Piliamo‘o and Kuāua, the Mo‘o of Wailuku River

Hi‘iaka looked over and saw that the tree that spanned the ravine from one side to the other was an ‘ahakea tree, and if it should break, or if the one going across should misstep, the person would fall down into the dark depths of the river, and would be eaten up by Piliamo‘o and Kuāua.

Hi‘iaka looked down into Wailuku Gulch for a short while, and then turned to say to Pi‘ihonua, “What you have reported is true. One goes over this wooden span, and if sabotaged by those mo‘o, falls down and is killed by those villians. If the person swims away in the water, it’s as though he were actually thrusting himself into the mo‘o’s jaws.

This is a great problem for all of Hilo’s people, as well as those journeying from the Kona districts or the lands of Kohala. I will try what I can, and if it is agreed to, then we’re all right, and if not, perhaps we should turn back and take another way to get to the other side.”
At that point, Hi‘iaka called out to the two mo‘o with a chant.

What are you two up to
O women who dwell in the water
Here am I
The woman of the sunrise
Let there be some compassion for me
Granting me access
A pathway not garnered through trade.