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The Path on the Rainbow, edited by George W. Cronyn, [1918], at sacred-texts.com


PRAYER FOR RAIN

SIA

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,

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Eagle of the heavens,
Shrew of the earth,
Elder 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 over it—
The ancient road.
White shell bead woman
Who lives where the sun goes down,
Mother Whirlwind,
Father Sus’sistinnako,
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.

RAIN SONG OF THE GIANT SOCIETY

SIA

We, the Ancient Ones,
Who ascended from the middle of the world below,
Our medicine is precious,
It is as our hearts precious to us,
Arrow of lightning
Come to us
Echo.
Spruce of the north

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And all your people;
Your thoughts come to us.
Who is it?
White floating clouds.
May your thoughts come to us
And all your people,
May their thoughts come to us.
Who is it?
Clouds like the plains,
May your thoughts come to us.
Who is it?
Arrow of lightning,
May your thoughts come to us.
Who is it?
Earth horizon
And all your people,
May your thoughts come to us.

INVOCATION TO THE U’WANNAMI

SIA

I

Come you, ascend the ladder; all come in; all sit down.
We were poor, poor, poor, poor, poor, poor,
When we came to this world through the poor place,
Where the body of water dried for our passing.
Banked up clouds cover the earth.
All come four times with your showers,
Descend to the base of the ladder and stand still;
Bring your showers and great rains.
All, all come, all ascend, all come in, all sit down.

II

I throw out to you my sacred meal that you may all. come.
Hold your gaming-stick; throw it forward; all come.

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All come out and give us your showers and great rains; all come,
That the seeds may be strong and come up, that all seed plants may come up and be. strong.
Come you that all trees and seeds may come up and be strong.
Come you hither; all come.

III

Cover my earth mother four times with many flowers.
Let the heavens be covered with the banked up clouds.
Let the earth be covered with fog; cover the earth with rains.
Great waters, rains, cover the earth. Lightning cover the earth.
Let thunder be heard over the earth; let thunder be heard;
Let thunder be heard over the six regions of the earth.

IV

Rain-makers, come out from all roads that great rivers may cover the earth;
That stones may be moved by the torrents;
That trees may be uprooted and moved by the torrents.
Great rain-makers, come out from all roads, carry the sands of our earth mother of the place.
Cover the earth with her heart, that all seeds may develop,
That my children may have all things to eat and be happy;
That the people of the outlying villages may all laugh and be happy;
That the growing children may all have things to eat and be happy.
This way our great father wishes you to come.
This way our great mother wishes you to come.
That we may have all kinds of seeds and all things good;
That we may inhale the sacred breath of life;
That our fathers and our mothers may bring us happy days.
Let our children live and be happy.
Send us the good south winds.
Send us your breath over the lakes that our great world may be made beautiful and our people may live.

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V

There, far off, my Sun Father arises, ascends the ladder, comes forth from his place.
May all complete the road of life, may all grow old.
May the children inhale more of the sacred breath of life.
May all my children have corn that they may complete the road of life.
Here sit down; here remain; we give you our best thoughts.
Hasten over the meal road; we are jealous of you.
We inhale the sacred breath through our prayer plumes.


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