LAKLBSCHB] Nl'-KI Wl'-GI-ES 285 



226. Then shall they enable themselves to live to see old age. 



227. The days that are beautiful and peaceful they shall be able to 



reacli, 



228. The four great divisions of the days they shall be able to reach, 



as they travel the path of life. 



229. The brothers spake to one another, saying: O, elder brothers, 



230. Make haste, 0, elder brothers. 



231. Then they spake, saying: O, younger brothers. 



232. Then the younger brothers moved hastily on, 



233. To a bend in the river. 



234. Verily, at that time and place. 



235. The j'ounger brothers spake, saying: Yonder stands a little 



house, O, elder brothers. 



236. Then all the brothers gathered close to the little house, 



237. When one spake, saying: The occupant is a Ho°'-ga, O, elder 



brothers. 



238. Then they spake to the Ho°'-ga, saying: O, grandfather. 



239. The Ho°'-ga replied: The little ones may well make of me their 



bodies. 



240. A younger brother exclaimed : 



241. The person dwells in a beautiful house, O, elder brothers.^" 



242. The elder brothers replied: Of this house, also, 



243. The little ones shall make their bodies as they travel the path 



of life. 



244. A younger brother spake: The house has many entrances, O, 



elder brothers. 



245. The elder brothers replied: Of that, also, 



246. The little ones shall make their bodies. 



247. Then shall the little ones enable themselves to live to see old age, 



248. They shall enable themselves to reach and to enter into the four 



great divisions of the days as they travel the path of life. 



A Feagmentary Ni'-ki Eitual of the Tsi'-zhu Wa-shta'-ge Gens 



At the time that Wa'-thu-xa-ge (pi. 23) gave the following initia- 

 tory Ni'-ki Ritual of his gens, the Tsi'-zhu Wa-shta'-ge, he was quite 

 sick and scarcely able to give it his entire attention. Therefore his 

 rendition is somewhat fragmentary. The death of tliis old man 

 occurred not long after his return to his home. 



Wa'-thu-xa-ge began the ritual from the Ki'-no° Wi'-gi-e, which 

 relates to the symbolism of the ceremonial painting and dressing of 

 the Xo'-ka. The first section refers to the red paint used, which is 

 svmbolic of the sacred fire built by the Tsi'-zhu people and reddening 

 of the heavens by its leaping flames. (See wi'-gi-e of the fsi'-zhu 

 Wa-no° gens given by Xu-tha'-wa-to°-i°, p. 242.) 



30 This is figurative and refers to The Hon'-ga house in which children are ceremonially named. 



