Sā nonofo i le motu o ‘Upolu i Sāmoa se ulugāli’i ma le lā fānau e
to’atolu. ‘E to’alua teine ma le tama e to’atasi e igoa ‘i ā Malu. ‘0 le tama ‘o Malu ‘o le ui’i lea o le ‘āiga. ‘0 le tama fo’i e mitamita ai ona tuafafine, ‘ona e lē gata ‘ina ‘aulelei ana fōliga, ’a e na te maua fo’i le fuaitino ma uiga ‘uma fa’atamatāne. Na o’ o ‘ina ‘ua matua Malu ma ‘ua ia mana’omia se āvā, ona fa’apea lea o ona tuafāfine, ‘e nā ‘o tama’ita’i talavou e aupito ‘aulelei e tatau cna filifilia mai ai se āvā a Malu. Ma sa fa’apea loa ona fai e tusa o le mana’o o tuafafine o Malu.
Peita’ i, sā tauau ina ‘uma le ‘onosa’i o Malu ‘ina ‘ua lē filifilia e ona tuafafine se tama’ita’i e agava’a mai tama’ita’i talavou e aupito’au lelei o Sāmoa ‘ātoa. ‘A e ui lava ‘i lenā, sā le mafai ona suia ai le mea o lo ‘o manana’o ai tuafafine o Malu. ‘Auā sā iai pea le lā talitonuga,’o lo ‘o iai lava i se vaega o le atunu’u se tama’ita’i e fetaui lelei mō le la tuagane. Ma ‘o le mea lea na lā fa’atali ai ma su’esu’e ātili pea.
‘ A ‘ o fa’atalitali ma va’ava’ai tuafāfine o Malu ‘i se tama’ita’i agava’a e tusa ma o lā mana’o, ‘a e ‘a’ave atu loa tala o le tama’ita’i Fiti e igoa’i ā Sina. Faimai’o se tama’ita’i e tupuga mai’āiga maualuluga o Fiti. Ma e to’atele ali’i o Fiti na aumoe ane ‘i ai ‘i ā Sina, ‘a e sā talitualima ma te’ena e le tama’ita’i. Na fa’alogo tuafafine o Malu ‘i nā tala, ona la manatu lea, ‘o le tama’ita’i agava’a lea ‘ua fetaui lelei ma lo lā tuagane. ‘A e pau le fa’amatalaga e le ‘o iloa e tuafāfine o Malu, o lo ‘o ‘a’ave atu fo’i ‘i Fiti tala i le ‘aulelei o lo la tuagane ‘o Malu, ma o lo ‘o fiava’ai Sina pe moni na tala na ia fa’alogo ai.
Sā faiatu loa tama’ita’i ‘i lo la tuagane ‘o Malu, “Sau ia, ‘o le’ā
mā ō e ‘aunai le tama’ita’i ‘aulelei e fa’afiafia ai ‘oe. Ma e mā iriā te ta’u- tino atu, ‘ua matuā aogā ma tāua lēnei taimi na tātou fa’atali ai, ‘auā ‘o
lea ‘ua maua mai le tali fa’aaliali.”
Sā faiatu Malu ‘i ona tuafāfine, “‘E tatau fo’i lā ona tātou ō, ‘ina
‘ia ’ou va’aitino ‘i ai ‘i lenā tama’ita’i.” ‘A e sā faiatu ona tuafāfine, “‘E leai, ‘e le tatau ona ‘e alu leaga
‘e te lotovaivai gōfie. ‘E le gata fo’i ‘i lenā, ‘a ‘o lo ‘o mā fia sā’i- lia rauamua le tama’ita’i pe agava’a pe leai, ona fa’ato’ā fai ai lea o le mā fa’ai’uga. ‘A ‘o le isi fo’i mea, ‘ā tātou ō ‘uma lā, ‘a ‘o ai ‘ā nofo e va’ai o tātou mātua? ‘E nā ‘o ‘oe lava o lo ‘o fa’amoemoe atu ‘i ai le tausiga o tātou mātua, fa’apea fo’i ma mā’ua. ‘E ā lā lenā tenu?”
sā malie loa Malu ‘i lenā tonu ‘ua faiatu ai ona tuafāfine, ma ‘ua sāuni loa ma le malaga a tama’ita’i. Sa fa’ae’e i le paopao o tama’ita’i le uta mea’ai ma meaalofa e ‘ave mō Sina, ma ‘o le lā meaalofa e aupito sili ona tāua na ‘ave, ‘o le ‘ofe pu’upu’u lāpo’a e puni mau ena itū ‘uma e lua. ‘0 lea ‘ofe na lā utuina ‘i ai vai mai le punāvai ‘ua ‘una ona fa’alau’atau. Ma ‘o lenā vai o lo ‘o i totonu o le ‘ofe, ‘o lo ‘o nātia ai le ata o lo lā tuagane. ‘Ina ‘ua ‘uma ona fa’ae’e o mea ‘uma i le paopao, sā feosofi loa ‘ i luga tuafāfine o Malu ma malaga loa ‘ i Fiti.
