During the time that Milu was residing at Waipio, Hawaii, the year of which is unknown, there came to these shores a number of people, with their wives, from that vague foreign land, Kahiki. But they were all of godly kind (ano akua nae), it is said, and drew attention as they journeyed from place to place. They arrived first at Niihau, and from there they travelled through all the islands. At Hawaii they landed at the south side, thence to Puna, Hilo, and settled at Kukuihaele, Hamakua, just above Waipio.
On every island they visited there appeared various diseases, and many deaths resulted, so that it was said this was their doings, among the chiefs and people. The diseases that followed in their train were chills, fevers, headache, pani, and so on.
These are the names of some of these people: Kaalaenuiahina, Kahuilaokalani, Kaneikaulanaula, besides others. They brought death, but one Kamakanuiahailono followed after them with healing powers. This was perhaps the origin of sickness and the art of healing with medicines in Hawaii. [52]
As has been said, diseases settled on the different islands like an epidemic1, and the practice of medicine ensued, for Kamakanuiahailono followed them in their journeyings. He arrived at Kau, stopping at Kiolakaa, on the west side of Waiohinu, where a great multitude of people were residing, and Lono was their chief. The stranger sat on a certain hill, where many of the people visited him, for the reason that he was a newcomer, a custom that is continued to this day. While there he noticed the redness of skin of a certain one of them, and remarked, “Oh, the redness of skin of that man!”
The people replied, “Oh, that is Lono, the chief of this land, and he is a farmer.”
He again spoke2, asserting that his sickness was very great; for through the redness of the skin he knew him to be a sick man.
They again replied that he was a healthy man, “but you consider him very sick.” He then left the residents and set out on his journey.
Some of those who heard his remarks ran and told the chief the strange words, “that he was a very sick man.” On hearing this, Lono raised up his oo (digger) and said, “Here I am, without any sign of disease, and yet I am sick.” And as he brought down his oo with considerable force, it struck his foot and pierced it through, causing the blood to flow freely, so that he fell and fainted away. At this, one of the men seized a pig and ran after the stranger, who, hearing the pig squealing3, looked behind him and saw the man running with it; and as he neared him he dropped it [53]before him, and told him of Lono’s misfortune, Kamakanuiahailono then returned, gathering4 on the way the young popolo seeds and its tender leaves in his garment (kihei). When he arrived at the place where the wounded man was lying he asked for some salt, which he took and pounded together with the popolo and placed it with a cocoanut covering on the wound. From then till night the flowing of the blood ceased. After two or three weeks had elapsed he again took his departure.
While he was leisurely5 journeying, some one breathing heavily approached him in the rear, and, turning around, there was the chief, and he asked him: “What is it, Lono, and where are you going?”
Lono replied, “You healed me; therefore, as soon as you had departed I immediately consulted with my successors, and have resigned my offices to them, so that they will have control over all. As for myself, I followed after you, that you might teach me the art of healing.”
The kahuna lapaau (medical priest) then said, “Open your mouth.” When Lono opened his mouth, the kahuna spat6 into it,1 by which he would become proficient7 in the calling he had chosen, and in which he eventually became, in fact, very skilful8.
As they travelled, he instructed Lono (on account of the accident to his foot he was called Lonopuha) in the various diseases, and the different medicines for the proper treatment of each. They journeyed through Kau, Puna, and Hilo, thence onward9 to Hamakua as [54]far as Kukuihaele. Prior to their arrival there, Kamakanuiahailono said to Lonopuha, “It is better that we reside apart, lest your healing practice do not succeed; but you settle elsewhere, so as to gain recognition from your own skill.”
For this reason, Lonopuha went on farther and located in Waimanu, and there practised the art of healing. On account of his labors10 here, he became famous as a skilful healer, which fame Kamakanuiahailono and others heard of at Kukuihaele; but he never revealed to Kaalaenuiahina ma (company) of his teaching of Lonopuha, through which he became celebrated11. It so happened that Kaalaenuiahina ma were seeking an occasion to cause Milu’s death, and he was becoming sickly through their evil efforts.
When Milu heard of the fame of Lonopuha as a skilful healer, because of those who were afflicted12 with disease and would have died but for his treatment, he sent his messenger after him. On arriving at Milu’s house, Lonopuha examined and felt of him, and then said, “You will have no sickness, provided you be obedient to my teachings.” He then exercised his art, and under his medical treatment Milu recovered.
Lonopuha then said to him: “I have treated you, and you are well of the internal ailments13 you suffered under, and only that from without remains14. Now, you must build a house of leaves and dwell therein in quietness for a few weeks, to recuperate15.” These houses are called pipipi, such being the place to which invalids16 are moved for convalescent treatment unless something unforeseen should occur. [55]
Upon Milu’s removal thereto, Lonopuha advised him as follows: “O King! you are to dwell in this house according to the length of time directed, in perfect quietness; and should the excitement of sports with attendant loud cheering prevail here, I warn you against these as omens17 of evil for your death; and I advise you not to loosen the ti leaves of your house to peep out to see the cause, for on the very day you do so, that day you will perish.”
