Jos. M. Poepoe  
The following is a fair specimen of the animal myths current in ancient Hawaii, and illustrates the place held by the owl in Hawaiian mythology.
 
There lived a man named Kapoi, at Kahehuna, in Honolulu, who went one day to Kewalo to get some thatching for his house. On his way back he found some owl’s eggs, which he gathered together and brought home with him. In the evening he wrapped them in ti leaves and was about to roast them in hot ashes, when an owl perched on the fence which surrounded his house and called out to him, “O Kapoi, give me my eggs!”
 
Kapoi asked the owl, “How many eggs had you?”
 
“Seven eggs,” replied the owl.
 
Kapoi then said, “Well, I wish to roast these eggs for my supper.”
 
The owl asked the second time for its eggs, and was answered by Kapoi in the same manner. Then said the owl, “O heartless Kapoi! why don’t you take pity on me? Give me my eggs.”
 
Kapoi then told the owl to come and take them.
 
The owl, having got the eggs, told Kapoi to build up a heiau, or temple, and instructed him to make an [201]altar and call the temple by the name of Manua. Kapoi built the temple as directed; set kapu days for its dedication, and placed the customary sacrifice on the altar.
 
News spread to the hearing of Kakuihewa, who was then King of Oahu, living at the tim............