This was a book of Hawaiian legends produced in the 1920s. The stories focus mainly on one of the main rivers--the Wailuku, of course--and the goddesses, gods and demi-gods who live along its length.
The stories are very well-told and interesting. I especially enjoyed the way they referred to things and places that existed in the modern (well, 1920s) world as well; like how there was a spring that bubbled up where there is now a boarding school. It gave the stories a very strong sense of Place, and a sense of Time as well (like you could have shown up 20 years earlier and seen the spring rather than the school). I think I've seen something similar in other books of tales and legends, but it's never come across as well.
If I had to pick something to gripe about (and I do or you won't believe me about how wonderful it is), it's that there's a few Hawaiian words used without warning. I was happy to see a glossary in the back when I got there (and if I wasn't reading on my kindle I'd have found it sooner), and most of the words were contextually comprehensible, but there were one or two that I had to stare at and try to comprehend before I could read on (and that could maybe have benefited from footnoting).
I suppose I could also complain that there's no active table of contents--or inactive table of contents, for that matter, but I don't even count that against kindle books any more, so whatever.
The stories included are:
The Wailuku
How Hilo was Named
Maui Conquers the Sun
Kuna, the Dragon
The Last of Kuna
The Coming of Paoa
Maui and the Alae Birds
Maui's Kite
Maui's Fish-Hook
Hina Keahi
Hina Kuluua
The First Law
How Tapa is Made
Glossery
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