Sā taunu’u manuia le malaga a tama’ita’i, ma sā fa’afeiloa’i fo’i lā’ua e tagata o le motu o Fiti. ‘0 ia tagata na latou fa’ asino la’ua ‘i le nofoaga o lo ‘o nofo ai le tama’ita’i ‘o Sina. sā matuā nāofa tuafāfine o Malu ina ‘ua lā vā’aia fōliga lālelei ma uiga tausa’afia o Sina. ‘E le gata ‘i lenā, ‘aesā fa’afiafiaina fo’i lā’ua ina ‘ua fai- gōfie ona talanoa ane Sina ‘i le fa’amoemoe na lā malaga marnao atu ai.
‘A e tālōfa e, ‘ua mao lo lā fa’amoemoe ‘i ā Sina, ‘auā ‘ua le taliaina e Sina le fa’amoemoe e tusa ma lō lā mana’o.
Sā faiatu Sina ‘i tuafāfine o Malu, “‘E tele tala ‘ua ‘ou fa’alogo ai i taraatāne talavou ‘aulelei toe agava’a, ‘a e leai lava se tasi o laou e malie ai lo’u loto. ‘Ai se ā la e tatau ai fua ona ‘ou tu’ua lo’u ‘āiga ma o’u tagata, ‘a e ‘ou malaga atu ‘i lenā motu mamao, ‘e pei ona ’oulua mānana ’o ai ? Sa tatau lava ana ’oulua malaga mai ma ‘ aumai lo ‘oulua tuagane, ona tātou talanoa lea ma fai ai se fa’ai’uga lelei.
Ma ‘o le ‘upu mcni lava, ’e faigōfie lava ona fa’amatala ni tala o ni tamatāne fia ‘aulelei.”
Sa oso atu le tasi tuafafine o Malu ma faiatu, “Ma te talitemu lava e fa’amalieina lou loto pe ‘a ‘e va’ai ‘i lo ma tuagane. Fa’apea e te’ite’i ma ōmai ‘ i lenei mea mamao e ta’u atu lenā tala e uiga ‘i lo ma tuagane?”
Sā tali atu Sina, ”’E fa’apenā lava uiga o tuafāfine ‘uma, lātou te māsani ena fa’amatala nā ’o itū lelei o lātou tuagane, ’a e nanā itū fa’alelelei. ‘0 le isi mea, ‘ā fai ’o le lua tuagane ‘o se tamatāhe
moni lava, se manu ‘ua leva ona fia fa’aipoipo ‘i ai se tama’ita’i o nS tama’ita’i e to’atele o lo ‘o fausasaga i le tou motu. ‘A ‘o le ā le matua o lo lua tuagane?”
Sa tali atu le isi tuafafine, “‘Ua luasefulu nei tausaga ‘ua mavae talu ona fānau mai. Ma sā ma leoleoina fo’i lo nā tuagane i nā tausaga
‘uma. Ma ‘ou te faiatu, Sina, ‘e leai lava se isi tamatāne e sili atu ana ‘e fiafia ‘i ai nai lō le mā tuagane, pe ‘ā ‘e va’ai ‘i ai.”
Sā ‘ata fa’a’amu’amu Sina ma faiatu ‘i tuafāfine o Malu, “‘Ā fai
‘ua luasefulu tausaga o se tamatāne ‘a e le’i fa’aipoipo, ‘o Iona uiga o
lo ‘o iai se mea o lo ‘o fa’aletonu i lenā tamatāne. ffe. e tusa lava pe lua te ta’u mai, ‘e mālosi, ma toa, ma ‘aulelei lo lua tuagane, ‘ou te le fia fa’aipoipo lava ‘i ai. Ma le isi mea, ‘e iai le tamatāne o le tou motu ‘ua ’ou fa’alogo ‘i ona tala, ma e fetaui lelei ma a’u. ‘Ā tcnu e le ‘o tee mamao, esna sau lea e su’e mai a’u. *0 le mea lea ‘ua tatau ai ona ’ oulua vave tee fo ’ i e fai se fa * aipoipoga a le lua tuagane ’a ’ o
le ’ i matua tele. ”
Sa tee fo’i ifo ‘i le matafaga tuafafine o Malu, ma talata lanoa ai i le nea o lo ‘o iai le lā paopao. Sa. tonumu le tasi tuafafine ma faiatu ’i Iona uso, “Sa tatau lava cna fesili mai le tama’ita’i ‘o Sina po ‘o ai lo ta tuagane.”
