FLETCHER] 



FIRST RITUAL, PART I 85 



When we sing this stauza, the two men wlio were sent out to I'ut 

 the sticks of ash iiiiast return. After they enter the^' are told to sit 

 on the east side of tlie fireplace. There tliey must sit, each man 

 holding his stick. 



Trfinslufion of Eh- re i if h Slonza 



51, 52, 53 See lines 1, 2, 3. 



54 Heru! Kekaru. He! 



heru! an exclamation of reverence. See line 4. 



Kekaru, glowing coals; that is, the glow of the igniting wood 



before it bursts into flames, 

 liel part of i'hare! give heed I See line 4. 



55 See lines 2 and 20. "We reflect on Keharu! " 



E.vphniatidii III/ fill- Kii raliiis 



As we sing this stanza we ml) the sticks to make the sacred tire 

 come, and we think of the lesser power that is making itself seen in 

 the glowing wood. 



Translafiou (if Twelffh Sfduza 



5G, 57, 58 See lines 1, 2, 3. 

 59 Hern! Koritu. He! 



heru ! an exclamation of reverence. See line 4. 



Koritu, flames. 



he! part of i'hare! give Ireed! See line 4. 

 GO See lines 2 and 20. ''"We reflect on Koritu!" 



Explanaildii hij the Kii' niJuis 



When the flame leaps from the glowing wood it is the word of tlie 

 fire. The power has come near. 



As we sing we think upon Koritu, the wor<l of the fii-e, ami we ask 

 it to enter into and remain with the sacred articles we are about to 

 prepare, for they are to speak. 



While we are singing the two men with the two ash sticks liold 

 them over the fli-e, to warm ami straighten them. Then they cut 

 them to the required length, four spans from the thumb to tlie third 

 (inger. Next they peel and scrape the sticks, and remove the pith by 

 boring them tlirough from end to end, so that the breath can pass unob- 

 structed (the boring used to be done with a reed, but now the x)itli is 

 burned out with a wire). The men next cut a straight groove the 

 entire lengtli of each stick. When all this has been done, the scrap- 

 ings and every particle of the ash wood arc (carefully placed on the fire, 

 and as the flames arise the two sticks are passed through the. blaze, 

 that the word of the fire may enter and be with theni. 



The two men, each with a stick, pass from tlie east, where they 

 have been standing, and take their places one on tlie nortli and the 



