Chafe] SENECA THANKSGIVING RITUALS 43 



(169) And now it happened that he sent his helpers to speak to our 

 great one, whom we used to call Handsome Lake, when he moved 

 about. (170) They gave him the responsibility to tell us what we 

 should do in the future. (171) And for a number of years he told 

 about the words of the Creator. (172) And the way things went, he 

 labored until he collapsed. (173) And let there indeed be gratitude 

 that from time to tune now we again hear the words of the Creator. 

 (174) And therefore let there be gratitude that it is still continuing 

 as he planned it. (175) And give it your thought, that we may do it 

 properly: we give thanks for him, whom we called Handsome Lake. 

 And our minds will continue to be so. 



16. The Creator 



(176) And now this is what Our Creator did. (177) He decided, 

 "I myself shall continue to dwell above the sky, and that is where 

 those on the earth will end their thanksgiving. (178) They will 

 simply continue to have gratitude for everything they see that I 

 created on the earth, and for everything they see that is growing." 

 That is what he intended. (179) "The people moving about on the 

 earth wiU have love; they will simply be thankful. (180) They will 

 begin on the earth, giving thanks for all they see. (181) They will 

 carry it upward, ending where I dwell. (182) I shall always be 

 listening carefully to what they are saying, the people who move 

 about. (183) And indeed I shall always be watching carefully what 



