The Legends and Myths of Hawaii, by King David Kalakaua, who lived from 1836 to 1890, is a remarkable work. It combines many traditional Hawaiian legends with stories about historical incidents, such as the death of Captain James Cook at the hands of Hawaiians in 1779 and the destruction of Hawaiian temples in 1819.

No other collection of Hawaii's myths has come so directly from a literate Hawaiian. King Kalakaua ruled his subjects with sympathy and understanding and had a deep respect for their traditional knowledge. he was the initiator of a general renaissance of Hawaiian culture that has continued to this day.

His Hawaiian Majesty King David Kalakaua was a fascinating writer and mythologist who captured in these stories the romance of old Polynesia. His book is an early and significant contribution to the preservation of Hawaiian culture, as well as a rich collection of Hawaiian lore.