written by Veronica Leasiolagi-Lualemanafaiga Barber
illustrated by William Brooks

'O lo'u toe fo'i 'i Sämoa mai Hawai'i. Sä tele ni tausaga na nonofo 'ese ai lo mätou 'äiga ma Sämoa. 'A e i le sefululima o o'u tausaga lea 'ua 'ou toe taumafai e fa'amäsani i le ölaga o Sämoa, ma 'o se tülaga 'ese lea mai le ölaga 'ua 'ou mäsani ai i 'a'ai tetele e iai Honolulu.

Sä 'ou lagona e lë na 'o a'u sä toe taufa'amasani i le ölaga fa'a Sämoa i le faia o fe'au i luma o tagata ma le nu'u. Sä iai se isi ali'i läpo'a ma ona föliga säuä sä mätou tuä'oi. 'E seäseä isi tagata o le nu'u 'ona lätou fai se tala 'i lea ali'i, väganä le geno tasi 'i ai pe 'ä fetaia'i i le ala. Fa'apea ni tala tau'ave o lea ali'i sä nofo i Niusila i tausaga se tele. 'E tele fo'i ni isi tala salalau o lea ali'i, 'a e sä faigatä ona mautinoa po 'o lë fea o ia tala e sa'o. 'O Tui le suafa (igoa) o lea ali'i.

Sä na 'o Tui ma lana ävä lo la 'äiga. 'E leai sä la fänau. Sä fa'apea ni isi tagata, 'o le pogai 'ua leai ai se fänau a Tui 'o lona manatu fa'apito. 'O Tui 'o se tagata faifa'ato'aga mua lea i lo mätou nu'u, 'a e 'ua matuä lë mafai e ia 'ona föa'i o se fatu esi 'i se tagata i le limamau. Sä matuä sili talo, fa'i, ufi, esi, tolo, popo, niu, 'ävoka, tïpolo ma nonu i le fa'ato'aga a Tui le läpopo'a ma le lelei i le täumafa. 'E la'u le tele o ia meamata 'i le mäketi e fa'atau. 'O le pasi na fa'aaogäina e Tui 'o se pasi na ia fau mai se ta'avale la'u päsese mata tuai ma le palä. 'Ä fesiligia Tui e tagata i le mäketi po 'o fea e 'ave 'i ai ana tupe, 'e ta'alili le leo o Tui ma lana tali, 'o lo 'o sefe ana tupe mo se fuafuaga tatau. Sä fa'apea lava a isi tagata 'o le mana'o o Tui e 'avea ma tagata mau'oa.

'O le vaitausaga 'ua fua le nonu. 'E fä nonu tetele o Tui sä iai i lona fanua. Sä matagöfie le mümü mänaia o fua o le nonu, 'a e maise pe 'ä mätou ui ätu i tala ane o le fa'ato'aga a Tui i Aso Sä pe 'ä mätou ö i le lotu. 'Ese lo mätou fia 'a'ai 'i nonu o Tui i le mümü mänaia.

Sä alu atu Tinä ma fa'amolemole 'i ä Tui mo ni nai nonu. 'E lë 'i fa'amoemoe 'o ia e totogi pe taui 'i le taimi lea le agalelei o Tui e maua fua ai ni nai nonu. Sä na 'o le tepa taula'i o Tui 'i ä Tinä ma le ofo i le fia tofotofo o Tinä 'i lona limamau. Sä lë iloa e Tinä se mea 'ä fai, ma sä toe vave 'ona fa'ato'ese 'o ia 'i ä Tui ma liliu toe savali 'ese. 'Ona tamo'e atu lea o le ävä a Tui e tuliloa Tinä ma sä ia opo se 'afisiga i ona lima. Sä vala'au atu 'o ia 'i ä Tinä e fa'atali ma sä tü ma le fa'alotolotolua Tinä, 'a e tu'u atu 'i ai e le fafine le afïfï. Sä fa'alotolotolua lava Tinä e talia le afïfï, 'a e tausisi lava le ävä a Tui. 'Ona tatala lea e Tinä le afïfï, 'o nonu mümü mänanaia pei 'ona mana'o 'i ai. Sä fegenoa'i 'ilä'ua i nai minute 'ai 'ona 'o le ieai o se tupe a Tinä e totogi ai nonu, 'a e tausisi lava le isi fafine e lë afäina lea itü. 'Ona fa'atopetope lava lea ona tatala o le lavalava o Tinä sä sulu i luga o lona ofu talaloa ma tu'u 'i ai nonu 'a e toe tu'u atu le lavalava a le ävä a Tui 'i ä te ia. Na mänaia föliga fiafia o Tinä 'a 'o fa'afetai atu 'o ia 'i le fafine mo nonu.

Sä mätou mata'i ma a'u uö tülaga 'uma na o'o 'i ä Tinä ma mätou fa'apea ifo 'i ä 'imätou lava, "ma'imau le fafine lelei ma le loto alofa le nofo 'i ä Tui." Pau lava lona aogä 'o le mafai ai e Tui ona fönö ma 'e 'ë. 'Ä tonu 'o se tülaga fa'amälosi fä'aï lea e fiafia i ai Tui.

'Ona 'ou faiatu lea 'i a'u uö e lë 'o se gaoi le tolotolo fa'ananä o se isi o mätou 'i le fanua o Tui e nonö ('ave fa'alilolilo ma fa'a'aitälafu) ni nai fugälä'au, 'a e maise fua o le nonu, pe 'ä fa'apea e nonö na 'o le aofa'i mo 'imätou 'o iai.

Sä 'ou lagona lëmü fo'i le tigä o lo'u loto i le mea a Tui na fai 'i lo'u tinä. Sä matuä leai ni isi manatu i ä te a'u i le mea e tupu pe 'ä maua a'u. Sä iloa lelei lava e a'u uö mai tala tau'ave o Tui, 'o se tagata e lava lona malosi mo le puipuiina o ia ma lana fa'ato'aga. Sä salalau fo'i tala i le tele o fa'amäilei mo tagata gaoi i le fa'ato'aga a Tui. 'O 'ilätou na taumafai e gaoi mai le fa'ato'aga a Tui, sä lë fa'ataunu'uina o lätou fa'amoemoega. 'E fefefe fua fo'i le to'atele i le pupula a Tui e pei 'o ni matäuila ona mata ma lana pelu ma'ai e 'u'u pea i le tasi o ona lima.

Na mätou talanoa ma a'u uö i se 'auala e mafai ai 'ona mätou gaoi mai le fa'ato'aga a Tui, 'a e na mätou iloa fo'i le fïtä ma le lëmafai taulia e na 'o ni a mätou tala. Na salalau i le nu'u tala i le sauä o Tui, 'a e maise pe 'ä ita. 'E ui lava la 'ina mätou lë 'i va'aia ia tülaga i ä Tui, na mätou talitonu 'i tala na, mätou fa'alogo 'i ai. Sä i ä 'imätou le agaga fefevale i le säuä o Tui. Toe 'o le isi mea, 'ua fa'atau le fana gutu ono a Tui ma fau sona faleleoleo i luga o se lä'au telë 'i le 'ogätotonu o le fa'ato'aga. 'Ua fai ma ana mäsani le nofonofo 'i totonu o le faleleoleo ma le fana gutu ono e leoleo le fa'ato'aga. I pö 'ua mänaia le susulu mälamalama o le mäsina, e mäsani 'ona mätou täfafao i le sävalivali mai le isi pitonu'u 'i le isi pitonu'u o lo mätou nu'u, ma mätou va'aia pea Tui i totonu o lona faleleoleo. 'Ona fa'apea lea a lo'u tauusoga 'o Paulo, "Tilotilo 'i ai, 'e lë mafai lava e Tui 'ona fa'ama'imau sina taimi e mälölö ai. 'O ai e fefe 'i ai.e leai se tagata e fia gaoia ni mea o lana fa'ato'aga i le tele o mäunu ma fa'amäilei 'o iai."

" 'Ä tonu e sili lenä i si fafine, 'e fïlëmü ma lë pisapisaö ai lo la fale. 'Ä na i le fale fo'i, 'e lagona 'uma e tagata le fa'atäiö," 'o la'u tala lea.

" 'E tatau i le fafine 'ona tö'aga e kuka 'ia lava le mea'ai mo ia ma Tui. 'E 'ese lava le pa'e'e o le fafine, 'e na 'o le pa'u ma ponäivi," 'o le tala lea a Tino.

" 'Ä tonu 'o le fefe na'uä o si fafine 'i ä Tui," la'u tala fa'aopoopo. "E sili 'i ä te ia le fa'aogea, lë 'ai, i lö le fa'aita o Tui.

" 'E lë taumate 'ona 'o le pau lava o mea'ai e fa'ataga e Tui 'ona kuka e le fafine," le tala a Tino.

I le tele o pö na soso'o ai, sä fai ma a mätou mäsani le nofonofo i luma o le malae o le nu'u ma mata'i Tui. Sä i ä 'imätou ni mana'oga fa'alemäfaufau e mätou te fai se tülaga e fa'avevesi ai le ölaga o Tui. "Ma'imau pe 'a na tätou iloa se 'auala e 'ausia* ai 'o ia," le tala a Paulo.

" 'Ua 'ë mäfaufau i le totolo i le manava?" la'u fesili.

"Sä faia lenä tülaga e ni isi ali'i, ma sä totomo 'uma 'ilätou i se tasi o pü o mäunu a Tui," le tali a Paulo.

"Na fana la 'ilatou e Tui i lana fana gutu ono?" si a'u fesili.

"E le'i o'o 'i ai i lenä tülaga," le tali a Paulo. " 'Ua laki si 'auali'i fia ulavavale 'i ä Tui 'ua muamua 'ona iloa e le fafine 'o iai i totonu o le pü ma toe fa'asosola 'ilätou, 'ae tu'u 'i ai le pua'a ma lana fagafao 'i le pü. 'E o'o mai i le asö, 'ou te lagona e le'i iloa e Tui le tala sa'o o lenä mea na tupu."

Na 'ou tü 'i luga ma fa'asa'o lo'u 'ofuvae ma 'oü fa'apea atu 'i a'u uo, "O lona uiga 'ä lë mafai 'ona o'o se isi 'i le fa'ato'aga a Tui i le totolo i le manava, 'e matuä lë mafai 'ona o'o 'i ai se isi pe 'ä savali."

* 'ausia - outwit or outdo

Sä mata'i a'u e Tino. 'Ona fa'apea mai lea o ia, " 'Ë te lë 'o mäfaufau e fai se tülaga valea 'ë te toe fa'anoanoa ai?"

" 'O le mea moni lava," si a'u tala, " 'o lea 'ou te mäfaufau 'i si a'u uö 'o Tarzan. 'Ou te masalo lava e au 'ona talafeagai lana amio mäsani 'o le täupe i a'a o lä'au ma le faia o se tülaga fa'atogafiti e 'ausia ai Tui."

" 'O ai lenä tagata e igoa 'i ä Tarzan?" le fesili a Paulo.

" 'Oi sole, 'ë te lë iloa? 'O Tarzan 'o le tagatävao ma e nonofo fa'atasi ma lalata 'uma 'i ai manu fe'ai. O le tala fa'atifaga, 'ae 'ese lo'u fiafia i matamata 'i ai 'a 'o mätou iai 'i Hawai'i."

" 'E 'ese'ese mamao lava le matamata 'i tifaga ma lou mana'o e fa'avalea Tui," le tala a Paulo.

