Hitonaha.

In the beginning, Moab cast the first stone, into the Great Lake.

The stone, being heavier then the water, of the great lake, sank, striking Hobaha, the king of all the fish, upon his head.

"Help", cried Hobaha, "The sky has turned upon me.

Hobaha's great mental abilities and mystic vision searched the land and shore above, for the cause, of his pain and suffering.

Spying Moab, Hobaha swore vengeance, upon Moab, for by utilizing his vast powers, he knew who had done this, harm, to him.

In order to bring down the wrath, of the mountains upon Moab, as Moab had done to him, Hobaha, the sovereign of fish, had to create Anytoha, the mountain that reached into the sky, and spewed out Gorain, rocks and fire.

Before that time, there were none of these, upon the earth.

That very day, Hobaha ordered all the aquatic life in the sea, with the strength to assist, (of what there were many in those days), to pile stone upon stone, until they reached almost into the sky. He wanted it way above, the ocean floor, to the top of the water, nearby the shoreline, where Moab and his family lived, in the land called AbaBogna.

Then a great sword fish, Egola, was ordered by Hobaha, to swim down, through the grand mountain of stone, called Anytoha and punch a hole into Edano, the earth, deep into the Flos, the fire of molten stone, on the bottom, below the Edano.

When Egola swam back, to the top, behind him came the immense fire, Gorain, through the center hole, the sea life's’ ruler had ordered left in Anytoha, the mountain of stone.

Suddenly, with a huge shaking of the earth, called, Edanosi, the molten stone spewed forth its fire, Gorain, into the sky, burying Moab and his entire tribe, under the hot lava stones.

That is why the land was call, Moab Abo.

Many years later, two children lived in Moab Abo, who loved each other, better than a brother, esteemed his sister or a sister, treasured a brother.

Their names where, Hitahi and Sayonaha.

Hitahi was 13 years old. He was the first son, of Molli and the tall one, known as Kaminoha.

Molli, was the pretty first wife, of Kaminoha, the ax grinder. She was the daughter, of old Golli, the woodcutter and his third wife, Assarra.

Kaminoha, was the second son, of Agda, the seaman, (the fourth son of Mangola, the wise and his only wife, Tohu), and Theora, (the third daughter, of Gono and his first wife, Glinn).

Sayonaha, was 12 years old, the pretty third daughter, of Galli and Fradaha, his second wife.

Hitahi, who as yet had no wives and Sayonaha, planned to be married, one day.

They would spend all their liberated time, with one another, in the hills or walking along the shore, arm in arm.

It was only four more days, before the wedding.

Hitahi and Sayonaha were walking, by the sea. When suddenly, they heard a voice, calling to them.

"Human ... Human ... Come here ... come here."

Sayonaha and Hitahi, though they were frightened, obeyed the voice and walked to the edge of the sea. It appeared, the voice, came from somewhere, beyond the waves.

It was Hobaha, the fish sovereign, who called to them.

He spoke, "I once hated man ... because he had injured me ... and I brought destruction to him and his kind. These many years, your people have come to live here, in Moab Abo and I have not held hatred towards them, since my vengeance was complete, upon this island and the evil Moab.

Today I have come to test you, men, if I shall permit you, to continue to live here, on this island or to bring Gorain, again, the fire and hail stones, from Anytoha, to consume you, and your kind, once more."

The couple was transfixed, by the voice, of the fish ruler, because he was a creature of enormous, mysterious, powers.

Hobaha continued, "You must answer my questions, to my satisfaction, then follow my instructions, correctly and I will allow you and your people, to remain, to gather from my ocean, to live, here, in the land called, Moab Abo, on this island, in the great salt lake."

Hitahi and Sayonaha held each other tightly, in fear of Hobaha, the exalted fish king, who threatened them, with annihilation.

Hitahi soon found his voice.

He pleaded with the enormous fish, for the lives of his tribe and asked Hobaha, the fish emperor, what it was, he must do or say, to convince him that he and his people were worthy, to live on.

Hobaha spoke again, "On this spot; you must build a temple, to I, Hobaha, the fish sovereign. When that is done, I will tell you more".

Hitahi and Sayonaha, told the other villagers, so the tribe gathered wood and coconut leaves, to build a great temple, to that king of the oceans, there by the sea, where the two youths had heard the voice, of Hobaha, the ruler, of all that swam in the sea.

From the first day, the construction began the fisherman in the seas, brought in great harvests. The village was well nourished, while they worked, upon the temple, so they made it as large and as beautiful as they could, to encourage their continued, good, fortune.

After the Temple was complete, all the workers went back home, to their families and only Hitahi and Sayonaha, who had become wed, during the building of the Temple, stayed behind.

They sat upon the seaward terrace, of Hobaha's Temple, looking out at the sea. They remained there many days, waiting for Hobaha, who apparently had gone off on fish business, an immense distance from the Island.

On the third day, after the temple had been complete, as the sun set into the sea, the fish king arrived.

Suddenly, a good ten feet from the shore, the waves parted and the lord of all the fish, rose his enormous head, from the water.

A great sound of joy and mirth broke the air, as Hobaha espied his temple, of devotion.

“For your good work, the good people, of this island, will always remember you two,” he said.

“The sound of sea, coming and going, against the shore, will echo forever, your names. Hit-a-hi, it will say, as it breaks against the beach and rocks of the shoreline. Say-o-na-ha, will be the sound, of rushing surf, as the oceans claim again their bounty, of the sea waves.

All the fish, of my domain, will call the land, Hit-ona-ha, the land of the, cherished, mankind.”

It came to be, for as the fish ruler ordained. Yes, so it was and still is, until this time, on the peaceful, island paradise, known as, Hitonaha.

The young couple, Hitahi and Sayonaha, lived to a ripe old age. Prosperity; endless, plentiful harvests, with out disease, pestilence, draught or bad weather, kept the tribe, forever healthy and happy.                                                 

The End.

An earlier version of this anecdote, was originally submitted to, the 1997 QPBC short, short story contest, (The tale, was to start with, the words, "In the beginning."), by Seymour Katus, then living at 229 16th Street Apt 308 S.D. CA 92101.