Kaao no Peapea

Story of Peapea.

Peapea, Famed Warrior.—His Battle and Victory Over Kahahana’s Forces.—Kekuapoi of Rare Beauty.—Peapea’s Display of Courage.

Peapea, he koa kaulana.—Kaua a lanakila maluna o na koa a Kahahana.—Kekuapoi, he ui loa.—Hoike Peapea i kona koa.

He [Peapea] is a very widely known warrior even to this day, for his fame spread over all these islands. He was the son of Kahekilinui, the king of Maui, in consequence of which, Peapea was really a high chief. Peapea could seize and crush two, three, and even a greater number of men. They were trifles to him. While Kahahana, a king of the whole of Oahu here, was ruling, he ceded this island to Kahekili, the king of Maui, but afterwards rebelled and ignored that cession. Because of this renunciation by Kahahana, the report of which reached Kahekili, therefore, Kahekili sailed here with his war fleet and landed at Waikiki. He dispatched a messenger to summon Kahahana to come before him to consult relative to the truth or falsity of the rumor.

Oia kekahi koa kaulana loa o Maui a hiki i keia la, a ua kaulana nohoi oia ma keia mau mokupuni a pau loa. He keiki no ia na Kahekilinui, ke ’lii o Maui, a nolaila, he ’lii nui no o Peapea. E hiki no ia Peapea ke lalau a haihai i na kanaka elua, a ekolu, a hele aku i ka nui loa, he mea ole ia iaia. I ka wa e noho ana o Kahahana he alii no Oahu nei a puni, haawi aku la ia ia Oahu nei no Kahekili, ke ’lii o Maui, a mahope kipi a hoole i kela haawi ana. A ma keia hoole ana a Kahahana, hiki aku la ka lono i mua o Kahekili, nolaila, holo mai la o Kahekili me kona mau waa kaua a pae ma Waikiki. Hoouna aku la ia i ka elele e kii ia Kahahana a e hele mai i mua ona e kuka no ka oiaio ame ka oiaio ole o ka lohe.

The place where Kahahana was residing was at Kaneohe, in Koolaupoko. When the messenger appeared before him, he delivered Kahekili’s order. Kahahana on hearing this message questioned his priests: “How are these words of the king?” The priests answered: “O king! It is not wise that you comply and restore the land to him, because you are well prepared at this time; you have nothing lacking. Therefore, let there be strife and by the point of the spear and javelin will be decided your victory or your dispossession.”

A o kahi a Kahahana e noho ana, o Kaneohe, i Koolaupoko. A hiki ka elele i mua ona, hai aku la i na olelo a Kahekili iaia, a lohe o Kahahana i keia mau olelo, ninau ae la ia i kana mau kahuna: “Pehea la keia mau olelo a ke ’lii?” I mai na kahuna: “E ke ’lii! aole oe e pono e ae wale aku a e hoihoi aku i ka aina nona, nokamea, ua makaukau oe i keia wa aole ou hemahema. Nolaila e kaua, a maloko o ka maka o ka elau ame ka ihe e ko ai ia a e nele ai oe.”

When Kahahana heard these words of his priests, he was resolved to battle and to refuse the demands of Kahekili. Two days had elapsed following the return of the courier that had been sent by Kahekili to Kahahana, when the report was made that war was the only alternative; then, battle preparations were made. These arrangements were made at Waikiki-kai. When the curtains of dawn parted, the ranks commenced to march up to Nuuanu. Whilst they were ascending, the rumor reached Peapea in the upland of Manoa, where he was residing, in the woman’s house. These were the words reported to him: “Say, Peapea! There is a struggle on the lowlands. When I left, the van was just beginning to move towards Kulaokahua.” Peapea inquired, “Whose is the battle?” The herald replied, “The battle is for Kahahana.”

A lohe o Kahahana i keia mau olelo a kana mau kahuna, paa iho la kona manao e kaua a e hoole i na olelo a Kahekili. Elua la i hala mahope o ka hoi ana mai o ka elele i hoouna ia ia e Kahekili i o Kahahana ala.

