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134

��INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AMERICAN LINGUISTICS

��VOL. I

��koha'pu.pwi'co-p- ati'cta'n ha'gicdara Then thus also we beg pardon;

ti'punva'k ganavaritni'o'k kutiamipiho'- we thee give that which is our word that we

not anywhere will*

paro-nda kuica-'pti'moto'kia konkip\a*m- maltreat that well we hence will place. With

which thou not

bi'aka napiho'.soi'mo'riD-a pia'm.-

wilt need that thou anywhere sad wilt

feel. Thou not

ago'kiptono'nikda sa"rak napumtotok to two places wilt look Milpa Cuata that-

thou art called

napara'rak.uv amoho'dor na'punio'kim that thou art creature female. There from that- thou speaking

umhi'kom.orhodor hi'di navaricto'do thy cloud within this that is green

mai'ndam na'pitpurrra'cir kupictunha'gicda petate on that thou didst appear. Then

thou me wilt pardon

piho' nant6'nim6r.i'civo'mikda kupia'm- anywhere that I unbidden will raise. Then thou-

bi'aka napiho'soi'mo'ri'da kugoku

not wilt need that thou anywhere sad wilt-

feel. Then therefore

ni'pumtan ha-gicdara konki.dios.-

I thee beg pardon. With which God

pocambi'aka

you will sympathize.

NOTE

When the corn is ripe and the harvest time has come, the owner of the field goes forth and reaps all the ordinary ears of corn. But the Milpas Cuatas, the corn plants with a forked stem and two ears, are left standing after the others have been gathered. Then the field is encircled with ceremonial circuits as many times as there are Cuatas within and the following prayer is recited.

TRANSLATION

Hail! thou who art called Maiden. Round about us art thou met! From beneath the

��east did thy Father and Mother send thee hither. Likewise do we beseech him of the North where thou belongest. Thou must accompany me wherever I may carry thee. Thou must harken unto me, formed as thou art with thy arrows. And also he of the West who is called the Pine-Man. We promise her Father and her Mother that we will not maltreat her; we will guard her like our own hand. Likewise do we beseech him who is called the White Star Cidukam who be- longeth in the south where appeareth the child of the Father. We beseech her Father and her Mother.

Hereabouts did she walk, bemoaning. Then, having wandered and wept here she returned unto her Father and told him that his children had mistreated her. Therefore did she depart ; she returned unto her Father and arrived there afar where he is seated in the seven beautiful heavens. 1

Thus do we pray. We give thee our word that we will not mistreat her, that we will guard her well. Thou needst not feel offended. Nor look askance, Milpa Cuata, as thou art called, maiden. Speaking from within thy distant cloud thou didst appear on this green carpet. Thou wilt forgive me if, un- bidden, I reap. Do not feel sad; on this account I beg thy pardon.

May God bless you.

30. TO BEG PERMISSION TO HUNT DEER

anicbo'himdaD to"nimor puamta'nim I hither coming was unbidden you begging

ho'gam namaramso'soik' aniho'van

they that they are your pets. Hereabouts

hoga namarictu'tu'k'

that that they are black

6i'dak-.a"ba su'suimar nampumto'tok' hills in deer that they are called

��nampu.oi po that they walk

��hoga

that

��navaricto'doc that is green

��amai'nikdam your petate on.

��1 Cf. JAFL, xxvii, 155.

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