The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai Part 25

CHAPTER XIX

When Hinaikamalama ceased chanting, she said to Aiwohikupua, "Where are you? Embrace me close to make me warm; I am cold all over; no warmth at all."

Then Aiwohikupua obeyed her, and she grew as warm as before.

As they began to take their ease in fulfillment of their vow at the betrothal, then the cold came a second time upon Hinaikamalama.

Then she raised a chant, as follows:

O my comrade, it is cold, Cold as the snow on the mountain top, The cold lies at the soles of my feet, It presses upon my heart, The cold wakens me In my night of sleep.

This time Hinaikamalama said to Aiwohikupua, "Do you not know any reason for our being cold? If you know the reason, then tell me; do not hide it."

Said Aiwohikupua, "This cold comes from your rival; she is perhaps angry with us, so she wears her snow mantle; therefore we are cold."

Hinaikamalama answered, "We must part, for we have met and our vow is fulfilled."

Said Aiwohikupua, "We will break off this time; let us separate; to-morrow at noon, then we will carry out the vow."

"Yes," said Hinaikamalama.

After they had parted then Hinaikamalama slept pleasantly the rest of the night until morning.

At noon Aiwohikupua again took her in fulfillment of the agreement of the night before.

As those two reposed accordingly, Poliahu was displeased.

Then Poliahu took her sun mantle and covered herself; this time it was the heat Poliahu sent to Hinaikamalama. Then she raised a short song, as follows:

The heat, ah! the heat, The heat of my love stifles me, It burns my body, It draws sweat from my heart, Perhaps this heat is my lover's--ah!

Said Aiwohikupua, "It is not my doing; perhaps Poliahu causes this heat; perhaps she is angry with us."

Said Hinaikamalama, "Let us still have patience and if the heat comes over us again, then leave me."

After this, they again met in fulfillment of their vow.

Then again the heat settled over them, then she raised again the chant:

The heat, ah! the heat, The heat of my love stifles me.

Its quivering touch scorches my heart, The sick old heat of the winter, The fiery heat of summer, The dripping heat of the summer season, The heat compels me to go, I must go.

Then Hinaikamalama arose to go.

Said Aiwohikupua, "You might give me a kiss before you go."

Said Hinaikamalama, "I will not give you a kiss; the heat from that wife of yours will come again, it will never do. Fare you well!"

Let us leave off here telling about Aiwohikupua. It is well to speak briefly of Hinaikamalama.

After leaving Aiwohikupua, she came and stayed at the house of a native of the place.

This very night there was again a festivity for Hauailiki and the chiefs at Puuopapai.

This night Hinaikamalama remembered her promise to Hauailiki after the game of spin-the-gourd, before she met Aiwohikupua.

This was the second night of the festival; then Hinaikamalama went and sat outside the group.

Now, the first game of spin-the-gourd was between Kauakahialii and Kailiokalauokekoa. Afterward Kailiokalauokekoa and Makaweli had the second game.

During the game Poliahu entered the a.s.sembly. To Hauailiki and Poliahu went the last game of the night.

And as the master of ceremonies had not seen Hinaikamalama early that night, he had not done his duty. For on the former night the first game this night had been promised to Hauailiki and Hinaikamalama, but not seeing her he gave the first game to others.

Close on morning the sport master searched the gathering for Hinaikamalama and found her.

Then the sport master stood up in the midst of the a.s.sembly, while Hauailiki and Poliahu were playing, then he sang a song while fluttering the end of the wand over Hauailiki and took away the wand and Hauailiki stood up. The sport master went over to Hinaikamalama, touched her with the wand and withdrew it. Then Hinaikamalama stood in the midst of the circle of players.

When Poliahu saw Hinaikamalama, she frowned at the sight of her rival.

And Hauailiki and Hinaikamalama withdrew where they could take their pleasure.

When they met, said Hinaikamalama to Hauailiki, "If you take me only for a little while, then there is an end of it, for my parents do not wish me to give up my virginity thus. But if you intend to take me as your wife, then I will give myself altogether to you as my parents desire."

To the woman's words Hauailiki answered, "Your idea is a good one; you think as I do; but let us first meet according to the choice of the sport master, then afterwards we will marry."

"Not so," said Hinaikamalama, "let me be virgin until you are ready to come and get me at Hana."

On the third night of Hauailiki's festivities, when the chiefs and others were a.s.sembled, that night Lilinoe and Poliahu, Waiaie and Kahoupokane met, for the three had come to find Poliahu, thinking that Aiwohikupua was living with her.

This night, while Aiwohikupua and Makaweli were playing spin-the-gourd, in the midst of the sport, the women of the mountain entered the place of a.s.sembly.

As Poliahu and the others stood in their mantles of snow, sparkling in the light, the group of players were in an uproar because of these women, because of the strange garments they wore; at the same time cold penetrated the whole _kilu_ shelter and lasted until morning, when Poliahu and her companions left Kauai. At the same time Hinaikamalama left Kauai.

When we get to Laieikawai's coming to Kauai after Kekalukaluokewa's marriage with Laieikawai, then we will begin again the story of Hinaikamalama; at this place let us tell of Kauakahialii's command to his friend, and so on until he meets Laieikawai.

After their return from Hawaii, Kauakahialii lived with Kailiokalauokekoa at Pihanakalani. [58] Now the end of their days was near.

Then Kauakahialii laid a blessing upon his friend, Kekalukaluokewa, and this it was:

"Ah! my friend, greatly beloved, I give you my blessing, for the end of my days is near, and I am going back to the other side of the earth.

"Only one thing for you to guard, our wife.[59] When I fall dead, there where sight of you and our wife comes not back, then do you rule over the island, you above, and our wife below; as we two ruled over the island, so will you and our wife do.

"It may be when I am dead you will think of taking a wife; do not take our wife; by no means think of her as your wife, for she belongs to us two.

"The woman for you to take is the wife left on Hawaii, Laieikawai. If you take her for your wife it will be well with you, you will be renowned. Would you get her, guard one thing, our flute, guard well the flute,[60] then the woman is yours, this is my charge to you."