48 THE ZUNI INDIANS Leth. ann. 2S 



Discovert of the Corn Maidens 



The witches who were with the A'shiwi never mentioned their meet- 

 ing Avith the Corn maidens, and after the A'shiwi had settled at 

 I'tiwanna, Kow'wituma and Wats'usi went on a deer hunt. On 

 drawing- near Shi'pololo they discovered, dancing under a hiim'pone 

 (paviHon of spruce ])oughs or, as some say, of cat-tails), these beau- 

 tiful maidens, who had remained in the same place since the departure 

 of the A'shiwi. Each maiden held a *hla'we in either hand brought 

 from the under world consisting of a number of stalks of a white 

 plant, each stalk abundant with delicate white plume-like leaves. 



On their return to I'tiwanna the Divine Ones related to the 

 A'shiwanni what they had seen, and these at once became eager to have 

 the Corn maidens come to them. The pe'kwin to the Sun Father was 

 delegated to bring them, that they might dance for the rains and 

 the growth of corn. The Corn maidens accompanied the pe'kwin to 

 I'tiwanna. Leaving them at Ku'shilowa (red earth), which place is a 

 few rods east of the present village of Zufii, he hastened to notify the 

 A'shiwanni and Divine Ones, who were assembled in the O'he'wa 

 ki'wi'sine. Kow'wituma and Wats'usi then went for the Corn maidens. 

 The Yellow Corn maiden and four sisters accompanied Kow'wituma 

 and the Blue Corn maiden and four sisters accompanied Wats'usi to 

 the O'he'wa ki'wi*sine, where they sang and danced for a short while. 

 No rattles, drums, or singers accompanied the Corn maidens at this 

 time. 



At midnight the}" were led by the pe'kwin, who was preceded by 

 the other A'shiwanni and the Divine Ones, to a ham'pone of waving 

 corn, in si'aa' " te'wita (the sacred dance court). A meal painting of 

 cloud symbols had been made on the ground in the ham'pone where 

 the Corn maidens danced. 



During the dancing the A'shiwanni and Divine Ones fell asleep, and 

 while they slept Pa'yatanui/^ god of nuisic, butterflies, and Howers, 

 who was walking about the country, discovered the Corn maidens, and 

 approaching the ham'pone, he took a seat at the northeast corner. 

 Pa'yatamu thought t*he maidens were all very beautiful, but the Yellow 

 Corn maiden was the most beautiful of all, and he said to himself 

 " Ho'oh il iil'lanna (I wish to embrace her)." The Corn maidens, under- 

 standing Pa'yatumu's thoughts, were much afraid, and they ceased 

 dancing and drew close to one another. The elder sister whispered 

 to the others: '' 1 think he will soon sleep, and then we will run awav." 



a The word means to break or tear apart. , The te'wita was so named because the court often 

 became so crowded as to endanger the breaking away of the walls. 



6 Pa'yatamu is diminutive and wears a crown of flowers, and with the sho'kona (his flute) he causes 

 flowers to bloom and draws the butterflies of the world to him. His home is in A'mitolan te'poula 

 (rainbow covering entrance) atthebaseof Shun'tekaiya, a mesa near To'wayiil'liinne. 



