Chafb] SENECA THANKSGIVING RITUALS 27 



about, to be a source of amusement for them. (65) "And they will 

 be available as food to the people moving about on the earth." (66) 

 And up to the present time we have indeed seen the small animals 

 running about along the edges of the forests, and within the forests 

 as well. (67) And at the present time we even catch glimpses of the 

 large animals again. ^^ (68) There w^ere in fact a number of years 

 durmg which we no longer saw the large animals. (69) But now at 

 the present time we again see the large animals running about, and 

 at the present time they are actually available to us again as food. 

 (70) And we are using them as Our Creator intended. (71) And 

 therefore let there be gratitude that it all does still continue as he 

 intended. And give it your thought, that we may do it properly: we 

 now give thanks for the animals running about. And our minds wiU 

 continue to be so. 



7. The Birds 



(72) And this is what Our Creator did. (73) He decided, "I shall 

 establish various creatures that will spread their wings from just 

 above the earth to as far upward as they can go. (74) And they too 

 will be called animals. (75) They will begin just above the earth, 

 and will go all the way into the clouds. (76) And they too aU have 

 names, the birds with outspread wings." (77) And with respect to 

 the small birds he decided, "There will be a certain period when they 

 wiU stir, and they will turn back, going back to where it is warm. 



»• Lit. 'we see them again . . . they appear momentarily'. See p. 8. 



