Paka was reared in Pali-uli, the land that the gods have since hidden from men. That land he did not leave until he went forth to wed the fair woman whom one of his foster-fathers had found for him—the Princess Mako-lea.

But first I have to tell you about Pali-uli and the two men who found it in the old days and brought the child Paka there.

These two men were the brothers of Paka’s mother; they were both named Ki-i, and one was called Ki-i the Stayer and the other was called Ki-i the Goer. One night Ki-i the Stayer had a dream: in that dream a spirit told him: “You must go to Pali-uli and live there, you and your brother; it is a land in which you can live without labor and without discontent.” He dreamed this dream for three nights, and, each morning after, he told his dream to Ki-i the Goer. But Ki-i the Goer paid no attention to the dream that was told him. And then the dream came to Ki-i the Goer, and the same words were said to him by the spirit in the dream: “You must go to Pali-uli and live there, you and your brother, Ki-i the Stayer; it is a land in which you can live without labor and without discontent.” [82]

Then Ki-i the Goer was all for going to the land of Pali-uli. Soon the two brothers made preparations for going there. One night they went to bed early; they woke up at the second crowing of the cock; then, in the early dawn while it was still dark, they started off to seek Pali-uli, the restful land.

Guided by a spirit, they found Pali-uli. (No one will ever find it again; it has since been hidden from men by the gods.) It was a level land; it was filled with all things that men might desire: the mountain apple there grew to be as large as the bread-fruit; the sugar-cane grew until it doubled over, and then it shot up again; the bananas fell scattering on the ground, ripe always; the pigs grew until their tusks were as long as a pig is with us; the chickens grew until their spurs were as big as eggs; the dogs grew until their backs could be made into seats and cushions; there were fish ponds there, and they were stocked with all the fish of the ocean except whales and sharks. Such was Pali-uli when Ki-i the Stayer and Ki-i the Goer came into it.

They lived there in great plenty and in much content for a while. Then one day Ki-i the Goer said, “How strange it is that we have all these things growing, and we have no one to leave them to!” Then Ki-i the Stayer said: “We will take a young child and rear him up here, and let him have some of the things that are growing in such plenty. Let [83]us go back to our sister’s now, and whatever young child she has, we will take him back with us.”

So they went back to their sister’s; they found Paka, the child who was just born, and they took him back with them. Paka had no form at all when he was born; indeed, he was just like an egg. Ki-i the Goer wrapped him in a feather cape as they went travelling back to Pali-uli. After ten days they unwrapped the feather cape, and they saw that the child was becoming formed. When they looked at him again they saw that he had become most beautiful, a child with a straight back and an open face. Then he grew up, and his beauty was such that it lighted Pali-uli day and night.

And so he grew to be a youth. One day when they were looking on him, Ki-i the Goer said to Ki-i the Stayer, “There is one thing wanting now.” “And what is that?” asked Ki-i the Stayer. “A beautiful wife for Paka.” Then Ki-i the Stayer said, “You must go search for a wife for him.”

Ki-i the Goer consented, and he started off to search for a wife who would be beautiful enough to wed with Paka. He found one girl who was very much admired. But when he looked her over he saw that her eyes bulged like the nuts of the ku-kui. He passed her by. And then in the land of Kau he heard of another admired girl. But when he looked her over he saw that her lips were deformed. Her, too, he passed by, and he went on in his search. And [84]then, in the beautiful land of Kona, he found Mako-lea, a Princess who was as faultless as the full moon.

Ki-i the Goer went before the Princess and spoke to her of Paka. “Is he as handsome as so-and-so?” said she to him. “So-and-so,” said he, “is as the skin of Paka’s feet.” “Oh, bring him to me,” said the Princess. “Bring me the youth you want to be my husband, and do not be slow.” Then back to Pali-uli went Ki-i the Goer.

They knew that they would have to leave the beautiful land with the youth whom they had brought up there; Ki-i the Goer and Ki-i the Stayer knew that, and they knew that they could never come back to it. They wailed because of their great love for that land and for everything that was in it. They kissed and they wept over everything in their beautiful house. Then they committed Pali-uli to the charge of the gods who had shown that land to them. And never since that day has Pali-uli been seen by men.

When they were ready for the journey to Kona, Ki-i the Goer stood up; taking Paka by the hand, he left the house. But Ki-i the Stayer did not move. His brother turned to him and said, “How strange of you to want to remain when the youth whom we reared has to leave this place!” Upon hearing his brother say this, Ki-i the Stayer stood up and left the house. Then, with the youth whom they had [85]reared, Ki-i the Goer and Ki-i the Stayer left Pali-uli, the easeful land.

Now the King of Kau-ai had long wanted to steal Mako-lea. He sent his servants Ke-au-miki and Ke-au-ka to carry her off and bring her to him. On the very day that Paka was to reach Kona, Mako-lea and her attendants went down to the beach to join in the surf-riding. Standing on her surf-board the Princess was carried with wonderful speed across the reef and back to the beach. She brought her surf-board out again. But this time Ke-au-miki and Ke-au-ka overturned her surf-board and took her and carried her off to Kau-ai.

When Paka came to Kona and found that Mako-lea had been taken away, he took leave of Ki-i the Stayer and Ki-i the Goer. He asked Mako-lea’s father for a small canoe, and a small canoe was given him. In it he went over the sea until he came to the Island of Kau-ai.

