Maui and the Sun

retold here by Kamu Morita
Adapted from "Maui and the Sun" from Hilo Legends by Frances Reed

While Maui was away playing with his kite, his mother was making kapa. But every day the sun would set in the west and the kapa would become destroyed. The kapa never dries the women cried. When Maui returned he saw that the women were crying. He asked Hina what was wrong. She said that the sun was always going to fast and he never waited for the kapa to dry. Hina asked Maui if he could do something about it. So Maui said okay and he prepared his departure to Maui. First he made a long fine rope, and then he changed into his white rooster form. After that he flew to Makena on Maui and arrived in the evening.

When Maui arrived the sun saw the rooster but saw no danger in him and went back to sleep in his mountain house. The rooster changed back into Maui and Maui was ready for his journey through the uplands. When Maui reached the top, he saw the sun fast asleep. He found a cave near the path and hid in there, and waited for morning. The sun had one long ray which was longer then the others. Soon rose the sun and Maui sprang out of the cave and lassoed the sun’s long ray with his lasso. The surprised sun angrily asked who he was and demanded Maui to let go. But Maui did not let go and he told the sun that he must promise to go more slowly everyday so that his mother’s kapa will dry. But the sun said no and kept struggling to free himself from Maui. Then Maui became angry and struck the sun’s long leg with his magic club leaving the sun with only his short ones which could not go so fast. Maui quickly threw his lasso again, Once again he demanded the sun to go more slowly. But Maui said that he must not go to slow so that he would kill the plants and fruits with the sun's hot rays. The sun said yes and begged Maui to let him free. After the argument they agreed. The sun promised to go slowly six months of the year, and hurry as fast as before, for the remaining six months. Maui agreed with this arrangement and let the sun loose. Then he returned home and told his mom. From then on, at least during half a year, the kapa would dry in one afternoon.