Au-ke-le had to go deep down into the hole to get the Water of Everlasting Life, the Water of Ka-ne. The guardian of the edge of the hole warned him that he must not strike the bamboo that was growing on one side, because if he did the sound would reach the ears of one who would cover up the water. Au-ke-le went down. He came to a second [[63]]guardian, and he made himself known to him, claiming relationship with him through Ka-mo’o-i-na-nea, his mo-o grandmother. This guardian told him to go on, but he warned him not to fall into the lama trees that were growing on one side, for if he did the sound would reach the ears of one who would cover up the Water of Everlasting Life, the Water of Ka-ne.
He went on, and he came to the third guardian, and he made himself known to him, claiming relationship with him through his mo-o grandmother. This guardian told him to keep on his way, but he warned him, above all things, not to fall into the loula palms, for if he did the sound would reach one who would cover up the Water of Everlasting Life, the Water of Ka-ne.
At last he came before the fourth guardian. “Who are you?” he was asked. “The child of Iku.” “What has brought you here?” he was asked. “To gain the Water of Everlasting Life, the Water of Ka-ne.” “You shall get it. Go to your grand-aunt who is at the base of the cliff. She is the Old Woman of the Forbidden Sea. She is blind. You will find her roasting bananas. When she reaches out to take one to eat, you take it and eat it. Do this until all the bananas have been taken from her. When she says, ‘What mischievous fellow has come here?’ take up the ashes and sprinkle them on her right side, and then climb into her lap.” [[64]]
Au-ke-le kept going and ever going until he came to where his grand-aunt sat, roasting bananas—his grand-aunt, the Old Woman by the Forbidden Sea. He took the bananas that she was about to eat; he sprinkled her with ashes on her right side, and he climbed into her lap. “Whose conceited child are you?” said the blind old woman. “Your own,” said Au-ke-le. “My own through whom?” “Your own through Iku.” When his grand-aunt heard him say this she asked him what he had come for. He told her he had come for the Water of Everlasting Life, the Water of Ka-ne.
Then the Old Woman by the Forbidden Sea made up a plan by which he might get the water. Ho-a-lii, he who watched above the water, had hands that were all black, and no hands but his were permitted to take up the Water of Ka-ne. His grand-aunt made Au-ke-le’s hands black, and she showed him where to go to come to the water.
Au-ke-le went there. He put down his blackened hands, and the guards gave him a gourd of water. But this, as he had been told by the Old Woman by the Forbidden Sea, was bitter water, and not the Water of Everlasting Life. He threw the water out. He reached his hands down again; and this time the Water of Ka-ne was put into his hands, the Water of Everlasting Life.
He took the gourd into his hands, and he ran back. But he fell into loula palms as he ran on, and [[65]]the sound came to the ears of Ho-a-lii, who was the guardian of the water. Ho-a-lii listened, but it was two months before another sound came to him. That was when Au-ke-le got entangled in the lama trees that grew on the side of the hole that he had to travel up. Ho-a-lii kept awake and listened. But no sound came to him for two months more. Then he heard the rustling of the bamboo trees that Au-ke-le had fallen into. He came in pursuit. But now Au-ke-le was out of the hole and was flying towards the earth. Ho-a-lii followed; but when he asked the watcher how long it was since one had passed that way, he was told that a year and six months had gone by since one came up through the hole. Ho-a-lii could not catch up with one who by this time had gone so far; and Au-ke-le, with the Water of Everlasting Life, the Water of Ka-ne, came back to the earth.
He came to where his brothers and his nephew were drowned in the sea, and he poured half of the Water of Ka-ne into the sea. Nothing came up from the sea, and Au-ke-le sat there weeping. Then his wife came to him, and she blamed him for pouring so much of the water into the sea. Out of what was left she took water in her hands and poured it over the sea. Then Au-ke-le looked. In a while there stood a canoe with men climbing the masts, and folding the sails, and coiling the ropes. They were [[66]]his brothers. Au-ke-le greeted them, and his brothers knew him, and they came to the land.
Then Au-ke-le gave his brothers all his possessions. But they were not satisfied to live on that land with him, and after a while they sailed away for other lands.
Then after long years Au-ke-le said to his wife: “My wife, we have lived long together; I would not die in a foreign land, and I beg that you will let me go so that I may see Ku-ai-he-lani, the country of my parents.”