BUNZELl THE COMING OF THE GODS 949 



south), looks as ancient as a horned toad; y^t he is frisky as a fawn, 

 and giggles like a girl : yea, and i)a\vls as lustily as a small l)oy playing 

 games. 



"The next brother, itseposa (the glum or aggrieved), mourned also 

 for Ms nearest brother, who was stolen by the ka'ka, too, until his 

 eyes were dry utterly and his chin chapped to protrusion; but nath- 

 less he is Hvely and cheerful and ever as ready indeed as the most 

 complaisant of beings. 



"Ryalutsi (the suckling) and tsalaslii (old youth), the youngest, 

 are the most willfully important of the nine, always advising others 

 and strutting like a young jiriest at his first dance or like unto the 

 youthful warrior made to aged thinking and self-notioned with early 

 honoring. 



"And while the father stands dazed, with his head bowed and his 

 hands clasped before him or like to broken bows hanging by his sides, 

 these cliildren romp and play (as he and his sister did when turned 

 childish), and verily are Uke to idiots, or to dotards and crones turned 

 young again, inconstant as laughter, startle to new thought by every 

 flitting thing around them; but, in the presence of the ka'ka of old, 

 they are grave, what though so uncouth. And they are the oracles 

 of all olden sayings of deep meanings; wherefore they are called the 

 kayemashi (husbandmen of the ka'ka or sacred dance drama) ; and 

 they are spoken of, even by the fathers of the people, as the alashi 

 tsewashi (sages of the ancients). And most precious in the sight of 

 the beings and of men are they!" 



The Koyemci used to be selected in rotation from four societies.^* 

 As in Mrs. Stevenson's time, there are now four groups that serve in 

 turn, designated by their ceremonial affiliations as follows: 



He'ikwe, a group of men from He'iwa kiva. They served for the 

 first time in 1920 and again in 1924. 



Cowe-kwe,^^ an informal group of men who gamble together. They 

 served in 1925. 



Make tana'kwe, a group from Cireat Fire Society (make lanakwe). 

 They served m 1926. 



Cowe^kwe, another informal group, not the same as above. Served 

 in 1927. 



The 10 impersonators form a more or less permanent group. The 

 leader, their "father," receives a crook of appointment from the 

 priests at the New Year, and selects those who will assist him. Ordi- 

 narily he wiU select the same men who served with him at his last 

 turn in office, filling any vacancies caused by death from members of 

 his Iviva, society, or some informal group with which he may be asso- 

 ciated, aKvays taking into consideration in his appointments clan 



" Stevenson, p. 23o; Parsons. Notes on Ziifii, 1, 1S3. 



" Stevenson lists Cowe'kwe iu< -i doubtful fraternity. She was taken in by a Zuni jest. They say of the 

 youtli who wastes his time gambling that ho belongs to Covvekwe .Society. 



