480 THE ZUNI INDIANS . [eth. ann. 23 



hand and sprinkled on the et'tone, that one ma}- not die, but grow old 

 and sleep, to wake as a little child in Ko'thluwala'wa (abiding place of 

 the Council of the Gods), where the Zufiis go for a time after death. 

 During the prayers the women of the paternal and maternal clans of 

 the novices are bringing large bowls of food, and the centei" of the 

 floor soon bears evidence of preparation for an elaborate feast. At 

 the conclusion of the prayers over the *hle'et'tone, We'wha, not a 

 member of the fraternity but a member of the house, addressing the 

 assemblage, in the presence of the guests of the night, says: 



''M}' children, those of 3'ou who would be members of the frater- 

 nity of the *Hle'weke, prepare corn meal and choose a father, that you 

 mav become one of them. In five worlds below all was dark; in five 

 worlds below all was unclean. The *kia'et'tone, chu'et'tone, mu'et'tone, 

 and ^hle'et'tone came up to the light of the Sun Father and passed to 

 the land of the creation of the gods, our children becoming gods; 

 but first those of the *Hle'wekwe were water snakes, tortoises, frogs, 

 and tadpoles. *Kia'et'tone and chu'et'tone passed to Hal'ona, but 

 'hie'et'tone and mu'et'tone traveled with the *Hle'wekwe by the far 

 north road to Shi'papolima and the house of Po'shaiyanki, where we 

 lived four 3^ears [time periods], and after that time we arose and trav- 

 eled to the west and made our home at To'3^akwi *kiai'akwi [Nutria 

 spring place], where we lived four years, and again we arose and passed 

 to the west to Top'apkwinna [Black rocks]. Here the *Hlem'mosona 

 spoke to us saying: *■ I am old. I will go no farther. Here J shall 

 make my home for all time. Now we are near I'tiwanna; I will go on 

 farther with you.' Addressing his deputy, he said: ' I give to you mj' 

 pok'et'tone [the ancient sword]. You [referring to others of his fra- 

 ternity] will go to Hal'ona I'tiwanna [ant middle place], and when \'ou 

 wish snows and cold rains make te'likinawe and bring them hither [to 

 the spring] and I will receive them and carr}' them to the Kok'ko 

 A'wan [Council of the Gods], at Ko'thluwala'wa, for the road from 

 my house here leads to that house."" 



Thanks are now given for the food, and after making the proper 

 offering to the dead of the fraternity all enjoy the feast. . Then the 

 ceremonies close. 



The *Hlem'mosona returns the 'hle'et'tone with its associated fetishes, 

 including the bows and arrows, to its chamber in a house of the ^Ko"- 

 loktakwe clan. He carries the sword blades in the cougar-skin sack 

 to his home. The basket and slender stick which is attached, carried 

 by Mu'chuiliha'nona, the ancient bowl and bear's feet skins, the stone 

 fetishes, and the sword handles are kept in a back storage room of the 

 ceremonial house. ^' 



a The writer has given such portion of the prayer as she was able to hear. 



i> A large stone cougar, brought out only in cases of severe illness, is secreted beneath plastering in 

 a niche in the wall of the ceremonial chamber. 