Sā le tali le uso, ‘a e sā nā ‘o na nofonofo ma miafaufau. ‘Ina ‘ua ō ‘ese tuafafine o Malu ma le fale o Sina, sā alu atu le tasi ‘au’auna fafine a Sina rra faiatu ‘i a Sina, “Sa tatau cna ‘e fesili ‘i nai tama’ita’i, po ‘o ai lo lā tuagane.”
Sa lūlū le ulu o Sina ma faiatu *i lana ‘au’auna fafine, “’Ou te le mana’o ai i lo lā tuagane. Na pau le tamatāne o lo ‘o ‘ou mana’o ma fia fa’aipoipo ai, ‘ua nā ‘o Malu o Samoa, ‘e ui ‘ina o lo ‘o mamao ‘ese ‘o ia e pei ‘o fetū i le lagi. ‘A e sau ia tā ō ’i le vai se’i ‘ou tā’ele, ‘ua lata fo’i ona pō le aso.”
Sā alu ane loa Sina ‘i le tuloto o le vaitafe e fiafia tele e ‘au’au ai. ‘A ‘o le taimi fo’i lenā riā 5 ane ai tuafafine o Malu ma lalafi mai
tua o vaovao o lo ‘o i tafatafa o le ‘auvai. ‘A ‘o le’i la’a ‘i lalo ‘i le vai Sina, sā tatala ifo e tuafafine o Malu le lā vai ‘ofe, ma fa’a-tafea atu ‘i le tuloto le ata o lo lā tuagane ‘o Malu. Na va’ai ifo ‘i ai Sina, i le ‘aulelei o le tagata o lo ‘o fa’atafetafea ane i le vai,
ona ia te’i lea ma ofo, ma sā ia fesili atu ‘i ai, “‘0 ai ‘oe, fa’amole-IlDlfi?”
Sa tali ane le ata fa’ataulāitu o Malu, “‘O a’u ‘o Malu o Samoa.
‘A ‘o ai ‘oe?”
Sā tali atu Sina, “‘0 a’u ‘o Sina o Fiti. ‘Ua i’u lava ‘ina ‘e sau e fa’ataunu’u o’u mo’ano’oga ‘i ā te ‘oe, la’u pele ma lo’u au?”
‘0 le taimi lenā e le’i toe lagona ai se tali a le ata fa’ataulāitu
o Malu, ‘auā ‘ua fa’ataitaiō ma fetāgisi leo tetele tuafafine o Malu.
Ma ‘ua la vala’au atu, ” ‘Aua ‘e te āmana’ia lenā tama’ita’i. ‘Ua na fa’amatagā ma ulagia mā’ua. ‘E atamai ma ‘aulelei le tama’ita’i, ‘a ‘o le fa’alavelave e ‘ino’ino ma manatu fa’atauva’a ‘i a mā’ua. Sā ia tulia mā’ua mai lcna fale. Ma, ‘ā fai ‘e te fa’aipoipo ‘i’lenā tama’ita’i, ‘o le’ā ‘e ola i se ōlaga pologa. ‘Auā e turnu le tama’ita’i i le taufa’ase’e ma le lemāfaufau.
Talitonu mai, Malu, ‘o ma’ua ‘o ou tuafafine. Na rrā malaga mamao mai mo se mea ‘e te lelei ai, ‘a e sa ia talitualimaina ma’ua, ma tuli mā’ua ‘i fafo o lcna fale.”
‘0 le taimi lava na fa’alogoina ai e le ata fa’ataulāitu o Malu ‘upu a ana tuafafine, na suia ai cna fōliga fiafia ‘i le fa’anoanoa, ma sā ia fulitua loa ‘i a Sina ma vala’au atu ‘i ona tuafafine, “Qmai loa tātou toe ō fa’atasi. Talōfa e i nai o’u tuafafine. ‘E sili atu ona aogā lō ‘oulua alofa ‘i ā te a’u, nai lo se fafine lemāfaufau o Fiti.”
