Jioi.NEYj PLANT I.oKK 423 



AiiKuii:' all veo-('tiililrs tlic one wliicli holds first place in tlu' house- 

 hold I'coiioiiiy and ('(Mvinoiiiul oIisitvuiicc of the tribe is .sc///. ••corii," 

 invoked in the saered formulas under the name of Agawe'hi. ■■The 

 01<l W niuan." in allusion to its nij'thic orio'in from the blood of an 

 old woman killed by her disobedicMit sons (see munbt>r S. ••Kana'ti 

 and Selu"). In former times the amuial thanksyi\iny <'eremony of the 

 Green-eorn dan<-e. jjreliminary to eatiiij^" the first new eorn. was the 

 most solemn ti-ilcal funetion, a propitiation and expiation for the sins 

 of the i)ast year, an anmestv for public eriminals, and a prayer for 

 happiness and prosperity for the year to come. Only those who had 

 properly prepared themselves by prayer, fastino'. and puritieation were 

 allowed to take part in this ci'remony. and no one dared to taste the 

 new eorn until then. Seven ears fi'om the last 3'ear's crop were always 

 put carefully aside, in order to attract ihi- corn until the new crop was 

 ripened and it was time for the dance, when they were eaten with the 

 rest. In eatinotlie first new corn after the Green Corn dance, care was 

 observed not to blow upon it to cool it. for fear of causing a wind 

 storm to beat down the standing' crop in the field. 



^lucli ceremony accompanied the planting and tending of the crop. 

 Seven grains, the sacred number, were put into each hill, and these 

 were not afterward thinned out. After the last working of the crop, 

 the pi'iest and an assistant — generally the owner of the field — went 

 into the field and built a small inclosure {dctmnun'/t) in the center. 

 Then entering it. the}' seated themselves upon the ground, with heads 

 bent down, and while the assistant kept perfect silence the priest, with 

 rattli> in hand, sang songs of invocation to the spirit of the corn. Soon, 

 according to the orthodox belief, a loud rustling would be heard out- 

 side, whii-h they would know was caused by the "Old Woman" bring- 

 ing the corn into the field, but neither nuist look up until the song 

 was finished. This ceremony was repeated on four successive nights, 

 after which no one entered the field for seven other nights, when the 

 priest himself went in, and. if all the sacred regulations had been prop- 

 erly observed, was rewarded by finding young ears upon the stalks. 

 The corn ceremonies could be performed by the owner of the field 

 himself, provided he was willing to pay a sufficient fee to the priest in 

 order to learn the songs and ritual. Care was always taken to keep a 

 clean trail from the field to the house, so that the corn might be 

 encouragi'd to stay at home and not go wandering elsewhei'c. Most 

 of these customs have now fallen into disuse excepting among the 

 old people, by many of M'hom they are still religiously observed. 



Another curious ceremony, of which (>ven the memory is now almost 

 forgotten, was enacted after the first working of the corn, when the 

 owner or i)riest stood in succession at ea<-h of the four corners of the 

 field and wept and w.iiled loudly. Even the priests are now unable 

 to give a reason for this performance, which may have been a lament 



