Soon deep darkness rested on the land, and all the people fell asleep, for they were very tired. Kauilani only remained awake at his incantations, listening to the rapid work of the gods in cutting trees, carving images, and filling the houses with them.
Awaking the next day, the chief and his people went to the houses and saw they were filled to overflowing with images, and covering the platforms and fences around the houses.
Kauilani said to his father, “Let the men go up to a high hill inland and burn the dry wood and brush to attract the attention of your enemy while we prepare our battle.”
Akua-pehu-ale was sporting in the sea when he saw the smoke rising from the hills and mingling with the clouds. He said: “That is something different from a cloud, and must be smoke from a fire made by some man. What man has escaped my eyes? I will go and see, and when I find him he shall be food for me.” Then he [[215]]came to the beach, and his magic body flew to the lands below Kawaikini.
All the people had been concealed by Kauilani, who alone remained to face the sea-monster. He stood in the doorway of one of the two large houses, with an image on each side, for which he had made eyes looking like those of a man.
The god came up, and, fixing his eyes on the young chief, said: “Why are you hiding here? You have escaped in the past, but now you shall become my food.” He opened his mouth wide, one jaw rising up like a precipice, the other resting on the ground, his double-pointed tongue playing swiftly and leaping to swallow the chief and the images by his side.
Kauilani said sternly, “Return to your place to-day, and you shall see my steps toward your place to-morrow for battle.”
The god hesitated, and then said: “Sweet is the fatness of this place. Your bones are soft, your skin is shining. The glory of your body this day shall cease.”
The chief, without making any motion, replied: “Wait a little; perhaps this means work for us two. This is my place. If I strike you, you may be my food, and the pieces of your body and your lands and property may fall to me like raindrops. It may be best that you should die, for you are very old, your eyelids [[216]]hang down, and your skin is dry like that of an unihipili god The god thought a moment, and, knowing that the word of a chief was pledged for a battle, decided that he would return to a better place for a victory, so turned and went back to the shore.