matmnews] MYTH: THE COUNCIL AND THE SENTENCE. Doe. 
old woman seated al the door, one on each side. A cord tied to the old 
woman passed round the edge of the lodge on one side, behind the 
spectators, to the west, and another cord, tied to the man, passed round 
on the opposite side of the lodge. His master bade him sit down in 
the west, and when he was seated one of the cords was tied to his wrists 
and one to his ankles, and thus he was secured to the old pair. 
32. Now he feared more than ever for his safety; he felt sure that his 
captors contemplated his death by torture. The pipes were lit and the 
council began. The talking in the strange 
tongue that he could not understand had 
lasted long into the night, when he fan- 
cied that he heard the voice of the Y¢ebit- 
cai (Anglicized, Yay-bi-chy or Gay-bi chy) 
above the din of human voices, saying 
“huthu‘hu‘hu” in the far distance. He 
strained his attention and listened well, 
and after a while he felt certain that he 
heard the voice again nearer and louder. 
It was not long until the cry was repeated 
for the third time, and soon after the cap- 
tive heard it once more, loudly and dis- 
tinctly, immediately te the west of the 
lodge. Then there was a sound as of 
footsteps at the door, and the white light- 
ning entered through the smoke-hole and 
circled around the lodge, hanging over 
the heads of the council. But the Ute 
heard not the voice which the Navajo 
lieard and saw not the vision he beheld. 
Soon the Yaybichy (Qastcéélei) entered 
the lodge and standing on the white 
lightning, said: ‘‘What is the matter 
with you, my grandchild? You take no 
thought about anything. Something you 
must do for yourself, or else, in the morn- 
ing you will be whipped to death —that 
is what the council has decided. Pull 
out four pegs from the bottom of the tent, push it open there, and 
then you can shove things through.” The Navajo answered, ‘“ How 
shalll doit? See the way Iam tied! Iam poor! See how Iam wound 
up!” But Qastceélc¢i again said: ‘* When you leave, take with you those 
bags filled with embroideries and take with you tobacco from the pouches 
near the fire.” Scarcely had Qastcéélei disappeared when the Navajo 
heard a voice overhead, and a bird named gocgo¢i flew down through the 
smoke hole, hovered four times around the lodge over the heads of the 
Ute, and departed by the way it had entered. Ina moment after it had 

Fic. 50. Qastcéélci, from a dry painting 
of the klédji-qagal. 
