Pele and Kahawali

In the reign of Kealiikukii, an ancient king of Hawaii, Kahawali, chief of Puna, and one of his favorite companions went one day to amuse themselves with the holua (sled), on the sloping side of a hill, which is still called ka holua ana o Kahawali (Kahawali's sliding-place). Vast numbers of the people gathered at the bottom of the hill to witness the game, and a company of musicians and dancers repaired thither to add to the amusement of the spectators. The performers began their dance, and amidst the sound of drums and the songs of the musicians the sledding of Kahawali and his companion commenced. The hilarity of the occasion attracted the attention of Pele, the goddess of the volcano, who came down from Kilauea to witness the sport. Standing on the summit of the hill in the form of a woman, she challenged Kahawali to slide with her. He accepted the offer, and they set off together down the hill. Pele, less acquainted with the art of balancing herself on the narrow sled than her rival, was beaten, and Kahawali was applauded by the spectators as he returned up the side of the hill.

古のハワイ王ケアリイクキイの治世に、プナの首長カハワリは、お気に入りの仲間の一人と連れ立って、ある日、丘の斜面でホルア(そり)遊びをしに出かけた。その丘は今でも「カ・ホルア・アナ・オ・カハワリ」(カハワリのそり滑り場)と呼ばれている。遊びを見物しようと、丘のふもとには大勢の人々が集まり、見物人たちをさらに楽しませようと、楽師と踊り手の一団もそこへやって来た。踊り手たちが踊りはじめ、太鼓の音と楽師たちの歌が響くなか、カハワリと仲間のそり滑りが始まった。その場のにぎわいが火山の女神ペレの目をひき、ペレは遊びを見ようとキラウエアから降りてきた。女の姿で丘の頂に立つと、ペレはカハワリに、自分と滑り比べをしようと挑んだ。カハワリは申し出を受け、二人はいっしょに丘を滑り降りた。ペレは、狭いそりの上で体の釣り合いをとる技にかけては相手ほど慣れていなかったので負けてしまい、カハワリは丘の斜面を登って戻るとき、見物人たちから喝采を浴びた。

Before starting again, Pele asked him to give her his papa holua, but he, supposing from her appearance that she was no more than a native woman, said: "Aole! (no!) Are you my wife, that you should obtain my sled?" And, as if impatient at being delayed, he adjusted his papa, ran a few yards to take a spring, and then, with this momentum and all his strength he threw himself upon it and shot down the hill.

ふたたび滑りだす前に、ペレはカハワリに、あなたのパパ・ホルア(そりの板)をくれと言った。けれどもカハワリは、見かけからしてただの土地の女にすぎないと思い込んでいたので、こう言った。「アオレ!(いやだ!)おまえはおれの女房か、おれのそりを手に入れようなどと」。そして、引きとめられてもどかしいとでもいうように、板の具合を直し、ひと跳びするために数ヤード駆けると、その勢いと力のかぎりを込めて板の上に身を投げ、丘を矢のように滑り降りた。

Pele, incensed at his answer, stamped her foot on the ground and an earthquake followed, which rent the hill in sunder. She called, and fire and liquid lava arose, and, assuming her supernatural form, with these irresistible ministers of vengeance, she followed down the hill. When Kahawali reached the bottom, he arose, and on looking behind saw Pele, accompanied by thunder and lightning, earthquake, and streams of burning lava, closely pursuing him. He took up his broad spear which he had stuck in the ground at the beginning of the game, and, accompanied by his friend, fled for his life. The musicians, dancers, and crowds of spectators were instantly overwhelmed by the fiery torrent, which, bearing on its foremost wave the enraged goddess, continued to pursue Kahawali and his companion. They ran till they came to an eminence called Puukea. Here Kahawali threw off his cloak of netted ki leaves and proceeded toward his house, which stood near the shore. He met his favorite pig and saluted it by touching noses, then ran to the house of his mother, who lived at Kukii, saluted her by touching noses, and said: "Aloha ino oe, eia ihonei paha oe e make ai, ke ai mainei Pele." (Compassion great to you! Close here, perhaps, is your death; Pele comes devouring.) Leaving her, he met his wife, Kanakawahine, and saluted her. The burning torrent approached, and she said: "Stay with me here, and let us die together." He said: "No; I go, I go." He then saluted his two children, Poupoulu and Kaohe, and said, "Ke ue nei au ia olua." (I grieve for you two.) The lava rolled near, and he ran till a deep chasm arrested his progress. He laid down his spear and walked over on it in safety. His friend called out for his help; he held out his spear over the chasm; his companion took hold of it and he drew him securely over. By this time Pele was coming down the chasm with accelerated motion. He ran till he reached Kula. Here he met his sister, Koai, but had only time to say, "Aloha oe!" (Alas for you!) and then ran on to the shore. His younger brother had just landed from his fishing-canoe, and had hastened to his house to provide for the safety of his family, when Kahawali arrived. He and his friend leaped into the canoe, and with his broad spear paddled out to sea. Pele, perceiving his escape, ran to the shore and hurled after him, with prodigious force, great stones and fragments of rock, which fell thickly around but did not strike his canoe. When he had paddled a short distance from the shore the kumukahi (east wind) sprung up. He fixed his broad spear upright in the canoe, that it might answer the double purpose of mast and sail, and by its aid he soon reached the island of Maui, where they rested one night and then proceeded to Lanai. The day following they moved on to Molokai, thence to Oahu, the abode of Kolonohailaau, his father, and Kanewahinekeaho, his sister, to whom he related his disastrous perils, and with whom he took up his permanent abode.

