

662 Fornandcr Collection of Hawaiian Folk-lore. 



prophet at that time. Because Hiia wanted to bake Luahoomoe in the oven, therefore 



he [Luahoomoe] told his sons where to go and h\-e, because lie was going to take 



awa\' the rain (deprive the land of the rain). 



Thus there were manv other little things here in Hawaii which can be compared 



with some things in the Bible, but my illustrations thereon are sufficient. 



February 15. 1872. 



G. PUULOA. 



THE DAYS AND THE MONTHS. 



During the month of Ikuwa' occurs the rain called I'ohakoeleele;'- on the day 

 called Hua'' at noon, a person goes to plant. These are the names of the stalks to be 

 propagated: Inialani. liokco. lopo, likolchua and kaxvclo.^ This is the method of plant- 

 ing: he takes three stalks, separating them one from the other with his fingers, and 

 plants them. He leaves them until two months have passed : he goes to inspect them, 

 and if he finds that they have grown well he says this: "The future [living] is provid- 

 ed for. the growth is good." But if when he arrives, they are dead or drying up, he 

 would feel grieved because they did not do well. The farmers know there is a time 

 when plants do not grow well; that is the winter season when rains are plentiful and the 

 shoots will die. But if a planter waits until the month of Tkiiki,' of misty rain, that is 

 when the rain is light and is easily scattered by the wind, on the day of Mohalu" in the 

 month of Ikiiki, [that] is the month for him to plant in the manner described above. 

 These are the names of the potatoes to be planted: zvaipalnf'al 11. kokoakeazve, kuapai, 

 Iicauau and Iiaolc. He waits until the months of Kaaona^ and Hinaiaeleele'* are past 

 when he goes again to look, and he finds that some are dead and some are growing. 

 This is what he says: "My wife and children are saved by the baldheaded one." He 

 waits for some time longer until the grass grows, then he weeds it; this [weeding] is 

 sufficient until the time that the potato is ripe. After weeding, leave it for many days ; 

 when the planter comes again and hills up the soil. If any potato is found while 

 hilling up the dirt, that is. the fruit in between the plants growing on the vine, he 

 breaks ofif the first jjotato. He returns, lights a fire in the imu, cooks the potato un- 

 til done, and brings it to the house. He sits beside the doorway and prays thus: "Ye 

 large black cloud hanging below the eye of the narrow pointed clouds, give shade, 

 ]M-otecting shade; guard this our garden, O Keaonui;" do thou cast shade over this our 

 garden, O Keaonui ; shade thou from that corner to this corner ; shade thou from that 

 side to this side ; shade not another's garden lest you be scolded for shutting out the 

 sun and chilling the owner of that garden. O Keaonui, shade thou this our field ; shade 

 thou the hills, shade thou the leaves of our food, so that the plants would grow and the 



'[kiiwn, September-October, the htnar nioiitli. "Mohahi, the twelfth day of the mnntli. 



"Poha koelcele, bursting, pattcrin.n. "Kaaoiia, May-June. 



"Hua, the thirteenth day of the lunar month. "Hinaiaeleele, June-July. 



'Varieties of sweet potato. "Keaonui, large cloud, supposed to personify a deity. 



'Ikiiki, April-May, tlie time of light sunuiier showers. 



