PRAYERS OF THE MEDICINE CULT 



803 



gifts of food between the women of the boy's family and those of the 

 father's. 



The following prayer, dictated by a member of the Great Fire 

 Society, is said by the ceremonial father at the presentation of the 

 mi'le, at the moment when he receives the novice into full membership 

 in the society. 



Now this man}' are the days 



Since something made our child sick. 



When his spirit failed 



And his breath failed, 



That by which we live, 



That of whicli is made the flesh of 



tliese, my cliildren. 

 The flesh of the white corn, 

 Prayer meal, 

 You prepared. 

 And taking shells, 

 The flesh of our mother, white shell 



woman, 

 Wlio, though abiding far off, in the west, 

 In all the vUlage branches,'" 

 Saying, "Let it be here," 

 Has washed the cuticle from her body, 

 Taking even a single borrowed shell, 

 The shell, 

 The rich clothing. 

 You sent forth with prayers." 

 Among all your fathers, 

 Life-giving priests, 

 Life-giving pekwins. 

 Life-giving bow priests, 

 Society priests. 

 Society pekwins. 

 Society bow priests 

 You looked about. 

 Now since nothing was clear to you, 

 The divine ones 

 Chose me from all. 

 Then my daylight chUdren revealed 



themselves to you 

 And you also chose me from among 



them all 

 And let me know of it. 

 When my fathers had come out one by 



one 

 From wherever thev abide, 



Taking my prayer meal, 



Yonder toward the east 



I made my road go forth." 



Standing facing my fathers 



I offered them prayer meal. 



The divine ones took my prayer meal. 



Then they leading, 



I following at their backs, 



With prayers we made our roads come 



hither. 

 Here into the rain-filled rooms 

 Of their daylight children 

 The divine ones entered. *^ 

 They sat down quietly. 

 Here we of the daylight met one another 

 I sat down quietly. 

 Taking up our prayer meal. 

 Our shells, 

 Our rich clothing, 

 Upon which we had breathed our 



prayers, 

 In the hollow of the life giving left hand 

 Of my fathers, life giving priests, 

 I placed the prayer meal. 

 The shells, 

 The rich clothing. 

 Then when my fathers took hold of 



their prayer meal. 

 Their shells. 

 Their rich clothing. 

 We of the daylight 

 With the prayer meal, 

 With the shells. 

 With the rich clothing, 

 We held one another fast. 

 Desiring our fathers' long life. 

 Desiring their old age. 

 Desiring their medicine. 

 Sending forth our prayers for these, 

 With prayer meal, 



*o The pueblos to the east, whence shells and turquoise are secured by trade. Wherever White Shell 

 Woman bathes she leaves the rubbings from her body, the white olivella shells, which are ground down for 

 wampum. 



" Literally, "to set up before the door," used of any person oi object appointed to intercede with outside 

 forces. 



" With the package of meal received from the patient's family, the shaman goes to the east to pray for 

 divine help. 



" The first visit to the patient. 



