CHAPTER XIII HIIAKA LOOPS BACK IN HER JOURNEY

 Hiiaka, having thus far, as it would seem, journeyed along the western coast of Hawaii, now loops back in her course and travels in the direction of Hilo by the way of Hamakua, for the seeming purpose of completing her work of extermination¹. Like a wise general, she would leave no enemies in her rear.

 

When they came into the neighborhood of Wahine-oma’o’s home, that girl spoke² up and said, “I think we had better take another road. If we keep to this one, which passes by my door, my parents, who will be watching for me, will see me and will want me to remain with them.” This she said by reason of her great desire to continue in Hiiaka’s company. True enough, when they caught sight of her old home, there sat her mother Puna-hoa and her father Kai-pala-oa. [56]

 

“There they sit,” said the girl. “If they recognize me they will want to keep me.”

 

Hiiaka bade Wahine-oma’o fall in behind her, hunch³ her shoulders, bend forward her head and walk with short infirm steps in imitation of an old woman. Hiiaka, on coming close to the old people, using the language of song, asked directions as to the road:

 

E Puna-hoa i Kai-pala-oa,

I na maka o Nana-kilo ma

E nonoho mai la, e.

Auhea ka ala, e?

TRANSLATION

 

O Puna-hoa and Kai-pala-oa,

You with the clear-scanning eyes,

Sitting at rest before me,

Point me out now the road.

“The road is plain enough; you are taking the right way.… We are looking at that young woman of your party—she has such a strong resemblance to our missing daughter, save her way of shuffling⁵ and holding her head.”

 

On reaching the outskirts⁶ of the village of Hilo, Hiiaka found a rickety foot-bridge, consisting of a single narrow and wobbly plank⁷, liable to turn at every step and precipitate⁸ the passenger into the tumbling waters below—and this was the only passage across the rocky chasm⁹ of the Wai-luku1 river. This precarious¹⁰ crossing was the work of two sorcerers, degenerate¹¹ nondescripts, who had the audacity¹² to levy¹³ toll¹⁴ for the use of their bridge, in default of which the traveler suddenly found himself precipitated¹⁵ into the raging water. By virtue¹⁶ of their necromantic¹⁷ powers, they had the presumption¹⁸ to claim spiritual kinship with Hiiaka, a bond the woman could not absolutely repudiate¹⁹.

 

“Here comes our mo’o-puna,”2 called out Pili-a-mo’o to his companion.

 

“Well, what of it? She will have to pay her fare the same as anyone else,” replied Noho-a-mo’o. “Only on that condition shall she cross by our bridge.”

 

On Hiiaka’s attempting to cross without paying toll, the two [57]sorcerers would, following their own practice, have disarranged the treacherous²⁰ plank and precipitated her and her party into the raging stream.

 

“Well said,” Noho-a-mo’o replied; “provided she will consent to it.”

 

Hiiaka now called to them in the language of song:

 

Kahuli-huli,3 e-e,

Ka papa o Wai-luku!

Kahuli o Apua,

Ha’a mai o Mau-kele:

He ole ke kaha kuai ai, e-e!

Homai ka ai,

Homai ho’i ka ai, e-e!

I ai’na aku ho’i, e-e!

TRANSLATION

 

Cranky, cranky the bridge,

Bridge across the Wai-luku!

Upset is Apua;

Maukele declares that

The barter²¹ of food is naught²².

Give us then of your food;

Give us something to eat;

Let us partake of your meat.

To this unusual demand they replied, “Indeed, do you imagine we will do any such thing as that? It is not for us to give to you; you must give us the fare before you cross on our bridge. We don’t give away things for nothing.”

 

Hiiaka replied by repeating her request in nearly the same words:

 

Ka-huli-huli, e-e,

Ka papa o Wai-luku.

He ole ke kaha kuai i’a, e! [58]

Ho-mai ka i’a;

Ho-mai ana, ho’i, ka i’a,

I ai’na aku, ho’i, e-e!

