74725
I’m trying to read a book but I came across a sentence where there are small
あs after はs and I’m not sure why. Do you know why that is and what it means?

> その時【とき】、子供【こども】たちの声【こえ】が聞こえました【きこえました】。  
>  「鬼【おに】 **はぁ** 外【そと】、福【ふく】 **はぁ** 内【うち】。」  
>  おじいさんは言いました【いいました】。  
>  「あっ、そうか。今日【きょう】は節分【せつぶん】か。」

![鬼はぁ外、福はぁ内](https://i.stack.imgur.com/IriM8m.jpg)
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2020-03-01T18:07:08.603
74724
2020-03-04T06:44:31.533
2020-03-01T19:06:00.803
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question
particle-は culture spoken-language
Small あ after は?
The phrase 「鬼【おに】は外【そと】、福【ふく】は内【うち】」 is said during the 豆まき _mamemaki_
performed as part of [節分](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%AF%80%E5%88%86)
[_Setsubun_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setsubun).

It is often recited _rhythmically_

> [●]{オ}[●]{ニ}[●]{ワ}[●]{ー}[●]{ソ}[●]{ト}○○[●]{フ}[●]{ク}[●]{ワ}[●]{ー}[●]{ウ}[●]{チ}○○

Just writing 「鬼は外、福は内」 just looks/reads very ordinary, so here the small ぁ is
added to convey the (rhythmical) sound of the children singing/reciting the
phrase.

(Rhythm can also change the pronunciation of the numbers when
[counting](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/42552/1628), for example
during hide-and-seek.)
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2020-03-01T19:03:00.010
74725
2020-03-04T06:44:31.533
2020-03-04T06:44:31.533
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answer