bunzel] 



PRAYERS OF THE MEDICINE CULT 



807 



And taking our child's prayer meal," 



Yonder with prayer 



One by one we made our roads go forth. 



Meeting our earth mother, 



And meeting our ancestors, 



Our children, 



Those who here Ijelonged to societies, 



And furthermore our fathers. 



The Beast i^ow priests, 



We offered them plume wands. 



When there remained yet a little space. 



Ere our sun father. 



Went in to sit down at his sacred place. 



From far off on all sides 



Our fathers, 



Life giving priests, 



The divine ones, 



With not one missing, 



Making their roads come forth. 



They made their roads come hither. 



Into the rain-filled rooms of their day- 

 light mothers, 



They made their roads enter.'- 



Perpetuating their rite 



According to the first beginning, 



They fashioned their cloud house. 



They spread out their mist blanket, 



They sent forth their life-giving road. 



They fashioned their spring. 



They spanned their rainbow bow, 



They set their lightning arrow, 



They sat down quietly. 



And at their feet we sat down. 



This many days 



Anxiouslj' we have waited.*^ 



Now, indeed, when the last of all their 

 days was past. 



Our child having made his road come 

 in,« 



Even where the precious road of his 

 fathers enters. 



Into a being like themselves 



Our fathers transformed ^ their child. 



Then a blessed night they spent 



With us who are their children. 



Next day. 



While yet a little space remained 



Ere our sun father 



Should come out standing to his sacred 



place. 

 With our clear water. 

 With that by which we have being, 

 With this we took hold of our child." 

 After the divine ones first added their 



breath. 

 Then also praying in the same words. 

 We added to the breath of our child. 

 Our child taking his fathers' breath. 

 Into his body will draw their breath. 

 And since our breath is valuable. 

 Where he sees our spring. 

 Even there he will sit down among us; 

 Then seeking always the ways of pro- 

 longing life. 

 With thoughts bent on this, we shall 



live. 

 Then also, that on following this we 



may bend our thoughts, 

 For this in plain words I sent forth my 



prayers. 

 He give us this child 

 That for a long time 

 In bonds of affection 

 We may live together. 

 These clear words were spoken," 

 And to your fathers. 

 Wherever they stay, 

 You sent your clear words forth. 

 Indeed, even while I call myself poor, 

 Far off on all sides, 



I have as my fathers life-giving priests. 

 Asking for their life-giving breath, 

 Their breath of old age. 

 Their breath of waters. 

 Their breath of seeds. 

 Their breath of riches 

 Their breath of fecundity. 

 Their breath of strong spirit, 

 Their breath of power, 

 Their breath of all good fortune whereof 



they are possessed, 

 Asking for their breath. 



*' As soon as the altar is set up in the society room the father or uncle of the novice is summoned. He again 

 gives the boy's ceremonial father a packet of prayer meal, thanking him for having cured his child. This 

 meal is later distributed among all present. 



« The retreat of the society begins. Their room becomes taboo to outsiders because of the presence of 

 the divine ones. 



83 Three nights. 



" On the fourth night. 



" The novice is clothed and painted. 



M His head is washed. 



" By the man who first summoned the society for the curing rites 