Sä mätou nonofo fïlëmü ma tepa taula'i le isi 'i le isi i nai minute, 'äuä 'ua fa'ate'ia 'imätou i la'u tala na fai. 'A e peita'i, na i ä te a'u fo'i le tigä ma le 'ino'ino 'i ä Tui i le so'ona pupula 'i lo'u tinä ma matamuli ai 'o ia. Toe 'o le isi mea, sä iai lava isi tama o le nu'u na 'ou mana'o e 'avea ma a'u uö lelei pe 'ä lätou fiafia 'i ä te a'u. 'E iai lava o lätou uiga 'ou te iloa ai o lo 'o fa'alotolotolua pea 'ilätou 'o a'u 'o se tagata 'ese. Sä 'ou iloa lava le lëlelei o la'u tautala fa'a Sämoa i le leva o tausaga 'o o'u nofo 'i nu'u 'ese. 'Ae na 'ou lagona fo'i, 'ä mafai 'ona 'ou fai se 'auala e lu'i ma 'ausia ai le poto o Tui, e lë taumate o le'ä vave 'ona lelei la mätou uö ma isi tama o le nu'u.

Sä tü 'i luga Paulo ma faimai e mätou te tä'a'alo 'ïve'a, le ta'aloga mälie lea e lalafi le isi 'au, 'a e ö atu le isi 'au e su'e. 'E le'i 'umi lava 'a e tumu atu isi tamaiti o le nu'u e mätou te tä'a'alo ma sä mälie le 'ïve'a i lea pö.

I le isi pö na soso'o ai, sä pei 'ua galo 'i ä Paulo ma Tino la'u fuafuaga e lu'i ma 'ausia Tui. Sä mätou sävalivali solo i lo mätou nu'u ma mätou va'aia Tui 'o nofonofo 'i totonu o lona faleleoleo e pei 'o lava mäsani. "'E iai lava so 'oulua talitonuga e 'avea Tui ma Sämoa mau'oa muamua?" le fesili a Paulo.

"E fa'atatau lava 'i le uiga o le 'upu mau'oa," la'u tala. "Fai mai a lo'u tinä e mätou te mau'oa i le iai o lo mätou 'äiga ma le ola lelei, 'e leai se isi 'o ma'i pe fa'ama'ia i ni fa'ama'i leaga. Faimai a tamä matua e mätou te mau'oa i le iai o mätou 'au'äiga o lo 'o nonofo fa'atasi ma lufilufi* mea 'uma e mätou te maua mo le ola lelei ma le fealofani. 'E alofa le isi 'i le isi."

" 'Ioe, 'ioe, 'o tala fo'i nä a lo mätou 'äiga," le tala fa'aopoopo a Tino. " 'A e peita'i, 'ou te lagona lava Tui e 'ese. 'E mana'o lava ia e 'avea ma tagata mau'oa i le tele o ana tupe."

"E uiga 'ese lava le 'auala e su'e ai 'oa a Tui lätou," le tala a Paulo. " 'Ä lë galue i lona ma'umaga ma le fa'ato'aga, e nofonofo i totonu o lona faleleoleo. 'Ou te ofo i le lë fiu e fai pea na tülaga i le luasefulu fä itülä o le aso, fitu aso o le vaiaso!"

"Masalo e lë toe 'umi 'ona iai lea o se mea e tupu e fa'avevesi ai le mäfaufau o Tui," la'u tala.

"O le ä le mea 'o naunauta'i 'i ai lou mäfaufau, Siaki?" le fesili a Paulo.

" 'O lea 'ou te taumäfaufau se togafiti e fai 'i ä Tui e fa'afiafia ai 'itätou," si a'u tala. " 'Ua 'ou iloa le 'auala. tätou ö!"

'Ona mätou tämomo'e lea se'i tau 'i le äfu o lo 'o i tua o lo mätou fale. Na muamua lava 'ou alu ma se maea, pë tusa ma le selau 'iata le 'umï na 'aumai i le va'a fägota a si 'ou tamä, 'ua tanu i totonu o se pü telë i le mea sä iai se lä'au 'ua pala ma pë.

lufilufi - to share as of food. 'Ua lufilufi e le tama mea'ai.

Sä mänaia le susulu o le mäsina 'ätoa ma peisea'ï 'o opeopea i ao o le lagi, ma mälamalama ai le nu'u 'ätoa peisea'ï 'ua toe ao le pö. 'O lona uiga o pö fa'apea, e tumu ëvaga a tagata 'i o lätou lumäfale ma isi e lolofi 'i le malae e fai pöpese ma faigäsiva. 'O isi e na 'o le talanoa, 'a 'o tamaiti e fiafia e fai le 'ïve'a. 'A 'o le ta'aloga o o'u manatu e fai, 'o le tu'uloto lea o lo'u alu atu e nonö ni fugälä'au mai le fa'ato'aga a Tui mo a'u ma a'u uö e fai ai la mätou 'aiga 'i le vaeluaga o le pö.

"O le ä le itü'äiga fugälä'au e fia 'a'ai muamua ai 'outou?" la'u fesili 'i a'u oü. "Nonu, esi po 'o fa'ipala?"

"E fa'afefea 'ona 'ë manatu e fili le itü'äiga fugälä'au e nonö mai le fa'ato'aga a Tui i le mau mäunu ma fa'amailei 'o iai, 'ese mai i le fana gutu ono? E vave 'ona 'ë oti Siaki. 'aua 'ë te faia se mea valea," le tala a Paulo.

Ina 'ua mätou taunu'u 'i le äfu, na fai mai a Tino e mätou te ö e fa'ase'e ma 'au'au. 'Ae 'ou faiatu e leai se taimi pe 'ä mätou mänana'o 'i ni nonu o le nonu o Tui. "Fa'atali lava la i nai minute," le tala a Tino ma le leo tele ma e pei e te'i. "Pë tusa ma le tolusefulu 'iata le mamao o le äfu o lo 'o tätou iai ma le nonu latamai i le fanua o Tui."

" 'E sa'o sole," le fa'aopoopo a Paulo. " 'E sili ai lou fa'atali se'i leai se masina ma se'i o'o 'i se pö pogisä."

" 'E leaga le pö pogisä e mafai e so'o se tagata 'ona gaoi," la'u tala. " 'Ou te mana'o lava a'u e nonö mai ni a tätou fugälä'au i le pö 'o mälamalama mänaia le mäsina."

Na 'ämata loa 'ona 'ou 'a'e 'i luga o le niu ma le isi pito o le maea 'ua 'uma 'ona nonoa fa'ata'amilo muamua i lo'u manava. Sä 'ou 'ave 'ese le maea ma nonoa mau i le tumutumu o le niu, 'ona 'ou toe sau lea 'i lalo i le mea 'o tütü ai Tino ma Paulo.

'Ua taui nei 'ona toe täofia o alumaga 'ua 'ou 'ämataina. Toe ätili 'ona malosi o lo'u loto e fai se tülaga e fa'avevesi ai le mäfaufau o Tui, 'o lo'u ita 'i ai i lona 'ai'ü ma lona leotele pe 'ä fa'atäiö.

" 'Aua 'ë te alu, Siaki," le 'äi'oi a Tino. "E fana mo'i 'oe e Tui ma 'ë oti ai."

" 'Ailoga i se ä e fasiotia e Tui se tagata ola 'ona 'o mea'ai," la'u tala.

" 'E leai se faigatä 'i ä Tui 'ona faia o lenä tülaga, fasioti le tagata e fia ulavale i ä te ia," le muimui a Migo.

Sä 'ou tago 'i le maea ma fua le limasefulu 'iata, fa'atatau i le mamao o le mea 'o mätou iai ma le niu muamua o lo 'o i totonu o le fa'ato'aga a Tui. 'Ona 'ou 'a'e lea ma le maea 'i le tumutumu o le äfu, moe'i'ini o'u mata ma 'ou oso.

I nai minute, sä 'ou fa'apea 'ua pa'ü 'i le foloa o le lau'ele'ele, 'a e te'i loa 'ua 'ou fa'alogoina le mau pea o la'u pipi'i 'i le maea 'a 'o alu saoasaoa i le 'ea 'äga'i 'i le isi niu. 'Ese le mänaia o la'u täupe ma sä 'ou lë fia alu 'ese 'ina 'ua 'ou taunu'u 'i le isi niu, 'ae sä vave la'u 'apo o le 'ogäniu ma 'ou pipi'i mau 'i ai. Sä feluea'i le maea, 'ae na vave ona 'ou tago atu 'ua nonoa fa'amau lelei 'i le 'ogäniu, 'ou fa'ase'e 'i lalo ma le niu ma 'ou tamo'e 'i le nonu. Sä 'ou tilotilo 'i le faleleoleo 'i ä Tui ma 'ou iloa atu ai o lo 'o nofonofo lëgäe'e pea 'o ia ma valu lona ulu. Sä 'ou iloa atu fo'i lana fana gutu ono i le susulu mälamalama o le mäsina. Sä na 'o lo'u tü sa'o ma le lëgaioi i tala ane o le nonu i nai sekone, 'ona 'ou 'a'e loa lea 'i luga e toli ni a'u nonu. Sä tumu lelei le taga falaoamata na 'ou alu ma a'u e toli 'i ai nonu, 'ona 'ou toe tilotilo fo'i lea 'i ä Tui pe 'ua ia lagona se mea 'o tupu po 'o lona iloa mai fo'i o a'u.

'A e leai, 'ona 'ou sau vave lea 'i lalo ma le nonu. 'Ou toe tilotilo atu fo'i 'i ä Tui, 'ua 'ämata 'ona tutu o lana utufaga ma feula asu fa'aläpotopoto i ona laugutu. I lalo ifo o le faleleoleo o Tui, sä tautau ai ni taifa'i tetele. Sä 'ou manatu e fia'ai fa'i fo'i Paulo ma Tino, ma sä 'ou tamo'e atu 'ua tu'u la'u taga nonu latalata 'i le niu 'o iai le maea ma 'ou totolo 'äga'i loa 'i taifa'i i lo'u manava. I taimi 'uma 'ou te totolo atu ai pei o le pili i la'u manava, sä 'ou fa'amoemoe 'ua toeitiiti lava iloa mai a'u e Tui. 'A e te'i loa, 'ua tau atu o'u mata i taifa'i sasa'o ma le läpopo'a ma sä mänaia le samasama lelei o fa'i i le pula ma le mälamalama o le mäsina. Sä ou mäpuea i le tetele o fa'i ma 'ou ta'oto'oto fïlëmü i nai sekone e tau to'a lo'u sela. Sä tü i luga Tui ma tilotilo solo i le fa'ato'aga. Sä feanu 'o ia ma toeitiiti ai lava maua lo'u ulu i feanuga.

I nai minute, sä na 'o lo'u ta'oto'oto lelei lava i lalo o le faleleoleo o Tui ma 'ou mäfaufau po 'o le ä la'u mea 'ua fai 'ua 'ou iai i lalo o le faleleoleo o Tui. Sä 'ou 'apatä atu ma fa'i mai sa'u fa'ipula. I le tetele o fa'i, sä 'ou lë iloa po 'o le 'ä fa'afefea 'ona 'ou alu ma ni fa'i mo Paulo ma Tino. 'Ona 'ou tü lëmü lea 'i luga ma afe fa'apu'upu'u lo'u 'ie lavalava ma fai fa'ataga e tu'u 'i ai ni a'u fa'ipula. 'A ' o le'i tumu lelei le taga i fa'ipula, sä fa'afuase'i 'ona patatü o le falealuga ma fa'ate'ia ai a'u. 'Ua to'ulu fa'ipula 'i le 'ele'ele ma sä 'ou fa'apea 'ua mate'ia a'u e Tui. 'Ou te tilotilo atu i luga ma 'ou va'aia le vae o Tui 'ua 'ämata 'ona tu'u 'i le 'apefa'i o le 'ä sau 'i lalo. Sä i ä te a'u le tete peisea'ï 'ua uilä lo'u tino 'ätoa i lo'u lë iloa la'u mea 'ä fai. Sä fa'atopetope loa 'ona 'ou toe tago atu 'ua tae 'uma fa'ipula na pälalasi ma toe tu'u 'i lo'u 'ie lavalava 'ua fa'apu'upu'u ma fai ma taga fa'ata'amilo i lo'u tino.

