346 HAWAIIAN ROMANCE OF LAIEIKAWAI [ETH. ANN. 33 
When for the fifth time Malaekahana conceived a child, near the 
time of its birth, she went to the priest and said, “ Here! Where are 
you? Look upon this womb of mine which is with child, for I can 
no longer endure my children’s death; the husband is overzealous to 
keep his vow; four children were mine, fourare dead. Therefore, look 
upon this womb of mine, which is with child; if you see it is to be a 
girl, I will kill it before it takes human shape.* But if you see it is 
to be a boy, I will not do it.” 
Then the priest said to Malaekahana, “Go home; just before the 
child is to be born come back to me that I may know what you are 
carrying.” 
At the time when the child was to be born, in the month of Oc- 
tober, during the taboo season at the temple, Malaekahana remem- 
bered the priest’s command. When the pains of childbirth were 
upon her, she came to the priest and said, “I come at the command 
of the priest, for the pains of childbirth are upon me; look and see, 
then, what kind of child I am carrying.” 
As Malaekahana talked with the priest, he said: “I will show you 
a sign; anything I ask of you, you must give it.” 
Then the priest asked Malaekahana to give him one of her hands, 
according to the sign used by this people, whichever hand she wished 
to give to the priest. 
Now, when the priest asked Malaekahana to give him one of 
her hands she presented the ieft, with the palm upward. Then 
the priest told her the interpretation of the sign: “ You will bear 
another daughter, for you have given me your left hand with the 
palm upward.” 
When the priest said this, the heart of Malaekahana was heavy, 
for she sorrowed over the slaying of the children by her husband; 
then Malaekahana besought the priest to devise something to help 
the mother and save the child. 
Then the priest counseled Malaekahana, “Go back to the house; 
when the child is about to be born, then have a craving for the 
manint spawn,’ and tell Kahauokapaka that he must himself go 
fishing, get the fish you desire with his own hand, for your husband 
is very fond of the young manini afloat in the membrane, and while he 
is out fishing he will not know about the birth; and when the child 
is born, then give it to me to take care of; when he comes back, 
the child will be in my charge, and if he asks, tell him it was an 
abortion, nothing more.” 
