30 Virginia Shropshire Heath 



The mother and the father bring the little boy to the sacred tent. 

 The mother leading him to the entrance thronged with spectators, 

 is met by the priest whom she addresses : 



" Venerable man, I desire my child to wear moccasins." Then, 

 as she presents the priest with gifts she has brought as fees, "I 

 desire my child to walk long upon the earth ; I desire him to be 

 content with the light of many days. We seek your protection. 

 We hold to you for strength." 



Then the priest replies, addressing the child : 



" You shall reach the fourth hill sighing. You shall be bowed 

 over; you shall have wrinkles, your staff shall bend under your 

 weight. I speak to you that you may be strong." Then, with his 

 hand on the child's shoulder, " What you have brought me shall 

 not be lost to you; you shall live long and enjoy many posses- 

 sions; your eyes shall be satisfied with many good things." 



So concludes the introductory part of the ceremony, the only 

 part fully comprehended by the onlookers. At this point the priest 

 conducts the child, carrying his new moccasins, to the center of the 

 tent where the mystery proper is enacted. A fire is burning here, 



" the flames typical of the life-giving power . . ., an aid toward 

 insuring the capacity for a long, fruitful, and successful life in 

 the tribe." 



On the east side of the fireplace is a stone, emblematic of long 

 life upon the earth and of the wisdom of age; to the west of the 

 fireplace is a ball of grass, the symbolic meaning of which remains 

 obscure. 



When the priest reaches the fireplace, he assumes the role of the 

 Thunder God, whose priest he is, — " I am a powerful being ; I 

 breathe from my lips over you." Then, as priest again, he sings 

 the invocation to the Winds : 



" Ye four come hither and stand, near shall ye stand, 

 In four groups shall ye stand, 

 Here shall ye stand, in this place stand." 

 (The Thunder rolls.) 



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