'A 'o sau lëmü 'i lalo Tui le 'apefa'i, sä 'ou fa'apea 'i ä te a'u lava, " 'Ä 'ou ta'oto 'i lalo, e iloa a'u e Tui. 'Ä 'ou tü 'i luga, e iloa o'u vae e Tui. 'O le 'ä faigofie 'i ä te ia 'ona fa'aaogä lana fana gutu ono e fa'apupu'u ai nai o'u vae." 'A 'o taumäfaufau se 'auala 'ou te sao 'ese ai ma Tui, sä tete 'uma pea lo'u tino. 'E le'i 'umi loa 'a e 'ou maua le 'auala e tatau 'ona fai. Sa 'ou täupe fa'amanukï i le vä o 'aufa'i pula ma fa'aofiofi lo'u tino ina 'ia ofi ma pei ai a'u 'o se tasi o 'aufa'i 'o tautau. Sä 'ou tälotalo 'ia vave 'ona alu 'ese Tui ma le faleleoleo. " 'A e fa'afefea 'a e mana'o Tui i se fa'ipula o ana 'aufa'i pula mänanaia? 'O lona uiga e maua täiatäia ma a'u i le vä o 'aufa'i."

Sä tü i tala ane o le faleleoleo Tui i nai minute ma tutu lana utufaga, 'ona savali lëmü 'ese lea 'äga'i 'i lona fale. Sä ia mumumumu ni tala 'i ä te ia lava, 'ae na 'ou lë matuä lagona pe mälamalama i ana tala. Sä pau le mea na 'ou lagona, 'o le mutimutivale lea o lo'u fia alu 'ese ma le fa'ato'aga a Tui, 'a e le'i maua a'u, ma 'ä tonu e vave 'ona leai o so'u ulu i le fana gutu ono a Tui. 'E sili atu ona föliga säuä o Tui i le pö mäsina i lö le ao. 'E pei mata läpopo'a o Tui 'o ni mata o se mölï uila le susulu mai totonu o ona fulufulu mata mäfafia. Sä na 'o lo'u mata'i ma le fa'aeteete Tui 'a 'o savali 'ese 'o ia äga'i 'i lona fale.

Na taunu'u atu 'o ia ma fa'alagolago lana fana gutu ono 'i le paepae o lona fale ma alu 'i totonu o le fale. Na 'ou lagona 'ua iloa mai ai i lea tülaga le toe fo'i mai o Tui 'i lona faleleoleo. Sä 'ou fa'apa'ü vave 'i le 'ele'ele ma 'ou tamo'e 'i le mea 'o iai la'u taga nonu, 'ua si'i i lo'u tua ma fa'amau lelei i le fusi i pä'ave 'ina 'ia 'aua ne'i pa'ü.

'Ou tago atu 'i le pito o le maea sä ta'atia i le 'ele'ele 'ua 'u'u mai ma 'ou fa'avave loa e 'a'e 'i luga o le fa'aputugäma'a telë sä iai i tala ane o le nonu ma le niu. 'E tigä lava 'ona 'ou tausulu i le mamafa o a'u taga nonu ma fa'ipula, 'ae na lë 'umi lava 'ae 'ou taunu'u 'i le pito aluga o le fa'aputugäma'a tele pei 'o sina tama'i mauga. 'Ou tu'u loa le pito o le maea 'ua 'uma 'ona fa'apona lelei i le vä o o'u vae ma 'ou oso se'i o'o lava ina 'ou toe taunu'u 'i le mea na fa'atali atu ai Paulo ma Tino. Na lä iloa mai a'u ma taufetuli mai e fa'afetaui lo'u taunu'u atu.

" 'Ua mälö le gaoi! 'Ua 'ë sau ma nonu ma fa'ipula a Tui, 'o lona uiga 'ua sao lau togafiti na fai!" le tala a Paulo ma tago mai 'ua fesoasoani e 'ave 'ese le taga nonu ma lo'u tua.

" 'Oi sole!" la'u tala ma le mapusela. " 'O ai na iloa 'ou te toe sao 'ese mai ma le fa'ato'aga a Tui."

"Va'ai i le mänanaia o nonu," le tala a Tino ma lulu'u nonu i ona lima. 'Ona mätou tämomo'e tëisi lea 'i le itüvai o le äfu e mänaia le mutia i le nofonofo ma 'ai ai nonu ma fa'ipula.

Na mätou taunu'u atu loa, 'ou ta'oto i luga o mutia mäfiafia ma sä mänaia le mälü o le mutia i la'u fa'alogo. Sä fa'aloloa o'u lima ma 'ou mäofa i la'u mea na fai. Sä 'ou lagona le mitamita o lo'u agaga i lo'u toe sao 'ese mai ma le fa'ato'aga a Tui ma le leai o se mea na tupu pe o'o 'i ä te a'u. 'Ae na 'ou manatuaina pea föliga o Tui ma le latalata 'ona tü i tala ane o le fale ma le mea na 'ou lafi ai. 'Ona fa'apea mai lea o Paulo, " 'O le ä le mea 'ua tätou fa'atali ai? Tätou fa'asaga e fai la tätou amio (e 'ai) i nonu 'ina 'ia vave 'ona 'uma ma tätou toe fo'i 'i le 'a'ai 'ua fai si leva o le pö."

"Sa'o se a 'oe," le tala fa'aopoopo a Tino ma tago atu 'ua 'u'u mai le ta'ilua o nonu i ona lima ma taumafai e fa'aofi 'uma nonu e fa 'i lona gutu.

Na 'ou nofo 'i luga ma fai la mätou 'aiga ma a'u uö, 'ae 'ua vaeluaga le pö. 'Ese le läpopo'a o nonu, toe suamalie. "Sole, 'ese le mänaia o le suamalie o le nonu i la'u fa'alogo'aga," le tala a Paulo.

" 'Ou te iloa e iai le tagata e ma'i i le so'ona 'ai, 'ae 'ua mänaia tele nonu i la'u tofo, e lë tatau 'ona ma'imau," le tala a Tino ma 'ai.

'E na 'o lo'u 'ata lëmü ma fa'asolo lava nonu a le tagata lätou 'ua mafai 'ona 'ai. Leai se isi o mätou na lë gula ma fa'alogoina le pei 'ua fufula manava i le so'ona 'a'ai i nonu a Tui. 'A 'o nonu 'uma na 'ou 'aia, sä 'ou mäfaufau pea 'i ä Tui, 'ae sä i ä te a'u fo'i le mimita, ma 'ou te le'i fia ta'u atu lo'u salamö i la'u mea na fai 'i ä Tino ma Paulo. 'Ina 'ua 'ou fa'alogo atu lava 'ua pei o le paluni le telë o lo'u manava, fa'atoä tu'u la'u 'ai nonu. 'Ona 'ou toe ta'oto lea 'i luga o le mutia ma fa'alagolago lo'u tuäua i o'u lima ma 'ou fa'alogoina le to'afïlëmü o lo'u manava ma lo'u tino 'ätoa. 'E le'i 'umi 'a e ta'oto mai i o'u tala ane 'ia Tino.

"Sole," le tala a Tino ma lona leo fa'apaü pei 'o le leo o Tui, " 'ou te le'i iloaina e iai se tamäloa i le mäsina."

'E le'i 'uma le tala a Tino, 'a e tilotilo Paulo 'i le mäsina. 'Ona fa'apea mai lea o ia, "E lë 'o se tamäloa fa'atauva'a pe so 'o se tamäloa le tamäloa lenä e i le mäsina. 'O Tui lenä 'ua sau e pu'e atu 'itätou!" Sä vave ona mätou tutü 'uma 'i luga ma tämomo'e äga'i 'i le 'a'ai. I le vaeluaga o le 'auala, 'a e mätou toe manatuaina nonu na totoe.

"E fa'afefea mea na totoe? 'Ä tau 'i ai se isi, 'ua maua ma lo tätou i 'uga," le tala a Paulo.

"Tätou toe fo'i e tanu 'i totonu o le pü lea sä iai le maea," la'u tala.

Na 'ou fa'apea e tatau 'ona mätou lagonaina le agaga salamö i le mea na tupu 'a 'o mätou ö atu 'i le 'a'ai, 'a e leai. Sä mätou fia iloa po 'o le ä le mea a Tui e fai pe 'ä ala ifo ma ia iloa 'ua gaoia ni ona nonu ma fa'ipula. Sä i ä Tino ma Paulo le lotomimita mo a'u ma la'u mea na fai. 'Ae na 'ou lë fa'alogoina se agaga fa'apea 'i le ta'ele o lo'u mäfaufau. Na 'ou iloa 'ua sesë la'u mea 'ua fai, ma sä 'ou popole ne'i iloa e lo'u tamä. 'Ua mätou taunu'u 'i le 'a'ai ma fesiligia loa 'imätou e le uso matua o Paulo po 'o fea na mätou iai. 'A e tali Paulo, "Na mätou 'au'au i le vaitafe."

I le taeao pö na soso'o ai, na 'ou iloa e tatau 'ona alu Tui e 'ave sana uta fugälä'au ma meamata e fa'atau 'i le maketi. Na 'ou fa'atalitali lava 'ou te lë moe i lo'u fia iloa le taimi e fa'ataiö ai Tui pe 'ä tau atu 'ua leai se isi vaega o fua o le nonu ma fa'ipula. 'Ae meanë 'ua 'ou moeloa ma fa'atoä 'ou ala i le fafagu o a'u e lo'u Tinä 'ou te nofo 'i luga e 'ai 'ua aoauli le aso.

"Sä iai se mea na tupu i le taeao po 'o se tagata na pisapisaö, Tinä?" la'u fesili i lo'u fia iloa pe na taumafai Tui e sa'ili po 'o ai le tagata na gaoia lana fa'ato'aga.

"E leai se mea na tupu, Siaki," le tali a Tinä. "O le ä le mea 'ua 'ë fesili ai?"

"Ta'ilo se po 'o sa'u miti! 'A e lë afäina, e le 'o se matä'upu täua," si a'u tali ma lo'u taumafai e sui le matä'upu i lo'u maua le tala e leai se mea na faia e Tui e tusa ma lo'u gaoia o nonu ma fa'ipula mai lana fa'ato'aga.

I le toe taunu'u o Tui 'i lona fale mai le maketi, na 'ou iloa lea tülaga i le pa'ö leotele o le mafa o lana ta'avale. Na 'ou fa'atagä tamo'emo'e atu 'i le 'aualatele, 'ae lë iloa o lo'u mulimuli 'i le pasi a Tui ma lo'u fia va'ai lava po 'o le ä lana mea e fai 'i lë na gaoia lana fa'ato'aga. Na paka e Tui le pasi i lalo o le 'ulu i lona paolo, 'ona oso lea 'i fafo o Tui ma sä ia 'u'u lana fana i le isi lima, 'a e 'afisi le taga pepa 'ena'ena i le isi lima. 'Ona tamo'e atu lea o si ana ävä ma 'u'u 'ese le taga pepa. 'E na 'o le tepa tasi lava o Tui 'i le fafine ma 'e'ë atu 'i ai pe 'ua vela se mea'ai. 'Ona geno lea o le ulu o si fafine, 'a e toe 'e'ë fo'i Tui e alu e 'aumai. 'A 'o savali fa'atopetope si fafine 'i le fale e fai le mea 'o mana'o ai Tui, na äga'i 'o ia 'i le ma'umaga ma 'ämata ona galue i le togätalo.

"Matuä 'ese tele lea tagata!" lo'u mäfaufau 'i ä te a'u lava. "E lë mafai lava 'ona fa'aavanoa sina taimi e 'ai ai. Ta'ilo fo'i 'i ni manatu o Paulo ma Tino pe 'ä la iloa le mea 'ua 'ou va'aia."