Na iloa atu e Sina le mea ‘ua tupu, cna ia momo’e atu lea e tuliloa ‘i ā Fblu ma cna tuafafine. Sa ia vala’au atu fo’i, “Fa’atali mai,
fa’amolemole. ‘Ai se a na ‘oulua le ta’u mai ai le igoa o lo ‘oulua tuagane?”
Sa tāmono’e pea tuafafine o Malu ma feōsofi loa ‘i luga o le paopao Sā lā alo le paopao ma vala’au mai, “Sina, ‘ua mā iloa nei, ‘ua. nā ‘o le igoa, le tino, ma foliga o lo ma tuagane ‘e te fiafia ‘i ai. ‘E le ‘o ‘oe ‘o se tofi o Malu. ‘E nā ‘o fa’anoanoaga ma fa’alavelave e o’o mai pe ‘ ā lua nanofo ma lō ma tuagane.”
Sa le fa’avaivai ai Sina, ‘a e sā ia momo’e atu pea ma oso ‘i le sami ma ‘a’au e tuliloa le va’a o Malu ma cna tuafafine. Na agi ane le matagi ma tūlei ‘ese ai le paopao mai le mea o lo ‘o ‘a’au atu ai Sina. Sa tu’ua na ‘o Sina i le vasaloloa, ‘o lo ‘o ‘a’au ma tauvala’au ‘i a ffelu. Sa ia tagi ma vala’au pea se’ia o’o ‘ina ‘ua fāi ifo Iona leo, ma ‘ua vāivai fo’i ona lima e ‘a’au. Sā i’u ‘ina goto ifo Iona tino i le moana loloto; ma ‘o lana toe rnanava na ia gaganaina ai le i’uleo fa’anoanoa, “Malu.”
There lived in Upolu in Samoa a couple with their three children. They had two girls and one boy, the youngest, named Malu. His sisters took pride in their younger brother, not only because he was very handsome, but also because he was also a talented and accomplished young man. As he grew older and came of age, it was clear he needed a wife, but only one worthy of his many gifts. His sisters wanted him to choose a beautiful young maiden to marry. Malu thought this over, and, having relied on them all of his life, he gratefully decided to let his sisters choose a wife for him.
As time passed, Malu’s patience grew weary while his very fussy sisters failed to find a wife for him from among all the beautiful young women in Samoa. Not a single one was good enough for their brother, but they persisted, believing that surely they would soon find a maiden befitting Malu.
As they searched for the ideal young lady for their brother Malu, rumors had begun to surface throughout the land about a beautiful young lady from Fiji named Sina.
Her lineage was prominent and her family was rich. Many young bachelors of Fiji had approached Sina, but she was so reluctant she had turned them all away. Malu’s sisters listened attentively to these growing rumors, and finally decided she would be perfect. As they made their plans, Malu’s sisters were unaware that Malu himself had earned an equally great reputation which was growing throughout Fiji. The stories of Malu’s fine looks and virtues were so flattering that Sina herself soon decided Malu was the only man she would consider for a husband. She resolved to see him for herself, and confirm whether the rumors were true or not.
Malu’s sisters told their brother Malu, “Come, we want to see for ourselves and bring this beautiful Sina to Samoa to make you happy. We promise it will be worth it because we will finally confirm what we have so long awaited.”
Malu thought this over for a while, and, being reluctant to question his sisters, hesitantly told them, “We should all go together, so I can see this young lady in person for myself.” But the sisters firmly insisted, “No, you should not go, as you will be easily weakened by her beauty. Not only that, we must see this young lady first to determine if she is of good character, and only then decide with certainty that she will be the right wife for our brother Malu. Another concern is that if we all go together, who will be there to watch over our parents? You are the only one on whom we rely for the care of our parents. Is ours not the better choice?”
Malu was finally agreeable to his sister’s plans, and the elaborate preparations for their long journey in search of a wife for Malu were begun. Abundant amounts of food and gifts for Sina and her family were loaded onto the canoes. The most important gift was personally attended to by the sisters themselves. This gift was a short and stout length of bamboo with both ends tightly enclosed and filled with water. Hidden inside the bamboo was an image of Malu that the sisters would keep close to themselves throughout their journey should they need to share his image or even commune with him. When all the gifts and food were secured in the canoe the sisters came on board their canoe, and they began the long journey to Fiji.
When the sisters arrived safely, they were greeted with eager anticipation by the people of the Fijian Islands. They led the sisters to the home where Sina lived with her distinguished family. Malu’s sisters were amazed when they first gazed upon the beauty and radiant personality of Sina. They were also surprised and happy with how eloquently and easily Sina conversed with them about the reason for their trip. But, alas, their hopes vanished and their hearts sank when Sina abruptly interrupted, announcing that she would refuse their offer of marriage to their brother.
