Chafe] SENECA THANKSGIVING RITUALS 21 



(26) And this what the Creator did: he decided, "Illness wall overtake 

 the people moving about on the earth, and these mil always be there 

 for their assistance." (27) And he left on the earth all the different 

 medicines to assist us in the futiu"e. (28) And this too, the Creator 

 did. (29) With regard to the plants growing on the earth he decided, 

 "There will be a certain plant on which berries will always hang at 

 a certain time. (30) I shall then cause them to remember me, the 

 people moving about on the earth. (31) They will always express 

 their gratitude w^hen they see the berries hanging above the earth." 

 (32) And the Sky Dwellers called them shes^a:h}'' (33) But we who 

 move about on the earth shall always call them jistotd^shx?}^ (34) 

 And it is true: we see them when the wind becomes warm again on 

 the earth; the strawberries are indeed hanging there. (35) And it is 

 also true that we use them, that we drink the berry water.^^ For this 

 is what he did: he decided, "They will always bring them to their 

 meeting place and give thanks, all the people, as many as remain. 

 They will be thankful when they see the berries hanging." That is 

 what he did. (36) And it is true: it comes to pass. When in the 

 course of things it becomes warm again on the earth, we are thankful 

 for everything. (37) And give it your thought, that with one mind ^" 

 we may give thanks for all the plants, our medicines. And our minds 

 will continue to be so. 



4. The Water 



(38) And this is what the Creator did: he decided, "There will be 

 springs on the earth. (39) And there will be brooks ^^ on the earth 



" A term reserved for the ceremonially Important wild strawberry. See pp. 7-8. 

 " The generic word for strawberry, wild or cultivated, lit. 'embers attached to it'. 

 !• The ceremonial mixture of strawberries and water 

 "> Lit. 'we establisli our minds as one'. 

 '« Lit. 'veins, arteries'. 