'Ua sau si fafine ma le mea'ai 'ua fai le galuega a Tui, 'ona alu a lea 'ave le mea'ai 'i le mea 'o galue ai Tui. 'E na 'o le tago atu lava o Tui 'ua 'oto mai nai lautalo mamä 'ua solo 'ese ai le mäfiafia o palapala o ona lima ma sägai loa 'i le mea'ai. Sole! pei e folo pätatö le 'ai a le tagata. 'E lua 'i le tolu mama, 'ou va'ai atü 'ua 'uma le ipu mea'ai telë na saunia e si fafine. " 'Aumai sino'u vai," lana tala leotele 'i lana ävä ma tamo'e le fafine. 'E lë 'i 'umi 'a e sau le fafine ma le fagu, 'e lë 'o se ipu 'a 'o le fagu vai. 'E na 'o le fa'atü lava o le fagu 'i le gutu o Tui i nai sekone ma toe tu'u atu le fagu 'i le fafine 'ua 'uma. Toe fa'asaga fo'i lea o Tui e fai lana galuega sä fai. 'Ä o'o 'i le pö, 'ua nofonofo i totonu o lona faleleoleo se'i ao toe 'ämata 'ona galue i le fa'ato'aga. Pau lava le taimi e lë va'aia ai lea tagata 'o galue 'o le taimi e alu ai e la'u ana meafa'atau 'i le maketi.

I le isi pö na mätou eva ai ma a'u uö pei 'ona mätou mäsani ai, sä fesili fa'apea Tino, " 'E moe le la tagata 'o Tui?"

"Alu e fesili 'i ai 'ona 'ë iloa lea o le tali sa'o," le tala fautua a Paulo.

" 'E faigatä 'i ä te a'u 'ona 'ou talitonu e iai se tagata ola i lenei lalolagi e fai ma ana meafiafia le galue, galue, galue," le tala fa'aopoopo a Tino.

" 'E iai le afäina o Tui," la'u tala fa'aopoopo 'i le manatu o Tino. " 'O fea se tagata e galue peisea'ï e lë toe oso le lä. 'O le 'ä sä 'oe fa'atatau 'i ai Paulo?"

" 'E lë fa'ama'imauina ni o'u mäfaufauga i le itü'äiga tagata e iai Tui oe 'ä valea. 'Ua matua me telë le tino, 'a e lë fuafuaina lelei lona mäfaufau e faigaluega ma mälölö. 'E lë iloa e Tui mälölö. 'Ä pa'ü ifo ai ma oti i le so'ona galue, faitalia ai na ia," tala a Paulo.

" 'E sa'o i ä te a'u lau fa'a'upuga," la'u tala. "Na 'ou va'ai lelei i le lë iloa e lea tagata mälölö. Na fai 'i lana ävä 'ua fia'ai. 'E alu le fafine e sauni mai le mea'ai, 'a e alu Tui velevao i lona ma'umaga. 'Ua 'avatu le mea'ai, e lë 'i nofo fo'i i lalo ma 'ai. Na 'o lima lava na solo i lautalo ma sägai le ali'i 'ai tü le ipu mea'ai na 'avatu e si fafine. 'E lua lava i le tolu mama a Tui, 'uma le ipu mea'ai, toe liliu fai lana galuega na fai. 'E leai se taimi e fa'ama'imauina e lea tagata, e tusa lava pe 'ä fia'ai."

"O le uiga tonu lenä o la'u tala. e lë mafai e tätou 'ona mälamalama 'i uiga o lea tagata.

'Ona 'ou fa'apea lea i o'u mäfaufauga, " 'Ou te lagona e mafai 'ona tätou mälamalama 'i uiga o Tui pe 'ä tätou iloa le mea 'o iai lona mäfaufau ma le mafuaga o lona malosi."

'A e fa'apea mai loa le tala a Tino, " 'Ua lua mate'ia le togafiti a Tui. 'E moe nofo 'a e lë moei'ini'mata. 'Ua tätou välelea 'uma i le poto o Tui."

I le tele o pö na soso'o ai, 'ua fai ma a mätou mäsani le nonö o fugälä'au o Tui mai lana fa'ato'aga. 'Ua mälie lava si a mätou ämio i le lë maua o mätou pe ripotia ni mea 'ua gaoi e Tui. 'E fai fua la mätou ämio, 'ua 'ou lagona lava le sesë ma lo'u lë fiafia tele 'i ai. 'Ua tatau lava 'ona ia iloa 'ua iai se väega o ana meatötö 'ua gaoia. 'Ua 'ou ofo lava i le lë faitio o Tui, i se isi e tusa ma lea tülaga. 'E iai mo'i lava le afäina o le tamäloa i lo'u mäfaufau to'atasi. 'Ua lë mänaia le gaoi 'ua faigöfie. Sä lelei 'i ä te a'u 'a 'o fa'apea e fa'avevesi ai Tui. 'Ua sili ai loa le su'e o se isi itü'äiga mea e fai e fa'afiafia ai lo'u mäfaufau.

I ni vaiaso na soso'o ai, sä tëte'i 'uma 'i luga le to'atele o tagata o le nu'u 'ina 'ua ta'alili le pä o le fana. 'E na 'o Tui lava e iai le fana i le nu'u 'ätoa i le tele o ana tupe. Sä fa'alili'i le to'atele o tagata i le fa'ate'ia o lätou ma sä muimui 'uma tagata 'i ä Tui. 'A e fa'afuase'i loa 'ona ma va'aia ma lo'u uso matua se tamäloa 'o tamo'e äga'i 'i le fale o se tasi ali'i o le nu'u ma fa'ataiö 'ua fana fua na ia e Tui e leai sana mea na fai. Sä palapalä 'uma vae ma lima o lea ali'i e pei 'o Tui pe 'ä galue i lona ma'umaga. Na 'ou lagona lo'u loto salamö i la'u mea na fai 'i ä Tui ma 'ou fa'apea ifo 'i ä te a'u lava, "E mo'i la ve'a i le ali'i le la e tamo'e ma fa'ataiö 'ua fana ia e Tui 'a e leai sana mea na fai. 'Ä na lë taumafai e gaoi talo o Tui e lë pä fua le fana."

Sä vevesi 'uma tagata o lo mätou fale fa'apea lo'u Tinä. Sä tauvala'au mai 'o ia 'i o mä igoa ma lo'u uso, "Siaki ma Sitivi, 'o fea 'oulua? 'O ai lenä tagata e tamo'e ma 'e'ë?"

" 'O lea e ma te 'i le fale Tinä," le tali a Sitivi. " 'O le tama fou o le 'äiga o 'Afoa lenä e tamo'e ma fönö."

"O le ä le mea e maloä ai? 'Ua iai se isi 'ua lavea pe oti?"

"E mä te lë 'o iloa lenä mea Tinä," le tali a Sitivi. "O le la e tu'ufönö fa'apea 'ua fana fua ia e le tagata, e leai sana mea na fai."

"Oka, oka! 'Ia talosia 'a e lë oso le vale o 'Afoa pe 'ä fa'apea 'o se tagata o lona 'äiga," le tala a Tinä. " 'E iai le misa tele e tupu pe 'ä alu atu lenä tama ma talapelo 'i ä 'Afoa. 'O le itü'äiga tagata lenä e vave 'ona mäteletele, 'a e lë täofiofi ma su'esu'e muamua le tala sa'o."

'E lë 'i 'umi 'ona mätou toe ta'o'oto e momoe, 'a e mätou fa'alogoina le pisa o tagata. Sä vave 'ona mätou nonofo 'i luga ma mätou iloa ai 'o 'Afoa ma lona 'au'äiga o lo 'o pisa ma magamagagü i le feitai 'i ä Tui. Sä 'ou lë fa'atali 'ona sulu fa'amau lelei o lo'u 'ie lavalava ma 'ou tamo'e äga'i 'i le fa'ato'aga a Tui.

Sä faigatä i ä te a'u 'ona tete'e o lo'u loto salamö i la'u mea na fai 'i ä Tui ma lo'u alofa 'i ai pe 'ä taunu'u 'Afoa ma lana 'autau 'ae na te lë 'o iloa. 'Ua 'ou taunu'u 'i le fa'ato'aga ma tauvala'au le igoa o Tui, 'a e leai se isi e tali. 'Ona 'ou va'aia lea o le ävä a Tui ma 'ou fesili atu 'i ai po 'o fea Tui 'ou te fia ta'u vave 'i ai le fa'alavelave o le'ä tupu.

Tali mai lea o le fafine, " 'E lë 'o iai Tui i le fale, o lo 'o i luga 'i le mapu'e e su'e le lulu na ia fanaina ma pa'ü 'i tua o le lä'au. 'O le lulu 'ua leva 'ona lama e Tui i le tele o moa 'ua ia 'aia."

"O le ä nei la'u mea 'ä fai," si a'u tala 'i ä te a'u lava. " 'Ua toeitiiti taunu'u 'Afoa ma lana 'autau. 'E lätou te fa'aleaga 'uma meatötö o le fa'ato'aga pe 'ä leai se tülaga e faia e Tui e tete'e atu ai 'i ä 'ilätou."

'A 'o taumäfaufau sa'u mea e fai e fesoasoani ai 'i ä Tui, 'a e taunu'u loa tagata. Sä lë fa'atali 'ilätou se'i sa'ili muamua le 'auala na pä ai le fana. Na taunu'u lava ma fa'atäma'i le fa'ato'aga 'i ä lätou aga'ese ma pelu. 'Ou te taumafai atu fua e täofi le mäteletele o tagata, 'a e tülei 'ese a'u ma 'ou sulu ai 'i le 'ele'ele. 'Ese la'u fa'alogoaga i lea taimi i le leai o sa'u mea e mafai, 'ua na 'o le matamata ma tilotilo 'i le fa'atäma'ia o le fa'ato'aga a Tui e tagata. 'E tamo'e atu fo'i si fafine, le ävä a Tui, 'a e tülei 'ese e le isi tamäloa ma sulu mai i o'u tafatafa. 'Ona tonu lea 'i ä te a'u 'ou te 'e'ë fa'ataiö i le igoa, 'a e fa'apea mai a le fafine e 'aua le fa'ama'imauina lo'u leo, e lë mafai 'ona lagona mai e Tui la'u fa'ataiö.

"O le ä le uiga o lau tala e lë lagona mai e Tui la'u fa'ataiö, 'ou te ofo fo'i, 'ai se ä?" la'u fesili.

"E faigatä 'ona lagona e Tui ni tala, 'e leaga taliga," le tali a le fafine.

