5. KEPAKAILIULA
When this son of Ku and Hina is born in Keaau, Puna, in the form of an egg, the maternal uncles, Kiinoho and Kiikele, who are chiefs of high rank, steal him away and carry him to live in Paliuli, where in 10 days' time he becomes a beautiful child; in 40 days he has eyes and skin, as red as the feather cape in which h& is wrapped, and eats nothing but bananas, a bunch at a meal. The foster parents travel about Hawaii to find a bride of matchless beauty for their favorite, and finally choose Makolea, the daughter of Keauhou and Kahaluu, who live in Kona. Thither they take the boy, leaving Paliuli forever, and this place has never since been seen by man. The girl is, however, betrothed to Kakaalaneo, king of Maui, and when her parents discover her amour with Kepakailiula they send her off to her husband, who is a famous spearsman. Kepakailiula now moves to Kohala and marries the pretty daughter of its king. Two successive nights he slips over to Maui, fools the drunken king, and enjoys his bride. Then he persuades his father-in-law, Kukuipahu, to send a friendly expedition to Maui, which he turns into a war venture, and slays the chief Kakaalaneo and so many men that his father-in-law is obliged to put a stop to the slaughter by running in front of him with his wife in his arms. He then makes Kukuipahu king over Maui and goes on to Oahu, where Kakuhihewa hastens to make peace. One day when Makolea is out surf riding, messengers of the king of Kauai, Kaikipaananea, steal her away and she becomes this king's wife. Kepakailiula follows her to Kauai and defeats the king in boxing. One more contest is prepared; the king has two riddles, the failure to answer which will mean death. Only one man knows the answers, Kukaea, the public crier, and he is an outcast who has lived on nothing but filth air his life. Kepakailiula invites him in, feeds, and clothes him. For this attention, the man reveals the riddles, Kepakailiula answers them correctly, and bakes the king in his own oven. The riddles are:
1. "Plaited all around, plaited to the bottom, leaving an opening. Answer: A house, thatched all around and leaving a door."
2. "The men that stand, the men that lie down, the men that are folded. Answer: A house, the timbers that stand, the battens laid down, the grass and cords folded."