CHAPTER IX KAANAANA

 HEN Hiwa returned from Waipio, and had satisfied the cravings of hunger, she lay down and slept until the shades of evening fell. She slept fourteen hours, and then arose and ate again, that she might have strength for her journey. She put on a pau of tapa, for it was not seemly for her to go to the camp of a great chief unclothed. Then she embraced Aelani and kissed him, and taking a short spear to protect herself from sharks, swam forth¹ into the night.

 

She swam northwesterly, down the coast—that is, with the prevailing² winds—until she came to Niulii, which is just beyond the mountains of Hamakua and on the edge of Kohala. It was only four or five miles; but [67] when she reached Niulii she knew not whether her journey was nearly ended or only just begun, for Kaanaana, not leaving the control of his affairs to others, travelled much within his domains³. So she went to a hut and wakened a fisherman, who told her that the Lord of Kohala was camped not a mile away with a hundred fighting men. The fisherman readily undertook to guide her, for there seemed good prospect⁴ of reward, and also because her bearing proclaimed her a person of high degree, and it was death to refuse a service to man or woman of the rank of high-chief.

 

When she drew near to the camp she dismissed him, telling him to return on the third day for a recompense. Then she walked boldly up to a sentinel, who challenged her. But when he saw her face, he fell grovelling⁵ in the dust, and she said to him, “I am the Spirit of Hiwa. Thy master hath need of me.” So she passed on, and the sentinel told it to others, and it spread through the camp, and all wondered what this great sign portended⁶, for Ii’s death was not yet known in Kohala.

 

[68] When Hiwa came to the house where Kaanaana slept alone, she found it guarded, as of old, by Laamaikahiki. He also fell grovelling in the dust, and crawled away at her command. Then she entered the house and lay down on Kaanaana’s mat, and put her arms around him and kissed his lips and cried for joy. So she awoke him. At first he thought it was a dream or a heavenly vision; but when he found that she was indeed Hiwa in living flesh and blood, his happiness was unbounded, for he had mourned her as dead sixteen years, and had loved no other woman. And she lay in his arms all night, and told him everything that had happened, save only her sin against Ku and her vow⁷. She did not tell him of the sin lest he should loathe⁸ her, or of the vow, for she knew it would break his heart.

 

When morning came Kaanaana commanded Laamaikahiki to wait on Hiwa, for, although Laamaikahiki was no longer lord of broad lands, he was of ancient and noble blood, and was devoted⁹ to his chief, and had the golden gift of a silent tongue; therefore Kaanaana chose him before all others for [69] the honor of serving the goddess-queen. But Kaanaana, having ordered yellow stain, with his own hands stained Hiwa’s garment the royal color. Having done this, he assembled his vassals¹⁰ and fighting men, all that were with him, and they stood, rank by rank, with spears in their hands, in front of the house, and their lord stood at their head.

 

Hiwa put on her garment, and went out and stood before them. And Kaanaana fell upon his knees, and bowed his head to the ground, and kissed her feet. The lesser¹¹ chiefs, also, fell upon their knees, and bowed their heads to the earth, and those of low degree lay prostrate¹² in the dust.

 

Then Hiwa said: “I am Hiwa, Moi Wahine, daughter of Papaakahi, The Mighty¹³, Child of the Gods. When Aa, the wicked high-priest, pursued me to kill me, Ukanipo, the God of the Sharks, rescued me and carried me to a cavern¹⁴ in the mountains known only to himself. There I gave birth to a son, who is also the son of Kaanaana, your high-chief. The rainbow covered him at his birth, and Ku thundered from the mountains. His name is Aelani, The Pledge from Heaven, [70] The Chosen of the Gods. He is now rightful moi kane, for Ii is dead. He shall be mightiest¹⁵ of his line, and none shall be able to withstand him, for, in the day of battle, Ku shall go before him, and behind him the hills shall be black with spearmen.”

 

Then Kaanaana answered: “Hiwa, Moi Wahine, daughter of Papaakahi, The Mighty, Child of the Gods, it is thou who hast said it. No man can doubt that Ukanipo, the God of Sharks, rescued thee, and carried thee to a cavern in the mountains known only to himself. Nor is it passing strange, for we all do know from the ancient meles, which have come to us from many generations of wise men, that Ukanipo often did such things in olden times. Ii being dead, thy son and mine is moi kane. His word is as the word of Ku. The spearmen of Kohala await his commands.”

1 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

2 prevailing   

adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的

参考例句：

• She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。
• This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

3 domains   

n.范围( domain的名词复数 )；领域；版图；地产

参考例句：

• The theory of thermodynamics links the macroscopic and submicroscopic domains. 热力学把宏观世界同亚微观世界联系起来。 来自辞典例句
• All three flow domains are indicated by shading. 所有三个流动区域都是用阴影部分表示的。 来自辞典例句

4 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

5 grovelling   

adj.卑下的，奴颜婢膝的v.卑躬屈节，奴颜婢膝( grovel的现在分词 )；趴

参考例句：

• Can a policeman possibly enjoy grovelling in the dirty side of human behaivour? 一个警察成天和人类行为的丑恶面打交道，能感到津津有味吗？ 来自互联网

6 portended   

v.预示( portend的过去式和过去分词 )；预兆；给…以警告；预告

参考例句：

• It portended that there was one stone face too many, up at the chateau. 这说明庄园里多出了一张石雕人面。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• She confusedly realised this reversal of her attitudes, but could not make out what it portended. 她糊里糊涂的意识到自己这种相反的态度，但是不知道它会带来什么。 来自辞典例句

7 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

8 loathe   

v.厌恶，嫌恶

参考例句：

• I loathe the smell of burning rubber.我厌恶燃着的橡胶散发的气味。
• You loathe the smell of greasy food when you are seasick.当你晕船时，你会厌恶油腻的气味。

9 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

10 vassals   

n.奴仆( vassal的名词复数 )；（封建时代）诸侯；从属者；下属

参考例句：

• He was indeed at this time having the Central Office cleared of all but his vassals. 的确，他这时正在对中央事务所进行全面清洗（他的亲信除外）。 来自辞典例句
• The lowly vassals suffering all humiliates in both physical and mental aspects. 地位低下的奴仆，他们在身体上和精神上受尽屈辱。 来自互联网

11 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

12 prostrate   

v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的

参考例句：

• She was prostrate on the floor.她俯卧在地板上。
• The Yankees had the South prostrate and they intended to keep It'so.北方佬已经使南方屈服了,他们还打算继续下去。

13 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

14 cavern   

n.洞穴，大山洞

参考例句：

• The cavern walls echoed his cries.大山洞的四壁回响着他的喊声。
• It suddenly began to shower,and we took refuge in the cavern.天突然下起雨来，我们在一个山洞里避雨。

15 mightiest   

adj.趾高气扬( mighty的最高级 )；巨大的；强有力的；浩瀚的

参考例句：

• \"If thou fearest to leave me in our cottage, thou mightiest take me along with thee. “要是你害怕把我一个人留在咱们的小屋里，你可以带我一块儿去那儿嘛。 来自英汉文学 - 红字
• Silent though is, after all, the mightiest agent in human affairs. 确实，沉默毕竟是人类事件中最强大的代理人。 来自互联网