Note 317 — Introductory material (continued 7)

When the armies were ready to begin the conflict, Kualii looked about him and saw that the different armies were closing in on him, and the grass was so thickly covered with men that it was dried up from the tramping; he then remarked to his own personal attendant, Maheleana: “Say, where are you? This morning you must learn how to fight and how to be brave.” Maheleana replied: “One cannot show his strength against such odds. The rain clouds are encircling from above, from sea-ward and from all sides.” Kualii spoke up: “There are two of us as Kane and Kanaloa are also two. Let us then make a stand and you will see these numbers flee.” While the armies were closing around Kualii he entered the temple to pray. At the close of Kualii’s prayer Maheleana looked and lo, the enemy was close upon them. Kualii then reached for his war club Manaiakalani317 and handed it to Maheleana with the remark: “Here is my war club, go out and enter into the army of Lonoikaika.”