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
