In the translation of this pule the author has found it necessary to depart from the verse arrangement that obtains in the Hawaiian text. The religious services of the halau, though inspired by one motive, were not tied to a single ritual or to one set of prayers. Prayer marked the beginning and the ending of every play—that is, of every dance—and of every important event in the programme of the halau; but there were many prayers from which the priest might select. After the prayer specially addressed to Laka the visitor might use a petition of more general scope. Such is the one now to be given: He Pule Kuahu (ia Kane ame Kapo); _a he Pule Hoolei_ Kane, hiki a’e, he maláma [73] la luna; Ha’aha’a, he maláma ia lalo; Oni-oni,[74] he málama ia ka’u; He wahine [75] lei, málama ia Kapo; 5 E Kapo nui, hala-hala [76] a i’a; E Kapo nui, hala-hala [77] a mea, Ka alihi [78] luna, ka alihi lalo; E ka poha-kú.[79] Noho ana Kapo i ka ulu wehi-wehi; 10 Ku ana i Moo-helaia,[80] Ka ohi’a-Ku iluna o Mauna-loa. Aloha mai Kaulana-a-ula [81] ia’u; Eia ka ula la, he ula leo,[82] He uku, he mohai, he alana, [Page 45] 15 He kanaenae na’u ia oe, e Kapo ku-lani. E moe hauna-ike, e hea au, e o mai oe. Aia la na lehua o Kaana[83] Ke kui ia mai la e na wahine a lawa I lei no Kapo— 20 O Kapo, alii nui no ia moku, Ki’e-ki’e, ha’a-ha’a; Ka la o ka ike e ike aku ai: He ike kumu, he ike lono; He ike pu-awa [84] hiwa, 25 He ike a ke Akua, e! E Kapo, ho’i! E ho’i a noho i kou kuahu. Ho’ulu ia! Eia ka wai,[85] la, 30 He wai e ola. E ola nou, e! [Footnote 73: _Maláma_. Accented on the penult, as here, the word means to enlighten or a light (same in second verse). In the third and fourth verses the accent is changed to the first syllable, and the word here means to preserve, to foster. These words furnish an example of poetical word-repetition.] [Footnote 74: _Onioni._ To squirm, to dodge, to move. The meaning here seems to be to move with delight.] [Footnote 75: _Wahine lei._ A reference to _Laka_, the child of Kapo, who was symbolized by a block of wood on the altar. (See p. 23.)]