COURTESY OF KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS

Man risks life to save
brothers, nephew

’Aukele’s Search

Then one day Namaka found her husband weeping. "Why do you weep?" she asked him anxiously.

"For Kaumai."

"For Kaumai? Who is he?"

"The son of my eldest brother. He was destroyed because of his father's boastful words. When you shook your powerful kahili, Kaumai was turned to ashes with the others. This morning in my sleep, I saw his spirit. Sadly, he came from the sea followed by my brothers. I saw them slowly climb the mountains as if in search of food. Aue! Aue!" 'Aukele wailed with grief.

Namaka turned from him. She knew a way in which her husband might save his nephew and his brothers, but it would mean his leaving her for many moons and she kept silent.

Day after day 'Aukele wept and refused food. "Why do you weep?" the chiefess asked again.

"You know the reason. I weep for Kaumai. I shall take no food until my days of mourning for him are at an end."

Namaka stood looking at her husband. "There is a way," she said. He lifted tear-dimmed eyes and looked at her, not understanding. "If you have strength and courage it may be that you can bring them back to life -- your nephew and your brothers."

'Aukele sprang up eagerly. "Tell me," he begged. "How must I use my strength and courage? I long to save my nephew. And Iku, the brother next in age to me. And all the others too. Oh, tell me what to do!"

"You have heard of the water of Kane, the water of life? Kane has given a gourd of that sacred water into the keeping of Kamoho. It is deep within a cavern and guarded well. That place is very far from here and there are many dangers. Oh 'Aukele, you yourself may lose your life while you seek to save these others. Do not leave me."

"I will return to you," 'Aukele promised confidently. "Show me the way and let me start at once."

She led him to the doorway. "Eastward," she said. "You must fly straight toward the rising sun. Do not turn to right or left or you will be lost. You will wander till your strength is gone and you meet death."

'Aukele brought his sacred calabash, which contained an image of his god. Lovingly he said farewell. "Do not fear," he told Namaka. "I shall return." Then he leapt into the air and flew toward the rising sun.

On and on he flew. The way was long indeed. 'Aukele grew tired and his strength was failing. Still he went bravely on but changed his precious bowl from one side to the other because his arm was aching with its load.

Lono, his god, had been sleeping but the moving of the calabash woke him. "Oh 'Aukele," he called, "we are off the track! We no longer travel straight toward the rising sun but wander in space. We must have help." And Lono looked about. "There!" he called. "There is one above us. Fly up and cling to him." Using the last of his strength 'Aukele flew up and grasped the moon. With the moon's help the young man returned safely to his home.

After resting he started out once more in search of the water of Kane. He flew far and far and then alighted before an opening in a mountainside. This must be the place, he thought, for he had flown straight toward the rising sun.

'Aukele saluted a guard. "Whose child are you?" the guard demanded. 'Aukele gave the names of parents and grandparents. The guard knew the names of these great chiefs, for they were his relatives. "What brings you here?" he asked.

"I have come for the water of Kane that I may restore life to my nephew and my brothers. Is that water here?"

"It is here," answered the guard, "far within this cavern in the mountain. But there are many dangers." He looked at the strong young man, then stepped back from the entrance. "Go in," he said. "Go far in keeping to this side, for on that side bamboo grows. If you are caught by the thicket of bamboo the sound will waken Kamoho, keeper of the water."

'Aukele entered the cavern following the direction of the guard. After he had gone far he came upon a second guard. "Whose child are you?" Again 'Aukele gave the name of parents and grandparents. "Aloha to you! What brings you here?"

"I seek the water of Kane that I may restore life to my nephew and my brothers."

The guard stepped back. "Keep to the left," he said, "for on the right are lama trees. If you become entangled in the lama the sound will waken Kamoho, keeper of the water."

'AUKELE WENT deeper into the cavern, passed the lama trees and came at last to a third guard. This one told him to beware of the loulu palms. "Go through the cavern until you near the farther end. There you will see an old blind woman roasting bananas. She is a relative of your family and guards the water of Kane. When she knows someone is near she will strike at you with her kapa beater. Dodge her blows. Though she is old this woman has great power. When you can get close, embrace her and tell her who you are. It may be she will help you."

'Aukele journeyed past the loulu palms and reached the old blind woman. Though he stole up silently she felt his presence and struck at him with her kapa beater. This way and that 'Aukele dodged and at last came close enough to throw his arms about her neck. "Who are you?" she cried angrily. Again 'Aukele gave the names of parents and grandparents and the old woman wailed with joy as she welcomed him. "Why have you come?" she asked.

