434 ZUNI CREATION MYTHS. [eth.anx.13 



differing somewhat iu tbe hue of the mautle.s they wore. Aud in their 

 hands they carried, not tablets of the sun, moon, and each her star 

 with cross symbol of the Corn priests above them, but, verily, wands 

 of Cottonwood from the brauchlets and bud.s of which tiny clouds 

 flowed forth. 



"These be the sisters of our Maidens of Coru, of the House of the 

 Stars, seen these too, as they, so these more faintly, as, when above are 

 seen the stars of the House of Seven, others seven are seen below in the 

 waters. Like in form of gesture is their dance custom, but fertile not 

 of the seed, but of the water of life wherewith the seed is quickened," 

 said Paiyatuma. 



He lifted his flute, then toolc his place in the line of the dancers, as 

 the ya'poto does iu the line of the Coru dance. The drum sounded 

 until the cavern shook as with thunder. The flutes sang and sighed as 

 the wind in a wooded canyon whilst still the storm is distant. White 

 mists floated up from the wands of the maidens and mingled with the 

 breath of the flutes over the terraced world-bowl, above which sported 

 the butterflies of Summerland, about the dress of the Rainbow in the 

 strange blue light of the night. 



Awed and entranced with the beauty of it were the Priests of the 

 Bow, insonuich that when they arose to go they feared to speak their 

 further message. But Paiyatunui, smiling, gave them his breath with 

 his hands and said, " Go ye tlie way before, telling the fathers of our 

 custom,, and straightway we will follow." 



THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE COMING OF PAIYATUMA AND HIS 

 PEOPLE OF THE FLUTE. 



Then silently the Priests of the Bow returned as they had come, aud 

 entering the dance-court and bower, bowed low and breathed over the 

 hands of the fathers and by them being breathed and smoked in turn, 

 old of what they had seen and listened to in the Cave of the Eainbow. 

 But the watchers had grown weary, and oidy the fathers heard aud 

 understood. While the people nodded their heads all drowsily, some 

 sleeping, the leaders arose as their father ancients had arisen on that 

 niglit of the birth of Coru in the olden time, aud carried the sacred 

 gourds aside and placed them around a great world-bowl wherein 

 was water, and over them in secret (as in the olden time those fathers- 

 ancients had done with the prayer- wands and grass seeds, so now) th^ 

 Ijerformed rites, and said mystic praj'er- words. And iu the bowl they 

 put dew of honey and sacred honey-dust of corn-pollen, and the ancient 

 stones — ancient of water whence water increases. Then, to the left and 

 northward side they placed the bowl and with it a great drum jar, 

 and spread blankets as for singers other tlian those already sitting on 

 the southern side. 



After that they sat them down again, and then the Priests of the Bow 

 signed their guardian younger brothers to bestir the ])eople assembled 



