--- title: Hiiaka and the Seacoast Kupuas — Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mythology) · full text with trees description: Hiiaka and the Seacoast Kupuas, «Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mythology)» by W. D. Westervelt: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Kupuas were legendary monsters which could change themselves into human beings at will. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66516/19/) [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 Legends of Volcanoes (mytholo…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66516/) / Hiiaka and the Seacoast Kupuas # Hiiaka and the Seacoast Kupuas Hiiaka and the Seacoast Kupuas of «Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mythology)» by W. D. Westervelt: the whole text, 42 sentences and 700 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. Kupuas were legendary monsters which could change themselves into human beings at will.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") They were said to have come from far-off lands with the early settlers.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") They had descendants who lived along the seacoast or in out-of-the-way places inland.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") They were always ready to destroy and often devour any strangers passing near them.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") Frequently they were sharks which had a shark mouth although appearing like men.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") This mouth was between the shoulders and was concealed by a cape thrown carefully over the back.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") As human beings they would mingle with their fellows and go out in the sea, bathing and surf-riding, but when they went into the water they would dive under, assume their shark form, and catch some one of the bathers.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") They would carry the body to some under-water cave, where it could be devoured.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") All other sea monsters were given human qualities—some were helpful to men and some were destructive.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") Fabled monsters lived on land.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") Some of these were gigantic lizards, probably the legendary memory of the crocodiles of their ancient home in India.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") Some were the great clouds floating in the heavens.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") Peculiar rocks, trees, precipices, waterfalls, birds, indeed everything with or without life, might be given human and supernatural power and called kupuas.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") After a time various objects began to have worshippers who became priests supposed to be endowed with the qualities of the objects worshipped.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") These, in the later days, have been considered sorcerers or witches, receiving the name kupuas.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") MAKAUKIU[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka, the sister of Pele, the goddess of volcanoes, by her magic power was able to find and destroy many of these mysterious monsters.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") She had two companions as she journeyed along the eastern coast of the island Hawaii.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Their way was frequently very wearisome as they climbed down steep precipices into valleys and gulches and then had to climb up on the other side.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") In one valley beautiful clear sea-water invited the girls to bathe.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") Two of them threw aside their tapa clothes and ran down to the beach.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka bade them wait, telling them this was the home of Makaukiu, a very ferocious monster.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") But the girls thought they could see any evil one, if living in that pure, clear water, so they laughed at their friend and went to the edge of the water.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka took some fragrant ti-leaves, made a little bundle and threw it into the sea.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") The girls made ready to leap and swim, when suddenly Makaukiu appeared just below the surface, catching and shaking the leaves.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") The girls fled inland to higher ground, but Hiiaka stood at the edge of the sea.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") The sea monster tried to catch her in his great mouth.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") He lashed the water into foam, trying to strike her with his tail.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") He tried to wash her into the sea by pushing great, whirling waves against her, but Hiiaka struck him with the mighty forces of lightning and fire which she had in her magic skirt.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon he was dead and his body floated on the water until the tide swept it out to sink in the deep sea.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") The place where this monster was slain was given his name and is still called “The Swimming-Hole of Makaukiu.”[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") MAHIKI[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") The Hawaiians say that the desire for battle was burning in the heart of Hiiaka and she longed to kill Mahiki, who lived near Waipio Valley—one of the most beautiful of all the valleys of the Hawaiian Islands.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") Mahiki was a whirlwind.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") When he saw the girls coming he fled inland, hiding himself in a cloud of dust.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") Whenever the girls came toward him he fled swiftly to a new place.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") They could not catch and destroy him.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") As they were following the whirlwind they heard some one calling.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") They stopped and found two persons without bones—the bodies were flesh, soft and yielding, yet of human form.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") Hiiaka had pity on them, so she took the ribs of a long leaf and pushed them into the soft bodies, where they became bones.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the two could stand.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") After a time they could use their new bones in their legs and walk.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [Hiiaka Catching a Ghost](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66516/18/) - next →: [Pili and Noho](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66516/20/) - ↑ back to [Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mythology)](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66516/)