STEVEXsoK] CORN MAIDENS RECEIVE SEEDS 31 



the heart of the ^-raiii, leaving the reniaindor on the cob. so that the 

 corn became soft. The Divine Ones then caHcd the coyote to conic and 

 eat the corn; he ate of everythino- in the Hchl. The raven, owl. and 

 coyote, by eating of the food, softened and sweetened it so that it 

 became palatable to the A'shiwi. Since that time the (ields have had 

 to be watched, for the raven takes the corn in the day and the covotc 

 robs the tields at night. At this time th(> Divine' Ones instructed 

 the A'shiwi in tire making juid cooking. 



A'shiwi Continue their JoiRNEYixr, 



While the earth was not muddy, it was so soft that the A'shiw i found 

 difficulty in proceeding. Long years were consumed, and manv vil- 

 lages were built, and then abandoned, as they pushed on in th<Mr(|uest 

 for the Middle of the world. Even when they tarried at the towns 

 which they built they were driven therefrom by the corruption of their 

 dead, and they desired even to escape from the effluvium of their own 

 bodies, which was unbearable. "It was like burning sulphur: it was 

 an odor that killed." Repeated divisions of the people occurred dur- 

 ing the years consumed in their migrations, some going to the north, 

 others to the south; thus the Zunis account for many of the ruin> iioith 

 and south of their line of march. 



Witches Give Seeds to the Corn Maidens 



Unseen and unknown, the Corn maidens came with the .V'shiwi from 

 the undermost world and remained with them until they had been four 

 years at Shi'pololo kwi (Fog place), when they were discovered by the 

 two witches sitting under a hiim'pone (out-of-door covered place), a 

 pavilion of pine ])oughs. The witches inquired: "Who are youf 

 The maidens replied: '' We are the a'towa e'washtokii (Corn maidens)."' 

 " Where is your corn?" asked the witches. " We have none."" "This 

 is not ri^'ht. If you are Corn maidens you should have corn:" and, 

 handing a yellow ear of corn to one of the maidens, the witches 

 said: "You are the Yellow Corn maiden and a'wankio'wu (great or 

 elder sister)." To another they lianded a blue ear of corn, saying: 

 "You are the younger sister, the Blue Corn maiden; you two will be 

 the directors or leaders of the others." Handing a red ear of corn 

 to the third one, they said: " You are a youngiM- sister, the Red Corn 

 maiden." And to the fourth they handed an car of white corn, saying: 

 "You are a younger sister, the White Corn maiden." And to the tifth 

 the}' said, as they handed h(M-an ear of multicolored corn: *' Vou are th«> 

 Every-colored Corn maiden and a younger sifter.'" And to th«' sixth they 

 handed a black ear of corn, saying: "You are th(> younger sister, the 

 Black Corn maiden." And to the seventh they handed an ear of sweet 

 corn, saying: "You are the younger sister, the Sweet Corn maiden." 

 And to the eighth they said, as they handed her sipiash seeds: "Vou 