Some two weeks had scarcely passed since the King had been confined in accordance with the kahuna’s instructions, when noises from various directions in proximity18 to the King’s dwelling19 were heard, but he regarded the advice of the priest all that day. The cause of the commotion20 was the appearance of two birds playing in the air, which so excited the people that they kept cheering them all that day.
Three weeks had almost passed when loud cheering was again heard in Waipio, caused by a large bird decorated with very beautiful feathers, which flew out from the clouds and soared proudly over the palis (precipices) of Koaekea and Kaholokuaiwa, and poised22 gracefully23 over the people; therefore, they cheered as they pursued it here and there. Milu was much worried thereby24, and became so impatient that he could no longer regard the priest’s caution; so he lifted some of the ti leaves of his house to look out at the bird, when instantly it made a thrust at him, striking him under the armpit, whereby his life was taken and he was dead (lilo ai kona ola a make iho la).
The priest saw the bird flying with the liver of Milu; [56]therefore, he followed after it. When it saw that it was pursued, it immediately entered into a sunken rock just above the base of the precipice21 of Koaekea. As he reached the place, the blood was spattered around where the bird had entered. Taking a piece of garment (pahoola), he soaked it with the blood and returned and placed it in the opening in the body of the dead King and poured healing medicine on the wound, whereby Milu recovered. And the place where the bird entered with Milu’s liver has ever since been called Keakeomilu (the liver of Milu).
A long while afterward25, when this death of the King was as nothing (i mea ole), and he recovered as formerly26, the priest refrained not from warning him, saying: “You have escaped from this death; there remains for you one other.”
After Milu became convalescent from his recent serious experience, a few months perhaps had elapsed, when the surf at Waipio became very high and was breaking heavily on the beach. This naturally caused much commotion and excitement among the people, as the numerous surf-riders, participating in the sport, would land upon the beach on their surf-boards. Continuous cheering prevailed, and the hilarity27 rendered Milu so impatient at the restraint put upon him by the priest that he forsook28 his wise counsel and joined in the exhilarating sport.
Seizing a surf-board he swam out some distance to the selected spot for suitable surfs. Here he let the first and second combers pass him; but watching his opportunity he started with the momentum29 of the [57]heavier third comber, catching30 the crest31 just right. Quartering on the rear of his board, he rode in with majestic32 swiftness, and landed nicely on the beach amid the cheers and shouts of the people. He then repeated the venture and was riding in as successfully, when, in a moment of careless abandon, at the place where the surfs finish as they break on the beach, he was thrust under and suddenly disappeared, while the surf-board flew from under and was thrown violently upon the shore. The people in amazement33 beheld34 the event, and wildly exclaimed: “Alas! Milu is dead! Milu is dead!” With sad wonderment they searched and watched in vain for his body. Thus was seen the result of repeated disobedience. [58]
1 An initiatory35 act, as in the priesthood.
点击收听单词发音
1 epidemic | |
n.流行病;盛行;adj.流行性的,流传极广的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
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: |
|
|
3 squealing | |
v.长声尖叫,用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 gathering | |
n.集会,聚会,聚集 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 leisurely | |
adj.悠闲的;从容的,慢慢的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 spat | |
n.口角,掌击;v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 proficient | |
adj.熟练的,精通的;n.能手,专家 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 skilful | |
(=skillful)adj.灵巧的,熟练的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 onward | |
adj.向前的,前进的;adv.向前,前进,在先 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 labors | |
v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 );苦干;详细分析;(指引擎)缓慢而困难地运转 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 celebrated | |
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 afflicted | |
使受痛苦,折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 ailments | |
疾病(尤指慢性病),不适( ailment的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 recuperate | |
v.恢复 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 invalids | |
病人,残疾者( invalid的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 omens | |
n.前兆,预兆( omen的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 proximity | |
n.接近,邻近 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 dwelling | |
n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 commotion | |
n.骚动,动乱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 precipice | |
n.悬崖,危急的处境 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 poised | |
a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 gracefully | |
ad.大大方方地;优美地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 thereby | |
adv.因此,从而 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 afterward | |
adv.后来;以后 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 formerly | |
adv.从前,以前 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 hilarity | |
n.欢乐;热闹 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 forsook | |
forsake的过去式 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 momentum | |
n.动力,冲力,势头;动量 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 catching | |
adj.易传染的,有魅力的,迷人的,接住 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 crest | |
n.顶点;饰章;羽冠;vt.达到顶点;vi.形成浪尖 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 majestic | |
adj.雄伟的,壮丽的,庄严的,威严的,崇高的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 amazement | |
n.惊奇,惊讶 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 beheld | |
v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 initiatory | |
adj.开始的;创始的;入会的;入社的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |