Pele

Do you feel the ground shake? That is Pele saying hello! Pele was the spirit of the volcano, with long hair like flowing red lava. She came from very far away, sailing on the big, blue ocean in a little canoe. She was looking for a new place to call home. This is the story of Pele, who made the beautiful Hawaiian islands.

Pele had a magic digging stick. On each new island she found, she would dig, dig, dig into the ground to make a warm, fiery home. But her sister was the big ocean, and the ocean's cool blue waves would follow her. Splash, splash, splash! The water would put out her warm fire. So Pele kept looking for the perfect home. At last, she found the biggest island of all. She climbed a very, very tall mountain and dug a giant fire pit where the water could not reach. From her new home, she sent rivers of glowing red and orange lava down the mountain. The lava cooled down and made the island bigger and bigger.

Her new home was wonderful! Soon, Pele's sister, Hiʻiaka, came to help. She covered the new black land with soft green plants and bright red flowers. The island was so beautiful. The people of Hawaiʻi remember Pele's story when they see the steam rising from the mountains. Her story shows us that even from something big and fiery, something new and beautiful can grow. It helps us see the amazing power that makes our wonderful world.