FLETCHEK] THIRTEENTH RITUAL, PART IV 173 



8i'7 Irari liao ra; iraxi hao i. 



Irari hao ra; irari liao. See line 825. 



i, • 



Explanation hij ihe Kn' rahus 



We are told that in old times, long, lonif ago, the feathers of the 

 turkey were used where now the feathei-s of the brown eagle are 

 placed on the blue feathered stem. In those days the turkey, nol tlie 

 brown eagle, was leader, but, through tlie mysterious power of th(> 

 woodpecker, tlie turkey lost its position. This song refei-s to the dis- 

 pute between tlie woodpecker and the turkey, which resulted in tlie 

 supplanting of the turkey by the brown eagle. 



The woi'ds of the song are few, but the story of their meaning has 

 come down to us from the fathers. 



Both the turkey and the woodpecker desired to be the jirotector of 

 the children of the human race, and there was trouble between them 

 on that account. One day the woodpecker was flying about looking 

 for its nest when the turkey chanced that way and the woodpecker 

 called out: "Brother, where are my eggs?" 



The woodpecker talked of his eggs, but he meant the children of 

 the people on the earth and the turkey knew that was what he was 

 talking about. 



"They are not your eggs (offspring) ; tlie.y are mine," said the wood- 

 pecker. 



"They are mine to take care of," answered the turkey; "for in my 

 division of life there is great power of productiveness. I have more 

 tail feathers than any other bird and I have more eggs. Wherever I 

 go mj^ young cover the ground." 



"True," replied the woodpecker, " but you build your nest on the 

 ground, so that your eggs are in constant danger of being devoured 

 by serpents, and when the eggs hatch the young become a prey to the 

 wolves, the foxes, the M'easels; therefore, your number is continually 

 being reduced. Security is the only thing that can insure the con- 

 tinuation of life. I can, therefore, claim with good reason the right 

 to care foi- the human race. I build my nest in the heart of the tall 

 oak, where my eggs and my young are safe from the creatures that 

 prey upon birds. Wliile I have fewer eggs they hatch in secui-ity and 

 the birds live until they die of old age. It is my place to be a pro- 

 tector of tlie life of men." 



The woodpecker prevailed, and the turkey was deposed; for, 

 although the turkey had nioi'e children, they did not live; they were 

 killed. 



Then the brown eagle was put in the turkey's place, because it was 

 not quarrelsome, but geJitle, and cared for its young, and was sti'ong 

 to protect them from harm. 



The woodpecker was given an important place on the stem, where 

 it presides over the path along which the help that comes from the 



