“Fragrant Hala Blossom”

Excerpt from the book: "Tales of the Mermaids of Waiahuakua." A story of the youngest of the five Maile Sisters, Kahalaomapuana.

“Fragrant Hala Blossom”

(Kahalaomapuana)

 

The five Maile sisters, abandoned by their brother, lived in the forest around Pali-uli, eating berries, foraging for whatever else they could find that would sustain them and living in hollow trees. At night, they would light fires and sir around them, singing to each other. All day, one or another would watch for any sight of the Princess, but none of them ever saw her come out of her house.

One day, her elder sister said to Fragrant Hala Blossom (Ka-hala-o-ma-pua-na,) “All of us have tried to come to the Princess, to see and to speak with her, except for you, our youngest sister. It is for you now to think of some way of coming to her, so that we may have her protection…we who are forsaken in this wilderness.”

That very day as Fragrant Hala Blossom searched for food along the beach, she heard a most wondrous sound coming from behind the waterfall that emptied into the lagoon. As she peered through the falls, she could see what looked like a lovely woman playing upon a flute (ohe) made of the wide leaf of the ti plant. Enthralled by this music, the youngest sister stepped through the falls. As she wiped the water from her eyes, the woman had disappeared, only a ripple remained on the surface of the water in the place where she once was.  There, on the rock, was the leaf from which the woman had used to make the soothing sounds.

 Fragrant Hala Blossom then took the leaf and learned to play it. That night as she sat by the fire with her sisters, she blew upon the flute, making very merry sounds. She played, and the Princess in her house that was covered with the feathers of the o-o bird, heard the music. She called to her attendant, and bade her to go and find out who was playing this new and different music. The attendant went out. When she returned she informed the Princess, “I went to where the fires were lighted, and I saw girls around the fires…five girls, each as beautiful and as lovely as any girl I have ever seen. I watched them without being seen myself. One of the girls, the littlest, made the music, playing upon an instrument of leaf with her mouth.”

 

The Princess then commanded: “Go and bring the littlest girl to me, and she may amuse me by playing on that instrument.”

So the attendant went again to the place where the fires were lighted, and this time, showed herself to the girls. “I have come to take the smallest girl to visit the Princess.”

Fragrant Hala Blossom stood up and went along with the servant; she took with her the ti leaf trumpet, and she said goodbye to her sisters, leaving them by the fires.

This is how the youngest of the sisters came before the house that was thatched all over with the feathers of the o-o bird, the house that had not welcomed either her sisters or her brother. The door was open for her, and she looked inside. There she saw the Princess, Laie the Beautiful. She was resting upon the wings of birds. Two scarlet i’iwi birds were perched upon the shoulders of the Princess; they shook the dew from the red lehua blossoms wreathed about her head. The sight was so marvelous to her that little Fragrant Hala Blossom fell to the ground with her heart all shaken.

The attendant then raised her up. But the girl said, “Please permit me to return to my sisters, for the nature of your mistress is so breathtaking that I am made to tremble with fear before her.” The attendant replied: “Have no fear. Go to the Princess as she has commanded you.”

The Princess, who overheard their low voices, now called to her attendant to bring Fragrant Hala Blossom to her. The littlest girl came inside the house and stood before Laie the Beautiful.

Looking at what the girl held in her hand, Laie said, “ Is this the instrument that I heard sounded?”

“Yes Princess,” said the girl, “and, the instrument is mine.”

“Then,” said Laie. “Play upon it so that I may hear the joyous songs again.” Fragrant Hala Blossom put the flute to her lips and played upon it. Laie was very delighted with the music that she made. The Princess had never heard an instrument of that kind sounded before, and she had Fragrant Hala Blossom play again and again for her. She tried to pay on it herself, but was not able to make any sound come from the flute. She then said, “Let us two be friends; you shall live here in my house and make music for me.”

The littlest of the Maile sisters answered: “I am happy that you should ask me to play to you. But I have sisters, and they have already been forsaken once before, and I cannot forsake them.”

 

 Laie asked her how she had come to be at that place with her sisters, so the youngest girl told her of how they had been brought there by their brother, and all that had happened. She told her too, the names of her four sisters. The Princess knew that these were the girls who had come to the door of her house, and whose fragrances had awakened her from her sleep. Since their brother was now gone from the place, she thought she might let the girls stay for the sake of the cheerful music that the littlest of them made. She would have a house built for them and give the girls her protection. It was with great joy and happiness that the youngest of the Maile sisters went back to where her sisters were seated around the fires.

She told them that the Princess had commanded them to all appear before her. They too, rejoiced. They all left the hollow trees where they had been living the lives of the forsaken, and went to the house of Laie the Beautiful (Ka-wa-hin-e-o-ka-li-ula; the Lady of the Mist.)

 

O Paliuli, hidden land of Kane,

Land in Kalanai Hauola

In Kahiki-ku, in Kapakapaua of Kane,

Land with springs of water, fat and moist,

Land greatly enjoyed by the gods.

Author's Note

ISBN 978-1-77067-566-7 (Paperback) - ISBN 978-1-77067-567-4 (eBook)