The Consequence

The Consequence

(A Legend from Tonga)

Listen, you of enlightened minds,

While I tell you a tale of the shore.

Two sisters who lived together Hava and Ila,

They were wives of Naa ana moana.

They lived together then they quarrelled.

What a sad thing is jealousy-

Ala!

Here in Tongatapu long ago a chief named Naa ana moana had two wives who were sisters. Hava and Ila. They-two came from across the sea at Nukunukumotu, and Ila was the favourite wife.

Tongatapu Island

Those wives went fishing for Naa's food, they always tried to please him with their catch. When there was a raui on fishing in the lagoon, they went out on the reef for crabs. But the time came for the raui to be lifted, therefore they tied up leaves for torches and went night fishing in the lagoon once more. But they went off separately, those two.

Hava went along the shore past the mangroves and Ila went on the shallow part of the lagoon. With their spears and torches, they looked for good food.

Beyond the mangroves, Hava came to a cave in the land, and in that cave, she found a hole that was covered with a stone.

Came and opened it,

She thought it was a crab-hole.

Looking in she saw the fish with

pouting mouths.

Brought her basket,

Opened it out,

Chose the biggest fish,

Lifted up her load,

Wishing to have something to take to her husband.

Indeed Hava lifted the stone from that hole and found that it was filled with mullet: all the mullet of the world were in that hole. Therefore she fetched her basket and picked out the biggest fish and took them to Naa. When she had gone the hole was teeming with mullet again.

Mullet fish

Now Ila her sister brought home only crabs that night, and when she saw the many mullet which Naa was scaling and cutting she was jealous, for Naa was pleased with Hava.

Those wives again went fishing on another night, and Ila thought there was something Hava knew. They-two went down to the mangroves and they fished there for a while. Then Ila set off for her lagoon-place again, and seeing her go, Hava left her torch burning on a mangrove tree and went on to her cave.

Ila also deceived her sister. She too left her torch burning in a mangrove tree, and in the dark, she followed Hava.

And Hava, thinking that she was alone, went in and lifted up the stone and filled her basket to the brim with fish. Then she returned to her husband.

Ila went in also and lifted the stone, she filled her basket with fish to take to Naa. But she was angry with Hava, angry because of her secret. Therefore she threw away the stone and called to the fish:

‘You come out and you go!’

And all those mullet came, they streamed in thousands from the hole and leapt into the sea. They were the first mullet in the world.

When Hava reached their home at midnight she was cold. She, therefore, put on clothes while Naa cleaned the fish. But while he was doing this Hava heard a great rushing sound like thunder and she cried, ‘The fish! The mullet! They have all been let out by Ila!’

Straight off she rushed, she dashed out in the night to prevent her mullet from escaping.

She looked for rocks to block their way, that woman. And with her hands indeed she pulled in the islands Kanatea and Nuku to close the cave. When they would not do so she pulled Houmaniu close. Then the teeming fishes turned in their flight and like a wind, they rushed to the other shore, which caused the small bay which is there today.

Then Hava seeing them escaping pulled with all her strength at Toa as well, but the fishes sped back to Folaha, and dented that shore also with their rushing force.

Still, Hava persevered, she pulled the ends of the land, Haaloausi and Houmatoloa. She also tugged at Mataaho, the island where the giant ironwood tree is growing; but that tree would not move.

Was nearly dragged along the toa tree;

But the fish turned,

Which made the inlet at Lifuka,

And the inlet at Faihavata,

And the beach at Fatufala-

Ala!

Pulled out Haaloausi,

Turned the fish to the other side,

Which caused the inlet at Umusi

Near to the rock called Tuungasili,

Afterwards known as Tui-

Ala!

When daylight came and the flowing of the fish had not been stopped Hava grew intensely angry, she cried out to her own land across the sea, to Nukunukumotu, for all her people to come and catch the fish.

All Nukunukumotu stood and waited for the fish, but they escaped at Fota, Nukunukumotu could not stop them, those mullet utterly escaped.

Then indeed Hava turned herself into a coral rock. And the mullet escaped and increased, and mullet thenceforward were everywhere.

After this Hava was a coral rock forever, but her husband joined her. From his love for her, Naa also became a stone. And Ila said what is the use of living and became a stone as well.

They are standing together in the lagoon-entrance of Tanumapopo. Hava on the one side and Ila on the other, and Naa ana moana in between them. This is true.

Source:

Legends of the South Seas

Antony Alpers

1970

Pages 285-288