About the eighth year of their living as man and wife, Malaekahana conceived and bore a daughter, who was so beautiful to look upon, the mother thought that Kahauokapaka would disregard his vow; this child he would save. Not so! At the time when she was born, Kahauokapaka was away at the fishing with the men.
When Kahauokapaka returned from the fishing he was told that Malaekahana had born a daughter. The chief went to the house; the baby girl had been wrapped in swaddling clothes; Kahauokapaka at once ordered the executioner to kill it.
After a time Malaekahana conceived again and bore a second daughter, more beautiful than the first; she thought to save it. Not so! Kahauokapaka saw the baby girl in its mother's arms wrapped in swaddling clothes; then the chief at once ordered the executioner to kill it.
Afterwards Malaekahana bore more daughters, but she could not save them from being killed at birth according to the chief's vow.
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, four are 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.[4] 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 October, during the taboo season at the temple, Malaekahana remembered 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 left, 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."