Part 31
Sa` alíli sideyáïye, aníhoyéle, For me an implement of the rites I come with, to you dreadful,
aineyáhi ainé. (no meaning).
IV.
Kat Tsówenatlehi sideyáïye, Now Changing Grandchild I come with,
Pes litsói behogánde sideyáïye, Knives yellow from the house made of I come with,
Pes litsói da`honíde sideyáïye, Knives yellow from where they dangle high I come with,
Sa` alíli sideyáïye, anídiginle For me an implement of the rites I come with, to you sacred
aineyáhi ainé. (no meaning.)
Alíl or alíli means a show, dance, or other single exhibition of the rites (see fig. 30). It also means a wand or other sacred implement used in the rites. It is thought that the colored hoops for raising a storm, described in par. 355, are the alíli referred to in this song.
282. SONG OF THE SUN.
I.
Siní` eé deyá aá, deyá aá, My mind approaches, approaches,
Tsínhanoai eé deyá aá, The Sun God approaches,
Ni`ninéla` eé deyá aá, Border of the Earth approaches,
Estsánatlesi bigáni yúnidze deyá aá, Estsánatlehi her house toward the hearth approaches,
Sána nagái eé deyá aá, In old age walking approaches,
Biké hozóni eé deyá aá. His trail beautiful approaches.
Siní` eé deyá aá, deyá aá. My mind approaches, approaches.
II.
Siní` eé deyá aá, deyá aá, My mind approaches, approaches,
Kléhanoai eé deyá aá, The Moon God approaches,
Ni`ninéla` eé deyá aá, Border of the Earth approaches,
Yolkaí Estsán bigáni yúnidze deyá aá, Yolkaí Estsán her house toward the hearth approaches,
Sána nagái eé deyá aá, In old age walking approaches,
Biké hozóni eé deyá aá. His trail beautiful approaches.
Siní` eé deyá aá deyá aá. My mind approaches, approaches.
Yúni, here translated hearth, is a certain part of the floor of the Navaho lodge. Yúnidze means in the direction of the yúni.
The expressions Sána nagái and Biké hozóni appear in many songs and prayers, and are always thus united. Their literal translation is as given above; but they are equivalent to saying, "Long life and happiness;" as part of a prayer, they are a supplication for a long and happy life. Hozóni means, primarily, terrestrially beautiful; but it means also happy, happily, or, in a certain sense, good.
Estsánatlehi is often called, in song, Estsánatlesi, and Tsóhanoai is often called (apparently with greater propriety) Tsínhanoai. Siní` = Si'ni.
The syllables not translated are meaningless.
283. SIGNIFICANT WORDS OF SONGS OF THE LOG, FIRST SET.
First Song:-- Tsin nizóni sa` nii'nitha. Tree (log, stick) beautiful for me they fell.
Second Song:--Tsin nizóni sa` haídile. Tree beautiful for me they prepare or trim.
Third Song:--Tsin nizóni sa` haiyidíla`. Tree beautiful for me they have prepared.
Fourth Song:--Tsin nizóni silá` yidití`yi`. Tree beautiful with me they carry.
Fifth Song:--Tsin nizóni silá` tháiyiyitin. Tree beautiful with me they put in the water.
The word for beautiful is usually pronounced inzóni, not nizóni as above.
284. SIGNIFICANT WORDS OF SONGS OF THE LOG, SECOND SET.
First Song:--Tsin nizóni silá` neyilgó`. Tree beautiful with me they push.
Second Song:--Tsin nizóni silá` yidisél. Tree beautiful with me floats.
Third Song:--Tsin nizóni silá` yiyilól. Tree beautiful with me moves floating.
285. WORDS OF THE EAGLE.
Ahaláni siáz! E`yéhe siáz! Nitsi'li ta Greeting, my child! Thanks, my child! Your younger brother down
toadainini'lda, Donikí. you did not throw, Donikí.
286. SONG OF THE EAGLES.--A SONG OF THE BEAD CHANT.
I.
Aóoóo aiá-hená an an anaié anaié. (Meaningless prelude.)
Kinnakíye yéye saaíyista an an, Kinnakíye there he sits,
Hayáaaá yéye saaíyista an an, When he rises, there he sits,
Yiltsá aá yéye saaíyista an an, We shall see, there he sits,
Talpíl aá yéye saaíyista an an. He will flap, there he sits.
Aiadoséye aiadoséye an an an ohaneyé. (Meaningless refrain.)
Kinnakíye = Kinníki. The vocables not translated have no meaning now.
287. SONG OF THE ASCENSION.
I.
