Hawiian versions of the birth and exploits of Maui, taken from the ancient creation chants.

Folktales often portray stories about the creation of certain places. Readers of this engaging play learn one tale of how the Hawaiian Islands came to be. The story of Ma-ui and his family is told with the help of captivating text and dialogue, as well as vivid illustrations that closely correlate with the textual content of the book. This exciting story is sure to get young readers excited about plays and folktales.

The twins Läieikawai and Läielohelohe are separated at birth but remain linked by their great beauty and a series of unscrupulous admirers and fickle husbands. Eventually the sisters are reunited with the help of a colorful cast of characters, including a man-eating lizard, a "cosmic" spider, and a giant bird, and find happiness at last in each other's company. This timeless kaao, or legend, of long ago is lovingly retold and illustrated here by renowned Island artist and storyteller Dietrich Varez.

It is hard to imagine life without fire. Heat, light, food—where would we be without these essentials? Although we do not rely on fire as much today as in times past, nor have as much direct contact with it, fire was often crucial to survival when the stories in this collection were first told. People often told stories about it: what their lives were like without fire, how they first acquired it and how it changed their lives. This collection of nine traditional tales, retold by Jon C. Stott, draws from eight different countries. Learn how Maui stole fire twice (New Zealand), how Coyote and his friends captured fire (United States), how Opossum brought fire back to the people (Mexico) and how Vasilisa used the Baba Yaga’s fire (Russia). The main characters of these stories differ in many aspects. Some are well-known heroes, and some are insignificant members of their groups. Some made their quests for fire alone, and some worked with others. Some were brave and unselfish, and some sought personal glory. But all knew that fire was essential for their people.

Legends of Maui (1910) is a collection of Hawaiian folktales and myths anthologized by W. D. Westervelt. Paying homage to the importance of Maui across Polynesian cultures, Westervelt introduces his groundbreaking collection of legends on Hawaii’s founding deity. Westervelt's collection connects the origin story of Hawaii to the traditions of other Polynesian cultures, providing an invaluable resource for understanding the historical and geographical scope of Hawaiian culture. Drawing on the work of David Malo, Samuel Kamakau, and Abraham Fornander, Westervelt, originally from Ohio, became a leading authority on the Hawaiian Islands, publishing extensively on their legends, religious beliefs, and folk tales. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally designed manuscript, this edition of W. D. Westervelt’s Legends of Maui is a classic of Hawaiian literature reimagined for modern readers. Add this beautiful edition to your bookshelf, or enjoy the digital edition on any e-book device.

Within this unique volume are 15 legends of Maui. Legends like: MAUI THE FISHERMAN, MAUI LIFTING THE SKY, MAUI SNARING THE SUN and twelve more captivating stories and tales from antiquity from the Polynesian people of the South Pacific. These legends are not only different from the myths of other nations, but they are unique in the character of the actions recorded. There are three centres for these legends, New Zealand in the south, Hawaii in the north, and the Tahitian group in the east. In each of these groups of islands, separated by thousands of miles, there are the same legends, told in almost the same way, and with very little variation in names and content. However, Maui's deeds rank in a higher class than most of the mighty efforts of the demi gods of other nations and races, and are usually of more utility. The Maui legends are full of helpful imaginations, which are distinctly and uniquely Polynesian in nature. Here you will find adventures from the great voyages of discovery which carry fragments and hints of wonderful deeds. The Maoris of New Zealand claim Maui as an ancestor of their most ancient tribes and class him as one of the most ancient of their gods, calling him "creator of land" and "creator of man" even sometimes "the sun himself," "the solar fire," and the "the sun god," while his mother Hina was called "the moon goddess." NOTE: MAUI (Ma-u-i, Ma-oo-e) is a Polynesian demi god. His name derives from “Mohyi” meaning "causing to: live" or "life," applied sometimes to the gods and sometimes to chiefs as "preservers and sustainers" of their followers. The Maui story probably contains a larger number of unique and ancient myths than that of any other legendary character in the mythology of any nation. They also form one of the strongest links in the mythological chain of evidence which binds the scattered inhabitants of the Pacific into one nation. They possess remarkable antiquity. YESTERDAY'S BOOKS FOR TODAY'S CHARITIES 10% of the profit from the sale of our books is donated to charities ---------- TAGS: Maui, Hawaii, Myths, Legends, Folklore, children’s stories, adventure, exploration, Maui's home, Fisherman, Lifting The Sky, Snaring The Sun, Finding Fire, The Skillful, Tuna, Brother-In-Law, Kite Flying, Oahu Legends, Seeking Immortality, Hina, Hilo, Wailuku River, Ghosts, Hilo Hills, Woman In The Moon, New Zealand, Maori, Polynesian, Pacific Ocean, South Pacific, Canoe,