'A e te'i loa 'ua mätou fa'alogoina le ta'alili mai o le leo pei 'ua solo se mauga, ma sä fa'ate'ia 'uma tagata ma taufetuli e lalafi i le fefefe. 'E o'o 'i ä te a'u, 'ua 'ou tamo'e ma lafi i lalo o le fale o moa. 'A e mätou va'ai atü, 'e lë 'o se mauga solo, 'o Tui o lo 'o tü mai luga o le mapu'epu'e ma fa'ataiö 'ina 'ua ia va'aia le mea 'ese 'ua tupu i lana fa'ato'aga. 'O lo'u fa'atoä va'ai lea i se tagata 'ua 'ese lona telë. Sä pei le 'u'umi o ona vae 'o le tolusefulu futu i le maualuga o le mäpu'epu'e 'ua fa'aopoopo 'i ai, lima sasa'o ma ona tau'au lautetele. Sä peisea'ï le tü a Tui 'i luga o le mapu'epu'e 'ua 'ou toe va'ai 'i ä Tarzan i ata tïfaga ma o'u mäfaufauga, 'ae 'ua lapo'a tele Tui toe föliga mälosi i la'u va'ai i lö Tarzan. Sä 'u'u pea e Tui lana fana gutu ono i le isi ona lima, ma sä i ä te a'u le talitonuga 'o le'ä ia fa'aaogä mo'i le fana e fasioti ai ni isi o tagata 'ua lätou fa'atäma'i lana fa'ato'aga. Na iloa loa e tagata e lë 'o se mauga solo le ta'alili na lätou fa'alogoina, e na 'o Tui na fa'ataiö i le mea 'ua tupu i lana fa'ato'aga, toe ömai loa 'i fafo tagata mai mea na lalafi ai 'ua lätou ätili lu'i Tui e lätou te tau. Sä lafo atu ni igoa faifai e ni isi, fa'alälä 'i ä Tui pelu ma lä'au a isi ma fetogi i ni ma'a Tui e ni isi lava. Sä lë 'emo o'u mata ma le fana gutu ono a Tui, 'ua fa'atü äga'i 'i le lagi ma fa'asoso'o 'ona fa'apä. Mai lea tülaga, sä vave 'ona sösola 'ese o tagata sä fa'atäma'ia le fa'ato'aga. 'Ua na 'o le tü ma le lë gaoioi o Tui i le tumutumu o le mapü'epu'e ma pupula sïoa 'i lana fa'ato'aga 'ua matuä leaga i le fa'atäma'i e tagata. 'Ona alu atu lea o si fafine, le ävä a Tui 'ua 'ämata 'ona 'a'e äga'i 'i ä Tui i le tumutumu o le mapu'e, 'a e 'ou mulimuli atu i ona tua. Ina 'ua mä latalata atu 'i ä Tui, sä 'ou maofa pea i le 'ese o lona tino läpo'a. Sä lilo i ä te a'u le mea a Tui o le'ä fai, 'ae na 'a'e atu si ana ävä ma tälotälo atu 'i ai e sau 'i lalo. 'E lë 'i 'umi loa 'a e liuliu Tui ma sau 'i lalo ma le tumutumu o le mapu'e sä tü mätilatila ai. Na 'ämata 'ona tete lo'u tino, i lo'u lë iloa le mea a Tui e fai 'i ä imä'ua ma lana ävä. Sä 'ou fa'apea 'ä nei e ita 'i tagata na fa'aleagaina le fa'ato'aga 'a e so'ona fai ai fua mä'ua. 'E tigä lava 'ona tetete o'u vae ma 'ou lë iloa la'u tala e tatau 'ona fai, 'a e 'ou fesili pea 'i ä Tui. " 'O ä mai lau susuga, Tui? Fa'amalie lou finagalo i le mea 'ua tupu, na 'ou taumafai lava e fa'ailoa atu 'i ä te 'oe, 'ae 'ua lë talafeagai."
       

'E na 'o le 'a'apa mai lava o Tui 'ua 'u'u atu lo'u lima e tasi ma sä 'ou lagona le mälosi o le tagata i le mälosi o lana 'u'u i lo'u lima 'ua tau 'i ponäivi le fufusi i la'u fa'alogo'aga. 'A e pau lava o lana ämio, e lë 'i pupula pe tautala mai 'i ä te a'u, 'ae na 'ou lagona 'o lana fa'afetai mai 'i ä te a'u le 'u'u o lo'u lima.

'Ona mätou fe'a'ei mai lea i lalo ma le mapu'e mä ma mulimuli 'i tua o Tui ma lana ävä äga'i 'i lo lä fale. Na alu atu sa'o lava Tui 'ua fa'alagolago lana fana 'i le puipui o le fale, tatala 'ese lona mitiafu 'ua susü pala i le äfu, 'u'u 'ese se 'aluga ma le fata ma ta'oto i luga o le moega. 'Ona tamo'e atu lea o lana ävä 'ua fa'a'afu i le 'ie'afu ma toso le 'ie pupuni. Savali mai lea o si fafine ma fa'apea mai 'i ä te a'u, "O le la 'ua fai si ana mälölö. O le'ä 'ou alu e sauni se mea'ai ne'i ala fia 'ai. 'Ai se ä 'e te le fa'atali ai se'i vela lë mea'ai, tätou fai tï o le taeao, ona 'ë alu ai lea?"

" 'E leai fa'afetai," la'u tali. " 'Ua tatau 'ona 'ou toe fo'i i lo mätou 'äiga."

I le vaeluaga o le 'auala mai le fale o Tui ma lo mätou fale, na mätou fetaui ai ma lo'u Tamä, le Faife'au ma le Pulenu'u. 'O lo'u Tamä 'o se foma'i ma 'o ia 'o le föma'i fa'apitoa a Tui. 'Ou te tamo'e atu 'i ai, 'a e fa'apea mai a Tamä, " 'O fea na 'ë alu 'i ai?"

"Sä 'ou taumafai e logo 'i ä Tui le mea o le'ä tupu," la'u tali. " 'Ua fa'atäma'ia 'uma e tagata fa'i ma esi ma le fa'ato'aga a Tui, Tamä. 'E 'ese le leaga, 'ua matuä fa'aleaga 'ätoa e tagata le laufanua ma meatötö. Sä fa'apea a lätou 'ua taufasioti e Tui se tamäloa, 'a e leai, 'o le lulu na fana e Tui i le 'uma o ana moa 'ona nonö ma 'ai e le lulu."

" 'E lavea Tui?" lana fesili ma le popole i ona föliga.

" 'E leai se mea o le tino o Tui na lavea," la'u tali ma lo'u lë mälamalama pe 'ai se ä na lë tau ai Tui ma tagata, pe fa'aaogä lana fana e fana ai ni isi po lätou na fa'atäma'ia lana fa'ato'aga. " 'A e leai, e fa'asaga 'i le lagi le fana ma fa'apä 'i le 'ea pulu, 'a e leai se isi o tagata na afäina ai i lenä tülaga. 'Ua na 'o le sosola 'ese i le fefefe, 'a e lë fetaui le leai o se isi o lätou e lavea se'i fai ma tauimasui o le fa'ato'aga 'ua lätou fa'aleaga 'ätoa. 'E leai ma sino'u mälamalama."

" 'Ou te lagona e sau taimi 'ona 'ë mälamalama lea i le tülaga na fai e Tui," le tala a Tamä. " 'A e sau loa 'oe le atali'i e alu 'i le fale ma fai 'i lou Tinä e 'aua ne'i fa'atali maia le mea'ai o le taeao 'i ä te a'u. 'Ua 'ou fiafia 'ua leai se isi na lavea pe oti i le mea na tupu. 'A e alu loa 'i le fale o lo 'o popole loa Tinä po 'o fea na 'ë tamo'e 'i ai ne'i 'ë lavea."

'Ou te lë 'i fia alu 'i le fale, 'auä sä 'ou mana'o 'ou te toe mulimuli 'i lo'u Tamä o lo 'o äga'i 'i le fale o Tui. 'Ona 'ou va'aia lea o le uso la'ititi o Paulo ma 'ou tu'u 'i ai se limasene e alu e ta'u 'i lo'u Tinä le poloa'i a lo'u Tamä.

Ö atu loa le Pulenu'u, le Faife'au ma Tamä 'ua nofoia le fale o tui. 'A e 'ou tolotolo lëmü atu 'ua lafi i tala ane o le pä o le fa'avae o le fale. Sä nonofo le Faife'au ma le Pulenu'u i taläluma o le fale. 'O Tamä 'ua alu 'i tua o le 'ie pupuni 'i le mea 'o moe ai Tui. Sä fa'apënä fo'i 'ona faia e le ävä a Tui. 'E lë 'i 'umi loa, 'a e 'ou va'ai atü 'ua toso 'i tua le pupuni e le fafine 'a e savali mai 'i luma Tui ma fa'atälofa ma le Faife'au ma le Pulenu'u. Alu atu lea o Tui 'ua nofo i le itü 'i tua o le fale e fa'afesäga'i ma le Faife'au ma le Pulenu'u. Alu atu fo'i lea o Tamä 'ua nofo i tala ane o Tui. 'E lë 'i nofo 'i lalo le ävä a Tui, na pisi 'o ia i le faiga o le vai inu ma tufa 'i mälö.

Sä 'ou va'aia le fa'anoanoa ma le lë fiafia i föliga o Tui. Na 'ou iloa fo'i le mäfua'aga. 'Ämata loa 'ona fai o lafolafoga ma läuga a 'ilätou sä i le fale. 'E lë tautala tele lava Tui, 'e mätele ina tautala Tamä e fai ma ona sui. Sä 'ou fa'apea lava 'ua talafeagai lea tülaga, 'auä o lo 'o tïgä Tui i le mea na tupu. 'Ua galo fo'i i ä te a'u le tala a le ävä a Tui e faigatä 'ona lagona e Tui 'upu ma tala. 'O le ala lenä o le leotele o Tui pe 'ä tautala.e na te lë 'o iloa lona leotele pei 'o fa'ataiö pe 'ä tautala! 'Ua fa'amatala atu e Tamä alumaga o le ölaga o Tui ma ana taumafaiga 'i le pulenu'u ma le faife'au.

"Talu lava 'ona 'avea o a'u ma föma'i a Tui, na 'ou tautö 'ou te tu'u fa'alilolilo mea o lona tino 'o afäina. 'Ua tele ni tala fatu ma ni tala e fai e tagata e fa'auiga 'i ä Tui, 'a e leai se tala o nä tala e sa'o.  'E lë 'o se tagata säuä se Tui pei 'ona talitonu 'i ai ni isi.  'E pau lava o le paü o föliga o Tui ma lona leotele pe 'ä tautala talu ai e leaga taliga, 'a e leai se tagata o le tätou nu'u 'ou te iloa e tutusa ma Tui le atamai ma le alofa. 'O ana galuega ma taumafaiga 'uma, 'o lona va'ai mamao lea 'i se lumana'i o le nu'u ma 'itätou 'uma.

Sä peisea'ï e tëte'i le Pulenu'u ma le Faife'au i lea tala ma sä iloa i o la föliga le naunau e iloa le uiga o le tala a Tamä. 'Ona fäliu lea o Tamä 'i ä Tui ma fesili pe afä lona finagalo 'ona fa'aali 'i Pulenu'u ma le Faife'au le mea 'o iai ona fa'amoemoega e fai i ana tupe 'o teu i le faletupe. Sä na 'o le lue lava o le ulu o Tui 'i ä Tamä e fa'ataga ai 'ona ia ta'u ona fa'amoemoega sä tu'u fa'alilolilo.

Fa'apea lea o Tamä, "I lau susuga a le Pulenu'u, 'o sëleni o lo 'o maua mai le äfu ma le faigaluega mamafa o Tui, o lo 'o teu 'ona 'o lona mana'o e fai se ä'oga tau fa'ato'aga a le nu'u. 'Ua mäfua lea fa'amoemoe i ä Tui 'o lona naunau alofa 'i le nu'u ma tagata ma le mamao o motu ma nu'u o lo 'o sau ai le tele o a tätou mea'ai---Niusila, Unaite Setete ma Iäpani---e lë talitonu Tui e tätou te fa'atu'utu'u i le maua mai pea o mea'ai mai motu i fafo. 'E mana'o la ia e fa'aaogä se isi väega o le tupe o ia teu e 'aumai ai faiä'oga lelei mai Niusila e lätou te a'oa'o ni tamaiti ä'oga o le 'ä iai 'ina ia 'avea 'ilätou ma tagata faifa'ato'aga. 'O se tülaga täua tele lea i ä Tui talu ai e talitonu lava ia e mafai lava e tätou 'ona tötö o a tätou meamata ma fafaga ni a tätou pua'a, moa, povi ma isi manu e tätou te maua ai fasipovi, fasipua'a, fuämoa ma mea 'ese'ese mo le tausiga lelei o le ölaga. 'E mana'o fo'i Tui 'ia 'avea lo tätou nu'u ma fa'ata'ita'iga i le motu 'ätoa i matä'upu taufa'ato'aga ma le fafagaina o manu 'ese'ese e maua ai mea'ai. 'Ua 'uma 'ona fa'atelë le fale o Tui e fa'atatau lava 'i ona mana'oga ma fuafuaga 'uma. 'Ä o'o 'i le taimi e taunu'u ai faiä'oga, 'ona fai lea o le fale ma le fanua ma faleä'oga ma fa'ato'aga fa'ata'ita'i. 'E galulue faiä'oga ma tamaiti ä'oga i le fa'ato'aga ina ia mafai ona lätou fa'ata'ita'i o taumafaiga tusitusia 'auä le lelei ätili o lo lätou mälamalama. 'Ou te talitonu lava la a'u, 'ua sili atu Tui 'ona poto i so 'o se isi o tätou. 'O ana galuega ma le tupe na maua, o lo 'o teu ma fuafua fa'alelei mo le lelei lautele o le nu'u ma le lumana'i.

