Presents twelve Hawaiian myths which explain how the earth was created, why volcanoes on Hawaii erupt, why the days are longer in summer, and other natural phenomena.

Once in Old Hawaii, in the days when anything was possible, supernatural kupua roamed the islands, challenging kings and chiefs, tricking men, women, and boys. The Hawaiian people would tell and retell tales of kupua exploits, and of the men who challenged them. Some of the tall tales included in this volume are of shape-shifters like Shark Man of Ewa, who could change from man to shark, from shark to rat, from rat to a bunch of bananas. Others are of kupua with extraordinary powers like Kana, who could stretch himself as tall as a palm tree, as slender as a bamboo, as thin as a morning glory vine, as fine as a spider web. And there are men with rare and special weapons, such as Ka-ui-lani, whose talking spear could pick the winner of a cock fight before the birds were even in the ring. As in all tales told by word of mouth, change and exaggeration crept in, and perhaps this is how the kupua tale developed - through exaggeration. That they have survived, and continue to entertain, in present-day written form, is an indication of their universal appeal.

Have you ever made music with things around you? Pulling a stick along a fence? Tapping a stick on the lid of a trash can? Humming on a paper covered comb? Tapping on a water glass? The people of Old Hawaii made music from the things they found in nature... in the sea... in the forest... in the river. Kimo found three of these with his Kupuna. His grandfather showed him. Then he showed his friends.