AT ZU$I AND MOQUI PUEBLOS. HI 



to the dance, but it is by no means sure that the ophidian 

 part of the ceremony is the most important ; it is rather 

 secondary, and in the simpler observance of Ley-la-tuk 

 we have the primitive meaning of the observance which 

 in the snake dance is masked or possibly lost. The snake 

 is the guardian of the springs of the water, and as such is 

 very properly carried in ceremonials for water, just as in 

 the Zuiii Kor-kok-shi, the live turtles, are carried in the 

 hands of the dancers. One can readily see how the in- 

 troduction of the live snake, effective as it is as a symbol, 

 would in the elaboration of the observance lead to an undue 

 development of a subordinate feature of the dance. In- 

 stead of a rain ceremonial it became a snake dance and as 

 such is at present known to the majority of the Indians. 

 The ceremonials connected with one of the symbols so 

 overtowers the others that it conceals from sight the true 

 nature of the observance. That is precisely, it seems to 

 me, what has happened in the snake dance. I would regard 

 it not so much an instance of snake worship, but as a rain 

 or water ceremony in which the snake as a symbol of the 

 sources of water, the springs, is introduced. The impres- 

 sion made by its introduction naturally led to the elabor- 

 ation of all events connected with its capture, handling and 

 introduction in the dance into ceremonials an account of 

 which is given in such an entertaining manner by Captain 

 Bourke. The idea behind this Moqui snake dance, once 

 universal among the pueblos, now obscured by the dis- 

 play of living snakes carried in the mouth, is a ceremony 

 for water in the springs of which the serpent is guardian. 

 The ceremony of Ley-la-tuk has all the essential parts 

 of the snake dance except the ceremony with the snakes. 

 It occurs at about the same time in the year on alternate 

 years. From the nature of all the ceremonies in Ley-la- 

 tuk; the exercises at the Sacred Spring in the plain, the 



