Summary

On the Polynesian island of Hikueru, a tale is still told of the boy Mafatu, who is also known as the Boy Who Was Afraid. For the people of the islands, courage is one of the most important traits for a person to have. An individual such as Mafatu, who is afraid of the ocean, has a hard time fitting in among their society, where most are brave warriors and fishermen.

Living on an island, Mafatu is surrounded by the sea at all times, and it is the one thing he fears most. His fear likely comes from a time when he was only three years old, and although he is 15 years old now, that fear is still strong. When he was three, Mafatu’s mother took him out in their canoe to look for sea urchin. The other fishermen warn her about the possibility of...