nd having fastened the dead captain's
ear and little finger to the side of the house, lay down and slept.
After a while, when the two women, his wives, returned with the
moss and shrimps, he complained that the moss was not gathered as he
had directed, and that they had been gone such a long time that his
appetite had entirely left him, and he would not eat of what they
had brought. At this the elder sister said nothing, but the younger
one muttered a few words to herself; and as they were all very tired
they soon went to sleep.
They had slept a long while when the tramp of the soldiers of
Kakuhihewa was heard, returning from the battle. The King immediately
asked how the battle had gone. The soldiers answered that the
battle had gone well, but that Keinohoomanawanui alone had greatly
distinguished himself. To this the King replied he did not believe
that the Sloven was a great warrior, but when the cripple returned
he would learn the truth.
About midnight the footsteps of the lame marshal were heard outside
of the King's house. Kakuhihewa called to him, "Come, how went the
battle?"
"Can't you have patience and let me take breath?" said the
marshal. Then when he had rested himself he answered, "They fought,
but there was one man who excelled all the warriors in the land. He
was from Waianae. I gave Waianae to him as a reward for carrying me."
"It shall be his," said the King.
"He tore a man to pieces," said the cripple, "as he would tear a
banana-leaf. The champion of Kualii's army he killed, and plundered
him of his feather cloak and helmet."
"The soldiers say that Keinohoomanawanui was the hero of the day,"
said the King.
"What!" said the cripple. "He did nothing. He merely strutted
about. But this man--I never saw his equal; he had no spear, his only
weapons were his hands; if a spear was hurled at him, he warded it
off with his hair. His hair and features, by the way, greatly resemble
those of your son-in-law."
Thus they conversed till daybreak.
After a few days, again came a messenger announcing that the rebel
Kualii was making war on the plains of Kulaokahua. On hearing this
Kakuhihewa immediately collected his soldiers. As usual, the lame
marshal set out in advance the evening before the battle.
In the morning, after the army had gone, Kalelealuaka said to his
wives, "I am thirsting for some water taken with the snout of the
calabash held downward. I shall not relish it if it is taken wi
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