'E lë gata i lenä, ä taunu'u fa'amoemoega o Tui, o le'ä lelei 'äto'atoa le motu i lana taumafai ma lona va'ai 'i tupulaga faia'e."

Sä nofo fa'asa'o lëmü le ali'i Pulenu'u ma fai sana läuga. Sä aliali mai i ni 'upu na ia lafo lona lë malie le mea na tupu i le fa'ato'aga a Tui. Sä ia fa'ato'ese ma fa'alalolalo 'i ä Tui e tusa ma ämioga lëmafaitaulia ma le 'uti'uti a tagata na fai. 'Ona fa'ato'ese fo'i lea o le Pulenu'u 'i ä Tui mo i a lava ma lona talitonu 'i tala sesë ma tala tau'ave na salalau i le nu'u ma ia fa'alogo 'i ai. Sä ia 'avatu le fa'amälö ma lana fa'afetai 'i ä Tui e tusa ma le lava o lona 'onosa'i ma le lë fa'aaogäina o lana fana e fana ai ni isi o le 'au'äiga o 'Afoa. 'E ui lava i le pogisä o tagata ma le mea 'ua tupu, 'ua fa'afetai ma fa'afetai le Pulenu'u i le leai o se isi na lavea pe oti.

I lo'u fa'alogo atu, sä 'ou manatu ifo lava a'u 'i ä te a'u, na tatau i ä Tui 'ona fana o se to'alua po 'o se to'atolu o tagata e taui ai la lätou mea na fai.

'A e toe fa'apea atu fo'i le Pulenu'u i ä Tui, " 'Ou te ta'u atu le mea moni; 'ou te matuä lë iloa la'u mea e fai pe 'ä na fa'apea 'o a'u e tupu ai le fa'alavelave. "A e ui i lea, 'ua tupu tonu lava 'i le tagata e lava le 'onosa'i ma le mälamalama. Sä 'ë 'u'u lau fana, 'o se meatau mälosi. Se manü e mafai lava 'ona 'ë tau ma taui le ita 'i le ita pe 'a na lë lava lou 'onasa'i. Sä mafai 'ona 'ë tete'e le fili ma lou tigäina na alu e fa'ato'a ai le fa'atoaga 'a e 'ua matuä fa'atäma'ia. Mälö le onosa'i o lou fiapuipui o le fïlëmü. 'O se a'oa'oga tele 'ua 'ë faia mo 'imätou 'uma lava fa'atasi ma 'Afoa ma lona 'au'äiga. 'O se tülaga maoa'e na 'ë faia ma 'ou te matuä 'avatu la'u fa'afetai mai le ta'ele olo'u agaga 'ua leai se isi e lavea pe oti.

'Ua 'ë silafia fo'i tülaga mäsani o le nu'u. 'E faia se fono fa'apitoa mo le fa'alavelave lenei. 'Ou te lagona o le'ä mamafa se sala e tu'u 'i ä 'Afoa ma lona 'au'äiga. 'Ä lë faia, e i'u 'ona fa'ate'a 'ilätou ma le nu'u."

I lo'u fa'alogo atu 'i ia 'upu, na 'ou fa'apea ifo 'i ä te a'u lava, "E lë sa'o lenä fuafuaga! 'O ni isi tama o le 'au'äiga o 'Afoa 'o a'u uö lelei pe 'ä faifaiva. 'O le'ä fa'asala fua 'ilätou, 'o le matai e sesë i le so'ona oso ma fai le tonu sesë 'ua fa'atäma'ia ai le fa'ato'aga a Tui."

Sä toe fa'amatala leotele 'uma e Tamä tala a le Pulenu'u 'i ä Tui. Sä na 'o le nofo lava o Tui ma mata'i laugutu o Tamä. 'A 'o fetälia'i 'ilä'ua, na 'ou lagonaina le lë mana'o o Tui e fa'asala tagata na fa'aleagaina le fa'ato'aga. Sä faigata 'ona 'ou mälamalama lelei 'i tala a Tui i le lë manino 'ona fa'aleo o ana 'upu, 'ae na 'ou lagona lelei tala 'uma i le leotele o Tui ma fe'avea'i ona lima. Tele lava ni fa'amatalaga na fesuia'i i le vä o Tui ma le Pulenu'u i le fa'amatala'upu a Tamä. 'A 'o le i'uga, o le'ä asiasi Tui ma Tamä 'i ä 'Afoa ma lona 'äiga e talanoaina ni fe'ese'esea'iga, 'a e sä'ili e le Pulenu'u ni tagata e fesoasoani e toe fa'amamä le fa'ato'aga. 'Ona tutü 'uma lea 'i luga o le to'afä ma lülü lima ma fa'atöfä.

'A 'o lë 'i ö 'i fafo ma le fale tagata, na 'ou iloa le tatau 'ona 'ou sola 'ese ne'i iloa a'u e Tamä. Sä 'ou tolotolo fa'apunou lëmü 'ese mai le pä ma 'ou tamo'e saoasaoa äga'i 'i le togävao se'i pä'ia le vaitafe. 'Ona tonu lea i ä te a'u o le'ä se'i 'ou mälölö lelei i tala ane o le vaitafe. Sä mänaia le mäfiafia o laulä'au mamago i lalo o le paolo o lä'au tetele. Tonu ai lea i ä te a'u o le'ä se'i fai sina'u tä'oto'otoga i luga o lau mamago. Sä mänaia le agi mälü o le savili i la'u fa'alogo'aga 'auä 'ua maualuga ma vevela le lä. I le mälü o le savili ma le to'afïlëmü o le 'ea ma le laufanua, sä tele ni mea na 'ou mäfaufau 'i ai. Sä 'ou mäfaufau fo'i i lo'u tagata tamaitiiti ma lo'u faia o ni ämioga fa'atigä 'i isi tagata, 'a e maise tagata mätutua ma lo'u lë matuä iloa o se mafuaga tatau.

Sä 'ou lagona tëisi 'o le tele lava o lo'u fiapoto ma lo'u fia agaaga 'i tagata mätutua. Te'i loa 'ua 'ou moe. 'Ou te ala ifo 'ua pö le aso, ma 'ua oso le mäsina. Sä manogi mänaia le 'ea i le fua o lä'au ma manino mänaia le vaitafe. 'Ou tü loa 'i luga, tatala lo'u 'ie ma 'ou tä'ele'ele i le mälü o le vai, fa'atoä 'ou toe alu ifo ai, sulu lo'u 'ie ma 'ou savali äga'i 'i lo mätou fale. Sä tele ni mea 'ese'ese na 'ou mäfaufau 'i ai, 'a e maise lava le itü'äiga ölaga 'ou te o'o 'i ai pe 'ä 'ou matua pei 'o Tui.

Mighty Bluff

I had just moved from Hawaii back to Samoa. My family and I had been away for years, and now I was fifteen and having to adjust to a place quite different from the big city of Honolulu.

I guess I wasn't the only one having trouble being accepted by the people in the village. A huge, fierce man named Noa Tui lived next door to us. None of the neighbors dared to do more than nod their heads at him. I kept hearing strange things about him, but I didn't know how much of these rumors were true.

Tui lived alone with his wife, for they had no kids. People said the reason he had no kids was that he was too selfish. He was the best farmer in the village, but he wouldn't give away even a miserable papaya seed without equal exchange for it. He wouldn't share any of his food. He raised the best taros, bananas, papayas, sugar cane, yams, coconuts, avocados, lemons, and mountain apples. Numerous times a week, Tui would go into town in a weird looking bus converted out of a taxi and sell his produce. At the market, when people asked him what he wanted all the money for, he would shout that he wanted to save his money for a good reason. Everybody said it was because he wanted to become rich.

The mountain apple was in season. Tui had four trees in his farm. The fruits just seemed to bulge out of the trees in bright red colors. We saw the trees on the way to church, and we could just taste some of the fruits.

Finally, Mother decided to try her luck with Tui. She went to him and asked for some free mountain apples. Tui looked at her as if to say, "How dare you?" His look was enough for Mother to quickly apologize for having bothered him, and she started back home. Tui's wife carefully avoided her husband and followed Mother out. When she caught up with her, she handed Mother a bulky bundle neatly wrapped in a lavalava. Mother hesitated to take the bundle, but Mrs. Tui insisted. Mother took the bundle and opened it. A heap of red delicious looking mountain apples were inside. Mother quickly took off her lavalava which she wrapped over her long dress, transferred the mountain apples to it and gave the first lavalava back to Mrs. Tui, telling how thankful she was.

We watched the whole incident and told ourselves how sorry we were to see such a nice lady married to Tui. His poor wife was nothing more than a maid that keeps Tui's larynx in good condition. You could hear him a mile away yelling at her. If you watched, you could also see her meekly hurrying about to serve him.

I suggested to my friends that it shouldn't be stealing to sneak into Tui's property and borrow some of the fruits, especially mountain apples, if all we took were just enough for us to eat. I hated Tui for hurting my mother. I didn't think twice of what would happen if he saw me. The other boys knew that Tui was an expert in taking care of himself and his property. I was told he had built people traps just like mouse traps throughout his property. Others who had tried to steal from Tui had not succeeded. He also looked at people who'd walk close by his property with a glower on his face and a sharp machete in one hand.

The other boys and I talked about stealing, but we knew we were just talking. News of Tui's rages had been circulating among the villagers and even though we hadn't seen him mad, we believed what we heard. We were afraid of Tui from the stories people told about him. In addition, Tui had bought a shotgun and built himself a lookout hut amidst a big tree in the middle of his property.

In the hut he sat every night, guarding his plantation. At night when the moon was bright, we'd stroll along the village front and see Tui sitting in the lookout hut. My cousin Paulo would say, "Look at him, doesn't he ever take time out to rest? What is he afraid of ... people wouldn't steal any of his fruits with all the traps he's got."

"His poor wife must like his staying out-at least it gives her some peace and quiet in their big house. Otherwise, he'd only shout at her," I said.

"She should cook enough food for herself to eat. She is only skin and bones," Tino said.

"Poor lady is probably scared to death of Tui," I added. "She'd rather starve than cross his path."

"He probably lets her cook only enough food for him," Tino added.

Nights after night, we sat for hours watching Tui, feeling tense and excited. "I wish there was a way we could outwit him," Paulo said.

"Have you thought of crawling on your stomach?" I asked.

"Other guys have, and they fell in a big hole, one of Tui's traps," Paulo said.

"Did he shoot them?" I asked.

"Not quite," Paulo continued. "Lucky for the guys the wife saw them and let them go. She then put a pig in the hole instead. To this date, I don't think Tui knows the truth of what happened."

I stood up and straightened my pants and said, "If you can't get to his place by crawling, you certainly can't get there by walking."

Tino was watching me. "You're not thinking of trying something foolish?" he said.

"As a matter of fact," I said, "I am thinking about my friend Tarzan. Some of his clever jungle maneuvers might do the trick."

"Who's Tarzan?" Paulo asked.

"A friend of the jungle and my favorite movie star ... I used to watch his pictures while we were in Hawaii."

"Watching pictures and trying your luck with Tui can be two different things," Paulo said.

We sat silently for a moment as I was surprised at myself for saying what I did. Yet, I hated Tui for mistreating my mother, and I wanted the other boys in the village to like me better. Many of them thought of me as an outsider. I knew my Samoan did sound funny and that I had been away. But, if I could prove I could defy Tui, maybe the guys would like me better.

Paulo stood up and suggested that we play "ive'a" which is a Samoan version of hide-and-seek. The rest of the evening was fun, for we'd gotten so many people to join our game.

The following night, Paulo and Tino seemed to forget that I had planned to outwit Tui. We went for our usual stroll in the village and we saw Tui sitting in his lookout hut. "Do you really think he'll become the first rich Samoan?" Paulo asked.

