The people of Tonga are proclaimed as the root of greatness, giving rise to legendary warriors. The tale recounts Napoleoni, born of a Tongan father and an American mother, rising miraculously to lead the French (Faranise) against their enemy, Uelingtoni. Despite his miraculous birth and deeds, others claim him, but the truth, as told by Vave of Kolonga, celebrates Tonga’s undeniable greatness.
Source
Tales from Old Fiji
by Lorimer Fison
Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co.
at the Ballantyne Press
by Alexander Moring Ltd
London, 1904
► Themes of the story
Cultural Heroes: Napoleoni is depicted as a descendant of Tongan lineage, embodying the valor and greatness attributed to Tongan warriors.
Quest: The French emissaries embark on a journey to America, seeking the prophesied leader to aid them against their adversary, Uelingtoni.
Prophecy and Fate: The narrative centers around a prophecy that dictates the destiny of Napoleoni and the French nation, emphasizing the role of fate in their lives.
as told by a Tongan
There is no people on the face of the earth so great and noble as are we, the people of Tonga. Other nations may be more numerous and richer, and perhaps even stronger than we; but with us is the root of greatness, and with us alone. From our stock has sprung the race of warriors — men whose names are known — some whose mighty deeds have been done among our own people, and others who have lived and fought among foreign nations. Thus, Napoleoni was a son of Tonga; for his mother came to us in a ship from the land of Merikei (America), which stayed with us for many days hunting whales. She was a young woman, tall and fair; and after a while, she sailed again to her own land, where she brought forth a child, though no man had her to wife, and this child she called Napoleoni.
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Now, after many days, when he was grown, the men of Faranise (France) sent ambassadors to Merikei, begging for help against Uelingtoni, who had beaten them in many battles, killing their king, and all the sons of the chiefs. For the high-priest had told them that there they would find the child of a red father who would lead them against their enemies, and before whose face no man should be able to stand. So they came sailing over the waters to Merikei in search of him who should lead them to victory; and a weary search they had, for the people mocked them as they went from town to town asking for the son of a red father. The boys also followed them, crying aloud, “We are the sons of red fathers. Take us, that we may gain you the victory.” In one town, the name of which we have not been told, the young men deceived them shamefully, promising to lead them to the deliverer of their people. And their souls rejoiced.
“Good is our coming,” they said to one another. “Good is our coming, for here our troubles end. Woe now to Uelingtoni!”
“True!” said the young men; “your troubles are over, and woe to Uelingtoni. But come now, why do we linger here?” And, leading them through the gateway in the war-fence at the back of the town, and across the moat, they took them to a house in the forest where a farmer lived — for you must know that in Merikei the husbandmen are not permitted to dwell within the town — and there they showed the men of Faranise a calf! “Here now,” they said, “is he whom you seek, for his father is red.”
The men of Faranise turned, and went sorrowfully on their way, while the mocking laughter of the cruel youths sounded in their ears. But towards evening they came to a little house, standing by itself in the midst of the wood; and in this house dwelt the mother of Napoleoni.
“Let us ask here also,” said the chief man among them. “It may be that we shall yet find him; for surely the high-priest could not have lied to us, and his words were that we should find our deliverer in this land. Therefore let us ask here also.”
So they made their inquiry; and the mother of Napoleoni cried aloud in wonder when she heard their words. “Who then are you?” she cried. “Who told you that the father of my son is red?”
“We are chiefs,” they replied. “From the land of Faranise we come. We are seeking the child of a red father, who is to save us from our enemy Uelingtoni, and revenge all the evils he has brought upon our people. We were sent by our great priest, who told us that here we should find the deliverer of our people, the son of a man whose skin is red.”
The woman stood gasping with wonder. “Truly the gods have sent you,” she cried. “I have a son whose father is a chief in Tonga. But this my son — he who is sitting there on the mat — he is dumb. How then can he be the leader of your people?”
Never before had Napoleoni spoken; he had been dumb from the day of his birth; but now he rose and spake, for his time was come. Tall and strong — taller than the tallest of the strangers — he rose from the floor-mat on which he had been sitting.
“I am he whom you seek,” he said. “Come! Let us go to your canoe and sail, that I may lead you to victory. Farewell, my mother! Be of good cheer, for I shall come again in triumph, when I have smitten the enemy of these our friends. Or if I come not again, I will send for you to the land where it shall please me to dwell.”
“Farewell, my son,” said his mother, following him to the door, and plucking a flower that grew near by. “Go, and may the gods be your helpers! Take this flower; and when you look upon it, think then of your father and of me.”
The flower which she gave him was red.
So he led the men of Faranise. I could tell you of his mighty deeds — how he smote the enemies of Faranise, though they were many and strong; how he chased Uelingtoni from land to land, till he caught him at Uatalu, and banished him to a desert island, where he died.
Of all these things I could tell you; but to what end? All the world knows them. But of his birth only, and his going to Faranise, have I told you, because the men of Faranise hide the truth, giving out that he was truly one of themselves, born in an island, the dwelling-place of their royal clan. This lie they tell, envying us, the people of Tonga, because of our greatness. The men of Merikei also claim him, because they have red-skinned men among them; but the truth is that which I have told you here to-day. I am Vave of Kolonga.
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