Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 7 1889.djvu/106

98 Vergi muchki melkaso, give dry weather. Varma Pas, give gentle winds. Tast ozais, protect our crops. Suavtuma ozais, make much grow. Mastir Pas, make the corn, the oats, the buckwheat, and the millet grow. Dur, dur, dur, pare Mastir Pas."

After reciting this he takes some purè in his mouth and spirts it out in every direction. He then pours some from each barrel into the ladle, stations himself on the ground at the foot of the sacred tree, sticks a lighted candle into it, cries "Sakmede!" and orders all to bow to the sacred tree. Turning towards it he recites this prayer:

"Cham Pas, Nishki Pas, Svyet Vereshki Pas, have mercy upon us. Ange Patyai Pas, mother, most holy mother of God, pray for us. Tumo ozais (oak ozais), have mercy upon us. Vechki kes keldigo, give plenty of trees. Pekshe ozais, give us plenty of bast shoes and plenty of bast. Piche ozais, give us dwelling rooms. Shotran ozais, give us logs for houses. Keren ozais, give us lime trees."

The vosatya then spills the whole of the first ladleful at the foot of the sacred tree. Afterwards he proceeds to do the same over the roots of the other trees in the Keremet, taking care that at least each different kind should get a little. While this is going on, the people are singing on their knees a prayer to the deity of the forest, of the same purport as that recited by the vosatya.

During the course of these ceremonies the sacrificial flesh got cooked. The posanbunaveds took it from the kettle and piled it up on the large wooden vats in front of the horai shigat. Then they carried it to the southern entrance, laid it on the huma or couch-shaped table there, and began to cut it into as many pieces as there were persons present with the sacrificial knives. The yanbeds distributed the volog or flesh to the people as they approached the huma; first to the pryavt, then to the old men and elders of the villages. Meanwhile the kashangorods went to the pot in which the shchirya or broth remained, took it out in the sacred ladle, and brought it to the people according to their ages. They brought a ladleful to the vosatya, who, retaining his seat at the foot of the tree, and shouting with a loud voice "Sakmede!" commanded all to fall on their knees while he recited:

"Cham Pas, Voltsi Pas, have mercy upon us. Kyolyada ozais, Rev