"That depends on his definition of rich," I said. "My mother thinks we're rich because we have our good health and each other. My grandfather thinks we're rich because we have our families and we share everything. We love each other."

"Yeah, yeah, my family says the same thing," Tino added. "But I think Tui is different. He wants to be rich by having a lot of money."

"What a way to go about making his money, though," Paulo said. "If he is not working in the field, he's sitting in that hut. That's practically 24 hours a day. How boring."

"Not for long," I said.

"What's eating you, Siaki?" Paulo asked.

"I thought we'd have some fun with Mr. Tui," I said. "I have just the plan. Let's go!"

We ran until we reached the waterfall behind my house. I had gotten over 100 yards of rope from my father's fishing boat and buried it in a hole of an old dead tree. The moon was full and seemed to float in the sky, making everything almost as bright as day, but softer and gentler. It was the kind of night that naturally invites many of the villagers to come outside and socialize. Some talked stories, others played music, some danced and children played games. My game was a secret to take some fruit from Tui for our midnight snack.

"What do you guys want to eat first, mountain apples, papayas, or ripe bananas?" I asked.

"How are you thinking of being selective with all the traps in Tui's property besides the gun? You'll get killed Siaki... don't be crazy," Paulo said.

We got to the waterfall and Tino suggested that we go swimming. I said we didn't have time if we wanted to have some of Tui's mountain apples. "Wait a minute," Tino said in alarm. "It's at least 30 yards from the banks of the waterfall to the first apple tree."

"Yeah," Paulo said. "Better wait until a dark night."

"Anybody could steal what they want in a dark night," I said. "I aim to take what I want in the moonlight."

I started to climb up a coconut tree with one end of the rope tied to my waist. I fastened the rope to the top of the tree and climbed down to Tino and Paulo. It was too late to stop now. Besides, I really wanted to cause Tui some concern. He bugged me with his shouting and his selfishness.

"Don't do it, Siaki," Ti no pleaded. "Tui will kill you before you know it."

"He won't kill a man over food," I said.

"Tui would," Migo grumbled.

I measured about fifty yards of the rope and approximated the distance between our position and the next coconut tree in Tui's property. I took the rope and climbed to the highest point of the waterfall, closed my eyes and jumped. For a while, I thought I was falling to the earth's floor, but then suddenly the rope began to catch tie, and I sailed through the air to my next target with the wind whistling in my eyes and ears and hair.

It was the most fascinating jump I'd ever made, and I didn't want to stop when I got to my next target, but I decided to grab hold of the coconut tree. The rope twisted and waved, but I quickly fastened it to the trunk of the coconut tree, climbed down and ran over to the apple tree. I looked over the lookout hut and saw Tui scratching his head. His gun glinted in the moonlight. I stood absolutely still for a moment flush to the apple tree, then up the tree I went. I filled a flour sack with fruits, looked to see if Tui saw me and down the apple tree I slid. I touched the ground and stopped to look again at Tui. He had lit a rolled tobacco cigarette by this time and was blowing circles with his rounded lips, absorbing the beautiful moonlight. Beneath the lookout hut were bunches of ripe bananas hanging on the branch below the hut. Thinking Paulo and Tino might want some bananas, I left the mountain apple sack by the coconut tree and pushed away from them on my belly towards the bananas. With every move, I expected Tui to see me. Suddenly the yard long bunches of bananas loomed up ahead, deep yellow in the moonlight. I gasped at the size of them and lay still for a while, panting. Tui stood up and looked down and across the field. He spit out towards his right shoulder and nearly hit my head.

For a few minutes, I lay there resting and wondering why I was under Tui's lookout hut. I reached over and broke one banana off the bunch. It was huge and I wondered how I was going to carry some back to Paulo and Tino. I slowly stood up and shortened my lavalava, making a sack all around my legs. Before I could fill it with some of Tui's scrumptious bananas, a thump overhead startled me, and the bananas fell to the ground. Gosh! Tui surely heard the noise! I looked up and saw Tui starting to come down the ladder, and I withered, not knowing what to do. I quickly picked up the bananas from the ground, put them in my lavalava and tied the ends of my lavalava to my waist in a knot. As Tui slowly descended from the ladder, I thought to myself, "If I lay here, Tui will see me. If I stand up, Tui will see my feet. He could easily knock them off with a bullet or two." Shaking and trembling for the best way out, I squeezed my body up between the banana bunches lifted my feet to even with the banana length and hung there like one of the bunches, hoping Tui wouldn't take long to go away from the hut. "What if he decides to have a midnight desert of his delicious bananas, surely he'll find me in here." Tui stood by the hut for a few minutes, lit his rolled tobacco cigarette and slowly walked away towards his house. He murmured something to himself, but I couldn't quite hear or understand what he said. All I wanted to do was to get out of Tui's property before he blew my head off. He looked even more fierce and mean in the moonlight than he did during the day. His big and deep set eyes seemed to glow from behind thick long lashes and brows. I watched him carefully as he walked away.

As soon as he reached the house, he leaned his shotgun next to the elevated foundation of his house and went inside. I knew that was a sign he'd be coming back to the hut. I dropped to the ground and ran to the mountain apples, picked up the sack and secured it to my back. Grabbing the loose end of the rope, I stumbled, making my way up a high pile of rocks. I placed the knotted part of the rope between my legs and jumped to the ground until the rope caught me as I sailed through the air back to Tino and Paulo. They saw me and came running to meet me.

"You did it! You did it!" Paulo said while patting me on the back and helping me unload.

"Yeah!" I sighed. "How about that?"

"Look at these great mountain apples," Tino declared as he took a handful. We ran a short ways to the river bank.

I quickly flopped on my back on the cool grass along the bank, amazed at myself for having done what I did. I felt somewhat proud to have come out of Tui's property alive, but his features came back to mind as I remembered how close I'd come to being caught. Finally, Paulo said, "What are we waiting for? Let's get rid of these mountain apples and get back to the village. It's getting late."

"Yeah," Tino added as he took four apples, two in each hand, and tried to put all four into his mouth.

I sat up and joined my friends in enjoying a luscious midnight snack. The mountain apples were extra big and juicy. "Umm, I can feel the juice trickle down into my throat," Paulo said.

"I'm going to be sick, but these mountain apples are too delicious to waste," Tino added.

I just smiled as we gorged ourselves until our stomachs felt like balloons and our eyes sated with self satisfaction. With every mountain apple I ate, I thought of Tui, but I hated to admit how guilty I felt about stealing. I lay back on the cool grass and lazily placed my hands behind my head and crossed my knees, feeling relaxed at last. Tino soon joined me.

"Funny," Tino mimicked Tui's voice, "I never noticed before that there is a man in the moon."

Paulo quickly looked to the direction of the moon and said, "That's no ordinary man, it's Tui himself coming to get us!" We quickly got to our feet and headed into the village. Half way there, we came to an abrupt stop as we remembered the leftovers.

"What about the leftovers? We'll get in trouble if anybody finds out!" Paulo said.

"We'll go back and bury them in the hole where I had the rope," I said.

I'd supposed some sort of depression would follow us home, but it didn't. We could hardly wait till morning to see what Tui would do when he discovered his mountain apples gone. Tino and Paulo were proud of me, but I didn't feel much of a winner in my own mind. I knew I had done wrong, and I made sure my father didn't find out about it. We got to the village and Paulo's older brother asked us where we'd been. "Swimming in the waterfall," Paulo replied.

Early next morning, I knew Tui would be hauling a busload of his produce to the market. I laid in bed awake, waiting to jump to my feet when Tui lets out a thundering scream about his missing fruits. To my surprise, I fell asleep again, only to be awakened by Mother to eat lunch.

"Did I miss anything unusual happening this morning, Mother?" I asked wondering if Tui tried to find out who stole his fruits.

"Not that I know of, Siaki," she replied. "How do you mean unusual?"

"Oh, it's not important, Mother," I answered trying to change the subject as I quickly realized Tui made no issue of his missing fruits. "I must have been dreaming."

Later on during the day, Tui returned from the market. I could tell from the loud noise made by the old mufflers which badly needed replacement. I followed him home and watched as he parked the bus in the shade of a tall breadfruit tree. He came out holding his shotgun and a brown bag. His wife ran up to him and took the bag. Instead of talking, he looked at her and yelled, asked if there was any food to eat. She nodded her head, and he ordered her to get it. While she hurried to the house to get the food, he walked away towards the field and started working in his taro patch.

"What a character!" I thought. "He doesn't even take time to eat. Wait till Paulo and Tino hear about this."

His wife brought his food to the field. He simply wiped his muddy hands with taro leaves and ate his food in a few bites. "Some water woman...give me some water," he'd tell her. She ran and returned with a bottle, not a cup, a bottle of water. He gulped it down, handed the empty bottle to her and back he went, toiling his taro patch. At night, he'd sit in the lookout hut until dawn when he'd be back toiling until he went to the market.

My friends and I were out strolling again when Tino asked, "Does Tui ever go to sleep?"

"Try ask him for a straight answer," Paulo suggested.

"I can't believe anybody can love work that much," Tino continued.

"Something is wrong with that man," I added. "He works as if there is no tomorrow. You get that feeling, Paulo?"

"No," he tartly replied. "And I don't really care if he drops dead from overwork. A big man like him should know better and take time off to rest."

"I agree," I said. "But I watched him earlier in the day, and he didn't even take time to eat."

"That's what I mean... he's impossible!" Paulo assured us.

"I'd like to think he's not impossible...just an incredible man with incredible strength," I thought out loud.

"You're off your rocker," Tino told us. "Tui is one of those guys who sleeps sitting up with eyes open. That's how he's fooling all of us."

Many nights later, we made a habit of helping ourselves to Tui's plantation. We were neither caught nor reported for stealing. I began to feel very uneasy about stealing from Tui. Surely, he must have known we were taking some of his food. I told myself that something was wrong with the man. The stealing became too easy. It lost its excitement, its challenge. I started to look around for something else to do.

Weeks later, blasts from a shotgun woke the villagers in the wee hours of the morning. A lot of people were upset for they were abruptly awakened from their sleep. My brother and I saw a man running to one of the high chiefs' house and shouting something like he was being shot for doing nothing. His hands and feet were thick with mud, the way Tui looks when he works in his taro patch. I felt a soft spot in my heart for the mighty Tui upon seeing the stranger and told myself, "Yeah man, sure you were being shot at for doing nothing. You shouldn't try to steal Tui's taros."

Members of our house huddled about, including Mother who shouted our names, "Siaki and Sitivi, where are you? Who's shouting out there?"

"We're alright, Mother," Sitivi answered. "The shouting came from that new guy at Chief Afoa's household."

"What is he saying? Is anybody killed or hurt?"

"We don't know, Mother," Sitivi answered. "He's shouting something like being shot at for doing nothing."

"Oh no." Mother declared. "I hope he doesn't get Chief Afoa excited. He's hard to control when he's excited. He'll act rash and irrational before the truth is known."

No sooner had we settled down to go back to sleep when we heard stomping feet and exploding noises. We quickly realized Afoa and his men were storming their way down the dirt road to Tui's plantation. I jumped to my feet, tightened my lavalava around my waist and ran pass the stampeding crowd and up to Tui's house.

I couldn't resist the strong feeling I had about the fierce-looking Tui. I called his name, but there was no answer. I saw his wife, "Is Tui around? I've got to talk to him!"

"No, Siaki," she said. "He's up on the bluff fetching the owl. The owl had been killing our chickens."

"Up on the bluff!" I sighed gasping for air. "Some of the villagers are seeking revenge on him for shooting at a man. They'll destroy his plantation if he doesn't do anything about it."

The mad villagers soon arrived, swaying and lurching their way through Tui's plantation, destroying bananas, papayas and just about everything in their way. I tried to stop them, but I was shoved and pushed out of the way and on to the ground. I sat there in a crippled fashion amid mass destruction. At the top of my voice, I screamed Tui' s name, but his wife, who had been shoved to the ground next to me, whispered, "Save your voice, Siaki, Tui will not hear you."