Aió éo éo éo he, éo óo éo éo he. (Meaningless prelude.)
1. Tsi'natan alkaí eé eé, Plant of corn white,
2. Bidági tso ínyan eé. Its ear sticks up in great to eat.
3. Nantá anán tosé tosé. Stay down.
Tosé eyé eyé.
II.
(Repeat prelude as in stanza I.)
1. Tsi'natan dotli'z eé eé, Plant of corn blue,
2. Bidági tso ínyan eé. Its ear sticks up in great to eat.
3. Nantá anán tosé tosé. Stay down.
(Repeat refrain as in stanza I.)
III.
(Repeat prelude.)
1. Tsi'natan altsói eé eé, Plant of corn yellow,
2. Bidági tso ínyan eé. Its ear sticks up in great to eat.
3. Nantá anán tosé tosé. Stay down.
(Repeat refrain.)
IV.
(Repeat prelude.)
1. Tsi'nataa zi'ni eé eé, Plant of corn black,
2. Bidági tso ínyan eé. Its ear sticks up in great to eat.
3. Nantá anán tosé tosé. Stay down.
(Repeat refrain.)
V.
(Repeat prelude.)
1. Tsi'nat althasaí eé eé, Plant of corn all kinds or colors,
2. Bidági tso ínyan eé. Its ear sticks up in great to eat.
3. Nantá anán tosé tosé. Stay down.
(Repeat refrain.)
VI.
(Repeat prelude.)
1. Tsi'natan ditsól eé eé, Plant of corn round (nubbin),
2. Bidági tso ínyan eé. Its ear sticks up in great to eat.
3. Nantá anán tosé tosé. Stay down.
(Repeat refrain.)
Great changes are made in some of the words in this song for prosodic reasons. Tsi'natan, tsi'nataa, and tsi'nat (1st lines) are all from tsil (plant) and natán (corn), Bidági (2d lines) is from bidí (its ear), iá` (it sticks up), and gi (in). Alkaí (line 1, stanza I.) = lakaí. Altsói (line 1, stanza III.) = litsói.
288. PRAYER OF FIRST DANCERS FROM THE CEREMONY OF THE NIGHT CHANT.
1. Tse`gíhigi, Tse`gíhi in
2. Hayolkál behogángi, Dawn made of house in,
3. Nahotsói behogángi, Evening twilight made of house in,
4. Kósdilyil behogángi, Cloud dark made of house in,
5. Niltsabaká behogángi, Rain male made of house in,
6. Á`dilyil behogángi, Mist dark made of house in,
7. Niltsabaád behogángi, Rain female made of house in,
8. Thaditín behogángi, Pollen made of house in,
9. Aniltáni behogángi, Grasshoppers made of house in,
10. Á`dilyil dadinlági, Mist dark at the door,
11. Natsílit bikedzétin, Rainbow his trail the road,
12. Atsinikli'si yíki dasizíni, Zigzag lightning on it high stands,
13. Niltsabaká yíki dasizíni, Rain male on it high stands,
14. Hastsébaka, Deity male,
15. Kósdilyil nikégo nahaíniya`. Cloud dark your moccasins come to us.
16. Kósdilyil nisklégo nahaíniya`. Cloud dark your leggings come to us.
17. Kósdilyil niégo nahaíniya`. Cloud dark your shirt come to us.
18. Kósdilyil nitságo nahaíniya`. Cloud dark your headdress come to us.
19. Kósdilyil binininlágo nahaíniya`. Cloud dark your mind enveloping come to us.
20. Niki'dze idní`dilyil dahitágo nahaíniya`. You above thunder dark high flying come to us.
21. Kosistsín bikégo dahitágo nahaíniya`. Cloud having a shape at feet high flying come to us.
22. Intsekádo kósdilyil beatsadasyélgo dahitágo Your head over cloud dark made of far darkness high flying
nahaíniya`. come to us.
23. Intsekádo niltsabaká beatsadasyélgo dahitágo Your head over rain male made of far darkness high flying
nahaíniya`. come to us.
24. Intsekádo á`dilyil beatsadasyélgo dahitágo Your head over mist dark made of far darkness high flying
nahaíniya`. come to us.
25. Intsekádo niltsabaád beatsadasyélgo dahitágo Your head over rain female made of far darkness high flying
nahaíniya`. come to us.
26. Intsekádo atsinikli'si hadahatilgo dahitágo Your head over zigzag lightning high out flung high flying
nahaíniya`. come to us.
27. Intsekádo natsílit adahazlágo dahitágo nahaíniya`. Your head over rainbow high hanging high flying come to us.
28. Nita`lathá`do kósdilyil beatsadasyélgo dahitágo Your wings on ends of cloud dark made of far darkness high flying
nahaíniya`. come to us.
