428 ZUXI CREATION MYTHS. [eth.ann. 13 



those abiding who believed, despite the warnings, that they bad fouiul 

 the Middle, least wise for themselves, contending the which, they con- 

 tinued in the place of tlieir choice, those of the Northern (sept) in the 

 first place, those of the West next, and so, those of the South, East, 

 Upper and Lower regions. Whilst still the maiu people of the Macaw 

 and the other Middle kinties, sought unweariedly until they thought at 

 last that in Mdtsaki they had found indeed the place of the Middle. 



THE REUNION OF THE PEOPLE OF THE MIDDLE WITH THE SUM- 

 MER AND SEED PEOPLES. 



Whilst in this persuasion they still tarried there, lo! again, after 

 long wanderings through many valleys, tlie peoples of Corn and the 

 Seed found them there, through seeing of their smoke, and in the near 

 valley to the eastward found they as well the peoples of the Corn and 

 the Seed, dwelling in their great round towns, the smoke whereof wan- 

 derers had also erstwhile been. So they said to them, "Ye are our 

 younger brothers ! At Matsaki, here at the Middle, let us dwell in peace 

 as one people, others of our kinds around about us, yet with us!" 



Thereby Matsaki greatly increased ; but the warnings yet still sounded 

 anon and the gods and master-priests of the people could not rest. 



THE GREAT COUNCIL OF MEN AND THE BEINGS FOR THE DETER- 

 MINATION OF THE TRUE MIDDLE. 



Nay, they called a great council of men and the beings, beasts, bu-ds 

 and insects of all kinds '■hlUnna; these were gathered in the council. 



After long deliberation it was said: 



"Where is K'yanas'tipe, the Water-skate? Lo ! legs has he of great 

 extension, six in number. Mayhap he can feel forth with them to the 

 uttermost of all the six regions, thereby pointing out the very Middle." 

 And K'yaniis'tipe, being summoned, appeared in semblance, growing 

 greater; for lo! it was the Sun-father himself (K'yanas'tipe through 

 ^hlimnahemg). And he answered their questions ere he was bespoken, 

 saying, "Yea, that can I do." And he lifted himself to the zenith, and 

 extended bis finger-feet six to all of the six regions, so that they 

 touched to the north, the great waters; and to the west, and the south, 

 and the east, the great waters; and to the northeast, the waters 

 above; and to the southwest, the waters below. 



But to the north, his finger-foot grew cold, so he drew it in; and to 

 tbe west, the waters being nearer, touched his finger-foot thither 

 extended, so he drew that in also. But to the south and east far 

 reached his other finger-feet. Then gradually he settled downward and 

 called out, " Where my heart and navel rest, beneath them mark ye the 

 spot and there build ye a town of the midmost, for there shall be the 

 midmost place of the earth-mother, even the navel; albeit not the 

 center, because of the nearness of cold in the north and the nearness of 

 waters in the west." And when he descended (squatting), his belly 



