PRAYER FOR SICK INFANT.
While the Sia have great faith in the power of their theurgists, individually they make efforts to save the lives of their dear ones even after the failure of the theurgist. Such is their belief in the supplications of the good of heart, that the vice-theurgist of the Snake Society, who is one of the writer’s staunchest friends, rode many miles to solicit her prayers for his ill infant. He placed in her hand a tiny package of shell mixture done up in a bit of corn husk, and, clasping the hand with both of his, he said: “Your heart being good, your prayers travel fast to the sun and Ko´pĭshtaia.” He, then, in the most impressive manner, repeated the following prayer:
(1) Ku-chŏr-pĭsh-tai-a (2) Ku-chŏr-na-tä-ni (3) Ku´ti ot se ä ta (4) Pai´-ä-tä-mo ki-ᵗchän-ni (5) Ha´-mi ha´-notch (6) U-wa mash-ta-ñi (7) Ka´a-wĭnck (8) Ya´-ya (9) U-ä-mûts (10 Ka´-a-wĭinck (11) Sha´-mi wĭnck (12) U-we-chai-ni (13) Ñi na mats (14) ñi to ñi (15) ᵗsi tu ma ñi to ñi (16) Na´ wai pi cha.
Explanation of prayer by governor for his sick child.
(1) Your thoughts and heart are united with Ko´pĭshtaia; you daily draw the sacred breath of life.
(2) Your thoughts are great and pass first over the road to the sun father and Ko´pĭshtaia.
(3) Our thoughts and hearts are as one, but yours are first.
(4) A man of the world.
(5) Of the tobacco family.
} Referring to the child.
(6) You will be to the child as a mother, and the child will be as your own for all time to come; your thoughts will always be for one another.
(7) The hearts of ourselves and the child be united and as one heart henceforth; those of us who pray for the child will be known by the child and the child by us, even though the child has not been seen by us; we will know one another by our hearts and the child will greet you as——
(8) Mother.
(9) Take the child into your arms as your own.
(10) That the hearts of ourselves and the child’s be united and as one heart; henceforth those of us who pray for this child will be known by the child and the child by us; though the child has not been seen by us, we will know one another by our hearts.
(11) May he have a good heart.
(12) May all good words come straight from his heart and pass over the straight road.
(13) While he is growing from childhood to youth.
(14) While he is growing from youth to manhood.
(15) And may he be valued as he grows from manhood to old age.
(16) May the child be beautiful and happy.
When one is ill from the heat of the sun he sprinkles corn pollen or meal to the sun, saying, “Father, I am ill in my head, it reaches my heart; I pay you with this meal; I give it to you as food, and will be thankful to you to take away my malady.”