784 



ZUNI RITUAL POETRY 



TeTH. ANN. 47 



You are life-giving society chief; 



Bringing your medicine, 



You will make your road come liither. 



Where lies m}' white slieU bowl, 



Four times mailing your road come in, 



Watcli over my spring. 



When you sit down quietly 



We shall be one person. '^ 



And, furthermore, yonder in tlie west 



You who are my father, bear. 



You are life-giving society chief; 



Bringing your medicine, 



You wiU malie your road come hitlier. 



Where lies my white sliell bowl. 



Four times mailing your road come in. 



Watch over my spring. 



Wlien 3'ou sit down quietly 



We shall be one person. 



And, furthermore, yonder in the south 



You who are my father, badger. 



You are life-giving society chief; 



Bringing your medicine. 



You wUl make your road come hitlier. 



Where lies my wliite slieU bowl. 



Four times making your road come in, 



Watch over my spring. 



Wlien you sit down quietly 



We shall be one person. 



And, furthermore, yonder in the east 



You who are my father, wolf. 



You are life-giving society chief; 



Bringing your medicine. 



You wUl make your road come hitlier. 



Where lies my white shell bowl. 



Four times making your road come in, 



Watch over my spring. 



Wlien you sit down quietly, 



We shall be one person. 



And furthermore, j-onder above 

 You who are mj- father, knife-wing. 

 You are life-giving society cliief. 

 Bringing your medicine. 

 You will make your road come hitlier. 

 Where lies my wliite shell bowl, 



Four times making your road come in, 

 Watch over ui}- spring. 

 When you sit down quieth- 

 We shall be one person. 



And furtherrhore, yonder below 



You who are my father, gopher. 



You are life-giving society chief. 



Bringing your medicine, 



You will make your I'oad come hither. 



Where lies my white shell bowl. 



Four times making your road come in, 



Watch over my spring. 



Wlien you sit down quietly 



We shall be one person. 



And furthermore, yonder in the north 



On all the mossy mountains. 



On the tops of the mountains. 



And along their slopes. 



Where the ravines open out. 



You hold the world in your keeping; 



Ancient yellow stone,'* 



You will make your road come hither 



Where lies my white shell bowl. 



Four times making your road come in, 



You will sit down quietly. 



Then with your living waters 



Our young ones will nourish themselves; 



Reaching to Dawn Lake 



Their roads wiU be fulfilled. 



And furthermore, yonder in the west 



On all the mossy mountains. 



On the tops of the mountains, 



And along their slopes. 



Wherever the ravines open out. 



You hold the world in your keeping; 



Ancient blue stone, 



You will make your road come hither 



Where lies my white sheU bowl. 



Four times making your road come in 



You will sit down quietly. 



Then with your living waters 



Our young ones wiU nourish themselves; 



Reaching to Dawn Lake 



Their roads will be fulfiUed. 



" During the final ceremony of the societies at the winter solstice when the sick are cured the identifi- 

 cation is felt to be complete tor those who have esoteric knowledge. At that time there is a complete 

 change of personality; the shamans rush about uttering the cries of animals. They are very much feared. 

 It is especially the prerogative of the bear to give this power of magical impersonation. 



" He adds small round pebbles believed to have been brought from the underworld at the time of 

 emergence. As a matter of fact any curiously shaped or colored pebble that may be picked up is believed 

 to have magical properties. A collection of these forms part of every shaman's equipment. There are 

 prayers and simple rituals for each one. 