TRANSLATION

 

Unstable²³ the bridge,

Bridge that spans the Wai-luku.

This barter of fish is a fraud.

Give us of your fish;

Grant us kindly²⁴ some meat;

Give us something to eat.

Hiiaka repeated her demands in varying form with no other effect than to make the toll-keepers more stubborn in their ridiculous demands. Not even when Hiiaka, as if to cap the climax²⁵ of their absurdity²⁶, ended her demand with this ironical²⁷ request:

 

Ho-mai, ho’i, ka wai, e;

I inu ia aku, ho’i, e!!

TRANSLATION

 

Give us of this water,

Give us water to drink!

Hiiaka now openly denounced the two sorcerers as being simply mo’o in disguise, entirely²⁸ wanting in those generous feelings that belong to godhood. “These creatures are simply mo’o. If I attack them, they will run for their lives.”

 

The people, failing to recognize Hiiaka as their deliverer, spiritless from long habituation to the fraudulent dominion²⁹ of these imposters, fearful also of their vengeance³⁰, stoutly³¹ opposed Hiiaka, affirming that Pili-a-mo’o and Noho-a-mo’o were gods in reality, having great power and capable of doing many wonderful things. They declared their readiness to back their opinion with their property, yes, with their lives. They were at length persuaded, however, to accept as decisive the test proposed by Hiiaka, namely, that, if they fled when attacked, they should cease to be regarded as gods and should be dealt with as imposters. [59]

 

True to Hiiaka’s prediction, the mo’o, in abject³² fear, turned and fled for their lives at her first threatening move and she now called upon the people to pursue and destroy them:

 

Kaumaha ka a? o Hilo i ka lehua

Mai ka Nuku-o-ka-manu4 a Puna-hoa, e.

Hoa ia iho la kau kanáka,

I pa’a, o pahe’e auane’i;

Hina i ka Lua-kanáka.

He kanáka! He mau akua, e!

TRANSLATION

 

The neck of Hilo is heavy,

Weighted with wreaths of lehua

From Bird-beak³³ clean down to the feet.

Catch and bind³⁴ these robbers of men;

Bind them fast, lest they slip through your hands

And escape to the robber-pit—

These mortals, who call themselves gods!

The meaning of the figure in the first two verses, though obscure, seems to be that Hilo, so rich in natural beauty, is by that very fact robbed of the energy to defend herself and cast off the incubus³⁶ that oppresses her.

 

As the creatures fled from Hiiaka’s pursuit, their human disguise fell from them and their real character as mo’o was evident.

 

“We’ve committed a great blunder,” said Pili-a-mo’o to his mate. “It looks as if she meant to kill us. Let us apologize for our mistake and conciliate her with fair words.”

 

Noho-a-mo’o agreed to this and, turning to Hiiaka, made this wheedling³⁷ speech:

 

Kupu maikai a’e la

Ka wahine o ka Lua;

U? ia iho la e ka ua,

A kilinahe ka maka o ka lehua ma-uka.

Ma-uka oe e hele ai,

Ma ka hoauau wai.

E waiho ke ala no maua,

No na kupuna, e.

[60]

 

TRANSLATION

 

She has grown a fine figure,

Our girl from the Fire-pit.

The plentiful³⁸ rain has made bright

This bud of upland lehua.

Pray choose your road farther inland;

That way will offer good fordage—

This road leave to your ancient kin⁴.

Hiiaka spared not, but pursued them to their cavernous rock-heaps in which they thought to hide themselves, and, having seized them, rent them asunder³⁹ jaw⁴⁰ from jaw. Thus did Hiiaka add one more to the score of her victories in the extermination of the mo’o.

