30 J'ornaiidcr Collection of Haii'aiian Folk-lore. 



king's temple service. All the chiefs had a certain time for worship. Some had their 

 temple restrictions for three days, some four days, some five days, some two days, when 

 they ceased worshipping; but the king had eight, and even ten days of worship. 



These are the months for war: i, Kaelo, that is December; 4, Wclo, March; 2, 

 Kaiiliia. January; 5, Ikiki, Ai)ril ; 3, Nana, February. Those were the only war months 

 of the king and the priest. 



OF THE OPELU (fISH) 



^^l^en the new month of Kaaona (May) arrived the priest said to the king, "This 

 is the month of May. The sharp bones of the fish ha\'e been trimmed. There is no war, 

 and let us live in peace." The fishermen of all the district divisions round about then 

 made preparations. And when the next month, Hlnaiaclccle (June), arrived, in the 

 evening of Hilo, the priest, all l)y himself, tabued the opelii. the king not knowing of it. 

 They ofifered prayers this night, the priest sacrificing a pig to the deities. And when it 

 was night, the priest prepared a fowl for his ancestral god and his deity. They (the 

 people) went to sleep that night, the fires being restricted from burning in all places, all 

 noises were ])rohibited ; also the crowing of the rooster, the grunting of the pigs, and 

 ihc Ijarking of the dogs. It was a most sacred night. 



Tn the early morning the high priest went into his sanctuary to ofifer a prayer. 

 This was called Inilaliula.'"' The high priest prayed in a lonely place, he and his attend- 

 ant priest. I'he high priest then offered a pig in sacrifice, placing it before the deity. 

 They then conferred between themselves, saying, "How is our service?" The high 

 priest answered, "The i)rayer was well. The king's country is safe, as also the king and 

 all the people." They then went on the ovitside to in(|uire particularly of the people, 

 who might have heard something. And they said unt(» them : "What have you heard 

 on the outside, here?" And they said, "We did not discern anything wrong out here." 

 Then the high priest said unto his people : "Sing aloud ; raise your voices high ; give thanks 

 for the excellence of the services." And they exclaimed aloud, raising high their voices, 

 saying, "The services are ended" (or finished). 



At daylight they made a short prayer on the outside of the opelii"^ house. The peo- 

 ple were then seated in four rows, and at the same time the feather idol of the high priest 

 was set up. The attendant priest then stood up and all joined in prayer. When the idol 

 was set up they all at first stood in a circle around it, and then moved to the upper side 

 and prayed. The priest then offered the alaea prayer and sacrificed to his ancestral dei- 

 ties, after which he prayed with a loud voice over the people, saving: "My brothers, it is 

 well; you are safe," (they then) arising four times, and sitting down again four times, 

 after which the attendant ])riest inquired of the high priest: "How was mv prayer?" 

 The high priest answered, "Our ])rayers were perfect." After this thev went on the out- 

 side on the kiiiila. where they offered a short praver. 



They then entered the temple (lieiaii) where the priest offered a praver called ko- 

 lii, in which they all j( lined in earnest supplication, with their hands held high towards the 

 house, and with very loud \-oices exclaiming: "The pra\er, this is the praver : ( ) Ku, O 



''Name of a good or favorable aha — a prayer con- '"Opehi, a species of mackerel (Decapterus piniin- 



nccted with a kapu. hitiis). 



