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��INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AMERICAN LINGUISTICS

��VOL. I

��31. TO RID THE RANCH OF SCORPIONS

adio's naparinci'u'k- apipubo.in - 6idida To God, that thou art my Morning Star. Thou hither me wilt come watching,

kuya'm.inda'mactuacumwa-'da di aniho that not over me anything itself will make of here- abouts

namputuldk-io hi'di oi'da.daM

that they live this world on

namictoko.u-t aniho' namputuoipu

that they vicious hereabouts that they walk

namarna'na'skor kuha'pu.pui'c6-p

that they are scorpions. Then thus also

ni'cata'n ha-gicdara ku'mimomir'iTnka 1 them beg pardon that they hence selves-

will take

pixo' nania'mano'noikda ga"gu-rahu'wan where that I not them will see aside there

pixo' nampuoidaG aniamho-'hi

where that they belong. I not wish

nan.i'ntaM.ano'noikda piho' nanoi'mor that I here them will see where that I walk.

kuhapu.pwicft-p ni'canvatuo ganavar- Then thus also I them cause to know that-

ci'vgo'k o-'hi to'tvakwo'p'ta

which is seven beautiful skies beneath

nampua'r'gidic kumi'momu'riivka porki that they form that they hence selves will take be- cause

niti'.anato ani'tuako'k'daD-a kuni'pu- I if here them see I them will sicken. Then.

ma-'tuo ganci'u'k kui'bu.intok'da

I cause to know that my Morning Star, that< hither me will extend

��gano V1D that his hand

��para nawo-'c.oVa5.a'b-

in order that he in all hours*

��irru'k'dida kumia'm.piho'.tunko'k-datuD'a

me will go guarding Then they not any- where me will sicken

ganamarictuk6'dam kugo'kuni'puta'N

they which are vicious ones. Then therefore I beg

ha-gicdara ganci'u'c kuvi'.aha"pud'a

pardon he my Morning Star that them will restrain

��ganampuanihopukikio they which hereabouts live

��hidioi'daga'ba this hill in

��namarhipitpak 1 that they are spiders,

��namarnana'skor that they are scorpions,

namark6k - o ha'ctunampu.i'ntampukikio

that they are snakes, any that they here reside.

kumi'.momir'rna ganavaricto'doG

Then they hence selves will take that which is green

ma-'inikwo't'a kuniamho-'hi

petate beneath. Then I not wish

nanano'noik-da konki'hapi nicma-tut that I them will see. With which thus is, I cause, to know

��ganavarinci'u'k

he that is my Morning Star.

��tunha-'gicio Me pardon

naparinci'u'k' naparinda-'o in.o-'k

that thou art my Morning Star, that thou art my Mother, my Father.

NOTE

This prayer is recited by a man when he goes to a new locality to build his house and make his home. It has the power to drive away the scorpions, snakes, spiders, and other poisonous insects and animals.

He must first fast for five days and prepare a jicara of pinole mixed in water or of holy water. This jicara is decorated with small beads. At the end of the fast it is placed in the center of the holding and the water sprinkled to the four cardinal points while the prayer is recited. The latter is addressed to the Morning Star, the arch-enemy of the scorpions who are the cattle of the Devil. The principal scorpion is in the sky; 1 those on earth are smaller copies of it.

The prayer must be repeated every year if the scorpions are to be kept under control.

TRANSLATION

Hail! thou who art my Morning Star. Thou wilt come to watch over me that no evil may come upon me from those who dwell

1 Probably borrowed from the European zodiac.

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