Maui: The Hero of Land, Sea, and Sky

Snooze with a tale of Maui's clever tricks and daring feats, starting from his days in a dazzling underwater palace to his audacious creation of entire islands with a magical hook. This episode promises an enchanting bedtime story, full of wit and wonder, as we recount how the demigod's cleverness not only shaped the geography of Hawaii but also left a lasting legacy through the stars. So, snuggle up in your blankets and have sweet dreams.

The music in this episode is Weightless Moments by Mathilda Skonare Karlsson.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:21

Welcome to Dreamful Podcast. Bedtime stories for slumber. It is almost Christmas time and if you're looking for good gift ideas, I have some ideas for you. I have a special offer on Patreon for Christmas. Up until December 15th, you can sign up for the Christmas special on patreoncom slash dreamful podcast to receive a handwritten Christmas card from me, a shout out on our Christmas episode and access to over 100 bonus episodes. This will make a great gift for a friend, family member or just treating yourself. When you sign up, be sure to give the name and mailing address of the recipient so I can get their card to them by Christmas. I can also send cards internationally so you can buy a special even if you're outside the US. Again, the deadline for this is December 15th. Or another idea is to give the gift of a Supercast subscription. You can gift a month, two months or even a year if you like, and the recipient will be able to listen to the bonus episodes on Spotify.

Speaker 1: 1:28

It is currently Thanksgiving break here in the United States, so my children are home for an entire week and today, as I'm recording this, they are out at the movie theater watching Moana 2. Yes, I am jealous, but also very excited for them that they get to see this movie. So I thought what a better story to do this week than to tell you the tale of Maui, the hero of land, sea and sky. So snuggle up in your blankets and have sweet dreams. Maui was born in the realms of gods. His father, the mighty supporter of the heavens, towered over creation, holding the vast sky aloft with arms like ancient trees. His mother, hina, the guardian of the road to the invisible world, shimmered with an ethereal glow, her presence felt in the moonlight that danced across the waves. Yet, despite their celestial stature, maui's birth was unheralded, born prematurely and considered an inconvenience, he was wrapped in the silken strands of Hina's hair and cast into the sea. But the ocean did not reject him.

Speaker 1: 3:39

Hungaroa, god of the seas, saw the fragile infant and sent his jellyfish servants to cradle him in their delicate, translucent arms, the god whispered life into Maui's tiny form his voice, a deep rumble that resonated through the coral halls of the sea. Maui was brought to Tongaroa's house beneath the waves, a luminous palace with walls of a mother of pearl and floors paved in shimmering abalone. There he was hung near the warm golden glow of a sacred fire, where his small body grew strong and his spirit sharper than a shark's tooth. When Maui emerged years later, the once rejected infant had become a clever and vibrant youth, his eyes reflecting the playful glint of sunlight on water. He strode into the assembly of his family, his presence electrifying the air like the moment before a storm. Though initially unrecognized, maui claimed his place through wit and audacity, proving himself not only as one of them but as being destined to reshape the world.

Speaker 1: 5:22

Maui possessed gifts unlike any other. His strength rivaled that of his divine father and his cunning was unparalleled. But it was his magic hook that cemented his legend. Fashioned from the jawbone of his great-grandmother, its edges gleamed with an otherworldly sheen, capable of drawing up not just fish from the depths but the very foundations of the earth. The hook was imbued with the chant of power, and when Maui wielded it, the world itself bent to his will. To accompany his hook, maui spun ropes from the Alona vine fibers woven with strength that no fish nor god could break. These tools were his weaponry in his battles against both sea and sky. But they were nothing without Maui's indomitable spirit, a force that could outwit gods and wrest secrets from the cosmos.

Speaker 1: 6:43

Maui's sharp mind often turned mischievous, especially when it came to outsmarting his brothers. On fishing trips, maui would let his line tangle with theirs, slyly pulling in fish they believed were caught on their hooks, and fish they believed were caught on their hooks. Be careful, brothers, he'd cry, feigning alarm your fish is slipping away. As they frantically reeled in empty hooks, maui would triumphantly hoist their fish into the canoe. His brothers, though irritated, couldn't stay angry for long. Maui's charm was irresistible, even when accompanied by trickery. One tale tells of how Maui used his powers to control the winds when his brothers refused to let him accompany them to the deep seas. Left behind, maui sang to the gods of the wind, who obliged by whipping up a storm that sent the brothers scurrying back to shore. They had no choice but to take Maui along, though they swore under their breath, knowing mischief was sure to follow.

Speaker 1: 8:08

It was during one of these outings that Maui achieved his most celebrated feat. Armed with his magic hook, he challenged his brothers to venture farther than ever before. To venture farther than ever before. They grumbled but obeyed, pedaling until the shores of their homeland vanished into the horizon. There, maui baited his hook with the sacred Aile bird tied to the line with his enchanted Aluna cord. As he cast the hook into the depths, he whispered his chant Bite, oh depths of the sea, bite, let the land rise as my prize. The waters churned. At first the brother scoffed, thinking Maui had snagged a large fish. But soon the canoe rocked violently and they realized their brother had ensnared something far greater. The sea trembled and from its depths emerged land. And from its depths emerged land, vast, black and jagged, shimmering as water cascaded off its new-formed edges. Maui warned his brothers not to look back, but curiosity overtook them. As one turned, the spell broke, the line snapped and the land fractured into islands. To this day, those islands, the Hawaiian chain remain as scattered jewels in the Pacific, a testament to Maui's triumph and his brother's folly.

