The Feast of Pī

retold here by Jamie

Adapted from "The Feast of Pī" from Tales of the Menehune by Mary Kawena Pukui

One day long ago, there was a chief named Ola. He told his men that he wanted to build a dam in the Waimea River so that it could flood the taro patches. The men worked hard day after day, for they knew that they were providing for the families of their village.

Ola was a good chief and he paid his men well. He gave them kapa and food for the workers’ families. Although, there was one man who didn’t work at all whose name was Pī. He was a very lazy man. All he did was eat during the night and sleep during the day. Ola paid only the men who worked. Since Pī didn't work, Ola did not pay him.

He was not able to provide for his family, so they were starving and wearing ragged clothing. Pī saw that his family was suffering, so he decided to do a great deed so he could receive a reward.
The next day while the men were working on the wall, Pī went to the taro patches and dug up some taro. Then he heated up the imu, put the taro inside, and left it there to steam. Then he walked to the menehune village where he met a menehune guard. He told the guard that there would be a feast held by the wall that was being built. The guard said that everyone would be there, because he knew that Pī was asking for help on the wall.

Pī went back and gathered ti leaves and cut down a kukui tree. He took the steamed taro out of the imu and pounded it. Then he made little bundles of poi and wrapped each bundle in ti leaves and tied them on the branches of the kukui tree. When he finished, he planted the kukui tree by the wall. Then the menehune came down the mountain from their village. While they worked on the wall, Pī caught shrimp and got other delicious foods for the menehune. By dawn the wall was finished, and so was Pī. The menehune enjoyed their feast, while Pī took a break. The menehune went home and so did Pī by the time the chief and his men came.

To their surprise the wall was completed. The men knew that it was the work of the menehune. Ola sent one of his servants to go see if Pī was responsible since he was not with the men. When the chief found out that Pī was the one who got the wall finished, he gave Pī a great reward.
To this day, you can still see a section of the wall near Waimea River.