Fairy Tales and Folk-Lore of New Zealand and the South Seas/The Flower of Lanai
LESSON V.
THE FLOWER OF LANAI.
(Hawaii.)
Beneath the cliffs which form the coast of the little island of Lanai is a hollow in the rocks known as the Spouting Cave. It cannot be seen by the voyager along the shore, for its only entrance is through the vortex of a whirlpool. Through this perilous and frightful passage now and then some intrepid diver has passed, and penetrating within has reached a dim dismal shore slightly raised above the sea-level, from which can be seen the slimy forms of crabs, cuttle-fish, and rays, which find in these dark abodes a place of safety. Here was supposed to dwell the great Lizard-god, but he has long since fled with the dawn of advancing civilisation.
About a century ago the King of Hawaii came in great state to the little island. Six double canoes striped with the golden colour pertaining to royalty bore his retinue and body-guard. He was received with hospitality, his path was strewed with flowers and sweet-scented herbs; all that the simple-minded people could do to show their respect and welcome was accorded to the powerful ruler. Among those who brought their offerings of fragrant blossoms was Kaa, the daughter of one of the inferior chiefs, but her lowly birth was more than compensated for by the gift of extraordinary beauty, which was so universally acknowledged that she was known as “the sweet-scented Flower of Lanai.” Among her lovers was one whom she greatly feared, the chief Mai, a huge muscular brute whose physical strength was so great that from his favourite device of crushing in the ribs of his enemy in his terrible grip he was called “the Bone-breaker.” Although hated by the fair girl the suit of the savage was greatly favoured by her father, who wished to gain as his son-in-law a man noted for his deeds of prowess and feared for his well-known ferocity.
At the time of the King’s visit, when Kaa was strewing flowers before the monarch, she raised her eyes and they met those of Kai, a brave and handsome chief belonging to the King’s body-guard, and who in spite of his youth had already become celebrated for his heroic behaviour in many battles. As the eyes of the two met and exchanged glances the youth was emboldened to step forward and ask the maiden for the gift of a flower; she consented, and in giving the flower gave her heart away with it. The next day Kai went to the King and demanded the girl’s hand in marriage, but the monarch declined to yield the favour until he had obtained the consent of her father. This was by no means easy to obtain, for not only had the father other intentions in regard to his daughter, but by an evil chance it had happened that in the war shortly before concluded Kai had slain in single combat the dearest friend of the old man, in whose hands the fate of the lovers lay. He answered the King very respectfully that he was unable to bestow his child upon the young warrior, because he had already given his promise that she should be the wife of Mai the Bone breaker; but he added that he was content to allow the matter to be settled by a combat with bare hands between the rival claimants. The proposition seemed fair, and the King having yielded assent, the preparation for the struggle took place. As Kai proceeded to the place where the people had assembled to witness the duel, Kaa sprang forward and seizing the hand of her lover said, “Although my people have fallen in war before your spear, only save me from the Bone-breaker and I will be your faithful servant all your life.” Her father tore her away, and Kai proceeded to the ring around which the nobles and common people had assembled, and where his adversary already awaited his coming. Mai taunted the younger man and said, “So you are the madman who dares encounter my embrace! I am the Bone-breaker, he who snaps asunder the bones of men. Come, and with one hand I will strangle you.” Kai answered, “You will have to use both hands. You are better at breaking the bones of women than of men.” They rushed together, but with a movement of almost incredible swiftness Kai avoided the rush of his burly opponent and tripping him up threw him to the earth with his arm in such a position that the bone snapped. The elder warrior sprang to his feet and again rushed on his antagonist, but was again tripped by his nimble foe, who, pressing his knee into the back of the Bone-breaker, dislocated his spine. Kaa sprang through the crowd to the side of her lover, and the King taking the girl’s hand in that of the youth said, “She is yours. You have won her well and bravely.”
| fright′-ful | daugh′-ter | civ-i-li-sa′-tion | de-vice′ |
| ret′-i-nue | prow′-ess | peo′-ple | roy′-al-ty |
| cel′-e-bra-ted | ad′-ver-sa-ry | stran′-gle | move′-ment |
| lov′-er | break′-er | in-cred′-i-ble | en-coun′-ter |
| a-sun′-der | in-trep′-id | is′-land | war′-ri-or |
| col′-our |
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cut′-tle-fish, a marine animal that throws out a black liquor to conceal itself.
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ray, a kind of fish, sometimes called skate.
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