8. KILA
Moikeha, wishing to send a messenger to fetch his oldest son from Tahiti, summons his five sons and tests them to know by a sign which boy to send. The lot falls upon Kila, the youngest. On his journey Kila encounters dangers and calls upon his supernatural relatives. The monsters Keaumiki and Keauka draw him down to the coral beds, but Kakakauhanui saves him. His rat aunt, Kanepohihi, befriends him, and when he goes to his uncle Makalii,[1] who has all the food fastened up in his net, she nibbles the net and the food falls out. At Tahiti he first kills Mua, who caused his father's exile. Then his warriors are matched with the Tahiti champions and he himself faces Makalii, whose club is Naulukohelewalewa. Kila, with the club Kahikikolo stuns his uncle "long enough to cook two ovens of food." The spirits of Moikeha's slain followers appear and join their praises to those of the crowd assembled, together with ants, birds, pebbles, shells, grass, smoke, and thunder. Kila goes to his father's house, Moaulanuiakea, thatched with birds' feathers, and built of kauila wood. All is desolate. The man whom he seeks, Laamaikahiki, is hidden in the temple of Kapaahu. On a strict taboo night Kila conceals himself and, when the brother comes to beat the drum, delivers his message. Kila succeeds in bringing his brother to Hawaii, who later returns to Kahiki from Kahoolawe, hence the name "The road to Tahiti" for the ocean west of that island. When Laamaikahiki revisits Hawaii to get the bones of his father, he brings the hula drum and kaeke flute. Meanwhile Kila has become king, after his father's death. The jealous brothers entice him to Waipio, Hawaii, where they abandon him to slavery. The priest of the temple adopts him. He gains influence and introduces the tenant system of working a number of days for the landlord, and is beloved for his industry. At the time of famine in the days of Hua,[2] one of his brothers comes to Waipo to get food. Kila has him thrown into prison, but each time he is taken out to be killed, Kila imitates the call of a mud hen and the sacrifice is postponed. Finally the mother and other brothers are summoned, Kila makes himself known, and the mother demands the brothers' death. Kila offers himself as the first to be killed, and reconciliation follows. Later he goes with Laamaikahiki back to Tahiti to carry their father's bones.
[Footnote 1: Kaulu meets the wizard Makalii in rat form and kills him by carrying him up in the air and letting him drop. Makalii means "little eyes" and refers to a certain mesh of fish net. One form of cat's cradle has this name. It also names the six summer months, the Pleiades, and the trees of plenty planted in Paliuli. "Plenty of fish" seems to be the root idea of the symbol.]
[Footnote 3: Daggett tells the story of Hua, priest of Maui.]