938 Mythic Dry-Paintings of the Navajos. [ October, 
these creatures are shown in the east, guarding the entrance to 
the lodge. The appendages at the sides of the heads of the god- 
desses represent the g/di-bichd, or head-dresses of g/oi skins of 
different colors, which these mythic personages are said to wear. 
Each one bears, attached to the right hand, a rattle, a charm and 
a branch of choke-cherry in blossom (highly conventionalized). 
Some other adjuncts of the picture—the red robes embroidered 
with sunbeams, the forearms and legs clothed with clouds and 
lightning, the pendants from wrists and elbows, the blue and red 
armlets, bracelets and garters—are properties of nearly all the 
anthropomorphic gods shown in these pictures. The rainbow 
which encloses the group on three sides is not the anthropomor- 
phic rainbow, it has no head, neck, arms or lower extremities. 
Five white eagle-plumes adorn its south-eastern end; five tail- 
plumes of some blue bird decorate the bend in the south-west; 
the tail of the red-shafted flicker is near the bend in the north- 
west, and the tail of the magpie terminates the north-eastern 
extremity. Throughout the myth not only is the house of dew 
spoken of as adorned with hangings and festoons of rainbows, 
but nearly all the holy dwellings are thus embellished. 
The fourth picture represents the Kaéso-yisthan, or great plumed 
arrows. These arrows are the especial great mystery, the potent 
healing charm of the dance. On the last night, many public 
alilis (shows, dances) may be given—shows of all sorts of socie- 
ties and bands, shows adopted from alien tribes. From dark to 
dawn these continue around the great central fire and within the 
dark fence of evergreen branches. All of these may be changed, 
omitted, or have others substituted for them, except the dance of 
_ the great plumed arrow, this cannot be left out. 
The three paintings remaining to be described are those of the 
kledji-hathal (chant of the night), or dance of the Yeibichai 
(grand-uncle of the gods). They represent some of the visions 
of another Navajo prophet named Sho. The myth recounting 
__ his adventures is interesting, but too long to be related here. In 
childhood and youth he showed signs of unusual wisdom. He 
often told his immediate relations that he held converse with the 
gods; but they doubted him until, as he grew older, he exhibited 
such unquestionable evidence of second-sight that the most skep- 
tical were convinced. On one of his rambles he saw what he 
to be a small herd of big-horn or Rocky-mountain 
