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Even today you can see the long hole puka o Maui which the demi-god's spear made through the lava beyond the cavern; sufficient evidence of the Herculean strength with which the weapon was driven. Small wonder Kuna so feared a meeting with this outraged son of the goddess he had sought to drown. Wasting no time, Kuna started down stream, with Maui in hot pursuit.
But Kuna, quite aware of the situation, was quick to take advantage and to act. Hina's apparent indifference annoyed him. He recalled several failures to conquer her, and rage overwhelmed him. Calling upon his powers he lifted an immense boulder and hurled it over the cliffs. It fitted perfectly where it fell between the walls of the gorge and blocked the rush of the hurrying torrent.
Soon he stood before the hole in which Kuna lay hiding. Catching sight of the ugly monster within, Maui let out a deafening yell, poised his magic spear, and with one sweep of his mighty arm hurled it into the depths of Kuna's hiding-place. But the dragon was sly and agile, notwithstanding his huge bulk, and slipped out in time to save himself.
He could see the grotesque bulk of his enemy far below the surface of the gloomy water. Kuna was cornered. Calling upon Pele, goddess of the Volcano, to send him hot stones and molten lava, Maui cast these into Kuna's retreat until the waters boiled furiously, sending a vast column of steam far above the rim of the gorge.
How her son, the demi-god Maui, came to the rescue, saved his mother, and finally hunted Kuna from his lair up the river and slew him, is told in the legend, "The Last of Kuna." When Paoa, a very powerful god from Tahiti, came to visit Hawaii he built a grass hut and made his home on the long, low rock now known as Maui's canoe in the Wailuku near its mouth.
Known today as the Boiling Pots, although time has cooled their waters, they still bubble and surge as vigorously as ever, especially when the heavy rains come and remind them of the time when Kuna the Dragon sought refuge within their depths. Tough as the hide of Kuna was, it could not save him from the terrific heat generated by the red-hot rocks and lava cast into the pool by Maui.
So Maui would go alone to the bay, but the hook remained idle in the bottom of his magic canoe which, as related in the legend of Kuna, he drove from the shores of the Island of Maui to the mouth of the Wailuku with two sweeps of his paddle.
So great was the wrath of the demi-god Maui at the fell intent of Kuna to drown his mother that he vowed never to relent in his search for the monster, and to kill him on sight. Kuna evidently sensed Maui's intentions, for as soon as he saw his great mischief undone he fled to a hiding-place far up the river.
Laughing loudly at his success, Kuna called on Hina and warned her of her plight, but, still unknowing, Hina slept on until the cold waters entered the cave, rapidly creeping higher and higher until they reached her where she slept. Startled into wakefulness she sprang to her feet, and her cries of panic resounded against the distant hills.
One lot had a formal chant and response. Their leader, in a high falsetto, said something like, "Kuna koma kuno," and all his tribesmen would follow with a single word in a deep gruff tone, "Za-la-nee!" All of which undoubtedly helped immensely. The country was a bully country, but somehow it did not look like Africa.
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