Mo'olelo
Luau
At the time Luau came from Maui to dwell on Oahu, he arrived at Waiawa, Ewa. He saw some men thatching dried ti leaves on the Luakini (church) that was being built there. Luau asked some people, “Who is the one that is having this important house built?” They answered, “Kanepaiki.” Luau then stated, “The house shall not be finished to its ridge pole before the one who is having it built dies.” The people asked, “Why?” Luau answered, “The house is atop the Heiau (temple) and the Fishpond is below, it is because the waters (life and wealth) are flowing out from this place. (So too shall the life flow out.)” These words of Luau were true, the Luakini of Waiawa was not completed before Kanepaiki died. His body was buried in the uplands of Waimalu.
Ka'ahupāhau
Ka‘ahu was very angry. “Come!” she shouted to a young shark who was passing. “Pāpio is a wicked girl and ought to die! You’ll find her on a flat rock, sunning. Her hair floats on the water and on her breast shines an ‘ilima lei. She ought to die!” The young shark swam away and soon returned. “The girl is dead, O heavenly one,” he said. Ka‘ahu was very glad. Pāpio was a wicked girl, the chiefess thought, to take my lei. But her anger cooled when she thought of Pāpio’s mother... I did wrong! Ka‘ahu told herself. I had her killed but cannot make her come back to life. She called the sharks of Pu‘uloa. “O my sharks,” she said, “I, your chiefess have done great wrong. In anger I ordered a young girl killed. We sharks can kill but not make alive. Now that girl is dead and her mother weeps. O my sharks remember my wrongdoing! Hereafter man, woman and small child shall swim safely in Pu‘uloa. We shall be their friends and their protectors. Remember, never harm them!” “Your works are good, O heavenly one,” the sharks replied (Pukui and Curtis 1994:150–151).