Speaker 1: 10:13

Maui's powers extended beyond the seas. One day he observed his mother struggling to pound a copper cloth, their struggling to pound copper cloth. Each time she began her work, the sun would race across the sky, forcing her to abandon her efforts as night fell too quickly. Moved by her plight, maui vowed to tame the sun. Ascending Haleakala, the house of the sun, maui waited for the dawn. He had fashioned a great net from the hair of her sisters, its strands imbued with chants of binding. As the first rays of sunlight crept over the mountain, maui cast his net and snared the sun's blazing legs. The sun thrashed and roared, but Maui held firm. Why do you race so swiftly across the heavens, he demanded. The sun, weary of the struggle, pleaded for release. Maui struck a deal the sun would move slowly for half the year, granting long days for work and quicker during the other half, bringing the shorter days of winter. Thus Maui ensured balance, his victory immortalized in the lingering warmth of summer.

Speaker 1: 11:56

Fire was another treasure Maui claimed for humanity. It was hidden by the stingy alley bird who selfishly guarded the secret. Maui, determined to share it with his people, chased the bird relentlessly. When he finally caught it, the bird promised to reveal the truth if spared. It led Maui to the dry trees on the highlands. It led Maui to the dry trees on the highlands, rubbed the branches of the dry trees, it squawked, trembling in Maui's grip. Maui released the bird and followed its instructions, striking the wood Until sparks danced into flame. He returned to his people with a precious gift. Until sparks danced into flame, he returned to his people with the precious gift, but marked the bird forever with a scorched red head.

Speaker 1: 12:58

Despite his triumphs, maui's greatest challenge was against death itself. He believed that humans should not perish but live endlessly, as the gods did. To achieve this, he sought to conquer Hinunuitepo, the goddess of death who guarded the secret of eternal life. She was a being of terrible beauty, her body shimmering like polished obsidian hair flowing like dark seaweed in a midnight tide. Her eyes glowed with the cold fire of greenstone and her mouth, lined with teeth of volcanic glass, gaped wide, ready to devour. Any who approach Maui's plan was audacious to enter her body and seize her heart, the source of mortality. Transforming into a lizard, he crept toward her sleeping form, her obsidian teeth gleaming like daggers. He warned his companions, birds who accompanied him, not to laugh, for any sound would wake her. As Maui crawled into the goddess, the tiny bird let out a shrill cry of laughter. Hinanuitepo awoke with a start and clamped her teeth shut, slicing Maui in half.

Speaker 1: 14:49

Thus, maui fell his quest for immortality unfulfilled. Death remained undefeated, claiming even the demigod would bested the sun and sea. Though Maui's life ended in tragedy, his legacy endured the islands he raised, the daylight he lengthened and the fire he gifted to humanity forever shaped the world. Among the stars, his magic hook glimmers in the constellation of Scorpio. Maui was more than a demigod. He was a force of nature, a trickster, a hero and a champion of humankind. His story is written in the land and sky, a testament to the power of courage, cunning and a heart that defied the realms of gods.

Speaker 1: 16:13

His father, the mighty supporter of the heavens, towered over creation, holding the vast sky aloft with arms like ancient trees. Holding the vast sky aloft with arms like ancient trees, his mother, hina, the guardian of the road to the invisible world, shimmered with an ethereal glow. Her presence felt in the moonlight that danced across the waves. Yet, despite their celestial stature, maui's birth was unheralded, born prematurely and considered an inconvenience, he was wrapped in the silken strands of Hina's hair and cast into the sea. But the ocean did not reject him. Tongaroa, god of the seas, saw the fragile infant and sent his jellyfish servants to cradle him in their delicate, translucent arms. The god whispered life into Maui's tiny form, his voice, a deep rumble that resonated through the coral halls of the sea. Maui was brought to Tongaroa's house beneath the waves, a luminous palace with walls of mother of pearl and floors paved in shimmering abalone. There he was hung, near the warm, golden glow of a sacred fire, where his small body grew strong and his spirit sharper than a shark's tooth.

Speaker 1: 18:00

When Maui emerged years later, the once rejected infant had become a clever and vibrant youth, his eyes reflecting the playful glint of sunlight on water. He strode into the assembly of his family, his presence electrifying the air like the moment before a storm. Though initially unrecognized, maui claimed his place through wit and audacity, proving himself not only as one of them but as being destined to reshape the world. Reshape the world. Maui possessed gifts unlike any other. His strength rivaled that of his divine father and his cunning was unparalleled. But it was his magic hook that cemented his legend. Fashioned from the jawbone of his great-grandmother, its edges gleamed with an otherworldly sheen capable of drawing up not just fish from the depths but the very foundations of the earth. The hook was imbued with the chant of power, and when Maui wielded it, the world itself bent to his will. To accompany his hook, maui spun ropes from the Alona vine fibers woven with strength that no fish nor god could break. These tools were his weaponry in his battles against both sea and sky. But they were nothing without Maui's indomitable spirit, a force that could outwit gods and wrest secrets from the cosmos. That could outwit gods and wrest secrets from the cosmos.

