CDSHIMQ] THE STRAYING OF K'YAK'lU. 407 



to this day when iu due season he reappears), and he died of heart and 

 thence became transformed {i'hlimnakna) lastingly as are the gods. 

 Yea, and his lips became splayed with continual calling, and his voice 

 grew shrill and dry-sounding, like to the voices of far-flying water- 

 fowl. As he cried, wandering all blindly hither and thither, these, 

 water-birds, hearing, flocked around him in numbers and curiously 

 peered at him, turning their heads from side to side and ever approach- 

 ing nearer, all the while calling one to another. 



Behold! when he heard them calling, their meanings were plain to 

 him, wise as he was of all speeches! Yet still he lamented aloud, for 

 none told him the way to his country and people. 



HOW THE DUCK, HEARING, WAS FAIN TO GUIDE K'YAK'LU. 



Now, when the Duck heard his cry, lo! it was so like to her own 

 that she came closer by than any, answering loudly. And when they 

 were thus come near to each other, much related appeared they, strange 

 as that may seem. Forasmuch as he was of all times the listener and 

 speaker, and therein wisest of all men, so was she of all regions the 

 traveler and searcher, knowing all ways, whether above or below the 

 waters, whether in the north, the west, the south, or the east, and 

 therein was the most knowing of all creatures. Thus the wisdom {ytl- 

 yananalc'ya) of the one comprehended (aiyiiheto¥ya) the knowledge 

 ((inihwanahya) of the other, and K'yiik'lii in the midst of his lamenta- 

 tions besought counsel and guidance, crying — 



Ha-ua-ha! ha-na-lia! a hah-hiia! 



O, grandmother! AVliere am I straying 



So far from my country and people! 



All speeches I know, of my sitting 



In councils of men and the beings, 



Since first in the depths they had being! 



But of far ways, alas I I am kenless ! 



Ha-ua-ha! ha-na-ha! a-hab-hua! 



The mountains are white, and the valleys; 



All plains are like others in whiteness ; 



And even the light of our father 



The Sun, as he rises and passes, 



Makes all ways more hidden of whiteness ! 



For in brightness my eyes see but darkness — 



And iu darkness all ways are bewildered ! 



Ha-na-ha! ha-na-ha! a-hah-hua! 



In the winds, lo! I hear the directions; 



But the winds speak the ways oi all regions. 



Of the north and the west and the southward, 



Of the east and of upward and downward, 



They tell not the way to the Middle! 



They tell not the way to my people ! 



Ha-na-ha! ha-ua-ha! a-hah-hua! 



"Hold, my child, my father," said the Duck. "Think no longer sad 

 thoughts. Though thou be blind, yet thou hearest all as I see all. Give 



