Hawaiian Wise Saying -Little work, little gain.

1. ‘U‘uku ka hana, ‘u‘uku ka loa‘a. Little work, little gain. There are many wise sayings dealing with the value of hard work. Many are rooted in routine activities of the Hawaiians of old such as involving the harvesting of ‘ulu, “’A’ole loa’a ka ‘ulu i ka pökole o ka lou” meaning, “The breadfruit cannot be gotten with a short hook”. Or how about, “’Ohi ka manu o ke ao” which means “the bird of the day reaps its rewards”, here referring to the ua’u bird which catches its meal each day. In today’s ‘ölelo no’eau, ‘u’uku is a word for very little. ‘U‘uku ka hana, ‘u‘uku ka loa‘a. Little work, little gain.