March, 1905. The Traditions of the Hopi — Voth. 105 



maiden and laid a pflhu of red feathers for her on the path.' The tray 

 with all the nakwdkwosis they threw into the spring for the maiden, 

 because with this price they had purchased the mana back from the 

 water serpent. And they threw the prayer-offerings into the spring 

 that nothing further should befall the m^na. 



They then returned to the village, but it seems that Bdlolookong 

 just left his skin and slipped back into the water when he was struck, 

 because he is still there and is occasionally seen by women, and who- 

 ever sees him becomes sick. Only lately, the narrator continued, 

 he was seen by a woman, Corn-Ear (Kdo), but the women that have 

 seen him say that he now is just small. One time he was also seen 

 by a man. Sometimes those who see him get sick, because he is 

 dangerous. 



After they had returned to the village Spider Woman and the 

 two P6okongs returned to their house. And so that way they were 

 in time to save the mdna. 



27. HOW THE YELLOW CORN-EAR MAIDEN BECAME A BULL 

 SNAKE AND REVENGED HERSELF.- 



A long time ago two maidens lived in Orafbi. They were 

 close friends and often used to grind corn together, one time at the 

 house of one, at another time at the house of the other. But after a 

 little while they both fell in love with a certain young man of the 

 village, which led to disagreement and quarrels between them. The 

 Yellow Corn-Ear maiden was possessed of supernatural powers and 

 concluded to destroy her friend and rival. One time early in the 

 morning they were both going to get some water from Spider Spring, 

 which is located somewhat north-east of the village. They took their 

 so-called maiden's jugs (m6nwikurus) with them. When they were 

 returning to the village they came to a sand hill, and the Yellow Corn- 

 Ear maiden suggested that they rest there for a little while. 



After some time she said to her friend: "Let us play here for a 

 little while. You go down this hill and I shall throw something at 

 you. You catch it and throw it back to me," whereupon she drew 

 forth from her bosom a very pretty little wheel that showed all the 

 colors of the rainbow. When her friend had reached the foot of the 

 hill she threw this wheel at her, and when her friend caught it it was 



■ A puhu (road or path) consists of one or more small feathers — usually eagle feathers — to 

 the stub end of which are fastened a single and a twisted string. These feathers are placed near 

 springs, in front of shrines, altars, on paths and near graves, as paths for clouds, spirits, deities, 

 etc., whom the Hopi wish to follow these paths. 



2 Told by Qoydwaima (Oraibi) . 



