Umi

“ A pau ka a ana o ka pulupulu, kalua iho la keia o ka mauu wale no. A nalo ka umu, kii aku la o Umi i ka pu awa, a huhuki ae la a hemo.
When Nunu and Kakohe saw the acts performed by Umi, they said one to the other: “If the ward of Kaoleioku is anything like this fellow, what a blessing! our [196] bones would indeed be saved. What a powerful man this is!” The reasons for the comment on the great strength of Umi were because of the breaking up of the ohia log of wood at one throw, the quickness in the covering up of the umu of pig, and the uprooting of the awa bush. ”

“ But Umi had a few friends to extol his goodness and defend him against unkind insinuation, and among them were Piimaiwaa and Omaukamau, youths of about his own age, and Kulamea, the younger and only sister of the latter. From childhood these friends had been his frequent companions, and as he grew to manhood, strong-limbed, resolute and gentle, they learned to regard him with a love prepared for any sacrifice. ”

“ When Umi said this, the old man was greatly frightened, but he stood up and started off running, following the order of the king. After Nunu had started, Omaokamau followed him to see how much ground he would cover, wondering what the king was about. In running the old man’s feet became entangled soon after he started and he fell down, but he got up and kept on running; but he tripped on his feet and again fell, face down, breathing very heavily. When Umi and the other old man, Kakohe, came up to where he was lying face downward, Umi said to him: “Say, are you exhausted?” ”

“ In his retreat Umi lived, with his retainers, upon the tribute in kind which his subjects brought him from all parts of the coast. In time of famine, his servants went through the forest and collected the hapuu, a nourishing fern which then took the place of poi.
Umi, however, did not spend all his time in the mountains. He came to live at various times on the sea-shore at Kailua. He employed everywhere workmen to cut stones, to serve, some say, in the construction of a sepulchral cave; according to others, to build a magnificent palace. ”

“ She is only a young girl, but her face is fair to look upon; she is perfect from the top of her head to the soles of her feet.” When Umi heard this he was quite happy and was desirous to see her at once. Umi then gave the people orders that preparations be immediately made for her reception within twenty days. [218]
In the meantime Umi had completed final arrangements in Waipio, and everything was ready for the reception of Piikea from Maui. And so also did Piilani, on Maui, complete his final preparations to meet Umi. ”

“ It is probable that there was only one high chief of this name, that he was the son of Umi, and was called Keawe the Great—Keawe nui a Umi. David Malo was interested, as the natives know, in swelling the genealogy of the alii, and he wished to flatter both nobility and people by distinguishing Keawe nui, of the race of Umi, from another Keawe. There are two Keawe, as seven Maui, and nine Hina. It is not, indeed, so long a period from Umi to the present era, that we can not unveil the truth from the clouds which surround, it. ”

“ He is a poor chief, and the most he can do for you is to serve you two.” The old men then said: “We have no riches nor property to give him in return for his service; the only great property in our keeping is the whole of the island of Hawaii; let that be our present then to the chief Umi.” Kaoleioku replied: “How can it be possible for Umi to get the kingdom, for you two have seen for yourselves that the men are not of sufficient number to go to battle? In case of war Hakau will probably be victorious, for he has all the men at his command, and owns the whole of Hawaii.” ”

“ The story of Iwa, the successful thief, is back in the days when Umi was king of Hawaii, fourteen generations of kings before Kamehameha the First. The king Umi was well known in Hawaiian historical legends, and many important [149] events are dated with his reign as the reference-point.
In Puna, Hawaii, while Umi was king, there lived a fisherman by the name of Keaau. He was widely known for his skill in fishing with a wonderful shell. It was one of the leho shells, and was used in catching squid. Its name was Kalo-kuna. Keaau always returned from fishing with his canoe full. ”

“ When King Liloa died he left his younger son, Hakau, to rule Hawaii in his place, but an older and natural son, Umi, whose mother had been a farm-worker among the hills, he appointed as guardian of the temples and their sacred statues. Umi had not learned of his royal parentage until he had grown to be a fine stout fellow. He had lived a lonely though adventurous life, and his kingly origin was shown in the fact that he could never be induced to work or do anything useful, unless it might be hunting and fishing. ”

