the eel (Chapter VII)

Family: the Samoan legends · Role: eel · First appears: Chapter VII · Maui and Tuna · Part 2

In the Samoan story in Chapter VII · Maui and Tuna · Part 2, Sina captured the eel when it was small and kept it as a pet. It grew large, attacked and bit her, then pursued her as she fled. Her father raised mountains between them, and her mother raised another series, but the eel continued to follow Sina.

The chief poisoned the eel’s awa, a stupefying drink. The eel drank it while preparing to follow Sina, and died from the poison. Before dying, it asked Sina to bury its head by her home; she did, and eventually a cocoanut tree grew there, whose two eyes could continually look into Sina’s face.

Relationship record

Life events

• In the Samoan story, Sina kept a captured eel as a pet, but it grew large and attacked her.(Chapter VII · Maui and Tuna · Part 2 · 📍 Samoa)
  • With: Sina
  • “She captured a small eel and kept it as a pet. It grew large and strong and finally attacked and bit her.”
• In the Samoan story, Sina’s father raised mountains between her and the pursuing eel.(Chapter VII · Maui and Tuna · Part 2 · 📍 Samoa)
  • With: her father (Chapter VII) Sina
  • “Her father came to her assistance and raised high mountains between the eel and herself.”
• In the Samoan story, Sina’s mother raised another series of mountains to stop the eel.(Chapter VII · Maui and Tuna · Part 2 · 📍 Samoa)
  • With: her mother (Chapter VII) Sina
  • “Her mother raised a new series of mountains.”
• In the Samoan story, the chief poisoned the eel with awa, and the eel died.(Chapter VII · Maui and Tuna · Part 2 · 📍 Samoa)
  • With: the chief (Chapter VII)
  • “He prepared awa, a stupefying drink, and put poison in it. When the eel came along the chief asked him to drink. He took the awa and prepared to follow Sina. When he came to the place where she was the pains of death had already seized him.”
• In the Samoan story, Sina buried the eel’s head by her home, where a cocoanut tree eventually grew.(Chapter VII · Maui and Tuna · Part 2 · 📍 Samoa)
  • With: Sina
  • “While dying he begged her to bury his head by her home. This she did, and in time a plant new to the islands sprang up. It became a tree, and finally produced a cocoanut, whose two eyes could continually look into the face of Sina.”

Chapter VII · Maui and Tuna · Part 2

• enemies with Sina “She fled, but the eel followed her everywhere.”
• enemies with the chief (Chapter VII) “He prepared awa, a stupefying drink, and put poison in it.”

Also listed in the Samoan legends — Minor Figures

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Extracted from the original text of Legends of Ma-ui. Made with Rho MD.