Speaker 1: 20:13

Maui's sharp mind often turned mischievous, especially when it came to outsmarting his brothers. On fishing trips, maui would let his line tangle with theirs, slyly pulling in fish they believed were caught on their hooks. Be careful, brothers, he'd cry, feigning alarm your fish is slipping away. As they frantically reeled in empty hooks, maui would triumphantly hoist their fish into the canoe. His brothers, though irritated, couldn't stay angry for long. Maui's charm was irresistible, even when accompanied by trickery.

Speaker 1: 21:00

One tale tells of how Maui used his powers to control the winds when his brothers refused to let him accompany them to the deep seas. Left behind, maui sang to the gods of the wind, who obliged by whipping up a storm that sent the brothers scurrying back to shore. They had no choice but to take Maui along, though they swore under their breath, knowing mischief was sure to follow. It was during one of these outings that Maui achieved his most celebrated feat. Armed with his magic hook, he challenged his brothers to venture farther than ever before. They grumbled but obeyed paddling until the shores of their homeland vanished into the horizon. There, maui baited his hook with the sacred Aile bird, tied to the line with his enchanted alona cord. As he cast the hook into the depths, he whispered his chant Bite, oh, depths of the sea, bite. Let the land rise as my prize. Let the land rise as my prize. The waters churned. At first the brothers scoffed, thinking Maui had snagged a large fish. But soon the canoe rocked violently and they realized their brother had ensnared something far greater. The sea trembled and from its depths emerged land, vast, black and jagged, shimmering. As water cascaded off its new-formed edges, maui warned his brothers not to look back, but curiosity overtook them. As one turned, the spell broke, the line snapped and the land fractured into islands. To this day, those islands the Hawaiian chain remain as scattered jewels in the Pacific, a testament to Maui's triumph and his brother's folly.

Speaker 1: 23:38

Maui's powers extended beyond the seas. One day he observed his mother struggling to pound copper cloth Each time she began her work, the sun would race across the sky, forcing her to abandon her efforts as night fell too quickly. Moved by her plight, maui vowed to tame the sun Ascending Haleakala, the house of the sun. Maui waited for the dawn. He had fashioned a great net from the hair of her sisters, its strands imbued with chants of binding as the first rays of sunlight crept over the mountain. As the first rays of sunlight crept over the mountain, maui cast his net and snared the sun's blazing legs. The sun thrashed and roared, but Maui held firm. Why do you race so swiftly across the heavens, he demanded. The sun, weary of the struggle, pleaded for release. Maui struck a deal the sun would move slowly for half the year, granting long days for work and quicker during the other half, bringing the shorter days of winter. Thus Maui ensured balance, his victory immortalized in the lingering warmth of summer.

Speaker 1: 25:20

Fire was another treasure Maui claimed for humanity. It was hidden by the stingy Aile bird who selfishly guarded the secret. Maui, determined to share it with his people, chased the bird relentlessly. When he finally caught it, he, the bird, promised to reveal the truth if spared. It, led Maui to the dry trees on the highlands, rubbed the branches of the dry trees, it squawked, trembling in Maui's grip. Maui released the bird and followed its instructions, striking the wood until sparks danced into flame. He returned to his people with a precious gift, but marked the bird forever with a scorched red head.

Speaker 1: 26:23

Despite his triumphs, maui's greatest challenge was against death itself. He believed that humans should not perish but live endlessly, as the gods did. To achieve this, he sought to conquer Hinunuitepo, the goddess of death, who guarded the secret of eternal life. She was a being of terrible beauty, her body shimmering like polished obsidian hair flowing like dark seaweed in a midnight tide. Her eyes glowed with the cold fire of greenstone and her mouth, lined with teeth of volcanic glass, gaped wide, ready to devour. Any who approach. Maui's plan was audacious to enter her body and seize her heart, the source of mortality. Transforming into a lizard, he crept toward her sleeping form, her obsidian teeth gleaming like daggers. He warned his companions birds who accompanied him not to laugh, for any sound would wake her. As Maui crawled into the goddess, the tiny bird let out a shrill cry of laughter.

Speaker 1: 28:13

After Kinanui, teppo awoke with a start and clamped her teeth shut, slicing Maui in half. Thus Maui fell his quest for immortality. Unfulfilled Death remained undefeated, claiming even the demigod would bested the sun and sea. Though Maui's life ended in tragedy, his legacy endured the islands he raised, the daylight he lengthened and the fire he gifted to humanity forever shaped the world. Among the stars, his magic hook glimmers in the constellation of Scorpio. Maui was more than a demigod he was a force of nature, a trickster, a hero and a champion of humankind no-transcript.