"I seek the water of Kane. My nephew and my brothers were destroyed. I long to save them -- to bring them back to life."

"In the cavern floor is a small opening," the old woman said. "It leads to a cave below. There is the water of Kane."

'Aukele looked eagerly about. "I see the opening," he whispered, "but it is too small for a man to enter. What shall I do?"

"Kamoho comes," she answered, "and reaches down for the water of life. Guards in the cave below place the gourd in his hands. But the hands of Kamoho are black."

'Aukele looked at his own hands. "Mine are not black," he said. "What shall I do?"

"We must blacken them. Get herbs, 'Aukele, and kukui nuts. Then take charcoal from my fire." 'Aukele got these things and pounded and mixed as the old woman directed. "Now rub the oily black stuff on your hands."

'Aukele laughed softly. "Now my hands are black," he whispered, "black as the hands of Kamoho."

"Then you are ready. Reach down into the hole and wait. You must not speak or the guards will know you are a stranger. They may give you something you do not want. Drop it and wait again. At last you will grasp the gourd which holds the water of life."

'Aukele reached through the small opening in the cavern floor and waited. He heard the voices of the guards: "Kamoho has come for food," and felt a ki-leaf bundle in his hands. He dropped it. Again a low voice: "It must be fish our master wants." Fish was put in his hands and he dropped that. Low words once more: "Give him the water gourd," and 'Aukele's fingers closed about the gourd that held the precious water of Kane.

Eagerly he lifted it, tore off the net that held it and broke the gourd's neck so that he could pour the water into his own gourd. At once he started back. So eagerly he went that he bumped into loulu palms and lama trees and finally became entangled in bamboo.

When struck, the palms gave the strong sound of a conch-shell trumpet. This wakened Kamoho, who lay listening. After a time he heard the roll of thunder. "The lama trees! Someone is rushing out of my cavern!" Kamoho thought. He sprang up and hurried to the opening that led to the small cave below the cavern floor. He thrust in his hands, and food was placed in them. "No! No!" he cried. "Not food. Give me the water of Kane."

"You took it, master," a guard replied. "A little while ago you reached for it. We put into your hands the gourd that holds that sacred water --"

Kamoho waited to hear no more. Someone had stolen the water of life and he sprang up to follow. At that moment from far away, near the cavern's mouth, he heard a sound as when waves beat upon a cliff. The bamboo! he thought. The thief is about to leave the cavern. He followed with mighty speed. When he reached the cavern's mouth, he saw a man flying toward the setting sun. Kamoho sprang into the air but 'Aukele was far ahead and the other gave up the chase.

Filled with joy, with strength and power 'Aukele flew toward home. Here was the island of Namaka -- but the young man did not stop to greet his wife. Instead he flew out to the entrance of the bay and hovered in the air looking about. This was the place! Just here the double canoe had been when the great birds came. Just here the challenge was shouted, "A war canoe." And here canoe and men had disappeared. 'Aukele opened his water gourd. Slowly he poured the precious water onto the waves.

"'Aukele!" He heard the call, clear and strong -- the voice of his dear wife.

"Wait!" he answered. "First let me bring life to my nephew and my brothers."

"Stop!" Namaka's tone was very firm. "Pour no more water or all will be lost. Come! Come to me quickly!" Unwillingly 'Aukele flew to meet his wife, who looked anxiously at his water gourd. "Oh 'Aukele," she said, "it was for you to get the water but for me to use it. If you had poured all on the waves, your brothers and your nephew could never be brought to life. Let us go together."

Together they flew to the entrance of the bay and hovered above the place where canoe and men had been destroyed. "Now pour the water into your hand," the chiefess said. She dipped her fingers in it and sprinkled the sacred water on the waves. "That is all," she said. "Fly with me to the shore and do not once look back."

They reached the shore. "Now!" said the chiefess and her voice rang with triumph. Together they turned to look. A double canoe was entering the bay and sailing swiftly toward them.

"It is they!" 'Aukele cried. "There is Kaumai! There is Iku! O my brothers!" 'Aukele wailed with joy and they wailed too.

The canoe was beached and nephew and brothers came to 'Aukele with tears rolling down their cheeks. Even the eldest embraced him thankfully. "Life is good!" they said. "Warm sunshine, green land and dancing waves! It is you who have brought us back to life, 'Aukele!"

"My wife and I," he answered lovingly. Together they rejoiced.