Free translation:—White floating clouds. Clouds like the plains come and water the earth. Sun embrace the earth that she may be fruitful. Moon, lion of the north, bear of the west, badger of the south, wolf of the east, eagle of the heavens, shrew of the earth, elder war hero, younger war hero, warriors of the six mountains of the world, intercede with the cloud people for us, that they may water the earth. Medicine bowl, cloud bowl, and water vase give us your hearts, that the earth may be watered. I make the ancient road of meal, that my song may pass straight over it—the ancient road. White shell bead woman who lives where the sun goes down, mother whirlwind, father Sûs´sĭstĭnnako, mother Ya´ya, creator of good thoughts, yellow woman of the north, blue woman of the west, red woman of the south, white woman of the east, slightly yellow woman of the zenith, and dark woman of the nadir, I ask your intercession with the cloud people.
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.