Page:IJAL vol 1.djvu/118

 no

��INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AMERICAN LINGUISTICS

��VOL. I

��napuca'pma-'cim kotui'k-am bo'him that good appearing decoration comes

ganavarictSdok to'id6kot pumohodorva'- that which is green garb with thence already

umagim woci'korhovan hacnapuci'diidu goes counselling all surroundings thus that hoards.

kuti'pukoD'urrahi para natpunfrra

Then we decorated ourselves will make in order

that we will await

hi'di navarnofkaraD'am kuvi'puboi-

this that is his patio on. Then hither*

du'via para natsap'ukafya ganio'kit arrives in order that we may hear that"

his word,

para natpunofo-a para natputotgicda in order that we may see, in order that we= may repeat

hoga nio'kit para natpuhf-nkoida that his word, in order that we shall cry to- him,

para natpuma'toD-a navaro'gat

in order that we may give him to know who is= his father

navard&.ot natpuboiho't hidi

who is his mother that he did hither send this

��oi'dadam world on will

��para napurifu'kuka 1

in order that he be our flesh 1 *

��para natpuokot.gamtonoiD-a hidi

in order that we with may go seeing this

oi'da.dam &onjh'mi < puma''t6hi inka'ok

world on. With which they shall know it. Me hear

��ganamaringokorak they which are my spirits

��wopuhi'mdam before gone on.

��kuhapu.puicfi-p nicata'n hagicdara

Then thus also I them beg pardon.

konkidiospocambl'ak-a With which God you feel.

��NOTE

��The Fiesta of the Milpa Cuata, celebrated on the fifth of March, is rather variant from

1 The flesh of our bodies.

��the other three fiestas. It is held in a cave or rock shelter and is quite different from the others in type. As before, the Chief Singer arrives early in the evening before the others and recites this prayer to the divinities to beg permission to prepare the dance patio for the celebration of the fiesta.

The Milpa Cuata is any corn plant which grows with a forked stalk and an ear on either branch. It probably has an intimate con- nection with the horns of the deer. At harvest time the forked stalks are garnered with a special prayer (no. 29). They are then bound in a sheaf and preserved until this fiesta.

TRANSLATION

Hail! my Guide, my Morning Star, my Father and my Mother, seated round about on your green throne. Ye will give us leave to work here, to adorn this your court that we may hear the words of the stranger who from afar cometh counselling from beneath the east. Here will we await him in this cave among the dark forests where the neigh- bors will not behold us, that we may hear his word. He cometh counselling from afar whence his Father and his Mother did send him mournfully to appear here among us and accompany us. Already he cometh ; he hath spoken in the lightnings with all his adornment, with all his plumes. He cometh arrayed in his glorious green garb with which he was created, counselling on every side.

Therefore will we adorn ourselves to wait for him in this his court. Here he will arrive that we may hear his word, that we may behold him, that we may repeat his words and that we may cry unto him. We will say unto Him who is his Father and his Mother that he did send him to this world to be our flesh, that we might go beholding in this world.

Thus shall they know it. May my spirits who have gone before give ear unto me. Like- wise do I beseech them. May God bless you.

�� �