84 Foniandcr Collection of llaivaiian I'olk-lorc. 



16. ABOUT Till-: FURTIINE-TELLEK. 



Tlie fortune-teller was one of the most learned men in the order of priesthood. 

 He was similar to the diviner priest in some res])ects, and in the relioious ceremonies of 

 the order their duties were alike. Fortune-tellino' consisted of discerning' the character or 

 disposition of a person, whether he he rich or poor, stinoy or benevolent, wrathful or af- 

 fectionate, mischie\-ous or of quiet demeanor. All the characteristics of a j^erson, and all 

 that he does the fortune-teller could reveal, exactly as he will in fact do. 



INTERPRETING THE CLOUD OMENS.''' 



Only in the evening- could the omens in the clouds be inter])reted, at the time 

 that the sun was about to set; that was the time when the omens in the various dark 

 clouds could be observed. This was more noticeable in the evenings of Ku, when the 

 clouds were more consi)icuous and these were the evenings when those who desire might 

 learn [thereof]. 



OF A FORTUNE OMEN CLOUD. 



Supposing that a cloud stood in the form of a man as though holding a parcel in his 

 hand as shown in Figure 4A. If the fortune-teller or weather iM-o]:)het noticed that a 

 cloud stood as a man in this form and if the ])arcel continued to be in the hand until the 

 cloud disappeared, then the fortune-teller would say: "No fortunes will be received on the 

 morrow (if the observation was in the evening)." 



On the other hand, if a cloud stood as in Figure 4B, and was thus observed, then 

 the fortune-teller would say: "Fortune will be received on the morrow; if not brought 

 in then it will be found on the way." If there were several clouds in the form of said 

 Figure B then the day would be most auspicious. 



In the same manner, if a cloud resembling a canoe or canoes was seen in the even- 

 ing, canoes would surely appear the next day. If a cloud was in the form of an oblong 

 or coffin-like Ijox, a cor])se would be seen the next day. 



FORETELLING BY A WEATHER PROPHET OF A TEMPEST OR A CALM. 



Supposing that every day was tempestuous for a long period, rainy and wind}- per- 

 haps, then the weather prophet would look up to the stars; if they did not twinkle but re- 

 mained steadfast, the weather prophet would say: "A calm will prevail. Tomorrow 

 good weather will settle down, and on the following day the calm will be general." In 

 the same manner if indications of a calm were observed in the clouds, or in any other ob- 

 ject in the heavens, the weather prophet's explanation about it would be the same as that 

 of the omens of the stars. 



'"The services of cloud interpreters and weather tations speaks for their observing faculties. Kaopulu- 



prophcts, as will be seen in this division, were in fre- pulu, the prophet-priest of VVaimea, Oahu, was one of 



quent demand and required tlie priest to be a close the most famous, whose predictions from cloud omens 



weather observer to distinguish, among the forty-five of the overthrow of Kahahana by Kahckili, thougli it 



or more cloud-signs of their category, the omen to fit cost him his life, nevertheless, came true, 

 the inquiry. That some became expert in their iiUerpre- 



