The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai

A Hawaiian romance recounts the wooing of a high-ranking chiefess and her eventual deification, preserved in oral kaao form that combines prose narrative with interspersed song. The tale presents mythic episodes—journeys between realms, encounters with guardians and supernatural beings, rival deities, and competing suitors—while an extensive introduction and commentary examine Polynesian cosmogony, demigod heroes, and the social and artistic values reflected in the narrative. The edition offers a translation with textual notes, song translations, chapter summaries, and appendices of related chants and folk tales.