It all started when the chief wanted to build a wall to get water from Waimea River into his taro patches. All of the men worked except Pi. He was lazy. His children and his wife told Pi to get up and do work for his family. They were grumbling so Pi said he will do work for the family.

First he dug up all his taro and steamed them in an imu. Next he invited the menehune to a feast that would be found near the wall being built. The menehune knew that Pi was asking for help and said his men would be there.

Pi continued preparing the feast by pounding poi and putting it in small bundles wrapped in small pieces of ti leaves. He tied the bundles to a kukui tree which he planted next to the unfinished wall. He even caught shrimp for them.

That night the menehune came to work for him. They worked through the night and finished the wall right before dawn. When they were done, they had a big feast prepared by Pi. With their stomachs filled, the menehunes went happily home.

When the chief and his men came in the morning, they were shocked to see the wall completely built. They knew that the menehune must have come and finshed it. But they asked, "Who invited them?"

They answered, "It has to be Pi because he was the only one who knew the menehune." They rewarded Pi and his family with a lot of fish, kapa, and other things. Today the wall may be seen today near Waima River on the island of Kauai People look at the rocks on the wall and wonder how the menehune could chip those rocks with just stone tools and fit them together in just one night.

by Lyle

~ ~ ~

Pukui, Mary Kawena. Tales of the Menehune: Retold by Caroline Curtis. Honolulu, Hawaii: The Kamehameha Schools Press, 1971.