“ Finally, by a rainbow sign and by the fact that a pig offered in sacrifice walks toward Umi, his chiefly blood is proved to the priest Kaoleioku. The priest considers how Umi may win the kingdom away from the unpopular Hakau. Umi studies animal raising and farming. He builds four large houses, holding 160 men each, and these are filled in no time with men training in the arts of war. A couple of disaffected old men, Nunu and Kakohe, are won over to Umi's cause, and they advise Hakau to prepare for war with Umi. ”

“ The people were then all put to do this work; no one was allowed to be idle. When the bundles were all ready the downward journey was resumed. Those allowed to go without any bundle of stones in their hands were the chief Umi, the priest Kaoleioku, [202] Umi’s adopted son Koi, Piimaiwaa, and Umi’s uncle Omaokamau. When they came to the edge of the cliff they spent the night there. On the next day, the day of Lono, was the day when the feather god of Hakau was to be readorned with new feathers. ”

“ These three men were undaunted; they did not hesitate, but immediately set out to obey the order of their king, for they were anxious to go to Maui to do battle, although Umi was doubtful about mastering Imaikalani,33 for he was a very skilful warrior and was well versed in all the arts of warfare, and especially in spear throwing. He was a very powerful man, and he was the greatest man in all of Maui at that time, and he was credited as being the strongest man from Hawaii to Niihau. ”

“ When the arrangements relating to the king’s trip were concluded Umi expressed his wish to Kaoleioku that the first place to be visited be Kawaihae, as he wished very much to see this place. When Kaoleioku heard this wish of Umi, he said: “It will not do for you to travel toward the west. The proper thing for you to do is to travel toward the east first, this being your first journey around your kingdom. ”

“ It does not seem improbable that a premature death removed the foreigner who could have given Umi the idea of an art until then unknown; and had the foreigner lived longer, these curious stones would have served to build an edifice of which the native architects knew not the proportions. ”

“ When Umi heard this, he said: “I don’t think it proper for us to go and make war on Piilani, because he is your own brother; he is not connected to you from a distance, a mere relative.” Piikea said: “If you will not give your consent to my request, to go and make war on Piilani, then it would be far better for me to die than to live.” At this, Umi decided that he must obey his wife’s demand and so he gave his consent. Umi then summoned his war counselors, Omaokamau, Piimaiwaa and Koi, and gave them orders to prepare the fleet of war canoes for a trip to Maui to make war on Piilani. ”

“ When Umi asked the thief if he would steal this axe, Iwa said he would try, but he waited until the sun was almost down, then he ran swiftly to Waipio Valley as if he were a messenger of the king, calling to the people and establishing a tabu over the land:
“Sleep—sleep for the sacred stone axe of Umi.
Tabu—let no man go forth from his house. ”

“ In making this remark to Nunu, Kakohe heard it, so he said to himself: “So, that is the way the king is going to give lands to his people. They must run until they fall down. He is indeed justified in doing this, for we must bear our burden even as he did when we made him work for us.” Umi then turned to Kakohe and said: “Now [210] you must run.” Kakohe then started off and Piimaiwaa accompanied him. They ran until one ahupuaa was passed, when Kakohe fell down to the ground and he remained there exhausted. When Umi arrived at the place where Kakohe was lying, he said: “Exhausted, are you?” ”

“ Is it that nice-looking man?” Kaoleioku answered: “No, that is not Umi; he is coming on behind.” The old men, however, kept on asking until the company of the tall men went by, then the next lot of men that came along, then on to the next in size, then to the children, when it became too dark to see the skin of one’s hand. Still Umi had not been pointed out to the old men.
I ka wa e noho ana o Kaoleioku me na elemakule, ninau mai la o Nunu ia Kaoleioku: “Auhea o Umi? Aia anei o kela kanaka maikai la?” I aku o Kaoleioku: “Aole ia, eia ’ku no mahope.” ”

“ His hope now lay solely in the greater speed of his men. With promises and threats he excited them to redoubled exertions, himself leading the way.
Fortunately for Beatriz and Olmedo, the descent towards the river was comparatively facile. Sending two of his men forward to aid the women, Umi with the others took post just at the crest of the mountain, where the path was so narrow that they could easily hold it against great odds. With their spears poised they awaited the onset of Tolta’s men. ”

