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NO. 2

��TEPECANO PRAYERS

��117

��mi'puga'gurahononiD-a gacto'nkam wb'c they aside there will cause to fly that heat all

icxo'pitkamokot mi.io-a'giunida

cold with they us will go cleansing

ganamaritgo'korak bopuhimdam

that which they are our manes before go on

ci"a'rw6t-aho napua'r.gidic navaritci'uG east beneath there that create which is our*

Morning Star.

konki'hapi ma'tok inka'ok

With which thus is. Know; me hear.

kudiospocumbi 'aka 1

That God thee will sympathize. 1

NOTE

This prayer is spoken after the termination of a fiesta, the following morning when the communicants are about to depart, or when one who has come alone to a sacred place for any purpose desires to leave.

TRANSLATION

Hail! my Father, my Morning Star, and my Mother who are seated round about. I come to beg your forgiveness, my spirits who have gone before. Round about are ye seated on your pleasant throne. Round about are ye met in the seven beautiful heavens where ye were created. On your green carpet, beautifully o'erspread with rain and drizzle, whence come the clouds, the lightnings and the voice, cometh running and counselling he who is our Guide, our Morning Star, our Father and our Mother.

We beg their pardon and they will forgive us this portion for we cannot equal them. For we are vile and with our filthiness do we obstruct ourselves; we may not equal their ways, their days. Therefore do we beg their pardon, where they are seated, watching us in all hours. Sitting here we do continu- ally beseech them, having appeared in this

1 Possibly -ambi'aka, YOU WILL SYMPATHIZE; this final phrase is very frequent and difficult to interpret precisely. It probably carries some esoteric signifi- cance.

��their sacred place, beautifully outspread, be- neath their white carpet whence spring the clouds. Continually do we, beneath the seven beautiful heavens, tell them that they must forgive us this fragment.

From above us do they watch us from north, west and south whence they reach unto us their hand that we, wrapping ourselves in it, may go beholding through all hours. They will thrust aside whatever heat may draw near. With their chimales will they shield us, with their arrows will they put to flight the heat and with all manner of cold will they purify us, our spirits who have gone before to beneath the east where was created our Morning Star.

So be it; know it and hear me! May God bless you.

��17. TO DELIVER THE FIRE TO THE CARE OF ITS GUARDIAN

esta' mui bien apiampum.a-'gaD It is very well, thou not wast thinking

putuda'kat kuto"nimor.puba.ciumnio'k'it seated wast that suddenly hither already thee

speak.

kupica'ptumda'gia hoga namaritgo'k-orak Then thou in them thyself wilt seize that that= they are our manes

wopuhimdam apiamago'kiptononoikda

before go on. Thou not in two places wilt look.

ati'cpumta'n ha-gicdara apia'mhacuma-'ka We thee beg pardon. Thou not any wilt think

hactugokamo'kot pica'ptumda'gia

anything greatness with. Thou in him thyself wilt*

��kupsapipui 'ntamnoiD'a Then thou say here wilt look

��it.o-'oa'ba our Father in.

hoganavarito-'o natpubo'i.ci'cvot amohodor he that is our Father that did hither raise*

plumes. There from

pixodor natpubo'ixo-'t ganavaro'gaD where from that he did hither send he who is his* Father

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