Chafh] SENECA THANKSGIVING RITUALS 91 



thanks as they see how I created the earth." That is what he in- 

 tended. (204) And now they decided that it would issue from me, 

 the gratitude and also the hope that it will continue in the same 

 manner. (205) And give it now your thought, as many of us as have 

 entered. (206) We can claim, as I said, to be happy. (207) And 

 give it now your thought, that we may do it properly: we first give 

 thanks for each other. And our minds will continue to be so. 



2. The Earth 



(208) And now we people have gathered. (209) Our Creator de- 

 cided, "There will be the earth, and people will move about on it. 



(210) The new people, too, will be taldng their places on the earth." 



(211) And he decided, "It will be in the nature of a relationship when 

 they want to refer to it." (212) He decided, "They will say 'our 

 mother, who supports our feet' when they want to refer to it." That 

 is what he intended. (213) And indeed today we make use of it, 



