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Tales of the Menehune and other short legends of the Hawaiian Islands
Tales of the Menehune and other short legends of the Hawaiian Islands Author:Pukui, Mary Kawena From the Foreword: — These legends have been selected with the thought that, in length and content, they are suitable to be told or read to young children as well as to be read by older ones. Some are very old legends, common to many Pacific islands, and others are of recent origin. — The menhune were the little people of Hawaiian tales. As they l... more »ived in the mountain forests and only came to the lowland at night, they were not often seen. Yet the Hawaiians could describe them. They were two or three feet tall, the stories said, thickset and hairy. Some of them were never heard to talk while others talked with deep, gruff voices. The Hawaiians said their talk sounded like the low growl of a dog, and their laughter could be heard far away. The mu, a banana-eating people, were a tribe of the menehune.« less