From Pele’s viewpoint, the man, her lover, Lohiau was the sinner. The role played by the woman, her sister, Hiiaka—the one who had, in fact, deliberately planned this offensive exhibition of insubordination and rebellion—was either not recognized by Pele or passed by as a matter of temporary indifference. Hiiaka’s justification in motives of revenge found no place in her reasoning.
When the servants of Pele—among them the sisters of Hiiaka—found themselves under the cruel necessity of executing the edict, they put on their robes of fire and went forth, but reluctantly. In their hearts they rebelled, and, one and all, they agreed that, if, at close view, they found him to be the supremely handsome mortal that fame had reported him to be, they would use every effort to spare him. On coming to the place, their admiration passed all bounds. They could not believe their eyes. They had never seen a manly form of such beauty and grace. With one voice they exclaimed:
Mahina ke alo,
Pali ke kua.
Ke ku a ke kanáka maikai,
E ku nei i ke ahu’ a Ka-hoa-lii.
TRANSLATION
Front, bright as the moon.
Back, straight as a mountain wall:
So stands the handsome man,