NO. 2
��TEPECANO PRAYERS
��99
��NOTE
This is the Perdon Mayor or principal prayer, it being the opening prayer of the most important of the four annual fiestas. After the patio has been prepared, the altar arranged and the fire lighted, the communi- cants arrive. Then, after darkness has set in, the Chief Singer takes his seat facing the altar to the east and recites the prayer.
This prayer must also be recited by one desiring to become a shaman in order to prove his knowledge and ability.
TRANSLATION
Oh my Lord, my Lady, my Morning Star! Hither have we come. Ye are my spirits who are seated there in the five heavens beneath the green east. From there will ye bring health.
With thy arrows thou wilt purify us; thou wilt quit from us the pestilence which sur- roundeth us beneath thy heavens. From there thou wilt lead thy path. Thou wilt cleanse us with the cold which is thy hand, with which thou wilt intensify for us thy spirit. Thou wilt lengthen for us thy way which thou wilt now cause us to tread, which is between thy altar. With these few fragments which I have recited unto thee thou wilt pardon me, God, my Lord, my Lady, my Morning Star, for they are thy Word which is health. With this formula thou wilt pardon me for I may not fulfill thy commandment, thy course which hither leadeth, for it is very far; it is health and treasure. There- fore I never may behold thee. So with this formula Hail! my Lord, my Lady, my Morn- ing Star.
There are ye seated, my spirits, beneath the green east, on the beautiful green bead which is your throne, whence come health and the clouds, lightning and drizzle. There will it be created of the beautiful green cloud between the great beautiful clouds.
Forward will it proceed, observing beneath the beautiful gray heavens. Hence will go
��speaking the beautiful gray Bead-man who sitteth there beneath the gray heaven, the guardian of thy beautiful gray lakes. Then from there will it arise and go observing within the beautiful great gray cloud. Far away will it arrive where it will be formed within the great cloud. There wilt thou purify it with thy tears, which are health. Thence will it look to both sides, within the great gray clouds. Thou wilt weep and purify it with thy arrows which are the cold. Thou wilt quit from us the pestilence round about beneath thy heavens with the cold of thy chimal which is thy countenance. Here will it go about observing beneath thy heavens where it will be formed of the cold with thy many-colored cloud.
Then will it go about observing beneath thy beautiful black heavens where thou wilt cleanse it with the cold of thy arrows. Hither will come speaking and reciting the Woman who is my Lady. Beneath the beautiful black heaven is she sitting, guarding thy lakes whence thou drawest health, thy plumes. From them cometh beauty. Thou wilt cleanse us who are thy sons who wander here beneath thy healthful shadow. Thou wilt purify us with thy health-giving tears. Thou wilt in- crease for us thy succor. Thence will it arise from out thy black cloud and will go behold- ing within the beautiful great cloud. It will be created with thy healthful cloud whence come the lightning and the drizzle. From there he speaketh, answering thee within thy cloud, alone. Then will it look to both sides and thou wilt cleanse it with the cold of thy arrows. Round about beneath thy heavens will it gaze and thou wilt purify it with the cold of thy tears, round about in thy paths. From it thou sendeth the clouds and, within the cloud, thy lightning which appeareth in thy paths.
From there will it go beholding beneath thy beautiful white heaven where it will be formed of the beautiful white cloud. Hence will go speaking the beautiful white Bead-
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