Laieikawai's house, and lived there inside of hollow trees.

And because they wished so much to see Laieikawai they spied out for her from day to day, and after many days of spying they had not had the least sight of her, for every day the door was fast closed.

So they consulted how to get sight of Laieikawai, and after seeking many days after some way to see the princess of Paliuli they found none.

During this debate their younger sister did not speak, so one of her older sisters said, "Kahalaomapuana, all of us have tried to devise a way to see Laieikawai, but we have not found one; perhaps you have something in mind. Speak."

"Yes" said, their younger sister, "let us burn a fire every night, and let the oldest sing, then the next, and so on until the last of us, only one of us sing each night, then I will come the last night; perhaps the fire burning every night will annoy the princess so she will come to find out about us, then perhaps we shall see Laieikawai."

Kahalaomapuana's words pleased them.

The next night they lighted the fire and Mailehaiwale sang that night, as they had agreed, and the next night Mailekaluhea; so they did every night, and the fourth night pa.s.sed; but Laieikawai gave them no concern.

The princess had, in fact, heard the singing and seen the fire burning constantly, but what was that to the princess!

On the fifth night, Kahalaomapuana's night, the last night of all, they lighted the fire, and at midnight Kahalaomapuana made a trumpet of a _ti_ leaf[45] and played on it.

Then for the first time Laieikawai felt pleasure in the music, but the princess paid no attention to it. And just before daylight Kahalaomapuana played again on her _ti_ leaf trumpet as before, then this delighted the princess. Only two times Kahalaomapuana blew on it that night.

The second night Kahalaomapuana did the same thing again; she began early in the evening to play, but the princess took no notice.

Just before daylight that night she played a second time. Then Laieikawai's sleep was disturbed, and this night she was even more delighted.

And, her interest aroused, she sent her attendant to see where the musical instrument was which was played so near her.

Then the princess's attendant went out of the door of the chief-house and saw the fire which the girls had lighted, crept along until she came to the place where the fire was, and stood at a distance where she was out of sight of those about the fire.

And having seen, she returned to Laieikawai, and the princess inquired about it.

The attendant told the princess what she had seen. "When I went outside the door of the house I saw a fire burning near, and I went and came and stood at a distance without being myself seen. There, behold! I saw five girls sitting around the fire, very beautiful girls; all looked alike, but one of them was very little and she was the one who played the sweet music that we heard."

When the princess heard this she said to her attendant, "Go and get the smallest of them, tell her to come here and amuse us."

At these words of the princess, the nurse went and came to the place where the sisters were and they saw her, and she said, "I am a messenger sent hither by my chief to fetch whichever one of you I want to take; so I take the smallest of you to go and visit my princess as she has commanded."

When Kahalaomapuana was carried away, the hearts of the sisters sang for joy, for they thought to win fortune thereafter.

And their sister went into the presence of Laieikawai.

When they had come to the house, the attendant opened the door; then, Kahalaomapuana was terrified to see Laieikawai resting on the wings of birds as was her custom; two scarlet _iiwi_ birds were perched on the shoulders of the princess and shook the dew from red _lehua_ blossoms upon her head.

And when Kahalaomapuana saw this, then it seemed marvelous to the stranger girl, and she fell to the ground with trembling heart.

The princess's attendant came and asked, "What is the matter, daughter?"

And twice she asked, then the girl arose and said to the princess's attendant as follows: "Permit me to return to my sisters, to the place from which you took me, for I tremble with fear at the marvelous nature of your princess."

Said the princess's attendant, "Do not fear, have no dread, arise and enter to meet my princess as she has commanded you."

"I am afraid," said the girl.

When the princess heard their low voices, she arose and called to Kahalaomapuana; then the girl's distress was at an end, and the stranger entered to visit the princess.

Said Laieikawai, "Is the merry instrument yours that sounded here last night and this?"

"Yes; it is mine," said Kahalaomapuana.

"Go on," said Laieikawai, "play it."

Kahalaomapuana took her _ti_ leaf trumpet from behind her ear, and played before the princess; then Laieikawai was delighted. This was the first time the princess had seen this kind of instrument.

CHAPTER XII

Now, Laieikawai became fascinated with the merry instrument upon which the girl played, so she bade her sound it again.

Said the girl, "I can not sound it again, for it is now daylight, and this instrument is a kind that sounds only by night; it will never sound by day."

Laieikawai was surprised at these words, thinking the girl was lying. So she s.n.a.t.c.hed the trumpet out of the girl's hand and played upon it, and because she was unpracticed in playing the trumpet the thing made no sound; then the princess believed that the trumpet would not sound by day.

Said Laieikawai to Kahalapmapuana, "Let us two be friends, and you shall live here in my house and become my favorite, and your work will be to amuse me."

Said Kahalaomapuana, "O princess, you have spoken well; but it would grieve me to live with you and perhaps gain happiness for myself while my sisters might be suffering."

"How many of you are there?" asked Laieikawai, "and how did you come here?"

Said Kahalaomapuana, "There are six of us born of the same parents; one of the six is a boy and five of us are his younger sisters, and the boy is the oldest, and I am the youngest born. And we journeyed hither with our brother, and because we failed to gain for him his wish, therefore he has abandoned us and has gone back with his favorite companion, and we live here in distress."

Laieikawai asked, "Where do you come from?"

"From Kauai," answered Kahalaomapuana.

"And what is your brother's name?"