Hawaiian idylls of love and death by Herbert H. Gowen
"Hawaiian idylls of love and death" by Herbert H. Gowen is a collection of historical legends and tales written in the early 20th century. The work romanticizes episodes from Hawaiian history and myth—especially around Kamehameha I—blending warfare, politics, and the supernatural with intimate stories of lovers and chiefs under the gaze of gods like Pele. The opening of the book first sketches a vivid, admiring portrait of Kamehameha I—his unification of the
islands, strategic patience, and ability to choose capable allies—before launching into linked legends and vignettes. Early stories include the deadly cult of the poison goddess Kalaipahoa and the fatal quest to carve her idol; the theft and recovery of Kiha’s magic war conch; the Puna fisherman whose stand with a splintered paddle leads Kamehameha to protect noncombatants; and the downfall of Oahu’s slandered priest Kaopulupulu as Kahekili seizes the island. Love and divinity entwine as Keala’s fidelity outlasts a cruel priest and even invokes Pele, while a catastrophic eruption at Kilauea signals the fire goddess’s favor toward Kamehameha and foreshadows Keoua’s doom; a poignant episode follows in which Kalanikapule spares two lovers who nearly reach a city of refuge. The section closes as “Sweet Leilehua” begins, with Oahu bracing for Kamehameha’s approaching invasion. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Gowen, Herbert H. (Herbert Henry), 1864-1960 |
|---|---|
| Title | Hawaiian idylls of love and death |
| Original Publication | New York: Cochrane Publishing Co., 1908. |
| Contents | The poison goddess of Molokai -- The story of the Kiha-pu -- The splintered paddle -- The slandered priest of Oahu -- Keala -- Pele declares for Kamehameha -- The city of refuge -- Sweet Leilehua -- The spouting cave of Lanai -- Lono's last martyr -- Keoua, a story of Kalawao. |
| Credits | Susan E., David E. Brown, Mary Fahnestock-Thomas, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 72.8 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PR: Language and Literatures: English literature |
| Subject | Short stories, English |
| Subject | Hawaii -- Fiction |
| Subject | Kamehameha I, the Great, King of the Hawaiian Islands, -1819 -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 76499 |
| Release Date | Jul 14, 2025 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 344 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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