ondensed
from an account prepared by a recognized legendary bard of these
islands. The name of Ku-ula is known from the ancient times on each
of the islands of the Hawaiian group, and the writer gives the Maui
version as transmitted through the old people of that island.

Ku-ula had a human body, and was possessed with wonderful or miraculous
power (_mana kupua_) in directing, controlling, and influencing all
fish of the sea, at will.

Leho-ula, in the land of Aleamai, Hana, Maui, is where Ku-ula and
Hina-pu-ku-ia lived. Nothing is known of their parents, but tradition
deals with Ku-ula, his wife, their son Ai-ai, and Ku-ula-uka,
a younger brother of Ku-ula. These lived together for a time at
Leho-ula, and then the brothers divided their work between them,
Ku-ula-uka choosing farm work, or work pertaining to the land,
from the seashore to the mountain-top, while Ku-ula--known also as
Ku-ula-kai--chose to be a fisherman, with such other work as pertained
to the sea, from the pebbly shore to ocean depths. After this division
Ku-ula-uka went up in the mountains to live, and met a woman known
as La-ea--called also Hina-ulu-ohia--a sister of Hina-pu-ku-ia,
Ku-ula's wife. These sisters had three brothers, named Moku-ha-lii,
Kupa-ai-kee, and Ku-pulu-pulu-i-ka-na-hele. This trio were called
by the old people the gods of the canoe-making priests--"_Na akua
aumakua o ka poe kahuna kalai waa._"

While Ku-ula and his wife were living at Leho-ula he devoted all his
time to his chosen vocation, fishing. His first work was to construct
a fish-pond handy to his house but near to the shore where the surf
breaks, and this pond he stocked with all kinds of fish. Upon a
rocky platform he also built a house to be sacred for the fishing
kapu which he called by his own name, Ku-ula.

It is asserted that when Ku-ula made all these preparations he believed
in the existence of a God who had supreme power over all things. That
is why he prepared this place wherein to make his offerings of the
first fish caught by him to the fish god. From this observance of
Ku-ula all the fish were tractable (_laka loa_) unto him; all he
had to do was to say the word, and the fish would appear. This was
reported all over Hana and when Kamohaolii, the King (who was then
living at Wananalua, the land on which Kauiki Hill stands) heard of
it, he appointed Ku-ula to be his head fisherman. Through this pond,
which was well stocked with all kinds of fish, the King