Hawaiian folk tales : a collection of native legends

This compilation gathers some of the most vivid Hawaiian legends, opening with a creation story that mirrors ancient biblical motifs. The triad of deities—Kane, Ku and Lono—bring light out of primeval darkness, fashion heaven, earth, the sun, moon, and finally humanity from clay and divine breath. Their first children, a man and a woman formed from earth and a rib, set the stage for a world where gods, spirits and mortals intertwine.

The tales then wander to the mythic paradise of Kalana‑i‑hau‑ola, a sacred land whose very name promises life‑giving dew. Reaching this realm demands righteousness; looking back or succumbing to familial ties bars the way. A host of angels‑like spirits, born of the gods’ spittle, rebel against being denied worship, only to be subdued and cast into the deepest darkness, hinting at an ongoing tension between the divine and the wayward.