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Hawaiian Legends of Tricksters and Riddlers
Hawaiian Legends of Tricksters and Riddlers Author:Vivian L Thompson According to some of the oldest and least-known of Hawai`i's legends, man became a trickster to survive, and later became a riddler to win a place for himself in society. Vivian Thompson's tales, written for youngsters, are based on some of the earliest recorded versions of these legends; they instruct and delight readers of today as the oral tr... more »aditions of old captivated their audiences. The first voyagers to Hawai`i were filled with terror of the unknown terrain inhabited by evil spirits. Fearless fellows, tricksters - those who could match wits not only against nature, spirits, and monsters but also against chiefs and kings who held the power of life and death - became the heroes of the common people. As trickster legends emerged from primitive Hawai`i, so riddler legends grew from later Hawai`i, where mental as well as physical skills were admired.« less