FRACHTEXBERG] ALSEA TEXTS AND MYTHS 229 



Then all the people would come out now (from their houses). 

 (The moon) would be now looked at. Then the words of a man 

 would be heard, "You shall all spill your water;" thus the speech of 

 a man would sound. Now thus, verily, it would be done. Then the 

 houses would be hit with sticks, to all the houses it would be done 

 thus, and the chief of these people would say: "(I) wonder greatly 

 what is going to happen to the world? The moon is never killed 

 without any cause. Only when a person havmg dentalia shells is 

 about to be killed, is the moon murdered." Now after he would 

 finish saying this he would keep on talking, "You shall try (to brmg 

 the moon back to life with your) own (exorcisms) ; you shall look all 

 around the world; you shall dance." Then the houses would be hit 

 with sticks, and it would be attempted to look at the moon. It 

 would not be long before (the moon) would be gone entirely; its sur- 

 face would seemingly be getting dark (and darker) . Then all the 

 people would dance. Now the medicine-man would say (to the peo- 

 ple) : "(This) is nothing. Even if the moon should disappear, never- 

 theless he will again fix his own appearance just as it (was before)." 

 One man would say: "(It) is nothing. The bad thing is gone; 

 nature is well (again). You shall not (think of) anything m your 

 minds." Then they would come together in order that the moon 

 should be looked at. One person would keep on saymg, "It is 

 accomplished now; I am going to go back into the house." There- 

 upon the people would enter their houses agam. 



23. Exorcisms During a Sun Eclipse 



Whenever the sun was kiUed (this fact) would be noticed (at once). 

 The face of the sun would seem to be getting red. Then it would be 

 talked about. " (I) wonder greatly what sort of thing is nature going 

 to do to (the sun) ?" Thus all the people would talk in a body. In 

 view of the. fact that the sun was probably a person living in the sky 

 (and) having (many) dentalia shells, (for that reason) it was just a 

 big affair whenever the sun was thus noticed (darkened) . The people 

 were afraid whenever the sun was seen (in) such (a condition), because 

 all the people believed in their minds (that the sun was an important 

 person) in view of the fact that he was the one who always makes light 

 for all the people everywhere. Now all the people believe thus in 

 their minds. Because it will always (happen) thus (that), should the 

 sun disappear, (and) should darkness prevail aU over the world, all the 

 people would simply die. Now again (on this occasion) the water is 

 habitually poured out; aU the buckets are usually upset, because it 

 is not desired that the water should become bloody whenever the sun 

 is killed. For such a reason are aU the buckets upset. 



Thus now only (I know it) . 