29. Nita`lathá`do niltsabaká beatsadasyélgo dahitágo Your wings on ends of rain male made of far darkness high flying
nahaíniya`. come to us.
30. Nita`lathá`do á`dilyil beatsadasyélgo dahitágo Your wings on ends of mist dark made of far darkness high flying
nahaíniya`. come to us.
31. Nita`lathá`do niltsabaád beatsadasyélgo dahitágo Your wings on ends of rain female made of far darkness high flying
nahaíniya`. come to us.
32. Nita`lathá`do atsinikli'si hadahati'lgo dahitágo Your wings on ends of zigzag lightning high out flung high flying
nahaíniya`. come to us.
33. Nita`lathá`do natsílit adahazlágo dahitágo nahaíniya`. Your wings on ends of rainbow high hanging high flying come to us.
34. Kósdilyil, niltsabaká, á`dilyil, niltsabaád bil Cloud dark, rain male, mist dark, rain female with it
benatsidasyélgo nahaíniya`. made of near darkness come to us.
35. Ni`gidasyél nahaíniya`. On the earth darkness come to us.
36. Aíbe natátso nitadeél biági tálawus With the same great corn floating over at bottom foam
yilto`lín esi'nosin. with water flowing that I wish.
37. Nigel islá`. Your sacrifice I have made.
38. Nadé hilá`. For you smoke I have prepared.
39. Siké saáditlil. My feet for me restore (as they were).
40. Sitsát saáditlil. My legs for me restore.
41. Sitsís saáditlil. My body for me restore.
42. Si'ni saáditlil. My mind for me restore.
43. Siné saáditlil. My voice for me restore.
44. Ádistsin nalíl saádilel. This day your spell for me take out.
45. Ádistsin nalíl saani'nla`. This day your spell for me remove (take away).
46. Sitsádze tahi'ndinla`. Away from me you have taken it.
47. Nizágo sitsa` nénla`. Far off from me it is taken.
48. Nizágo nastlín. Far off you have done it.
49. Hozógo nadedestál. Happily (in a way of beauty) I recover.
50. Hozógo sitáhadinokél. Happily my interior becomes cool.
51. Hozógo siná nahodotlél. Happily my eyes, I regain (the power of).
52. Hozógo sitsé dinokél. Happily my head becomes cool.
53. Hozógo sitsát nahodotlél. Happily my limbs I regain.
54. Hozógo nadedestsíl. Happily again I hear.
55. Hozógo sáhadadoltó`. Happily for me it is taken off.
56. Hozógo nasádo. Happily I walk.
57. Tosohododelnígo nasádo. Impervious to pain I walk.
58. Sitáhago sólago nasádo. My interior light I walk.
59. Saná` nislíngo nasádo. My feelings lively I walk.
60. Hozógo kósdilyil senahotlédo. Happily (in terrestrial beauty) clouds dark I desire (in abundance).
61. Hozógo á`dilyil senahotlédo. Happily mists dark I desire.
62. Hozógo sedaahuiltyído senahotlédo. Happily passing showers I desire.
63. Hozógo nanisé senahotlédo. Happily plants of all kinds I desire.
64. Hozógo thaditín senahotlédo. Happily pollen I desire.
65. Hozógo dató` senahotlédo. Happily dew I desire.
66. Hozógo natálkai yasóni ni`dahazlágo Happily corn white good beautiful to the end of the earth
ni`yilokaí. may (it) come with you.
67. Hozógo natáltsoi yasóni ni`dahazlágo Happily corn yellow good beautiful to the end of the earth
ni`yilokaí. may come with you.
68. Hozógo natadotli'zi yasóni ni`dahazlágo Happily corn blue good beautiful to the end of the earth
ni`yilokaí. may come with you.
69. Hozógo nataalthasaí yasóni ni`dahazlágo Happily corn of all kinds good beautiful to the end of the earth
70. Hozógo nanisé yasóni ni`dahazlágo Happily plants of all kinds good beautiful to the end of the earth
ni`yilokaí. may come with you.
71. Hozógo yúdi althasaí yasóni ni`dahazlágo Happily goods of all kinds good beautiful to the end of the earth
ni`yilokaí. may come with you.
72. Hozógo inkli'z althasaí yasóni ni`dahazlágo Happily jewels of all kinds good beautiful to the end of the earth
ni`yilokaí. may come with you.