“ Devoting himself, then, to field labor, he was seen sometimes cultivating the ground, and sometimes going down to the sea to fish.
By generous offerings, he knew how to skillfully flatter an old man named Kaleihokuu, an influential priest, who at last adopted him as one of his children. Umi always kept at the head of the farmers and fishermen, and a considerable number, recognizing his physical superiority, voluntarily enrolled themselves under his orders and those of his foster-father; he was only known by the name of Hanai (foster-child) of Kaleihokuu. ”

“ Ia lakou i noho ai i Waipio, a liuliu iki iho, hoi aku la o Kaoleioku i kona aina i Hilo e noho ai, koe iho la o Omaokamau, o Piimaiwaa, o Koi, a me na kanaka he nui loa.
While Kaoleioku was in Hilo, Umi began courting a young chiefess of high rank who was connected to the king by blood. When Kaoleioku heard this he expressed his disapproval of the royal match by saying: “Umi must not marry a woman of his own blood, because he already owns the whole of Hawaii. ”

“ Liloa, the father Of Umi, used it to cover himself after his amour with the mother of Umi, having given his malo in pledge to the woman. Umi may have used this same leaf as a substitute for the malo while in the wilderness of Laupahoehoe, hiding away from his brother, King Hakau.
Footnote 104: (return) Oloná. A strong vegetable fiber sometimes added to tapa to give it strength. The fibers of olona in the fabric of the pa-ú are compared to the runnels and brooklets of Waihilau. ”

“ A he kii nui kekahi, me he kanaka ala ke ku mai i ka po, me na ano kaua a pau loa; o ka inoa o ua kii la, o Kawalakii. O ia kii ka mea nana e keakea na kanaka koa o lalo nei ke pii aku i ka po.
CHAPTER IV. Umi’s Generals. Relating to Omaokamau. MOKUNA IV. Na Pukaua o Umi. No Omaokamau. Omaokamau was the first of Umi’s men who attempted to climb the Kauiki hill. When he came up to the place where the ladder could be seen he saw that a three-cornered rock was fastened at its top. When let go the rock would roll directly down, which would kill the person attempting to go up the ladder. ”

“ When the ivory ornament was received Umi and his companions were liberated from their place of confinement at the father-in-law’s house. After their release at Hilo they returned to Hamakua, reaching Waipio where Umi met his chiefs and the tried councillors40 of his father, who decided at once to make war upon the chiefs of Hilo. The decision was in this wise: war must be waged right away without any waste of time. [224]
I ka wa i loaa mai ai o ka niho palaoa ua hookuu ia o Umi ma mai ko lakou wahi hoopaa pio ana ma ka hale makuahonowai. ”

“ There was the girl's figure, the leaning willow, the man,—content, insensate, sprawling upon the bank,—but the Kappa! Buddha the Merciful, could it be true? Where he had left a Kappa, waiting until to-morrow to give the triumph, the leering satisfaction at the human grief it fed on, rose the white form and pitying face of Kwannon Sama,—she to whom his Umè loved to pray. The eyes, soft, humid with compassion, looked directly out to his. They were Umè's eyes! He caught up one brush after the other. All had been used, and Umè's touch was upon them. Her aura permeated them. ”

“ Uzume returned to the gods and delivered the message. When Prince Ruddy-Plenty heard her words he again broke through the eightfold spreading cloud, and floated on the Bridge of Heaven to the summit of Takachihi.
Now Ninigi, with the Prince of Saruta as his guide, travelled throughout the kingdom over which he was to rule. He saw the mountain ranges and the lakes, the great reed plains and the vast pine forests, the rivers and the valleys. Then he said: “It is a land whereon the morning sun shines straight, a land which the evening sun illumines. So this place is an exceeding good place.” ”

“ Hereupon Torimaro, Nakatomi no Miyatoko no Muraji, Nukade, Ohoshi Kahachi no Atahe and Ō-hei, Fune no Fumibito, were appointed their official entertainers.
Now Imoko no Omi represented to the Empress, saying:—"When I was leaving, the Thang Emperor gave me a letter. But while passing through the Land of Pèkché, the men of Pèkché searched me and took it from me. Therefore I am unable to present it." Hereupon the Ministers advised, (XXII. 19.) saying:—"An Envoy, though he lose his life, should not lose his message. Such is (the duty of) an Envoy! ”