his
exceeding comeliness but also for his skill as a huntsman, for surely
there was no hare that could escape his vigilance and the point of his
arrow. So when Talakoa, their father, came that evening the maidens
told him of this stranger, and he wondered who he was and whence he
fared. Awaking from sleep in the middle of that night, Kaulualua saw
that the stars shone with rare brilliancy, and that by their light a
man was gazing upon her through the window. And she saw that the man
was the tall, fair man of whom it has been spoken. So she uttered no
cry, but feigned that she slept, for she saw that there was love in the
tall, fair man's eyes, and it pleaseth a maiden to be looked upon in
that wise.

When it was morning this tall, fair man came and entered that house and
laid a fish and a hare upon the hearthstone and called for Talakoa.
And he quoth to Talakoa:

"Old man, I would have your daughter to wife."

Being a full crafty man, as beseemeth one of years, Talakoa replied:
"Four daughters have I."

The tall, fair man announced: "You speak sooth, as well becometh a full
crafty man. Four daughters have you, and it is Kaulualua that I would
have to wife."

Saith that full crafty man, the father: "How many palm trees grow in
thy possession, and how many rivers flow through thy chiefdom? Whence
comest thou, gentle sir, for assuredly neither I nor mine have seen the
like of thee before."

"Good sooth," answered the tall, fair man, "I will tell you no lie, for
I would have that daughter to wife, and the things you require do well
beseem a full crafty man that meaneth for his child's good. I am the
man of the moon, and my name is Marama."

Then Talakoa and his daughters looked at one another and were sore
puzzled, for they knew not whereof Marama spake. And they deemed him a
madman; yet did they not laugh him to scorn, because that he had come
a-wooing, and had laid the fish and the hare upon the hearthstone.

"Kind sir, bringing gifts," quoth Talakoa, "I say no lie to you, but we
know not that country whereof you speak. Pray tell us of the moon and
where is it situate, and how many kumes is it distant from here?"

"Full crafty man, father of her whom I would have to wife, I will tell
you truly," answered Marama. "The moon wherefrom I come is a mighty
island in the vast sea of night, and it is distant from here so great a
space that it were not to count the kumes that lie between. Exceeding
fair is t