Page:A Study of the Manuscript Troano.djvu/301

Rh The little boys and girls approached in order, and the priest placed in their hands some maize and incense, which they threw one by one into the brazier. This finished and the incensing being terminated, they raised the brazier and the cord with which the Chacs had formed the inclosure. They poured a little wine into a vase or vessel, which they gave, with these things, to a man to carry out of the village, and charged him especially not to drink the wine and not to look behind him on his return In this manner the evil spirit was said to be dispelled.

The yard was then swept and decorated with leaves which were found there, and were the leaves of a tree called cihom; they substituted them with others of a tree called copo, and stretched some mats, during which time the priest changed his clothes. He appeared soon after, clothed in a tunic of red feathers, worked with other feathers of different colors, and from which hung other feathers still finer; also, underneath, a large quantity of ribbons of cotton, which hung down to the ground. On his head he wore a kind of miter, embroidered with plumage in the same manner, and in his hand a small holy-water sprinkler of wood, carved skillfully, of which the filaments were of the tails of serpents, similar to serpents with rattles. He came out thus, having neither more nor less gravity than a pope would have in crowning an emperor; and it is a remarkable thing to see the serenity which all this apparel gave him.

The Chacs immediately advanced towards the children and placed white linen cloths, which their mothers had brought for this purpose, on their heads. They then asked the oldest if they had committed no wrong or immodest action; and if they had they confessed and were separated from the rest. This done, the priest commanded all to seat themselves and be silent; he then began to bless the children with certain prayers and to consecrate them with the holy water, with much dignity. The benediction finished, he sat down. The one chosen by the fathers of the infants to aid especially in this ceremony, then rose, and, armed with a bone, which the priest gave him, he went to each child and passed it in front of him nine times; he then flipped it in a vessel of water which he carried in his hand and anointed them on the forehead and face, also the interstices of the fingers and toes, without saying a single word. This water was composed of certain flowers and