Chafe] SENECA THANKSGIVING RITUALS 129 



orb in the sky. (547) It will be a sort of guide for their steps, pro- 

 viding them with light. (548) It will be able to direct the people 

 moving about back to their homes, to where they came from. (549) 

 And it is true: it is carrying out its responsibility up to the present 

 time. (550) And you also made a relationship with respect to her. 

 (551) You decided, " 'Our grandmother, the moon', that is what they 

 will say when they refer to her." (552) And it is true: she is carry- 

 ing our her responsibility up to the present time. (553) This is what 

 you said: "The moon wiU change its form as it goes along. (554) It 

 will always come to the end of a phase." That is what you said. 

 (555) "People will use her to measure by as they are moving along." 

 That is what jou. intended. (556) And this too is her added responsi- 

 bility. (557) You made it so that new infants, the children, will 

 come from the women. (558) And indeed she is continuing to per- 

 form her obligation too, up to the present time, the responsibility 

 you assigned her. (559) And we beHeve simply that she is carr3dng 

 out the entire assignment that you gave her. (560) And again there 

 is thanks indeed that it all continues as you intended. (561) And 

 we ask simply that it will continue in the same manner for the period 

 of another year. 



18. The Stars 



(562) And we are being thankful, speaking of the works of Our 

 Creator. (563) And the Creator decided, "In the sky (564) there 

 will be stars when it becomes dark, (565) Stars v/iU indeed be ar- 