 

1Wai-luku, water of destruction. ↑

 

2Mo’o-puna, a grandchild, nephew or niece. ↑

 

3Kahuli-huli. Kahuli, or its intensive, kahuli-huli, primarily means to upset, to overturn. A secondary meaning, much employed in the argot⁴¹ of hula folk, is to hand over, to pass this way; as when one guest at table might say to a neighbor, “hand me the salt (if you please).” ↑

 

4Nuku-o-ka-manu, literally⁴², the beak of the bird; said to be a cape³⁵ in the neighborhood of Hilo. 

1 extermination   

n.消灭，根绝

参考例句：

• All door and window is sealed for the extermination of mosquito. 为了消灭蚊子，所有的门窗都被封闭起来了。 来自辞典例句
• In doing so they were saved from extermination. 这样一来却使它们免于绝灭。 来自辞典例句

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 hunch   

n.预感，直觉

参考例句：

• I have a hunch that he didn't really want to go.我有这么一种感觉，他并不真正想去。
• I had a hunch that Susan and I would work well together.我有预感和苏珊共事会很融洽。

4 kin   

n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的

参考例句：

• He comes of good kin.他出身好。
• She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

5 shuffling   

adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Don't go shuffling along as if you were dead. 别像个死人似地拖着脚走。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some one was shuffling by on the sidewalk. 外面的人行道上有人拖着脚走过。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

6 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

7 plank   

n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目

参考例句：

• The plank was set against the wall.木板靠着墙壁。
• They intend to win the next election on the plank of developing trade.他们想以发展贸易的纲领来赢得下次选举。

8 precipitate   

adj.突如其来的；vt.使突然发生；n.沉淀物

参考例句：

• I don't think we should make precipitate decisions.我认为我们不应该贸然作出决定。
• The king was too precipitate in declaring war.国王在宣战一事上过于轻率。

9 chasm   

n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突

参考例句：

• There's a chasm between rich and poor in that society.那社会中存在着贫富差距。
• A huge chasm gaped before them.他们面前有个巨大的裂痕。

10 precarious   

adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的

参考例句：

• Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
• He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。

11 degenerate   

v.退步，堕落；adj.退步的，堕落的；n.堕落者

参考例句：

• He didn't let riches and luxury make him degenerate.他不因财富和奢华而自甘堕落。
• Will too much freedom make them degenerate?太多的自由会令他们堕落吗？

12 audacity   

n.大胆，卤莽，无礼

参考例句：

• He had the audacity to ask for an increase in salary.他竟然厚着脸皮要求增加薪水。
• He had the audacity to pick pockets in broad daylight.他竟敢在光天化日之下掏包。

13 levy   

n.征收税或其他款项，征收额

参考例句：

• They levy a tax on him.他们向他征税。
• A direct food levy was imposed by the local government.地方政府征收了食品税。

14 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

15 precipitated   

v.（突如其来地）使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 )；促成；猛然摔下；使沉淀

参考例句：

• His resignation precipitated a leadership crisis. 他的辞职立即引发了领导层的危机。
• He lost his footing and was precipitated to the ground. 他失足摔倒在地上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 virtue   

n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

17 necromantic   

降神术的，妖术的

参考例句：

• Lorekeep, the great city of necromantic magic, lies in ruins. 学识要塞，伟大的巫术魔法之城，现在已是一片废墟。

18 presumption   

n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定

参考例句：

• Please pardon my presumption in writing to you.请原谅我很冒昧地写信给你。
• I don't think that's a false presumption.我认为那并不是错误的推测。

19 repudiate   

v.拒绝，拒付，拒绝履行

参考例句：

• He will indignantly repudiate the suggestion.他会气愤地拒绝接受这一意见。
• He repudiate all debts incurred by his son.他拒绝偿还他儿子的一切债务。

20 treacherous   

adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的

参考例句：

• The surface water made the road treacherous for drivers.路面的积水对驾车者构成危险。
• The frozen snow was treacherous to walk on.在冻雪上行走有潜在危险。