73. Tíbe ni`yitsi'de hozógo ni`yilokaí. With these before you happily may come with you.
74. Tíbe ni`yikéde hozógo ni`yilokaí. With these behind you happily may come with you.
75. Tíbe ni`yiyági hozógo ni`yilokaí. With these below you happily may come with you.
76. Tíbe ni`yikígi hozógo ni`yilokaí. With these above you happily may come with you.
77. Tíbe ni`yinagidáltso hozógo ni`yilokaí. With theseall around you happily may come with you.
78. Tibikégo hozógo nahodolál. In this way happily you accomplish your tasks.
79. Hozógo nastúwin ta`nishyítinolil. Happily old men they will look at you.
80. Hozógo sáni ta`nishyítinolil. Happily old women they will look at you.
81. Hozógo tsilké ta`nishyítinolil. Happily young men they will look at you.
82. Hozógo tsiké ta`nishyítinolil. Happily young women they will look at you.
83. Hozógo asiké ta`nishyítinolil. Happily boys they will look at you.
84. Hozógo atéte ta`nishyítinolil. Happily girls they will look at you.
85. Hozógo altsíni ta`nishyítinolil. Happily children they will look at you.
86. Hozógo intanitaí` ta`nishyítinolil. Happily chiefs they will look at you.
87. Hozógo taidoltá` ta`nishyítinolil. Happily scattering in different directions they will look at you.
88. Hozógo nitailté ta`nishyítinolil. Happily getting home they will look at you.
89. Hozógo thaditínke etíngo nitailtéde. Happily pollen trail on road they get home.
90. Hozógo ninádahidoka. Happily may they all get back.
91. Hozógo nasádo. Happily (or in beauty) I walk.
92. Sitsi'dze hozógo nasádo. Me before toward happily I walk.
93. Sikéde hozógo nasádo. Me behind from happily I walk.
94. Siyági hozógo nasádo. Me below in happily I walk.
95. Siki'dze hozógo nasádo. Me above toward happily I walk.
96. Siná dáltso hozógo nasádo. Me around all happily I walk.
97. Hozóna hastlé, In happiness (or beauty) again it is finished (or done),
98. Hozóna hastlé, In beauty again it is finished,
99. Hozóna hastlé, In beauty again it is finished,
100. Hozóna hastlé, In beauty again it is finished,
FREE TRANSLATION OF PRAYER.
