This story takes place in the Kula area

Ola, the chief wanted to make some of the water from the Waimea River travel to the taro patches so the taro would grow better. He told his men to build a dam to block the river. The work was hard. Day after day the men woke up at dawn to carry stones, chipping them so they would fit and placing them together. The men got paid well with fish, vegetables, or kapa.

One man was very lazy and barely did any work. His name was Pi. His children would ask mother why the other kids had fish and they didn't, and why the other kids had new clothes and they didn't. After that Pi's wife scolded Pi for not working like the other men.

The next day he went to his upland taro patch and dug up all his taro and heated the imu and left the taro to steam. He was very tired but he did not stop. He ran down the mountain and found a menehune guard. He told him that a feast was made for the menehune beside the chief's wall. The guard knew Pi was asking for help and the guard said, "We will come".

Pi started to peel the taro and make it into poi. His back was aching. He wrapped the poi in small pieces of ti leaves and tied each one to a kukui tree branch next to the dam. While Pi was gathering shrimp, the menehune arrived. They had already started finishing the dam and the meal was only half done. But by the time they were done, the meal was done, and the menehune feasted. That morning the workers came and found out the dam was done.

One worker said Pi had probably made friends with the menehune. So the chief told his messenger to go to Pi's house and ask him if he had finished the dam with the help of the menehune. Pi said "yes" and he got lots of fish, kapa, and vegetables.

Men still wonder how anything could build the dam in the time of night. I kind of believe in menehunes doing unimaginable things. But I'll never be certain until I really see one.

Note: Menehunes are little men like dwarfs or elves with magical powers to finish construction in a night's work. The men have big muscles and long beards and the women have long beautiful hair. They're about 3 feet tall. They never come out in daylight because they fear people will do something to them.

I found this information in the book called: Tales Of The Menehune by: Mary Kawena Puku'i & Caroline Curtis