WHITE] MYTHS AND TALES 173 



and take her up above the sky to where he Hved. He used to get lots 

 of girls this way. 



When the Flint Bird came up to where the girl was he said, "Where 

 are you going, girl? Hunting? I'm going too. We can go together. 

 Hop up on my back and I will take you fast." The girl climbed on 

 his back. "Now, hold on tight and keep your eyes closed," Flint 

 Bu-d told her. Flint Bird began to fly away. He went round and 

 round and on up until he came to the door in the sky. He flew in 

 and went out of sight. 



Kasewat heard the whirring of wings and looked up just in time to 

 see his wiie disappear. The war chief was very sad and went home. 

 There was little hunting that day. Everyone was sad. Kasewat 

 went to his home at Katzimo. He found his mother crying. She 

 had seen the Flint Bird carry the girl oft'. Then Kasewat became 

 angry and determined to recover his wife. That evenmg he went to 

 the war chief's house and told Mm of his decision. Then he returned 

 to his home. 



The next day he told his mother that he was gomg to prepare for 

 four days to attack the Flint Bird. He went out m the mountains 

 and got herbs for the emetics. He ran and jumped each day; night 

 and morning he vomited with the herb brew. He looked over all his 

 weapons and got th?m all ready. On the fifth day he left at daylight, 

 going toward the south, singing a war song that he might be more 

 powerfid. Everyone knew he was going. You could hear his song a 

 long ways. He repeated it four times; the people could hear it as if 

 he were verj^ near. No one could imderstand how Kasewat was 

 going to beat the Flint Bird and get his wife back. 



It snowed verv' hard that day. In the afternoon Kasewat found 

 himself far to the south of Acoma. The snow was almost knee-deep. 

 Presently Kasewat came to a tree where an old spider had her home. 

 "My dear son, where are you going at this time of the day?" the old 

 Spider woman asked. "I am going to find my wdfe, dear mother," 

 Kasewat repUed. "Oh, is that so?" said the Spider. "Well, I want 

 you to come into my house; there are some things I want to teach 

 you." Kasewat, who had not seen her, but had heard only her 

 voice, now looked all aroimd to find her. "Where are you? I can't 

 see you," he said. The Spider woman let herseK down from the tree 

 on her web. Kasewat said, "Oh, so it was you that spoke." Spider 

 woman, "Yes." Kasewat, "Where do you live?" "Right down 

 here," said the Spider, disappearing in the snow. "You put your 

 foot down here." Kasewat stepped where he was told and it opened 

 up, leading down into a large room underground. Kasewat descended 

 into the room and looked about. Two or three httle girl spiders were 

 there. There was a Spider boy, too, but he was out hunting snow- 

 birds. "You have a nice place here," Kasewat said. "Yes," replied 



