[Translation.]
Now wriggles the worm to its goal;
A tousling; a hasty encounter;
A grapple; down falls the rain.
It is now the winner’s right to cross over and claim his forfeit. The audience deals out applause or derision in unstinted measure; the enthusiasm reaches fever-point when some one makes himself the champion of the game by bringing his score up to ten, the limit. The play is often kept up till morning, to be resumed the following night. [466]
Footnote 466:[ (return) ] The account above given is largely based on David Malo’s description of the game kilu. In his confessedly imperfect list of the hulas he does not mention the hula kilu. This hula was, however, included in the list of hulas announced for performance in the programme of King Kalakaua’s coronation ceremonies.
Here also is a mele, which tradition reports to have been cantillated by Hiiaka, the sister of Pele, during her famous kilu contest with the Princess Pele-ula, which took place at Kou—the ancient name for Honolulu—on Hiiaka’s voyage of return from Kauai to her sister’s court at Kilauea. In this affair Lohiau and Wahineoma’o contended on the side of Hiiaka, while Pele-ula was assisted by her husband, Kou, and by other experts. But on this occasion the dice were cogged; the victory was won not by human skill but by the magical power of Hiiaka, who turned Pele-ula’s kilu away from the target each time she threw it, but used her gift to compel it to the mark when the kilu was cast by herself.
Mele
Ku’u noa mai ka makani kuehu-kapa o Kalalau, [467]
Mai na pali ku’i [468] o Makua-iki,
Ke lawe la i ka haka, [469] a lilo!
A lilo o-e, la!
Ku’u kane i ka uhu ka’i o Maka-pu’u,
Huki iluna ka Lae-o-ka-laau; [470]
Oia pali makua-ole [471] olaila.
Ohiohi ku ka pali o Ulamao, e-e!
A lilo oe, la!
Footnote 467:[ (return) ] Ka-lalau (in the translation by the omission of the article ka, shortened to Lalau). A deep cliff-bound valley on the windward side of Kauai, accessible only at certain times of the year by boats and by a steep mountain trail at its head.
Footnote 468:[ (return) ] Pali ku’i. Ku’i means literally to join together, to splice or piece out. The cliffs tower one above another like the steps of a stairway.
Footnote 469:[ (return) ] Haka. A ladder or frame such as was laid across a chasm or set up at an impassable place in a precipitous road. The windward side of Kauai about Kalalau abounded in such places.
Footnote 470:[ (return) ] Lae-o-ka-laau. The southwest point of Molokai, on which is a light-house.
Footnote 471:[ (return) ] Makua-ole. Literally fatherless, perhaps meaning remarkable, without peer.