Research source

As the ocean depths draw near the island coasts, they grow more and more shallow and become a wonderful…

Date of account: Published 1916
Source: Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mythology) Collected and translated from the Hawaiian
Reference: Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes (mythology) Collected and translated from the Hawaiian · selected passage 2
Rights: public_domain
Language: English
Record updated: 2026-08-25

Record summary

As the ocean depths draw near the island coasts, they grow more and more shallow and become a wonderful fairy-land into which the dreamer looks from his floating canoe

Published source text

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Source passage

Source text · mention only

As the ocean depths draw near the island coasts, they grow more and more shallow and become a wonderful fairy-land into which the dreamer looks from his floating canoe. Strange branching thickets of coral lie below, sometimes fringed with moving seaweeds and exquisitely colored sea-mosses, while through the coral and moss swim the marvellously painted fish of a hundred varieties. Turning and twisting in and out of coral caves are the spotted eels or the great pink or brown anemone-headed sea-worms. Sea-urchins and star-fish crawl lazily along the valleys and the uplands of the coral reef. The surface of the sea is itself covered with ceaselessly moving waves reflecting a tropical luxuriance of color.

Historical context

Contextual commentary · mention only

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Modern context

Contextual commentary · mention only

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