1. In Tse`gíhi (oh you who dwell!)
2. In the house made of the dawn,
3. In the house made of the evening twilight,
4. In the house made of the dark cloud,
5. In the house made of the he-rain,
6. In the house made of the dark mist,
7. In the house made of the she-rain,
8. In the house made of pollen,
9. In the house made of grasshoppers,
10. Where the dark mist curtains the doorway,
11. The path to which is on the rainbow,
12. Where the zigzag lightning stands high on top,
13. Where the he-rain stands high on top,
14. Oh, male divinity!
15. With your moccasins of dark cloud, come to us.
16. With your leggings of dark cloud, come to us.
17. With your shirt of dark cloud, come to us.
18. With your headdress of dark cloud, come to us.
19. With your mind enveloped in dark cloud, come to us.
20. With the dark thunder above you, come to us soaring.
21. With the shapen cloud at your feet, come to us soaring.
22. With the far darkness made of the dark cloud over your head, come to us soaring.
23. With the far darkness made of the he-rain over your head, come to us soaring.
24. With the far darkness made of the dark mist over your head, come to us soaring.
25. With the far darkness made of the she-rain over your head, come to us soaring.
26. With the zigzag lightning flung out on high over your head, come to us soaring.
27. With the rainbow hanging high over your head, come to us soaring.
28. With the far darkness made of the dark cloud on the ends of your wings, come to us soaring.
29. With the far darkness made of the he-rain on the ends of your wings, come to us soaring.
30. With the far darkness made of the dark mist on the ends of your wings, come to us soaring.
31. With the far darkness made of the she-rain on the ends of your wings, come to us soaring.
32. With the zigzag lightning flung out on high on the ends of your wings, come to us soaring.
33. With the rainbow hanging high on the ends of your wings, come to us soaring.
34. With the near darkness made of the dark cloud, of the he-rain, of the dark mist, and of the she-rain, come to us.
35. With the darkness on the earth, come to us.
36. With these I wish the foam floating on the flowing water over the roots of the great corn.
37. I have made your sacrifice.
38. I have prepared a smoke for you.
39. My feet restore for me.
40. My limbs restore for me.
41. My body restore for me.
42. My mind restore for me.
43. My voice restore for me.
44. To-day, take out your spell for me.
45. To-day, take away your spell for me.
46. Away from me you have taken it.
47. Far off from me it is taken.
48. Far off you have done it.
49. Happily I recover.
50. Happily my interior becomes cool.
51. Happily my eyes regain their power.
52. Happily my head becomes cool.
53. Happily my limbs regain their power.
54. Happily I hear again.
55. Happily for me (the spell) is taken off.
56. Happily I walk.
57. Impervious to pain, I walk.
58. Feeling light within, I walk.
59. With lively feelings, I walk.
60. Happily (or in beauty) abundant dark clouds I desire.
61. Happily abundant dark mists I desire.
62. Happily abundant passing showers I desire.
63. Happily an abundance of vegetation I desire.
64. Happily an abundance of pollen I desire.
65. Happily abundant dew I desire.
66. Happily may fair white corn, to the ends of the earth, come with you.
67. Happily may fair yellow corn, to the ends of the earth, come with you.
68. Happily may fair blue corn, to the ends of the earth, come with you.
69. Happily may fair corn of all kinds, to the ends of the earth, come with you.
70. Happily may fair plants of all kinds, to the ends of the earth, come with you.
71. Happily may fair goods of all kinds, to the ends of the earth, come with you.
72. Happily may fair jewels of all kinds, to the ends of the earth, come with you.
73. With these before you, happily may they come with you.
74. With these behind you, happily may they come with you.
75. With these below you, happily may they come with you.
76. With these above you, happily may they come with you.
77. With these all around you, happily may they come with you.
78. Thus happily you accomplish your tasks.
79. Happily the old men will regard you.
80. Happily the old women will regard you.
81. Happily the young men will regard you.
82. Happily the young women will regard you.
83. Happily the boys will regard you.
84. Happily the girls will regard you.
85. Happily the children will regard you.
86. Happily the chiefs will regard you.
87. Happily, as they scatter in different directions, they will regard you.
88. Happily, as they approach their homes, they will regard you.
89. Happily may their roads home be on the trail of pollen (peace).
90. Happily may they all get back.
91. In beauty (happily) I walk.
92. With beauty before me, I walk.
93. With beauty behind me, I walk.
94. With beauty below me, I walk.
95. With beauty above me, I walk.
96. With beauty all around me, I walk.
97. It is finished (again) in beauty,
98. It is finished in beauty,
99. It is finished in beauty,
100. It is finished in beauty.
REMARKS ON THE PRAYER.
This prayer is addressed to a mythic thunder-bird, hence the reference to wings; but the bird is spoken of as a male divinity, and is supposed to dwell with other yéi at Tse`gíhi. The prayer is said at the beginning of work, on the last night of the klédzi hatál. The shaman speaks it, verse by verse, as it is here recorded, and one of the atsá`lei or first dancers, repeats it, verse by verse, after him.
The word hozó means, primarily, terrestrial beauty. Its derivative hozógo means in a beautiful earthly manner. Hozóni means beautiful on the earth, locally beautiful (inzóni refers to the beauty of objects and persons); Hozóna signifies again beautiful. But the meanings of these words, and others of similar derivation, have been extended to mean happy, happiness, in a happy or joyful manner, etc. In a free translation they must be rendered by various English words.
The four final verses have been previously recorded by the author as hozóni haslé (Qojòni qaslè), but he now regards the form hozóna hastlé as more correct.[289] This expression, repeated twice or four times, according to circumstances, ends all Navaho prayers, yet recorded. It is analogous to the Christian Amen.
289. In a few instances, in this work, a Navaho word may be found spelled or accentuated with slight differences in different places. It must not be inferred from this that one form is correct and the other not. As usage varies in the languages of the most cultured races, so does it vary (only in greater degree) in the languages of the unlettered. A word was often heard differently pronounced and was therefore differently recorded by the author. An effort has been made to decide on a single standard of form and always to give preference to this; but, in a few cases, variations may have been overlooked. Words sometimes undergo great changes when they become parts of compound words. Where the form of a word in this work varies from that presented in previous works by the author the variation may be accounted for, in some cases by the difference in the alphabets used, and in others by the changes of opinion which have come to him in time, as the result of a more extended experience or a more advanced study of the language.
290. Note 290 is omitted.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTES.
BY FREDERICK WEBB HODGE.
For the convenience of the reader, a list of the principal works referred to in this book, and of all papers on the subject of the Navahoes written by the author, is here given.
291.
Backus, E. An account of the Navajoes of New Mexico. (In Schoolcraft, Information respecting the history, condition and prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States, part IV. pp. 209-215, Philadelphia, 1854.)
292.
Bancroft, Hubert Howe. The native races of the Pacific states of North America, vol. III., New York, 1875.
293.