32 Pomander Collection of Hazvaiian J'olk-lorc. 



Lono, O Kane, O Kanaloa, long life to the king." The pigs were then broiled and 

 brought before the wooden idol, with coconuts and bananas. After this and at the con- 

 clusion of a prayer, the priest offered the pork and the coconuts and the bananas to the 

 idol, giving thanks to all the images. Then they all left the temple and went to their 

 places. And when their pigs were cooked the people took them to the heiaii where a 

 priest pronounced a blessing upon them, after which the people brought their shares to 

 their places, first giving thanks to their smaller deities, and had their meal, after which 

 the priest commanded a man to "go to the mountains to get pala fern," cautioning him that 

 if he was caught in the rain to let him know. The man went up, found the f^ala fern, 

 and while breaking it off the rain fell. He came down feeling happy for being caught in 

 the rain. When he had come into the presence of the priest, the latter asked him, "How 

 fared you on your trip up?" He answered and said, "You told me to go up, and I 

 have done so. My hands broke off the pala fern when the rain fell over me, and I was 

 nearly bent with the cold." Then the priest said, "The omens are good. Tomorrow 

 we will make a haul." 



It was then sunset. The ])riest and the j^eople went to the temple to pray to the 

 deities, after which they all left the temple. The opcln fisherman then prepared his canoe 

 and his net, and at early dawn a priest repaired to the temple to bring the bunch of pala 

 ferns which he placed in the canoe, at the same time asking for a blessing from the deity. 

 He came away after placing the pala ferns. And when the fisherman saw the priest 

 come away he collected together his fishing a])paratus and his net. He girdled on a white 

 sash on his waist, and chanted to his ancestral deities, saying, "O ancestral gods of the 

 night, the night is over and I am come with the day. Here is the sash, and wilt thou 

 watch over me that I may not be shamed." After this prayer he put his net on board the 

 canoe and sailed out to sea. 



This was a most sacred day, no fires being lighted here or there, no other canoes 

 being seen on the ocean, this day, lest they perish. When the fisherman reached the 

 fishing grounds and lowered his net he prayed to his ancestral deities, saying, "O, ances- 

 tral gods of the night ; the night is gone and I am come with the day. Give me great 

 power this day. Cover the belly of our net this day." He then cast the net and threw 

 out the bait. The opeln (fish), on devouring the bait, came streaming into the net, 

 which was then drawn up by the fisherman, who was murmuring a prayer all of that 

 time. He then seized the neck of the net and drew it toward him, calling thus: "O Ku, 

 This has been a great day for us. ^'ou have covered my shame this day." After this, 

 they (the people) lifted the net into the canoe, collected their fish and shoved oft' the bow 

 of the canoe. They all went inland making cheerful noise with their mouths. 



When they landed the ])riest came and stood at the landing place. The fisherman 

 todk u]) seven opeln. walked n\) to the priest and jilaced them in the priest's hand. The 

 priest tlicn took the opclu to an iilic'" board, where the fish was consecrated to the deities. 

 The fisherman then went to his house to thank his ancestral deities, while the jjriest took 

 the fishes and i)laced them on a tray before the altar. Then the high i)riest ordered a 

 man: "Vou take some opelu for the king, that he may eat of the first haul of the day." 



'^Uhc board in the temple on which to receive offerings. 



