456 THE MOUNTAIN CHANT. 
194, Besides those referred to in the above list, there are more which 
are appropriate to different acts in the ceremony, such as the songs sung 
at the obliteration of the pictures, at the building of the corral, at the 
departure of the akaninili, We. 
195. In some cases a number of songs in the same set are nearly alike ; 
the addition or substitution of one verse, or even of one word, may be 
the only difference. Such songs usually follow one another in imme- 
diate succession; often, on the other hand, we find a great variety in 
subject and in style. 
196. Some songs are self-explanatory or readily understood, but the 
greater number cannot be comprehended without a full knowledge of the 
mythology and of the symbolism to which they refer; they merely hint 
at mythie conceptions. Many contain archaic expressions, for which the 
shaman can assign a meaning, but whose etymology cannot now be 
learned; and some embody obsolete words whose meaning is lost even 
to the priesthood. There are many vocables known to be meaningless 
and recited merely to fill out the rhythm or to give a dignified length to 
the song. For the same reasons a meaningless syllable is often added 
or a significant syllable duplicated. 
197. Other poetical licenses are taken, such as the omission of a syl- 
lable, the change of accent, the substitution of one vowel for another. 
The most familiar words are often distorted beyond recognition. For 
these various reasons the task of noting and translating these songs is. 
one of considerable difficulty. 
192. FIRST SONG OF THE FIRST DANCERS. 
Qanié qad yae, qanie qad yae 
Qanié ié oaye oaye. 
1. Qadjiniiia qad yae, | 9. Qadjiniiia qao yae, 
2. Kae dsil ¢ilhyili qad yae, | 10. Kag dsil litsdi qad yaa, 
3. ‘Caltsoi tseé qao yae, 11. Bitselitsoi qao yae, 
4. Cija cigélgo qad yae. 12. Cija cigeélgo qao yae. 
Nahi ini éhi oayé, nahi ini éhi obhe. Nahi ini, ete. 
5. Niqoyasteadje qaod yae, 13. Niqoyastcadje qad yae, 
6. Kae dsil goliji qad yae, 14. Kag dsil lakaie qaod yae, 
7. Kini bitseé qao yae, 15, A‘a‘i tsee qao yae, 
8. Cija cigélgo qao yae. 16. Cija cigélgo qao yae. 
Nahi ini, ete. Nahi ini, ete. 
199. Translation.—1, 9. Qadjinai, ‘‘ Place-where-they-came-up,” a locality in the 
San Juan Mountains where, according to their mythology, the Navajo emerged 
from the lower world to this. 5, 13. Niqoyastcadje, another name for Qadjinai. 2, 6, 
10, 14. Kae, now; dsil, mountain; ¢ilhyili, black; goliji, blue; litsoi, yellow ; lakaie, 
white. These verses refer to four mountains surrounding Qadjinai, which are desig- 
pated by colors only to indicate their topographical positions. 3, 7, 11, 15. ‘Caltsoi= 
aca litsoi, ‘yellow wing,” a large bird of prey; kini, hen hawk; bitselitsoi, ‘‘ yellow 
tail,” a bird of undetermined species; a‘a‘i, magpie; tse, a tail; bitse, its tail. 4, 8, 
12, 16. Cija, my treasure; cigél, my desideratum, my ultimatum, the only thing I 

