March, 1905. The Traditions of the Hopi — Voth. 239 



time a cloud was forming in the mountains. They now sang the 

 following song: 



Yoookwaa yoookwahayaha, Rain, rain. 



Ihi, aha, ihi. 



As they were singing, the clouds came nearer and it began to rain and 

 thunder, and the water began to fall so that they could now drink. 

 When they had quenched their thirst they were very happy and ran 

 about because they were no longer thirsty. 



W. WHY THE ANTS ARE SO THIN.' 



Ishyaoi! East of Tcookavii lived a great many Ants. Onetime 

 the chief of the Ants said to them that they were going to have a 

 Katcina initiation in four days. On the fourth day two of the Ants 

 dressed themselves up as Hu Katcinas; one as Angwiishnacomtaka, 

 just the same as is being done to-day when children are initiated into 

 a Katcina society. They dressed up at Koritvi, a short distance 

 north-west of the village. Some of the Ants also made a sand picture 

 on the floor of the kiva; then the Ants began to bring their children 

 that were to be initiated into the kiva. 



When the children had all been put in, the Katcina priest of the 

 Ants related the story in the same manner as the Katcina priest now 

 relates it at the Katcina initiation. Four little Koyemsis then had 

 their performance. One of the Ants was in the meanwhile sitting on 

 a rock outside, and when they were through in the kiva this Ant 

 swung one fore-foot vigorously as a signal for the Katcinas to come. 

 The Katcinas at once came running to the kiva, circled around the 

 kiva several times, and then entered it, taking places opposite the 

 sand picture. They then flogged the little Ant children. They 

 flogged them so hard that they almost cut them through in the middle 

 of their body. When they were through all the Katcinas left the 

 kiva and ran away. And that is the reason why the ants are now so 

 thin in the middle of their bodies, because they were almost cut in 

 two on that occasion. 



100. lAvOvOlvipiki and nOnvOvOlpiki.' 



Haliksai! In Oraibi the people were living. A short distance 

 south of the village is a rock called LAkokpi, because a long time ago 

 the women here used to rub out the seeds from a certain grass called 



> Told by KwAyeshva (Ora{bi). 

 2 Told by Loman6mtiwa (Oraibi). 



