598 ZUNI ORIGIN MYTHS [eth. asn. 47 



children, all the beast priests, and the wdnged creatures, this night." 

 They went. They came yonder to ConiRakwe. There they gathered 

 together all the beasts, mountain lion, bear, wolf, wild cat, badger, 

 coyote, fox, squirrel; eagle, buzzard, cokapiso, chicken hawk, bald- 

 headed eagle, raven, owl. All these they gathered together. Now 

 squirrel was among the winged creatures, and owl was among the 

 beasts. "Now my children, you will contest together for your sun 

 father's daylight. Whichever side has the ball, when the sun rises, 

 they shall win their sun father's daylight." Thus the two said. 

 "Indeed?" They went there. They threw up the ball. It fell on the 

 side of the beasts. They hid it. After they had hidden it, the birds 

 came one by one but they could not take it. Each time they paid 

 four straws. They could not take it. 



At this time it was early dawTi. Meanwhile Squirrel was lying by 

 the fireplace. Thus they came one by one but they could not take it. 

 Eagle said, "Let that one lying there by the fireplace go." They 

 came to him and said, "Are you asleep?" "No. I am not asleep." 

 "Oh dear! Now you go!" Thus they said. "Oh no, I don't want 

 to go," he said. He came back. "The lazy one does not wish to." 

 Thus they said. Someone else went. Again they could not take it. 

 Now it was growing light. "Let that one lying by the fireplace go." 

 Thus they said. Again Buzzard went. "Alas, my boy, you go." 

 "Oh, no, I don't feel like it." Thus he said. Again he went back. 

 "He docs not want to," he said. Again some one else went. Again 

 they did not take it. Now it was growing Ught. Spider said to him, 

 "Next time they come agree to go." Thus she said. Then again 

 they said, "Let that one lying by the fireplace go." Thus they said; 

 and again someone went. When he came there he said, "Alas, my 

 boy, you go." "All right, I shall go." Thus he said and arose. As 

 he arose Spider said to him, "Take that stick." He took up a stick, 

 so short. Taldng it, he went. Now the sun was about to rise. 

 They came there. Spider said to him, "Hit those two sitting on the 

 farther side." Thus she said. Bang! He loiocked them down. 

 He laid them down. Then, mountain lion, who was standing right 

 there, said, "Hurry up, go after it. See whether you can take it." 

 Thus he said. Spider said to him, "Say to him, 'Oh, no, I don't 

 want to take it.' So she said." "Oh, no, I don't want to take it. 

 Perhaps there is nothing inside. How should I take it? There is 

 nothing in there." "That is right. There is nothing in there. All 

 my children are gathered together. One of them is holding it. If 

 you touch the right one, you will take it." "All right." Now 

 Spider is speaking: "No one who is sitting here has it. That one 

 who goes about dancing, he is holding it." Thus she said. He went. 

 He hit Owl on the hand. The white ball came out. He went. He 

 took up the hoUow sticks and took them away with him. Now the 



