--- title: Maui the Polynesian — Hawaiian Historical Legends · full text with trees description: Maui the Polynesian, «Hawaiian Historical Legends» by W. D. Westervelt: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Among the really ancient ancestors of the Hawaiian chiefs, Maui is one of the most interesting. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Hawaiian Historical Legends](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/) / Maui the Polynesian # Maui the Polynesian Maui the Polynesian of «Hawaiian Historical Legends» by W. D. Westervelt: the whole text, 86 sentences and 1487 words. 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Among the really ancient ancestors of the Hawaiian chiefs, Maui is one of the most interesting.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") His name is found in different places in the high chief genealogy.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") He belonged to the mist land of time.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") He was one of the Polynesian demi-gods.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") He was possessed of supernatural power and made use of all manner of enchantments.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") In New Zealand antiquity he was said to have aided other gods in the creation of man.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") Nevertheless he was very human.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") He lived in thatched houses, had wives and children, and was scolded by the women for not properly supporting his family.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") Yet he continually worked for the good of men.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") His mischievous pranks would make him another Mercury living in any age before the beginning of the Christian era.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") When Maui was born his mother, not caring for him, cut off a lock of her hair, tied it around him and cast him into the sea.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") In this way the name came to him, Maui-Tiki-Tiki, “Maui formed in the topknot.”[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") The waters bore him safely.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Jellyfish enwrapped him and mothered him.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") The god of the seas protected him.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") He was carried to the god’s house and hung up in the roof that he might feel the warm air of the fire and be cherished into life.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") When he was old enough he came to his relations while they were at home, dancing and making merry.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Little Maui crept in and sat down behind his brothers.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") His mother called the children and found a strange child, who soon proved that he was her son.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") Some of the brothers were jealous, but the eldest addressed the others as follows:[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") “Never mind; let him be our dear brother.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") In the days of peace remember the proverb, ‘When you are on friendly terms, settle your disputes in a friendly way; when you are at war, you must redress your injuries by violence.’[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") It is better for us, brothers, to be kind to other people.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") These are the ways by which men gain influence—by labouring for abundance of food to feed others, by collecting property to give to others, and by similar means by which you promote the good of others.”[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus, according to the New Zealand story related by Sir George Grey, Maui was received in his home.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Maui’s home in Hawaii was for a long time enveloped in darkness.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") According to some legends the skies pressed so closely and so heavily upon the earth that when the plants began to grow all the leaves were necessarily flat.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") According to other legends the plants had to push up the clouds a little, and thus the leaves flattened out into larger surface, so that they could better drive the skies back.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus the leaves became flat and have so remained through all the days of mankind.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") The plants lifted the sky inch by inch until men were able to crawl about between the heavens and the earth, thus passing from place to place and visiting one another.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") After a long time Maui came to a woman and said: “Give me a drink from your gourd calabash and I will push the heavens higher.”[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") The woman handed the gourd to him.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") When he had taken a deep draught he braced himself against the clouds and lifted them to the height of the trees.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") Again he hoisted the sky and carried it to the tops of the mountains; then, with great exertion, he thrust it up to the place it now occupies.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") Nevertheless, dark clouds many times hang low along the great mountains and descend in heavy rains, but they dare not stay, lest Maui, the strong, come and hurl them so far away that they cannot come back again.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") The Manahiki Islanders say that Maui desired to separate the sky from the earth.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") His father, Ru, was the supporter of the heavens.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") Maui persuaded him to assist in lifting the burden.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") They crowded it and bent it upward.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") They were able to stand with the sky resting on their shoulders.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") They heaved against the bending mass and it receded rapidly.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") They quickly put the palms of their hands under it, then the tips of their fingers, and it retreated farther and farther.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") At last, drawing themselves out to gigantic proportions, they pushed the entire heavens up to the very lofty position which they have ever since occupied.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") On the island Hawaii, in a cave under a waterfall, dwelt Hina-of-the-fire, the mother of Maui.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") From this home Maui crossed to the island Maui, climbed a great mountain, threw ropes made from fibres of plants around the sun’s legs, pulled off many and then compelled the swift traveller of the heavens to go slowly on its way that men might have longer and better days.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Maui’s home, at the best, was only a sorry affair.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") Gods and demi-gods lived in caves and small grass houses.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") The thatch rapidly rotted and required continual renewal.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") In a very short time the heavy rains beat through the decaying roof.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") The home was without windows or doors, save as low openings in the ends or sides allowed entrance to those willing to crawl through.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") Here Maui lived on edible roots and fruits and raw fish, knowing little about cooked food, for the art of fire-making was not yet known.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") By and by Maui learned to make fire by rubbing sticks together.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") A family of mud hens, worshipped by some of the Hawaiians in later years, understood the art of fire-making.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") From the sea Maui and his brothers saw fire burning on a mountain side but it was always put entirely out when they hastened to the spot.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") Maui proposed to his brothers that they go fishing, leaving him to watch the birds.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") But the Alae counted the fishermen and refused to build a fire for the hidden one who was watching them.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") They said among themselves, “There are three in the boat and we know not where the other one is, we will make no fire to-day.”[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") So the experiment failed again and again.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") If one or two remained or if all waited on the land there would be no fire—but the dawn which saw the four brothers in the boat, saw also the fire on the land.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") Finally Maui rolled some kapa cloth together and stuck it up in one end of the canoe so that it would look like a man.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") He then concealed himself near the haunt of the mud-hens, while his brothers went out fishing.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") The birds counted the figures in the boat and then started to build a heap of wood for the fire.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") Maui was impatient—and just as an old bird began to select sticks with which to make the flames he leaped swiftly out and caught her and held her prisoner.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") He forgot for a moment that he wanted the secret of fire-making.[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") In his anger against the wise bird his first impulse was to taunt her and then kill her for hiding the secret of fire.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") But the bird cried out: “If you are the death of me—my secret will perish also—and you cannot have fire.”[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") Maui then promised to spare her life if she would tell him what to do.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") Then came a contest of wits.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") The bird told the demi-god to rub the stalks of water plants together.[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") He guarded the bird and tried the plants.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") Then she told him to rub reeds together—but they bent and broke and he could make no fire.[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") He twisted her neck until she was half dead—then she cried out: “I have hidden the fire in a green stick.”[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") Maui worked hard but not a spark of fire appeared.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") Again he caught his prisoner by the head and wrung her neck, and she named a kind of dry wood.[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") Maui rubbed the sticks together but they only became warm.[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") The twisting process was resumed—and repeated until the mud-hen was almost dead—and Maui had tried tree after tree.[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") At last Maui found fire.[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") Then as the flames rose he said: “There is one more thing to rub.”[78](78/ "tree and pragmatics") He took a fire stick and rubbed the top of the head of his prisoner until the feathers fell off and the raw flesh appeared.[79](79/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus the Hawaiian mud-hen and her descendants have ever since had bald heads, and the Hawaiians have had the secret of fire-making.[80](80/ "tree and pragmatics") Maui was a great discoverer of islands.[81](81/ "tree and pragmatics") Among other groups he “fished up from the ocean” New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands with a magic hook.[82](82/ "tree and pragmatics") One by one he pulled them to himself out of the deep waters.[83](83/ "tree and pragmatics") He discovered them.[84](84/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus Maui raised the sky, lassoed the sun, found fire and made the earth habitable for man.[85](85/ "tree and pragmatics") II[86](86/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [Opening](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/1/) - next →: [Maui Seeking Immortality](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/3/) - ↑ back to [Hawaiian Historical Legends](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/)