FLETCHER] FIRST BITUAL 289 



Rhythmic Rendition 



Take we now the green paint, 



Touch -with it the stem, the mated stem. 



Putting on the emblem, the sacred and living symbol. 



Mother earth. 



From above descending, bountiful blessings on thee, 



Mother earth. 



The fan-like appendage of ten brown mottled feathers from the ma- 

 ture brown eagle are here tied upon the blue stem. This eagle is called 

 Kawas; it represents the mother. She is the bearer of life from above 

 and shares with the corn the leadership throughout the ceremony. 



It is noticeable that the eagle receives the gifts it bears to man 

 through the lesser powers and not directly from Tira'wa atius. Birds 

 are not powers, but messengers, intermediaries between the lesser 

 powers and man. A glimpse is here obtained of the order which 

 natural forces and objects take in the mind of the Pawnee. 



The song of this act is in three phrases. The number three is not 

 sj'mbolized by ceremonial motions; throughout the ceremony songs 

 accompanying acts which do not implj' a direct appeal to the powers 

 above fall into three musical phrases. 



THUID SONGn 



Diiidniiii of Tinip 



Rlii/t/iniif Rendu ion 



Oh, Kawas, come, with wings outspread in siinny .skies! 

 Oh. Kawas, come, and bring us peace, thy gentle peace! 

 Oh. Kawas. come, and give new life to us who pray! 



Part III. Painting the Ear of Corn and Preparing the other Sacred 



Objects. 



The putting of a peculiar design in blue paint on the ear of corn 

 is replete with sj'inbolism. The ear of corn not only represents a life- 

 sustaining product of the earth, but the omniscience which the earth 

 is believed to possess. This omniscience, predicated of the ear of 

 corn, constituted one of its qualifications to act as leader. The 

 Ku'rahus says (line 118): "Mother Earth knows all places and all 

 that happens among men; therefore the corn which comes from her 

 must lead, must direct us where to go." 



The painting of the ear of corn represents the securing of its cre- 

 dentials as leader. The blue paint used on this occasion is not put 

 into a shell, as it was when tlie stems were colored, but into a wooden 

 bowl. The shape of the bowl, an inverted dome, typifies the arching 

 skj% the blue paint its color (see the explanation of line 83). The 

 design put on the ear of corn signifies its journej^ to the abode of the 

 powers and its return, with their sanction, as leader. 



" Music on page 41. 

 22 eth— PT 2—04 19 