21 barter   

n.物物交换，以货易货，实物交易

参考例句：

• Chickens,goats and rabbits were offered for barter at the bazaar.在集市上，鸡、山羊和兔子被摆出来作物物交换之用。
• They have arranged food imports on a barter basis.他们以易货贸易的方式安排食品进口。

22 naught   

n.无，零 [=nought]

参考例句：

• He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。
• I hope that all your efforts won't go for naught.我希望你的努力不会毫无结果。

23 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

24 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

25 climax   

n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点

参考例句：

• The fifth scene was the climax of the play.第五场是全剧的高潮。
• His quarrel with his father brought matters to a climax.他与他父亲的争吵使得事态发展到了顶点。

26 absurdity   

n.荒谬，愚蠢；谬论

参考例句：

• The proposal borders upon the absurdity.这提议近乎荒谬。
• The absurdity of the situation made everyone laugh.情况的荒谬可笑使每个人都笑了。

27 ironical   

adj.讽刺的，冷嘲的

参考例句：

• That is a summary and ironical end.那是一个具有概括性和讽刺意味的结局。
• From his general demeanour I didn't get the impression that he was being ironical.从他整体的行为来看，我不觉得他是在讲反话。

28 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

29 dominion   

n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图

参考例句：

• Alexander held dominion over a vast area.亚历山大曾统治过辽阔的地域。
• In the affluent society,the authorities are hardly forced to justify their dominion.在富裕社会里，当局几乎无需证明其统治之合理。

30 vengeance   

n.报复，报仇，复仇

参考例句：

• He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。
• For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。

31 stoutly   

adv.牢固地，粗壮的

参考例句：

• He stoutly denied his guilt.他断然否认自己有罪。
• Burgess was taxed with this and stoutly denied it.伯杰斯为此受到了责难，但是他自己坚决否认有这回事。

32 abject   

adj.极可怜的，卑屈的

参考例句：

• This policy has turned out to be an abject failure.这一政策最后以惨败而告终。
• He had been obliged to offer an abject apology to Mr.Alleyne for his impertinence.他不得不低声下气，为他的无礼举动向艾莱恩先生请罪。

33 beak   

n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻

参考例句：

• The bird had a worm in its beak.鸟儿嘴里叼着一条虫。
• This bird employs its beak as a weapon.这种鸟用嘴作武器。

34 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

35 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

36 incubus   

n.负担；恶梦

参考例句：

• Joyce regarded his US citizenship as a moral and political incubus.乔伊斯把他的美国公民身份当做是一个道德和政治上的负担。Like the sumerian wind demon and its later babylonian counterpart,Lilith was regarded as a succubus,or female version of the incubus.像风妖苏美尔和后来的巴比伦妖怪，莉莉丝被视为一个女妖，或女版梦魇。

37 wheedling   

v.骗取（某物），哄骗（某人干某事）( wheedle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He wheedled his way into the building, ie got into it by wheedling. 他靠花言巧语混进了那所楼房。 来自辞典例句
• An honorable32 weepie uses none of these33) wheedling34) devices. 一部体面的伤感电影用不着这些花招。 来自互联网

38 plentiful   

adj.富裕的，丰富的

参考例句：

• Their family has a plentiful harvest this year.他们家今年又丰收了。
• Rainfall is plentiful in the area.这个地区雨量充足。

39 asunder   

adj.分离的，化为碎片

参考例句：

• The curtains had been drawn asunder.窗帘被拉向两边。
• Your conscience,conviction,integrity,and loyalties were torn asunder.你的良心、信念、正直和忠诚都被扯得粉碎了。

40 jaw   

n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训

参考例句：

• He delivered a right hook to his opponent's jaw.他给了对方下巴一记右钩拳。
• A strong square jaw is a sign of firm character.强健的方下巴是刚毅性格的标志。

41 argot   

n.隐语，黑话

参考例句：

• He knows thieves' argot.他懂盗贼的黑话。
• The argot and proverb created by them enrich Chinese language.他们创造的隐语、谚语丰富了中国的语言。

42 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。