In Polynesian mythology, Pele is the fire goddess of Hawaii. A powerful and destructive deity,god or goddess she is said to live in the crater of the volcano of Kilauea on the big island of Hawaii. Perhaps the best-known deity of Hawaii, Pele appears in many myths and legends.

Like many figures in Polynesian mythology, Pele is a great traveler. She came to Hawaii from the island of Tahiti, but the reasons for her trip vary. Some myths say that she fled Tahiti to escape the anger of her older sister, whose husband she had stolen. In other stories, she was driven from Tahiti by a great flood or went to Hawaii simply because she wished to travel.

Pele's arrival in the Hawaiian Islands was accompanied by mighty volcanic eruptions. She visited various islands looking for a place to live, but the sea constantly flooded the sites she chose for a home. She finally found...