JSHiNQi ORIGIN OF GODS OF WAE. 419 



Watch well o'er your seed-thiugs and thildreu! 

 Speak wisely to these our new children; 

 Henceforth they shall be your first speakers, 

 And the peacemaking shields of your people, 

 Through wasting the blood of all foenieu 

 And feeding the soil with its substance! 

 Thus much. 



Theu the Twain gave directions: 



They named the eight days for preparing. 



The people returned to their houses, 

 The priests to their fastings and labors. 



The Twain to their high mountain-places. 

 And when the eight days had been counted 



Aud all had been done as commanded. 

 Around the deep pool in the valley. 



That leads from the walled Han'hlipiyk'ya 

 The sacred seed-contents were gathered. 



And full in their midst the great drum jar 

 Was placed by the summoned clan-fathers. 



Then each took his place in the circle, 

 And the Twain Gods still further instructed 



The kin-priests, and knife-bearing warriors. 

 Soft they chanted the sacred song-measure, 



The magic and dread Sh^iniitak'ya, 

 And whispered the seven fell names ! 



Then they painted the round mark of thunder 

 And the wavering trail of the lighDning 



Around the great drum, in the middle, 

 And on the hooped drum-stick of thunder. 



Aud over the drum-head, with prayer-dust 

 They marked out the cross of the quarters. 



As on the cloud-shield they had leveled 

 Fire-bolts to the four earthly regions. 



With black of shell-corpse-scales that glitters. 

 They painted the eyes of the leaders; 



With blood of their own tinged their cheeks; 

 With pollen of sleep sealed their lips. 



With blood of their own thus they painted 

 The cheeks of the warriors assembled ; 



With black of shell-corpse-scales that glimmers 

 They shaded their eyelids aud eyebrows. 



That their lives might eudure through the trial 

 And their eyes not be blighted by lightning. 



Aud the nostrils of each they did l)reathe in, 

 That their own wind might mingle with man-wind, 



Give power to men's voices in battle 

 And strengthen men's wills with endurance. 



Then said they to the drummer and singers : 



"Lo, now! Ye shall sing our dread song-line. 



Like beetles that fall in hot ashes 



Ye shall perish, ye singers and drummer. 



But lo! in the lightnings aud wind-storms 



Your beings shall join the beloved. 



Your breaths, too, shall strengthen the warrior 



