176 THE ACOMA INDIANS [eth. ann. 47 



and let him stay outdoors. Then Fhnt Bird retired to the back 

 room. 



Kasewat took ofi" his suit and went into the kitchen where FUnt 

 Bird's mother gave him food. He saved some for the Spider boy. 

 When they had finished Kasewat put on his suit, again and went 

 outside. "He doesn't want us to stay inside," he told the Spider 

 boy. 



Back of Flint Bird's house there was a spring and a pond into 

 which four streams flowed. They were of four colors, red, white, 

 yellow, and blue, and when properly treated would produce hail, 

 rain, snow, and wind, respectively. Into the red stream Flint Bird 

 dropped some ice. Soon it began to blow and to haU with great 

 violence. The Spider boy spun a thick web under which Kasewat 

 crawled, the Spider boy resuming his position behind his ear. The 

 hail could not penetrate the web, and sunrise found Kasewat and 

 Spider boy unhurt. 



When he woke up in the morning Flint Bird came to the door. 

 "I'll bet Kasewat is dead," be said to hijnself. Then he called 

 "Kasewat!" "Yes!" Kasewat rephed. "Why, that son of a gun 

 (or words to that effect), he didn't die," Flint Bird exclaimed. Then 

 he asked, "Are you cold?" "No, I'm not," Kasewat answered. 

 "You must be tough, you beast. WeU, come in and have some 

 breakfast, for I want you to hoe my cornfield." 



Kasewat came in and ate breakfast; Flint Biid went into the back 

 room. When Kasewat had finished, Fhnt Bird came out and took 

 him out to a large cornfield. "Now, you must hoe aU this field 

 to-day. If you don't, you can't take your wife home. " Kasewat 

 looked at the field and was discouraged, for it was of great size. 

 But the Spider boy told him to hoe here and there about the field. 

 Meanwhile, he spun a web aU around the field, save for a small 

 patch. When the Spider boy returned he handed Kasewat the web, 

 and told him to draw it tight. Kasewat pulled the web and it 

 cut down all the weeds. Then Kasewat lay down to sleep, the 

 Spider boy keeping watch. About noon the Spider boy woke 

 Kasewat up, as Flint Bird was coming with Kasewat's wife. Kase- 

 wat jumped up and began hoeing the httle patch of field that re- 

 mained unfinished. As they came up Flint Bird said sarcastically, 

 "Look at your husband, working so hard." Kasewat finished the 

 task just as Flint Bird and liis wife arrived. Kasewat spoke to his 

 wife. This made Flint Bird very angiy and he told Kasewat not 

 to speak to her. Kasewat's wife gave her husband a lunch she had 

 brought and she and the Flint Bird watched him eat. Flint Bird 

 ridiculed Kasewat while he was eating, calling him a glutton and 

 a beast. 



