SOME GAMES OF THE ZUNI. 45 



The runners then bathe in a solution made from a root called 

 que-me-way. The time for the contest is at hand. The every-day 

 attire is exchanged for the simple breech-clout. The hair is done 

 up in a neat knot on the top of the head, and the priest pronounces 

 a blessing as he fastens in it an arrow-point, the emblem of fleet- 

 ness. He then places a pinch of ashes in front of each racer, and, 

 standing before him, holding an eagle-wing in each hand, he first 

 touches the ashes with the tips of the wings and then brushes the 

 racer from head to foot. Then turning to the north he touches 

 the wings together and says a prayer, the same to the west, south, 

 east, the earth, and sky. I suppose the idea of the Zuhi in this to 

 be, that as he has sent a prayer to the four points of the compass, 

 the earth, and sky, he has cut off every possible source of mis- 

 fortune and danger. 



Everything being now ready, the priest leads his favorites to 

 the course across the river. Excitement in the pueblo has reached 

 its height ; the most venturesome are offering big odds in the plaza, 

 and now all assemble to see the start. 



Should a side be at all doubtful of its success in the race, an 

 old woman is procured to sit and pray during the entire race. 

 She sits in the middle of the room. The racers sweep the floor 

 around her and then pile up everything that is used about the fire, 

 such as pokers, ladles, stirring-sticks, and even the stones used to 

 support the pots during cooking : these are to make their op- 

 ponents warm ; also the mullers with which they grind the corn, 

 and the brooms : these will make them tired. A woman is chosen 

 rather than a man, because she is not so fleet of foot. Similar 

 ideas are found among many other peoples. 



" It is a world-wide superstition that by injuring the foot- 

 prints you injure the feet that made them. Thus, in Mecklenburg 

 it is thought that if you thrust a nail into a man's footprints the 

 man will go lame. The Australian blacks held exactly the same 

 view. ' Seeing a Tatungolung very lame/ says Mr. Howitt, ' I 

 asked him what was the matter ? He said, " Some fellow has 

 put bottle in my foot." . . .' The Damaras of South Africa take 

 earth from the footprints of a lion and then throw it on the tracks 

 of an enemy, with the wish, ' May the lion kill you ! ' 



As each side is brought to the course the priest gives a parting 

 blessing, and the runners take their positions opposite their oppo- 

 nents in single file along the course. The tik-wa, or stick to be 

 kicked, is about the size of the middle finger. That belonging to 

 one side has its ends painted red and that of the other side its 

 center painted red, so they may be easily distinguished. The rear 

 man of each file places the tik-iva across the base of his toes and 

 sprinkles a little sacred meal upon it. Surrounding the racers 



* J. G. Frazer, in Folk Lore, June, 1890. 



