nt.[3]

"I, the Master of the Masters of enchantments, have come, I, who
formed thee and gave thee life.[4] Thou, mother mine of the starry
skirt, thou, goddess of the stars, who givest life, why hast thou
turned against this one?[5]

"Adverse spirit and darkened star, I shall sink thee in the breadth
and depth of the waters.[6] I, master of spells, speak to
thee[TN-5] Ho there! Mother mine, whose skirt is made of gems,
come, seek with me the shining spirit who dwells in the house of
light,[7] that we may know what god or mighty power thus destroys
and crushes to earth this unfortunate one. Green and black spirit
of sickness, leave him and seek thy prey elsewhere.

"Green and yellow ghost, who art wandering, as if lost, over
mountains and plains, I seek thee, I desire thee; return to him
whom thou hast abandoned. Thou, the nine times beaten, the nine
times smitten, see that thou fail me not.[8] Come hither, mother
mine, whose robe is of precious gems; one water, two waters; one
rabbit, two rabbits; one deer, two deers; one alligator, two
alligators.[9]

"Lo! I myself am here; I am most furious; I make the loudest noise
of all; I respect no one; even sticks and stones tremble before me.
What god or mighty power dare face me, me, a child of gods and
goddesses?[10] I have come to seek and call back the _tonal_ of
this sick one, wherever it is, whithersoever it has wandered, be it
nine times wandered, even unto the nine junctures and the nine
unions.[11] Wherever it is, I summon it to return, I order it to
return, and to heal and clean this heart and this head."

_Explanations._

1. The appeal is to Water, regarded as the universal Mother. The
"skirt of precious stones" refers to the green of the precious
green stones, a color sacred to water.

2. The question is addressed to the _tonal_.

3. The yellow enchantment is tobacco; the white, a cup of water.

4. That is, assigned the form of the nagual belonging to the sick
man.

5. This appeal is directed to the Milky Way.

6. The threat is addressed to the _tonal_, to frighten it into
returning.

7. The "shining spirit" is the Fire-god.

8. The yellow tobacco, prepared ceremonially in the manner
indicated.

9. These are names of days in the native calendar