LAIEIKAWAI: "Bah! I will not marry him."[42]

When Aiwohikupua heard Laieikawai's refusal to take Aiwohikupua for her husband, then he was abashed, for they heard her refusal quite plainly.

CHAPTER IX

After this refusal, then Aiwohikupua said to his counsellor, "You and I will go home and let my sisters stay up here; as for them, let them live as they can, for they are worthless; they have failed to gain my wish."

Said the counsellor, "This is very strange! I thought before we left Kauai you told me that your sisters were the only ones to get your wish, and you have seen now what one of them can do; you have ordered Mailehaiwale to do her part, and we have heard, too, the refusal of Laieikawai. Is this your sisters' fault, that we should go and leave them? But without her you have four sisters left; it may be one of them will succeed."

Said Aiwohikupua, "If the first-born fails, the others perhaps will be worthless."

His counsellor, spoke again, "My lord, have patience; let Mailekaluhea try her luck, and if she fails then we will go."

Now, this saying pleased the chief; said Aiwohikupua, "Suppose you try your luck, and if you fail, all is over."

Mailekaluhea went and stood at the door of the chief-house and gave out a perfume; the fragrance entered and touched the rafters within the house, from the rafters it reached Laieikawai and her companion; then they were startled from sleep.

Said Laieikawai to her nurse, "This is a different perfume, not like the first, it is better than that; perhaps it comes from a man."

The nurse said, "Call out to your grandmother to tell you the meaning of the fragrance."

Laieikawai called:

LAIEIKAWAI: "O Waka! O Waka--O!"

WAKA: "Heigh-yo! why waken in the middle of the night?"

LAIEIKAWAI: "Here is a fragrance, a strange fragrance, a cool fragrance, a chilling fragrance; it goes to my heart."

WAKA. "That is no strange fragrance, it is Mailekaluhea, the sweet-smelling sister of Aiwohikupua, who has come to make you his wife to marry him."

LAIEIKAWAI: "Bah! I will not marry him!"

Said Aiwohikupua to his counsellor, "See! did you hear the princess's refusal?"

"Yes, I heard it; what of her refusing! it is only their scent she does not like; perhaps she will yield to Mailelaulii."

"You are persistent," said Aiwohikupua. "Did I not tell you I wanted to go back, but you refused--you would not consent!"

"We have not tried all the sisters; two are out; three remain," said his counsellor. "Let all your sisters take a chance; this will be best; perhaps you are too hasty in going home; when you reach Keaau and say you have not succeeded, your other sisters will say: 'If you had let us try, Laieikawai would have consented;' so, then, they get something to talk about; let them all try."

"Where are you, my counsellor!" said Aiwohikupua. "It is not you who bears the shame; I am the one. If the grandchild thought as Waka does all would be well."

"Let us bear the shame," said his counsellor. "You know we men must expect such rebuffs; 'a canoe will break on a coral reef;' and if she should refuse, who will tell of it? We are the only ones to hear it. Let us try what Mailelaulii can do."

And because the counsellor urged so strongly the chief gave his consent.

Mailelaulii went right to the door of the chief-house; she gave out her perfume as the others had done; again Laieikawai was startled from sleep and said to her nurse, "This is an entirely different fragrance--not like those before."

Said the nurse, "Call out to Waka."

LAIEIKAWAI: "O Waka! O Waka--O!"

WAKA: "Heigh-yo! Why waken in the middle of the night?"

LAIEIKAWAI: "Here is a fragrance, a strange fragrance, a cool fragrance, a chilling fragrance; it goes to my heart."

WAKA: "That is no strange fragrance; it is Mailelaulii, one of the sweet-smelling sisters of Aiwohikupua, who has come to get you for his wife; he is the husband, the husband for you to marry."

LAIEIKAWAI: "Bah! I will not marry him!"

"One refusal is enough," said Aiwohikupua, "without getting four more!

You have brought this shame upon us both, my comrade."

"Let us endure the shame," said his counsellor, "and if our sisters do not succeed, then I will go and enter the house and tell her to take you for her husband as you desire."

Then the chief's heart rejoiced, for Kauakahialii had told him how this same man had got Laieikawai to come down to Keaau, so Aiwohikupua readily a.s.sented to his servant's plea.

Then Aiwohikupua quickly ordered Mailepakaha to go and stand at the door of the chief-house; she gave forth her perfume, and Laieikawai was startled from sleep, and again smelled the fragrance. She said to her nurse, "Here is this fragrance again, sweeter than before."

Said the nurse again, "Call Waka."

LAIEIKAWAI: "O Waka! O Waka--O!"

WAKA: "Heigh-yo! Why waken in the middle of the night?"

LAIEIKAWAI: "Here is a fragrance, a strange fragrance, not like the others, a sweet fragrance, a pleasant fragrance; it goes to my heart."

WAKA: "That is no strange fragrance; it is Mailepakaha, the sweet-smelling sister of Aiwohikupua, who has come to get you for a wife to marry him."

LAIEIKAWAI: "Bah! I will not marry him! No matter who comes I will not sleep with him. Do not force Aiwohikupua on me again."

When Aiwohikupua heard this fresh refusal from Laieikawai, his counsellor said, "My lord, it is useless! There is nothing more to be done except one thing; better put off trying the youngest sister and, if she is refused, my going myself, since we have heard her vehement refusal and the sharp chiding she gave her grandmother. And now I have only one thing to advise; it is for me to speak and for you to decide."

"Advise away," said Aiwohikupua, "If it seems good, I will consent; but if not, I will refuse."

"Let us go to the grandmother," said his counsellor, "and ask her; maybe we can get the consent from her."

Said Aiwohikupua, "There is nothing left to be done; it is over; only one word more--our sisters, let them stay here in the jungle, for they are worthless."

Then Aiwohikupua said to his sisters, "You are to stay here; my cherished hope has failed in bringing you here; the forest is your dwelling hereafter." It was then pretty near dawn.

At Aiwohikupua's words all the sisters bowed their heads and wailed.