"Not hear me, why?" I asked.

"Tui is hard of hearing," she answered.

Suddenly, a fearful roar sounding like a landslide from the bluff frightened everybody, including me who sought cover under a chicken coupe. The villagers ran for cover. It was only Tui standing high above the bluff in a mighty scene of a man. Big strong legs that seemed to measure thirty feet high, decked by long strong arms, broad shoulders and chest. He reminded me of Tarzan-only bigger and mightier! He had his shotgun with him and I expected him to blow a couple of heads off and blast a few more villagers in all fairness. Soon the villagers realized there wasn't a landslide and they came back out in the open to challenge Tui. Some called him names, others mocked him with their raised machetes, and some tried to throw stones at him. My eyes were fixed on the shotgun which pointed to the sky, letting out billows of smoke and making a thunderous noise. He shot again and again into the sky. The villagers ran away. Tui stood motionless on top of the bluff, staring down at his ruined plantation. Mrs. Tui started to climb up to him and I followed. As we approached Tui's monstrous body, I started to shiver, but his wife waved for him to please come down. He turned and climbed down to where we were. I began to feel very uneasy as to what he'd do to us. My legs trembled and my teeth gritted against words as I asked him. "Are you alright, Mr. Tui? I'm sorry about your plantation. I tried to warn you."

He simply reached for my hand and squeezed the fingers to the bone and grinned as if to say "Thank you" but used no words. We all climbed down the hill, and Mrs. Tui and I followed him to the house. In a controlled posture, he went into the house, leaned his shotgun against the wall, took off his sweat soaking shirt, lifted a pillow off the shelf and laid down on a well constructed bed of solid mats. Mrs. Tui hurried about to cover him with a light sheet and drew the curtains. She then came back out to me and said, "He's resting now. I'll get something cooking for when he wakes up. Would you like to stay and have breakfast with us?" Mrs. Tui asked me.

"Thanks, but I think I'd better head on home."

Half way home, I met my father, the preacher, and the village mayor. Father was the local doctor and had been caring for Tui. I ran up to him, and he asked, "Where have you been, son?"

"Trying to warn Mr. Tui about the mad villagers. They destroyed his beautiful plantation, Dad. The whole place is total waste. They thought Tui was shooting at a man, but he was only shooting an owl that was killing his chickens."

"Is Tui hurt?" he asked me, looking worried.

"Not physically, no," I answered feeling confused as to why Tui didn't fight back. I added, "He shot into the air which didn't make sense when people were destroying his farm, after all his hard labor. I'm disappointed that he didn't defend his property."

"I'm sure you won't be disappointed for long if you know the truth about Mr. Tui. In the meantime, I'm glad nobody was killed. It's all a misunderstanding. Run on home and tell your mother not to hold breakfast for me, I'll be late. Also, she's been worried about you since you took off."

I didn't want to go home as I wanted to follow Dad back to Tui's house. I saw Paulo's younger brother and gave him a nickel to go and give my mother the message from Dad and me.

The mayor, the preacher, and Daddy were in Tui's house. I crawled up to the foundation of Tui's house and laid low so I wouldn't be noticed. The preacher and the mayor were sitting cross legged on the floor towards the front of the house. Daddy and Mrs. Tui were behind the curtain where Tui was resting. Soon Mrs. Tui opened the curtains and Tui walked over and greeted the preacher and the mayor by shaking their hands. He then sat on the floor across from them and Daddy sat next to him. Mrs. Tui didn't sit down as she hurried about to serve the guests fresh young coconuts and big fat bananas.

Tui looked sad and gloomy. I hardly expected him to be happy and cheerful. Speeches were exchanged and Daddy spoke on behalf of Tui. I thought at first it was because Tui was troubled and upset. I'd even forgotten that Mrs. Tui had mentioned Tui was hard of hearing. So that's why he always talks so loud! Father told the mayor and the preacher about Tui's situation.

"Since I have been the doctor for Tui, I have promised to keep his hard of hearing problem and other minor medical problems confidential. Many stories have been told of Tui, but he is far from being a fierce lummox some of our people believe him to be. His giant size, deep glowing eyes and thunderous speeches have been misunderstood and misinterpreted by those villagers who have made a monstrous character out of the finest gentleman I've ever known. Tui has been working hard for a very good and worthy reason."

The Mayor and the Preacher looked surprised and eager to hear more. Daddy turned to Tui and in a louder voice asked him if it would be alright to tell the Mayor and the preacher about what he wanted to do with the money he'd saved from his plantation. Tui simply nodded his head to mean it was alright for Daddy to reveal his intentions.

"You see Mr. Mayor, Tui has worked hard and saved his money to build an agricultural school for our village. Realizing the distance of our island from where we get most of our food--New Zealand, United States and Japan--Tui doesn't believe we should depend totally on imported goods. He wants to use the money to send for some of the teachers he had in New Zealand to come here and teach our youngsters about agriculture. He's learned the importance of self sufficiency and wants to provide an opportunity for our village to be the pioneers of food production. He's spent part of the money to expand his house. It is to be the school and quarters for the teachers. His plantation is to be the working area for the teacher and students to learn. Tui is a very practical man and believes in learning agriculture by doing. I truly believe he's the wisest among us. Moreover, his hard earned money will benefit our village, if not our entire island, in the future."

The Mayor slowly straightened up from a slouched position and in a very articulate manner deplored the mad villagers' behavior and apologized to Tui on their behalf. He further apologized for himself and the way he had mistakenly believed some of the things he'd heard. He praised the humane way Tui handled the situation. "What was to stop you from killing several of those villagers? You had your shotgun."

Upon hearing the Mayor, I told myself, "Tui should have! Those guys were lunatics."

"Tui," the Mayor continued, "I truly don't know what I would have done in your place. You demonstrated to all of us the great virtues of patience and understanding. You had the means, your shotgun, to fight violence with violence, but you overlooked the hurt, the pain of seeing your many years of hard labor being totally destroyed in order to keep peace. Chief Afoa and his brutes and all of us in our village have much to learn from you. It took courage to do what you did, and I can't thank you enough for sparing the bullets and saving many lives. You know, of course, a special village council meeting will be called to discuss this. On the Afoa household will be imposed a stiff fine. If they fail to meet the fine, they will be ordered to leave the village."

Upon hearing this, I said to myself, "What a crummy deal! Some of the guys in the Afoa household are my fishing pals. Why punish them when it was the chief who made the rash and wrong decision?"

Father had to literally repeat every word of the Mayor to Tui in a loud voice. Tui just sat motionless intensely watching my father's lips as he shouted his explanation to Tui.

As I watched Tui and my Father communicate, I realized Tui did not want the people punished. Tui's words were not clearly pronounced, but his voice was loud and his hands were freely moving to emphasize certain points. Much was exchanged between the Mayor and Tui through Daddy. Finally, the settlement was that Tui and Daddy would visit Afoa to work through their conflict, and the Mayor would find the help Tui needed to clean and rebuild his plantation. The four men then stood up, with Tui towering over the other three, shook hands and bade farewell to each other.

Not wanting my father to see me and discover that I had disobeyed him, I bent low as I dashed away from Tui's house. I stopped when I reached the waterfall and decided to sit there for awhile. I flopped my tired body on a thick bed of dead leaves under a huge shady tree and welcomed the soft cool breeze as the sun was high and hot. Hours passed, and a lot went through my head. It was mostly about the things I had done so lightly out of pride and foolishness, out of being a teenager at fifteen, and out of wanting to challenge the older man. Then I fell into a deep sleep. When I awoke, the moon was rising brightly over the horizon, the sweet fragrance of the flowers scented the air, and the cool clear water looked inviting. I stripped to bare necessity and went for a refreshing swim. I then headed home, thinking aimlessly of what I'd be like when I'm Tui's age.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

A. Multiple Choice

Choose the correct answer by circling the correct letter of the alphabet. Circle only one answer for each sentence or statement.

1.   Tui lived with:
a) his wife and four kids
b) his grandmother and wife
c) his wife
d) none of the above

2.   Tui raised the best:
a) goats, cows, and chickens
b) taros, bananas, papayas, sugarcane, yams, coconuts, avocados, lemons, and mountain apples.
c) taros and bananas only
d) a and b

3.   Siaki got to Tui's plantation on the night he decided to get some mountain apples:
a) by crawling under the fence
b) by standing on Tino's shoulders and jumping over the fence
c) by tying a rope to one end of a coconut tree and swinging to another, and then holding on and climbing down into the plantation
d) a and b

4.   Siaki's cousin's name was:
a) Tino
b) Sam
c) Paulo
d) Migo

5.   Tui was saving his money:
a) to buy more chickens
b) to build an agricultural school for his village
c) to invest it in different things
d) none of the above

B. Below are topics you could talk about with your classmates.

1.   Why did it seem that Tui was a very selfish man?

2.   Tui was a very hard worker and even worked harder for some of his goals he wanted to come true.
a) What were some of his goals?
b) How did he go about attaining these goals?
c) Who benefited from these goals? Tui? The village people? Explain.

3.   Sometimes people take things for granted.
a) What did the people of the village take for granted when they cut down Tui's plantation?
b) Have you taken for granted something? Why?

C. Using A Dictionary

Words in a dictionary are in alphabetical order. The guide words, which are at the top of each page in the dictionary, are in dark italics. The word on the left side at the top of each page shows that that specific word will be the first word on the left hand column of that page. The word at the top of the page on the right had side will be the last word on the right hand column of that same page.

1.   The exercise below will help you find the correct meaning of a word in a dictionary. Now look up the word adjust in the dictionary. Notice the different meanings for the word.

adjust (ad^.just) 1: to bring to agreement;
SETTLE 2: to cause to conform; ADAPT, FIT 3: REGULATE

Which of the different meanings above fits the sentence in the story? Remember the correct meaning of the word depends on how it is used in the sentence. Here is the sentence.

My family and I had been away for years and now at fifteen, I was having to adjust to a place quite different from the big city of Honolulu.

Did you choose number 2? Why?

1.   Below are some sentences taken from the story. Each sentence contains a difficult word. It has been underlined for you. Read each sentence carefully. Copy each underlined word on your paper. In order to get a better idea of the "use of the word" in relation to the story, find the meaning of each underlined word in the dictionary.

a.   I had just moved from Hawaii back to Samoa. My family and I had been away for years. Now I am fifteen. I have to adjust to a place quite different from the big city of Honolulu.

b.   His look was enough for mother to quickly apologize for having bothered him, and she started back home.

c.    Tui's wife carefully avoided her husband and followed mother out.

d.   None of the neighbors dared to do more than nod their heads at him (Tui).

e.   A huge, fierce man named Tui lived next door to us.

f.     The mountain apple was in season.

g.   Tui lived alone with his wife, for they had no kids. People said the reason he had no kids was that he was too selfish.

Activity D:

a.   adjust --to regulate or adapt
b.   apologize --to make an apology
c.    avoid --to keep away from
d.   dare --to have the courage required for
e.   fierce --having a savage and violent nature
f.     season -- one of the four equal divisions of the year: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
g.   selfish -- concerned chiefly or only with oneself

ANSWER KEY

Activity A:

1.   c
2.   b
3.   c
4.   c
5.   b

Activity B:

1. Tui was saving every penny he made from his plantation to build an agriculture school for his village.

2. a. to build an agriculture school for his village, so that they wouldn't depend on imported goods all the time; also, to send for some teachers from New Zealand to come to teach the village youngsters about agriculture.

    b. by working hard on his plantation to produce the best fruits, taros, bananas, etc. to sell to get money for the school and teachers.
 

     c.the village, especially the youngsters, and Tui for great satisfaction in attaining his goals.

3. a. the people thought (took for granted) that Tui's concern was only for himself and that when he was shooting an owl for killing his chickens, the people of the village thought Tui was trying to shoot someone.