510 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. anx. 23 



tlic lino of the 'Hle'wekwe fraternity, who have completed their dance 

 and are retiring- from the plaza." 



The members of the Great Fire fraternity pass once around the 

 boxes of the 'Hle'wekwe before dancing, but the musicians on the 

 notched sticks sit with bowed heads and do not play. Each dance is 

 begun with a barbaric shout; then the dancers settle down into 

 monotonous song. There is little or no variety in the step; first one 

 foot, then another, is raised as they continue to encircle the boxes. 

 The 'Hlem'mosona is the first to step from the moving circle. At 

 this moment all cease to dance, and simultaneously, like well-drilled 

 soldiers, commence dancing again, and reverse the swords, holding 

 the blades upward, while the "^Hlern'mosona waves his serpentiform 

 sword over the boxes and prays. At the close of the prayer the swords 

 are reversed with the same precision, and the *Hlem'mosona steps 

 before the boxes and swallows his sword. Again they move on for a 

 moment or two, when all turn and face the center; then the others in 

 turn leave the circles in groups and swallow the swords. 



As soon as one group returns to the circle others step out, some 

 swallowing two swords at once, one man swallowing three. The iirst 

 group faces north, the second faces west, another south, another east, 

 and two other groups face east for the zenith and the nadir. The Great 

 Mother of the fraternity swallows two swords at once. It is noticed 

 that many of this fraternity run the sword through the mouth to 

 moisten it before sw^allowing it, but this is not done by the 'Hle'w ekwe 

 fraternity. They dance live times around the boxes, swallowing 

 swords each time, and as the boxes are encircled the tifth time the 

 'Hlem'mosona swallows his sword facing north, two men swallow 

 theirs facing east, two men and one woman swallow theirs facing south 

 (see plate cxviii), the warrior with his lightning sword and another 

 man and the Great Mother swallow two swords facing east. 



Again three men face north, three men east, two men south, two 

 men and two women south, one man and two younger boys east, the 

 man swallowing three swords at once; and the *Hlem'mosona again swal- 

 lows his sword facing west. Passing around the circle he receives 

 the swords from each person, resting the feathered handles over his 

 right arm. When all the swords are collected he has all he can man- 

 age; he stands in the center of the circle, facing the east, and prays. 

 After the prayer he motions the swords to the six regions and again 

 passes to the dancers, that each may take his sword. When all have 

 received their swords again those east of the ladder draw as near as 

 they may to the others on the opposite side * and proceed with the 

 dance, and at its close the}^ make their exit from the plaza by the 



"See p. 469. The 'Hle'wekwe fraternity and Sword order of the Great Fire fraternity hold syn- 

 chronal meetings in January and February, and alternate in their dancing in the plaza, 

 ft No one must stand directly over the excavation sacred to Na'ke'e or before the ladder. 



