Long ago, on the windward side of a Hawaiian island, there lived a great rainmaker named Kahinalii. His chants could call the clouds, rain, and his prayers could open the sky, but one summer the heavens refused to listen. The streams shrank to trickles, taro fields cracked, and the people’s throats were parched.
Kahinalii tried every chant he knew, offering fish, flowers, and kapa cloth to the gods, but still the rain would not come. At last, the high priest told him that the drought was not from forgetfulness but from anger. The sky god had been offended, and only an offering of pure heart could soften his will.
The Price for rain
Kahinalii had one daughter, Leilaninui, a gentle girl whose laughter was as clear as spring water. The priest said the rain would return only if she carried the sacred water gourd up the cliffs to the temple at the summit and poured it upon the altar. But the journey was long, the sun merciless, and the path guarded by sharp stones and thorny brush.
Leilaninui did not hesitate. She set out barefoot, carrying the gourd close to her heart. With each step, the heat burned her skin, and the dry wind stung her eyes. Yet she kept climbing, humming softly to keep her courage strong. At times the gourd grew heavy, but she dared not drink, for every drop was meant for the sky god.
At last, she reached the temple, her feet bleeding, her body trembling. She lifted the gourd and poured its cool water over the altar. The moment the last drop touched the stone, clouds gathered above, dark and full. A low rumble echoed through the valleys, and rain began to fall — first in gentle sheets, then in a cleansing downpour that soaked the land.
Water for Rain
The people rejoiced, running into the fields to feel the rain wash over them. Crops would grow again, streams would swell, and the island would live. Kahinalii wept with gratitude, knowing his daughter’s purity had moved the heart of the sky god.
From that day on, the rainmaker’s chants were always answered, for the gods remembered the sacrifice of Leilaninui, the girl who carried water to the sky.
Moral / Life Lesson:
The purest offerings come not from wealth or power, but from selflessness. True change often requires sacrifice, and the heart that gives without expecting in return can move even the mightiest forces.
Knowledge Check:
- Who was Kahinalii?
A great Hawaiian rainmaker who could call the rain with chants and prayers. - What caused the drought?
The sky god’s anger at being offended. - What did the priest say was needed to bring rain?
An offering of pure heart carried to the sky god’s altar. - Who carried the sacred gourd?
Kahinalii’s daughter, Leilaninui. - How did the gods respond to her act?
They sent heavy rain that revived the land. - What is the central message of the story?
Selfless sacrifice can inspire powerful change.
Cultural Origin: This tale comes from Hawaiian oral tradition, honoring the values of purity, sacrifice, and harmony with the forces of nature.
