at Waikiki back in the olden times. Foraging one day, he found some owl's eggs, and brought them home. That evening he wrapped them in ti leaves to roast them in hot ashes, when an owl perched on his fence
The owl called out to him,
"O Kapoi, give me my eggs! The owl asked a second time: "O heartless Kapoi! Take pity on me, Give me my eggs!"Kapoi finally complied. Then the owl told Kapoi to build a heiau, [temple]. He duly did as directed.
But news spread to
the King of Oahu who bristled at the audacity
of a commoner. He ordered
Kapoi seized and brought to the royal presence.
The owl who had told Kapoi
to erect a temple was aware
of these events, and gathered
all the owls from Lanai, Maui,
Molokai, and Hawaii to Kalapueo
a beach you may visit to this day
on the Eastern shore of Oahu.
The name Kalapueo literally means
"Owl Proclamation".
The day that Kapoi should
be put to death arrived.
At dawn the owls left their
rendezvous and covered the
whole sky over Honolulu!
When the King's servants seized
Kapoi to put him to death,
the owls flew at them,
with beak and claw.
Thus was fought the
bloody Battle Of The Owls.
The owls emerged victorious and
Kapoi was released by the
King personally who acknowledged
that the Owl Akua (god) is a
powerful one worthy of respect.
From that time to this,
the owl has been recognized
as one of the many deities
and protectors of the Hawaiian people.
Pueo are honored as the family Akua
of certain
Hawaiian families
to this day.
Sunlight pierced the Shadows that dance A secret path beckoned At the edge of a glance.
