Chafe] SENECA THANKSGIVING RITUALS 39 



be used for measuring by the people moving about. If it happens that 

 they run into darkness on their journey, they will use them, the people 

 moving about. (144) And indeed they will lift their faces to the stars 

 and will be set straight. They will head back directly toward their 

 home." ^^ (145) And up to the present time they have had an added 

 responsibility. (146) While it is dark they will cause moisture to fall 

 on everything that he left to grow of its own accord on the earth. 

 (147) And truly they enjoy water throughout the night, everything 

 that he left to grow of its own accord. It comes from the stars arrayed 

 in the sky. (148) And we believe that they are performing their obli- 

 gation, the responsibility that they too have. And give it your 

 thought, that we may do it properly: we now give thanks for them, the 

 stars arrayed in the sky. And our minds will continue to be so. 



14' The Four Beings 



(149) And now Our Creator decided, "I shall have the Four Beings 

 as helpers to protect the people moving about on the earth." (150) 

 Indeed, he saw well that it was not possible for them alone, that they 

 could not continue to move about alone. (151) It was true: all sorts 

 of things were going on on the earth where they would move about. 

 (152) It was inevitable that the people moving about on the earth 

 would have accidents. (153) The people moving about on the earth 

 would have accidental things happen to them that would be beyond 

 their control. (154) And indeed we too can attest to it, we who move 

 about on the earth : it will happen that people are involved in accidents 

 that are beyond their control. It is the way with us who move about 



" Lit. 'where It bites their min'l,' possibly referring to homesickness. 



