38 I'oniaiulcr Collection of Hawaiian Polk-lorc. 



When the dogs were cooked they were placed before the goddesses, together with the il\o- 

 Icna bananas ; and after the king had offered a prayer to them, the priest of the House 

 of Papa declared the restrictions to be lifted, and they were free from all restraint this 

 day. 



After nine days the king and the priests again went to the temple, and in the even- 

 ing of MoJialii" (when the moon was twelve nights old), entered it. Two men were sta- 

 tioned there. The high priest picked up two coconuts, and standing called upon the god 

 Lono saying: "O Lononuiakea, here are the coconuts. Safety to thine attendant (or 

 keeper), and to the land, and to the people." These were the nights of Hiia. And when 

 the priest had offered the petition to the deities, and had thrown the coconuts (to the 

 men), one from each hand, he sat down, all joining in the supplication. The two men 

 then stood up calling with loud voices, feeding the stars '" and the moon this very same 

 night. The king then oft'ered pig and coconut to the deities after which they left the 

 temple. And when they had gone on the outside it was dark, so they rested that night. 

 They expressed approval during the night, and the hearts of all the people were thankful, 

 for they said: "The king's gifts of coconuts were good; the country is indeed safe." 



At dawn the king and the priest and one other man went into the temple to pray as 

 they had done before, after which the restriction on them was raised that night. They 

 left the temple and went outside. And after these things there was nothing for them to 

 do for twenty and nine nights. Then the priest again went into the temple to break a 

 coconut, which was the priest's own and that of the people also. It was a yearly festi- 

 val custom, and it was formerly enacted so it was to be observed by the priest. After 

 this the ]jriest left the temple when they were all released from restrictions this night. 



And when seven more nights had come to pass and on the day of Laau-ku-lua" 

 the deities of all the lands were turned on this day. They were not to be stood up, as the 

 annual restrictions prevailed, and the collectors of tributes from all over the land were 

 near, and had brought a great collection of goods for the king's annuity, consisting of 

 dogs, cloths, malos, fish and all other things and placed them before the king, all the dis- 

 tricts paying tribute this day. And in the night of Laau-paii (the 20th) the collection 

 was displayed and the king's feather deity and the lesser priests came to distribute the 

 oft'erings this night. This was a very sacred night, no fires burning, and no noise to be 

 heard. They offered prayers this night and then went to sleep. 



And in the morning of Olc-kukahi (the 21st), the king arose, and the priest and 

 another man, who was a great favorite, holding the drum, the three came to the place 

 where the tributes were displayed. The king oft'ered a pig to the deity and then they 

 joined in supplication. After prayer the pigs prepared for them were cooked, and they 

 sat down to partake thereof. After the meal the ])riest distributed the collection, and 

 then asked the king, saying, "How was your prayer?" He answered, "It was very good; 

 there was no rain, no noises; it was excellent," and he raised the restriction in this week. 



Then the priest took a large portion from the collection for his share, i)art of which 

 he sacrificed to the king's deities. And after this, the king commanded that the goods be 

 given to the chiefs and the chiefesses, and to the guards. And the person who had the 



"Mnhiilu, ulicii the moon was twelve days old. '''Laan-ku-hia. tlic iiiiiclccnlli of the lunar iiioiitli. 



'"Feeding the stars and moon with petitions. 



