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May not old Maui have only dreamed he pulled Hawaii up from the bottom of the sea? Then would this Hawaii land be a dream, and you, and I, and the squid there, only parts of Maui's dream? And the lark bird too?" He sighed and let his head sink on his breast.
For many generations the patterns cut and pricked on the human face and body were faithful imitations of what were believed to be Maui's designs. They were composed of straight lines, angles, and cross-cuts. Later the hero Mataora taught a more graceful style which dealt in curves, spirals, volutes and scroll-work.
He realized then how great had been his folly and trembled at the thought of capture by the mighty demi-god. In spite of his magic powers Kuna knew Maui's anger to be far greater than all of them put together; still, he had countless secret hiding-places where it would be difficult to find him.
So great was Maui's disappointment at this his first failure in any important enterprise that he would not try again. He said his fish-hook had lost its charm and sorrowfully he took it away with him in his canoe. He carried it up the Wailuku River to his home behind Rainbow Falls, where he grieved for many days over the unsuccessful attempt.
One day he thought of a clever trick and took his brothers into his confidence. They fixed up a kalabash covered with tapa to resemble a man and placed it in the middle of Maui's canoe. Then the two brothers took their seats at either end of the canoe and paddled out into the harbor while Maui ran back and concealed himself in the woods.
"Do you know, Kanaka Oolea, the priest talked a language largely different, and I know it was the priest language, the old language. Maui he did not name Maui, but Maui-Tiki-Tiki and Maui-Po-Tiki. And Hina, the goddess-mother of Maui, he named Ina. And Maui's god-father he named sometimes Akalana and sometimes Kanaloa. Strange how one about to die and very thirsty should remember such things!
Gracefully the birdlike thing rose into the brilliant turquoise sky that same sky which today so enchants the malihini and as it tugged at the line, dipped, rose again and circled about, the thrill of it came down the cord to Maui's hands and his delight knew no bounds. Often in the quiet days that followed did Maui amuse himself with the big kite.
Now Puuanuhe, the much-dreaded lizard-woman, made her home on the shores of the Kau desert, and to her ears had come the wonderful story of Maui's kite, fanning an already hot jealousy of the young demi-god and his doings. Puuanuhe was the only creature of those days who had fiery red hair, and her temper was none the less caloric.
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.
Not only does the sun daily succeed where Maui failed, but it was his observation of this fact which encouraged Maui to risk the adventure. If Maui were the sun, we should all be immortal, for Maui's ordeal is daily achieved by the sun. But Dr.