448 ISLETA, NEW MEXICO [eth. ann. 47 



the cigarette and told me first to smoke in the directions, next to the 

 Mother, next to puff the smoke toward the bear, lastly to swallow 

 the smoke. Wlmt was left of the cigarette, to give to my (own) 

 father. Three helpers came forward and with their feathers they 

 motioned (the cleansing motion) over the bear, each, three times. 

 Then my father and aunt and sister sprinlded some pollen on the bear 

 and thanked liim. Also my daughter, who was crying. Now other 

 people might go and sprinlde. Some went, but others were afraid. 

 Two of the other helpers came and stood me up and gave me pollen 

 and meal and took me over to the bear. They pushed me toward him, 

 so I would not be afraid. I gave him meal and pollen and thanks for 

 saving me. I took my seat. Then aU the helpers stood around the 

 bear, calling ai! ai! and cleansing with the feathers and singing. The 

 bear got up, smelling. He came up to me, clapping his paws and 

 growling. The chief helper sprinkled pollen in front of him to the 

 door where he went out. Then the chief helper told all those present 

 what had happened to me, and advised them not to do such a thing 

 to anybody. Some of them began to cry. The chief helper now 

 looked into the bowl, watching for the return of Ka'a. Then he came 

 in, saying, "Akuwam!" Then we saw the same man we had seen 

 before. He went up to the altar, drawing in with the feathers, then to 

 me, waving the feathers out to me. Then he gave me a drink from the 

 medicme bowl with the shell. He asked me how I felt. I felt all 

 right. "Do not worry, do not recall what has happened to you." 

 Then he took the sun oft' my head and the sun closed, and he waved it 

 in front of me. He went to the altar and waved the sun to the people, 

 and everybody waved it in to themselves. Then he told the people 

 they might go. Only my relations stayed there. He told them again 

 all that had happened to me. He told them to give thanks to Wseide 

 and iema'paru that I had my heart back again. Now they took apart 

 the altar and my relations brought food into the room, lots of food; 

 it filled up the house. We gave it to Ka'a, and he, to his helpers, and 

 he told us all to eat together. WTien we eat together, everything is 

 washed out, clean. After eating, they divided up all the food between 

 the helpers to take home. Then my relations took me home. 



41. The Incontinent Medicine Man 



Five years ago, Agostin, a medicine man (toyide), three days after 

 he had finished his ceremony, went to see his sweetheart; he could not 

 wait the four days. (For four days after the night of his ceremony, a 

 man must not touch a woman, or kill anything, not even an insect, 

 nor hurt anybody's feelings.) After he had found her, he saw himself 

 lying dead. He promised that if he could be saved, he would go and 

 dance at the San Antonio feast at Sandia (on June 13). That would 



