Concerning Ancient Religious Ceremonies. 



Relating to the Development of the Royal Child in its Mother's Womb. 



THE mother being faint from unpleasant sensations, and groaning at the time, 

 without appetite for food, they (the attendants) sought to ascertain her crav- 

 ings. Tlien certain women came to her and asked, "What sort of illness have 

 you that you hide yourself?" She said to them, "I do not know; (T am) simply lan- 

 guid." The women then said to her, "Let's see; we will examine vou." She took oiif her 

 garment and they examined her body while one of the women took hold of and felt of her 

 breasts, which, on releasing the hand, they observed the contraction of the nipples of her 

 breasts, and exclaimed, "You probabl}' have a child ; you are likely pregnant with one ; tell 

 us." One of the women said that she was simply bloated; there was no child. Another 

 woman, however, persisted, "You are pregnant." They each asked her, "How many 

 months since you last menstruated?" "Two, since my menses period has passed." One 

 of the women asked her, 'What do you craU'e to eat?" "There is nothing that I long 

 for. I try hard to eat." 



On the third or the fourth month her pregnancy became more evident, and she 

 realized the truth of what the women had told her. And v/hen it was certain that she 

 was in such a condition she was placed under careful restrictions ; she was restrained 

 from eating food from any and every one if offered her. She must not eat fish salted 

 by others ; she must not eat white fish, the akii. the opchi, or the mullet. She must not eat 

 a brown-colored dog; she must not gird herself with a glittering skirt ( pa-it). She was 

 not to wear old garments; she was not to dwell in an old house; that was strictly forbid- 

 den. Such was the manner of the teachings of the false deities. 



The child was thus carefully safeguarded lest the people and the chiefs sought to 

 kill it in its mother's womb. A man of evil designs, if seen around such places, would 

 be taken before the king who commanded him to be killed. Such a place was strictly 

 tabooed. No woman nor man of evil intentions was to traverse there, because they had 

 great faith in the teachings of the false deities, and that was why a woman with a child 

 in her womb was kept strictly guarded. 



The people firmly believed that the child would be killed because of the anger of the 

 false deities; they believed that the child would be killed in its mother's womb, because 

 of the anger of the said wooden idols, and the feather idols, the lizard and jwison deities, 

 the gods of the night and the fire (Hiiaka's gods.) All these were what the people 

 faithfully worshiped, being completely deceived in their mind. 



In consideration of these things the peo])le of all the land i)raised its (the child's) 

 name, ihc father commanding the people to "dance in honor of my child, rdl ye men 

 and all ye chiefs." Thus the yarious dances were performed; such as the laaii. paint, 