Lohe ia mai la he kaua ka mea i koe. Ia wa, hoonoho ia ke kaua. O keia hoonoho ana, ma Waikiki kai. I ka moku ana o ka pawa o ke ao, hoomaka ka laina kaua e pii i uka o Nuuanu. Ia lakou e pii ana, loaa aku la o Peapea i ka lohe i uka o Manoa, i ka hale wahine kahi i noho ai. Penei na olelo iaia. “E Peapea! He kaua ko kai, haalele aku nei au e hoomaka ana e pii ka maka mua i Kulaokahua.” Ninau mai o Peapea: “Nawai ke kaua?” I aku ka mea olelo: “Na Kahahana ke kaua.”

When Peapea heard this he left his wife and ran above Ualakaa, Makiki, Pauoa, and Kaheiki, which is adjacent to Maemae. There he met the van of the army of Kahekili. As to the forces of Kahahana, the main army was at Waolani; while the front was descending from Maemae. When Peapea arrived between Kahekili’s and Kahahana’s warriors, he stood to defy [the advance].

A lohe o Peapea, haalele iho la ia i ka wahine a holo mai la ma uka mai o Ualakaa, a Makiki, Pauoa, Kaheiki, e pili la me Maemae. Ilaila loaa iaia ka maka mua o na kanaka o Kahekili. A o ko Kahahana aoao hoi, i Waolani ka poe, i Maemae ka maka mua e iho mai ana. A hiki o Peapea mawaena o ko Kahekili mau koa ame ko Kahahana mau koa, ku iho la ia e pani.

PEAPEA’S BATTLE AND HIS VICTORY.

KE KAUA ANA O PEAPEA AME KONA LANAKILA ANA.

As Peapea was standing between the Maui and Oahu ranks, he commenced to give battle. He pursued the numerous warriors of Kahahana, and when they were caught by him, they were crushed (breaking in his hands as a brittle twig by the destroyer, was his treatment of the men). Likewise were those on the right hand and on the left. Thus he pressed upward until he encountered the poe, and they were standing in a circle. (The meaning of the word “poe”: a very great number of men, ranging from two laus to a mano, equivalent to eight hundred or more.)

Ia Peapea e ku ana mawaena o ko Maui aoao ame ko Oahu aoao, hoomaka aku la ia e kaua. Hahai aku la ia i na koa he lehulehu o Kahahana a loaa ia ia he haihai i ka lima me he lala laau palupalu la, i mua o ka mea haihai, kana hana ana i ke kanaka. Ke kanaka ua haki ia ia, pela ka akau me ka hema, o kona mau lima. Pela no kona pii ana a loaa ka poe i Waolani, e ku poai mai ana lakou. (Ke ano o ka olelo “poe”.) He poe kanaka nui loa, ua like me elua lau a hiki i ka mano, ua like me ewalu haneri a oi aku.

When Peapea approached the section of the army of Kahahana, Peapea rushed into their midst and was immediately surrounded by overwhelming numbers. Simultaneously, the javelins were cast, the long spear, the spike, the war club; the stone was hurled, the maa thrower cast his sling-shot, the club was struck; but they were as bathing water for Peapea, and they were as nothing to his powerful strength. Thus he went slaughtering until reaching Luakaha, in Nuuanu. Kahahana and his chiefs were defeated and fled, the majority having been all slain by Peapea. Oahu being conquered by Kahekili, Peapea took Kekuapoi, Kahahana’s wife, as his own, on account of his courage and strength, and [they] lived together.

A hiki o Peapea i kahi o ka poe kaua o Kahahana, komo aku la o Peapea i loko o na kanaka, o kona manawa ia i puni ai i ka lehulehu. Ia wa, o ka ihe, ka pololu, ke kuia, ka laau palau, nou ka pohaku, maa ka mea maa, hahau ka laau, aka he wai auau ia no Peapea, a he mea ole ia i kona ikaika nui. Pela no kona hele luku ana a hiki i Luakaha, a Nuuanu. Hee o Kahahana ame kona mau alii a holo aku la, o ka nui ua pau i ka make ia Peapea. A puni ae la o Oahu nei ia Kahekili, lawe ae la o Peapea ia Kekuapoi, wahine a Kahahana i wahine nana, mamuli o kona koa ame ka ikaika, a noho iho la.