Sina’s tone was skeptical as she explained to Malu’s sisters, “I have heard so many stories of handsome, young, eligible bachelors, but none of them has really met my expectations. So why should I leave my family and people and travel to a distant island as you ask? You should have brought your brother with you on this journey, so that I could see him for myself. Only then can we discuss together and decide about a marriage. How do I know you are truthful?” she asked skeptically, continuing, “Anyone can come and talk about young men telling stories that one or another is the most handsome of all.”
One of Malu’s sisters protested, “ But I know you will be pleased if you were to meet our brother in person. Why do you think we traveled this far to tell you that about him?”
Sina replied, scoffing, “That’s how all sisters are! They only portray the good side of their brothers and always hide his shortcomings. Another problem worries me. If, in fact, your brother is a worthy young man, would he not have found a young woman to marry already? I am sure there are many beautiful young women in your islands. Also, how old is your brother?”
The other sister insisted in reply, “It has been 20 years since he was born. We have watched over and protected him throughout all these years. I’m telling you Sina, there will be no other young man you would be pleased with other than our brother when you see him.”
Sina laughed mockingly and told Malu’s sisters, “If someone is 20 years old and still not married, then there must be something wrong with him. And even though you say he’s strong, brave and handsome, I still don’t want to marry him. And there is one more thing. I have heard of another young man from your island who I am sure is a perfect match for me. It is only, I am sure, a matter of time before he will come to seek me for his wife. For this reason, you need to return home quickly and have a wedding for your brother soon before he grows too old.”
Feeling insulted and bitterly disappointed, Malu’s sisters returned to the beach where their canoe was secured, and there they talked the matter over. One of the sisters murmured to the other in disappointment, “Sina should have at least asked us who our brother was.”
The other sister did not answer but sat and thought. She was remembering that when the sisters left Sina’s house, one of the female servants said, “You should at least have asked the poor girls who their brother was.”
Sina had shaken her head pridefully and said to her female servant, “I don’t want their brother. The only young man I want to marry is Malu of Samoa, even though he is far away like the stars in the heavens. But come! Let us go to the pool so I can bathe, the evening is coming.”
Sina then went to the deep side of the bathing water where she loved to swim. At that same time, Malu’s sisters had hidden themselves behind the bushes close to the water. Just before Sina stepped into the water, Malu’s sisters opened the bamboo stick and poured out the water which drifted over the surface of the pool illuminating the night with the image of the face of their handsome brother Malu. When Sina saw Malu’s image she was shocked, and asked, “Who are you please?”
The spiritual image of Malu replied, “I am Malu of Samoa. And who are you?” Sina answered, “I am Sina of Fiji. You finally came to fulfill my hopes for you, my dear and my love!”
At that time, there was no response from the image of Malu. His sisters interrupted the spirit image, crying out loudly as they called out, “Don’t recognize or acknowledge that young lady. She has embarrassed and shunned us. She is both brilliant and beautiful, but she despises and disrespects us. She chased us out of her home. And if you marry her your heart will live in bondage to her inconsiderate nature and disrespect. Believe us, Malu, we are your sisters. We traveled far to seek beauty and goodness for you, but she denied us, and rudely cast us out from her home.”
The moment the image of Malu heard the words of his sisters, his facial expressions changed from happiness to sadness, and he turned his back from Sina and called out to his sisters, “Come, let us return home to Samoa together. My poor sisters, your love for me is greater than that of a disrespectful woman of Fiji.”
Sina realized what had happened, and seeing them leave, she chased after Malu and his sisters. She cried out, “Wait, please! Why did you not tell me the name of your brother?”
The sisters kept running and boarded their canoe. They rowed their canoe and called out, “Sina we now know it is just the name, body and face of our brother that you love. You are not worthy of our brother Malu. Only sadness and trouble will come should you marry our brother.”
In her desperation to catch up, Sina did not falter. Realizing what she had lost, she ran into the water and swam to catch up with Malu and his sisters. The strong winds blew and pushed the canoe further and further out into the ocean, further and further away from where Sina swam in pursuit. Sina was left all alone in the vast ocean, swimming and calling out for Malu. She kept crying and calling until her voice disappeared into the wind, and her weary arms could no longer hold her up. As her body was weakened, she sank into the deep ocean. With her last sad, weak breath she uttered, “Malu . . . .”
But Malu and his sisters never looked back.
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