Aïena. 1. Nagāī çonilínië, nagāī çonilínië, 2. Biçhyísgo cinì‘ ¢eyà‘ Haïniyèa, haïniyèa, āīèe niò haïne-yàhe, oöhè. 3. Nagāī çointyèlië, nagāī çonilínië, 4. Biçhyísgo cinì‘ ¢eyà‘ Haïniyèa, etc. 5. Nagāī san biçòië, nagāī çonilínië, 6. Biçhyísgo cinì‘ ¢eyà‘ Haïniyèa, etc.

[255.] Translation.—1. Nagāī that; çonilíni, flowing water, a river. 2, 4, 6. Biçhyísgo, across it; cinì‘, my mind; ¢eyà‘, it goes, or, it comes, it wanders to or from. 3. Çointyèli, broad water. 5. San biço, water of old age.

[256.] For origin and free translation of this song, see paragraph [22].

[257.] [ SONG OF THE BUILDING OF THE DARK CIRCLE.]

Oeà oeà, eà eà, he he;

Oeà oeà, eà eeà, he he, ee nan a.

1. Dsilyi‘ Neyáni, cayolèli cayolèli;

2. Tcoyaj ¢ilhyíli, cayolèli cayolèli;

3. Tsíca alìli, cayolèli cayolèli;

4. Bija ¢igíngo, cayolèli cayolèli.

5. Tcikè-¢igìni, cayolèli cayolèli;

6. Tcoyaj çolíji, cayolèli cayolèli;

7. Tsí¢a alìli, cayolèli cayolèli;

8. Bíja ¢igíngo, cayolèli cayolèli.

[258.] Translation.—1. Dsilyi‘ Neyáni, Reared Within the Mountains, the prophet who instituted these ceremonies; cayolèli, he carries [something long and flexible, as a branch or sapling] for me. 2, 6. Tcoyaj, a spruce sapling, diminutive of tco, spruce; ¢ilhyíl, black; çolíj, blue. 3, 7. Tsí¢a alìli (usually tsí¢a bialìli), truly a dance implement. 4, 8. Bíja ¢igíngo (usually bíja-ye¢igíngo), a holy treasure, a magic wand.

[259.] Free translation.
Reared Within the Mountains carries for me; A black spruce sapling, he carries for me; An implement of the rites, he carries for me; A holy treasure, he carries for me. The Holy Young Woman carries for me; A blue spruce sapling, she carries for me; An implement of the rites, she carries for me; A holy treasure, she carries for me.

[260.] The evergreen poles used in the dance and in making “the dark circles,” to both of which this song probably refers, were, in all cases where I have observed them, made of piñon and not of spruce; but all dances I have witnessed were at altitudes of about six thousand feet, where piñon was abundant and spruce rare. In those portions of the Navajo country with which I am familiar the spruce (Pseudotsuga douglassii) grows plentifully at the height of eight thousand feet, sparsely below that. There is good reason for believing that the spruce is the true sacred tree of these rites and that the piñon is only a convenient substitute. The song is called Ilnásjin Beniçà, “that with which the dark circle is built.” It is sung by the shaman at the eastern gate, while the young men are building the corral. (Paragraph [124].) I have other

slightly different versions of it, probably suitable for different occasions. The form given above is recited, under ordinary circumstances, when the patient is a woman.