492 HAWAIIAN ROMANCE OF LAIEIKAWAI [ETH. ANN. 23 
Then Kauakahialii laid a blessing upon his friend, Kekalukaluo- 
kewa, and this it was: 
“Ah! my friend, greatly beloved, I give you my blessing, for the 
end of my-days is near, and I am going back to the other side of 
the earth. 
“ Only one thing for you to guard, our wife.°? When I fall dead, 
there where sight of you and our wife comes not back, then do you 
rule over the island, you above, and our wife below; as we two ruled 
over the island, so will you and our wife do. 
“Tt may be when I am dead you will think of taking a wife; do 
not take our wife; by no means think of her as your wife, for she 
belongs to us two. 
“The woman for you to take is the wife left on Hawaii, Laieika- 
wai. If you take her for your wife it will be well with you, you 
will be renowned. Would you get her, guard one thing, our flute, 
guard well the flute,®° then the woman is yours, this is my charge to 
you.” 
Kauakahialii’s charge pleased his friend. 
In the end Kauakahialii died; the chief, his friend, took the rule, 
and their wife was the counsellor. 
Afterwards, when Kailiokalauokekoa’s last days drew near, she 
prayed her husband to guard Kanikawi, their sacred flute, accord- 
ing to Kauakahialii’s command : 
“ My husband, here is the flute; guard it; it is a wonderful flute; 
whatever things you desire it can do; if you go to get the wife your . 
friend charged you to, this will be the means of your meeting. You 
must guard it forever; wherever you go to dwell, never leave the 
flute at all, for you well know what your friend did when you two 
came to get me when I was almost dead for love of your friend. It 
was this flute that saved me from the other side of the grave; there- 
fore, listen and guard well my sayings.” 
