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moʻo.lelo
n. Story, tale, myth, history, tradition, literature, legend, journal, log, yarn, fable, essay, chronicle, record, article
Ka‘auhelemoa’s Spring
There was once a supernatural rooster who was raised in the Pālolo valley by his grandmother, Kanihomauole. His name was Ka‘auhelemoa. One day, the boar demigod Kamapua'a came to Kanihomauole and claimed “I have come to kill and eat you Ka‘auhelemoa.” Ka‘auhelemoa replied, “Whatever you kill you must eat, Kamapua'a.” So Kamapua'a lunged to bite into Ka‘auhelemoa. The agile bird flew to the right side of the boar’s back and began to peck and kick the boar. The boar felt the pain and rolled in the dust, but continued to pursue the rooster. Kamapua'a chased Ka‘auhelemoa to a spring, where the rooster fell into the water and died. The spring becaume known as Ka‘auhelemoa, and it’s waters are tinted red with the rooster’s blood.
Ka‘au Crater & Manai‘akalani
One day a long time ago, Maui attempted to rearrange the Hawaiian Islands and combine them into one solid mass. He stood on O‘ahu at Ka‘ena Point and cast his wonderful fishhook, Manai‘akalani, far out into the ocean, tyring to catch onto the foundations of the island of Kaua‘i. When he felt the hook had taken hold, he gave a mighty tug on the line to pull the islands together. Instead, a huge boulder, Pohaku-o-Kaua‘i, fell at his feet. Manai‘akalani flew father inland, landing in PāIolo Valley and forming Ka‘au crater. Some say that Manai‘akalani is still down at the bottom of the marsh in the center of the crater.
Mo‘o Wahine
Once there were two mo‘o wahine named Awapuhi-melemele (Yellow Ginger) and Awapuhi-ke‘oke‘o (White Ginger) who fell in love with the same man. The mo‘o competed fiercely against each other and quarreled day and night over who should win the heart of the kāne. One fateful day the argument reached new heights and one of the mo‘o wahine turned the other to stone. No one is sure who won the final argument, but the mo‘o who was turned to stone can be seen in the middle of Pālolo Stream to this day. The stone resembles a seated torso of a woman, with leglike projections as far out as the knees. When the water rises, 2 streamlets flow over the figures “lap” and continue their journey to the sea.
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