This book represents a collection of Hawaiian songs and poetic pieces that have done service from time immemorial as the stock supply of the hula. The descriptive portions have been added, not because the poetical parts could not stand by themselves, but to furnish the proper setting and to answer the questions of those who want to know.

Nathaniel Bright Emerson (1839– 1915) was a medical physician and author of Hawaiian mythology. He was an historian and writer of Hawaiian mythology. One of his efforts was the translation into English of David Malo's work on Hawaiian lore and customs. The Bureau of American Ethnology published his book, Unwritten Literature of Hawaii.