ペレはその返事に怒り、足で地面を踏み鳴らした。すると地震が起こって、丘は真っ二つに裂けた。ペレが呼ぶと、火と溶けた溶岩が噴き上がった。ペレは神の姿に戻り、これら抗いがたい復讐の手先を従えて、丘を追い下った。カハワリはふもとに着いて起き上がり、振り返ると、雷と稲妻と地震と燃える溶岩の流れを引き連れたペレが、すぐ背後に迫っているのが見えた。カハワリは遊びの始めに地面に突き立てておいた幅広の槍を取り、仲間を連れて命からがら逃げ出した。楽師も踊り手も大勢の見物人も、たちまち火の奔流にのみ込まれた。奔流は、怒り狂った女神をその先頭の波に乗せて、カハワリと仲間を追いつづけた。二人はプウケアという高台まで走った。そこでカハワリは網状に編んだキの葉の外套を脱ぎ捨て、海辺の近くに建つ自分の家へ向かった。途中でお気に入りの豚に出会い、鼻をすり合わせて挨拶した。それからククイイに住む母の家へ駆けていき、鼻をすり合わせて挨拶し、こう言った。「アロハ・イノ・オエ、エイア・イホネイ・パハ・オエ・エ・マケ・アイ、ケ・アイ・マイネイ・ペレ」(あなたに大いなる憐れみを!ここで、おそらくあなたの死が近い。ペレが食らいながら来る)。母と別れると、妻のカナカワヒネに出会い、挨拶した。燃える奔流が迫ってきて、妻は言った。「ここにいっしょにいて、二人でいっしょに死にましょう」。カハワリは言った。「いや、おれは行く、行くぞ」。それから二人の子ども、ポウポウルとカオヘに挨拶して言った。「ケ・ウエ・ネイ・アウ・イア・オルア」(おまえたち二人を思って嘆く)。溶岩は間近に迫り、カハワリは深い裂け目に行く手をはばまれるまで走った。カハワリは槍を渡し、その上を歩いて無事に渡った。仲間が助けを求めて叫んだので、カハワリは裂け目の上に槍を差し出した。仲間がそれにつかまると、カハワリは仲間をしっかりと引き寄せて渡らせた。そのころにはペレは勢いを増して裂け目を下ってきていた。カハワリはクラに着くまで走った。そこで妹のコアイに出会ったが、「アロハ・オエ!」(ああ、おまえも気の毒に!)と言う暇しかなく、そのまま海辺へ走っていった。弟がちょうど漁の舟から上がったところで、家族の身の安全をはかろうと家へ急いでいたところへ、カハワリがやって来た。カハワリと仲間は舟に跳び乗り、幅広の槍を櫂にして沖へ漕ぎ出した。ペレは逃げられたと知ると海辺へ駆け出し、途方もない力で大きな石や岩のかけらをカハワリめがけて投げつけた。石はまわりにびしびし落ちたが、舟には当たらなかった。岸から少し漕ぎ出したところで、クムカヒ(東風)が吹きはじめた。カハワリは幅広の槍を舟にまっすぐ立てて帆柱と帆を兼ねさせ、その助けでまもなくマウイ島に着き、そこで一晩休んでからラナイ島へ進んだ。翌日には二人はモロカイ島へ渡り、そこからオアフ島へ行った。そこには父コロノハイラアウと妹カネワヒネケアホが住んでおり、カハワリは二人に自分の遭った恐ろしい危難を語り、そのままそこに住みついたのである。