OF KEKUAPOI.

NO KEKUAPOI.

Kekuapoi was highly reputed as an excellent woman with a beautiful countenance to behold, and she was faultless. It is narrated in the story of this battle, that she was the superior of Oahu here and of the other islands. On the death of her husband, Kahahana, Kahekili had determined to take Kekuapoi as his wife, but, she became his son’s, Peapea’s. At this seizure by Peapea of Kekuapoi as his wife, Kahekili was greatly angered. Hence, he dispatched a courier to fetch Kekuapoi to him, but, she was not relinquished by Peapea. Many were the messengers Kahekili sent, but Kekuapoi never came, for she was withheld by Peapea. Wherefore, Kahekili again sent the messenger to summon Peapea and his wife to appear, and should they remain, then Peapea would be punished with death. The courier having arrived in the presence of Peapea so informed him. Peapea, hearing, responded.

Ua kaulana loa o Kekuapoi i ka wahine maikai loa a me ka nani o ka helehelena ke nana aku, aole hoi ona kina. A ua olelo ia ma ka moolelo o keia kaua ana, oia ka oi o Oahu nei ame ko na mokupuni e aku. A iloko o ka make ana o kana kane, o Kahahana, ua paa mua ko Kahekili manao e lawe ia Kekuapoi i wahine nana, aka, ua lilo i kana keiki ia Peapea. Ma keia lawe ana o Peapea ia Kekuapoi i wahine nana, ua huhu loa o Kahekili. Nolaila, hoouna aku o Kahekili i ka elele, e lawe mai ia Kekuapoi nana. Aole nae he loaa mai ia Peapea. A nui na elele a Kahekili i hoouna ai, aohe hiki mai o Kekuapoi, paa no ia Peapea. Alaila, hoouna hou o Kahekili i ka elele, e kii ia Peapea ame ka wahine e hele mai, a ina e noho, alaila, o ka make ko Peapea hope. A hiki ka elele i mua o Peapea, olelo aku la. A lohe o Peapea hele mai la.

PEAPEA’S SECOND DISPLAY OF COURAGE.

KE KOA ALUA ANA O PEAPEA.

Prior to the summoning of Peapea, his death-trap by men was laid out. Two boards had been arranged. It is said the length of the boards were forty fathoms, which occupied opposite sides of the path, whereby Peapea would come to the presence of Kahekili. All the men were equipped with javelins, war clubs, spear points, stones, and all death-dealing weapons. Whilst they were stationed behind the boards, Peapea approached between them. Immediately they cast all their javelins on Peapea, but they were trifles to him. Those death-dealing implements were his bathing water. However, as he journeyed towards Kahekili, there by his right hand was Kekuapoi held. He traveled in this manner into the presence of Kahekili. He had escaped death, but, he was wifeless, for Kahekili took her.

Mamua ae o ke kii ia ana o Peapea, ua hoonoho ia ka make o Peapea i na kanaka. Ua hoonoho ia elua papa, (ua olelo ia, he kanaha anana ka loa o ke ku ana o na papa elua,) ma kela aoao keia aoao o ke alanui, kahi a Peapea e hele aku ai a mua o Kahekili. Ua makaukau na kanaka a pau loa, i ka ihe, ka pololu, i ka elau, ka pohaku, ame na mea make a pau loa. Ia lakou e ku lalani ana ma na papa, hiki aku la o Peapea i waena o lakou. Ia wa lakou i o ai i na ihe a pau loa i luna o Peapea, aka, he mea ole ia ia Peapea, ua lilo ia mau mea make i wai auau nona. Aka, iaia e hele ana i mua o Kahekili, aia ma kona lima akau o Kekuapoi kahi i paa ia ai. Pela no kona hele ana a hiki i mua o Kahekili. Pau ae la kona make. Eia nae, ua nele ia i ka wahine ole, ua lilo ia Kahekili.