When he reached the Island he broke his canoe into small pieces, and he left the pieces on the shore. Then he went into the land. Now the King who had taken Mako-lea was a great thrower of the spear, a great boxer, and a great man for asking and answering riddles. Paka had heard all about him, and he was prepared to meet him.

Down to the beach came the King with a great spear in his hand. “Who shall have the first chance with the spear?” he cried out when he saw Paka, [86]“the stranger or the son of the soil?” “The son of the soil,” answered Paka.

When that answer was made the King threw his spear in the full belief that it would go through the stranger, for he had never missed his throw. As the spear neared him Paka moved; he moved aside ever so slightly. He made a quick motion of his elbow outward, and he allowed the spear to enter between his arm and his body. He closed his arm on the spear as the wind whistled by, and the point of the spear quivered where he held it. The spear was held for a moment; then Paka let it fall down.

The King was sure he had struck the stranger, and he uttered his triumph in a chant.

But when he had uttered all this he saw Paka let the spear drop from under his arm. The King looked on him with amazement, and he chanted this:

[87]

He waited for the stranger to throw the spear back at him, but Paka did not throw it. Then the King turned and went to his house.

When Paka came before it he heard shouts within. “What is going on?” Paka asked. “It is for a game,” said a by-stander. “Our King is engaged in a boxing-match; he is winning, for no one can beat him.” Paka then went within, and he found the place filled with people. The King, seeing him, said, “Will the stranger join in a boxing-match?” “I know something of that game,” said Paka, “but not much. I am willing to try a bout with the son of the soil.”

Thereupon they took up their positions. The King struck, and his blow stunned Paka. Then Paka pulled himself together, and he struck. His blow knocked the King down; he lay on the ground for a time long enough to bake an oven of food. Then he rose up. He said, “That was a good stroke; the stranger makes a real opponent.”

Because Paka had not been defeated in the boxing-bout, he was given a house and food and clothes. Soon afterwards the King sent a crier through the country telling the people that they must all come to the King’s house on the fourth day after to hear the riddles that the King proposed. Now this crier had never been given any food except what dropped from the King’s eating place; he had never been given any clothes, either, and he looked fearful in [88]his naked, unwashed, and wasted form. No one would go near the man, or speak to him, or give him anything. Such was the King’s crier. He had a loud voice, however, and the people all heard what he cried out.

He came along crying: “Every one is commanded to be in the King’s presence on the fourth day from this to hear the riddles that the King will propose. No man, woman, or child may stay at home except those who are not able to walk.”

As the crier came along, Paka looked out and saw him, and he said to those who were with him, “Call that man in and give him something to eat.” Those who were with him said, “No, we cannot do that; he is a disgusting-looking man; no one can bear to be near where he is.” But Paka still said, “Call him to us.” The crier was called over; he came, but he was ashamed to stand before the people who had called him.

Paka had the man wash himself. He gave him new clothes, and he bade him sit down and eat. He ate until he was satisfied. Then said the King’s crier: “I have travelled all around the Island, and no one has ever given me food before. Now at last I have found out that pork and yams and bananas are pleasant to the taste. How can I pay you for this?”

And then the King’s crier said: “I will pay you by telling you the answers to the riddles that the King will propose. He will ask you to join in the [89]game, and if you join and are not able to answer the riddles, he will have you slain. But if you are able to answer them, he will have to give you whatever possession of his you ask for. This is the first riddle that he will ask:

The answer is a house, for the thatch goes around from top to bottom, with a place not thatched for the doorway. And this is the second riddle that he will ask:

The answer to that, too, is a house, for the timbers stand up, the beams lie down, the thatch is folded. If you have an answer for these two riddles, you may join in the game, and the King cannot have you slain.”

The fourth day after this Paka went with the rest of the people to the King’s house. The King saw him, and he called out, “Let the stranger be seated here.” Paka went and sat near him. And then after a while the King said, “Will the stranger join in the game?”

“I will,” Paka said, “but you must tell me the conditions of the game.” “These are the conditions,” [90]said the King. “I have two riddles to give out: if you enter the game and cannot answer them correctly, you will be slain; if you can answer them correctly, you are free to leave my land and to take with you any possession of mine that you choose.” “I will enter the game,” said Paka.

Then said the King: “This is the first riddle:

Paka waited. He waited, watching an oven that was being heated. If he did not give the correct answer, he would be flung into that oven. When the oven was all heated, he said:

“It is a house. A house is thatched all around, with a place for the doorway left open.”

“Then answer my second riddle,” said the King, and he gave it out:

“The answer to that, too,” said Paka, “is a house. For the timbers of a house stand up, the beams lie down, the thatch is folded.”

“That is the answer, but who has told you?” cried the King.

He was not able to have Paka killed, and he had to give him whatever Paka chose to ask for. And [91]Paka asked for the Princess Mako-lea who had been stolen away from him. He asked for her, and he was brought into another house. And there he beheld the Princess. And when he looked on her he knew that when his foster-father had said that she was faultless as the full moon he had spoken the truth. He took her back to Kona, to the house of her father and her mother, and in Kona they were wed, Paka and Mako-kea. And his two foster-fathers, Ki-i the Goer and Ki-i the Stayer, married Mako-lea’s two attendants; and thereafter the two elders lived so well that they almost came to forget Pali-uli, the easeful land. [93]