cisHiNBl THE CORN MAIDEN FLEETING. 435 



that tbey might sit tlie more seemly for the coining, mayhap, of precious 

 strangers. 



THE COMING OF PAJYATUMA AND HIS DANCE OF THE FLUTE. 



Ere long, the sound of music was liearil, coming from n\) the river, 

 and soon came Paiyatuma followed by his Flute i)eople and singers 

 and maidens of the Flute dance. Uprose the fathers and all the watch- 

 ing people, greeting the God of Dawn with outstretched hands and 

 oft'erlngs of prayer-meal, and words of thanks and welcome. Then the 

 singers took their places and sounded their drum, flutes, and song of 

 clear waters, while the Maidens of the Dew danced their custom of the 

 Flute dance. Greatly marveled the jjeople when from the wands they 

 bore forth came white clouds, and fine cool mists descended. 



THE SACRILEGE OF THE YOUTHS OF THE DANCE, AND THE 

 FLEETING OF THE MAIDENS OF CORN. 



J^ow when the dance was ended and the Dew maidens, with Paiya- 

 tuma, had retired within the bower, fortli came the beautiful and ever 

 young Mothers of Corn. And when the players of the flutes saw them, 

 they were enamored of their beauty, anil gazed upon them so intently 

 that fain were the maidens to let fall their hair and cast down their eyes. 

 Yet the youths grew not less bold of eye. Then, yea and with jealousy 

 now, bolder grew the youths mortal, who led the dance and attended 

 the dancers, and lo ! as the morning neared and the dancers of the 

 flute came forth again, these, impassioned and in rivalry, sought all 

 too freely the presence of the Mother-maidens, no longer holding them 

 so precious as in olden time, but e'en plucking at their white garments. 



Meanwhile the people, eagerly watching the new dance, gave little 

 heed to aught else. For behold ! the waters rose in the terraced bowl 

 and flowed out toward the dancers, yea, and the mists increased greatly, 

 shrouding the watchers and the dancers alike, until within them the 

 Maidens of Corn, all white their garments, became invisible! Then 

 sadly and noiselessly they stole in amongst the people and laid their 

 corn- wands down amongst the trays, and i)assing the seed-corn over 

 their persons, placed it back in the trays, and laid their white broid- 

 ered garments thereupon as mothers lay soft kilting over tiieir babes. 

 Behold ! having thus by their wonderful knowledge now placed within 

 the corn the substance of their flesh, then even as the mists became 

 they, and with the nnsts drifting, fled away, verily, to the ftir south 

 Snmmerland ! 



As the day dawned the dancers of the flutes comifleted their custom, 

 the players, waving their flutes over the people assembled, followed 

 Paiyatuma as he strode, wordless, forth from the midst of the people. 



THE MOURNING FOR LOSS OF THE MAIDENS OF CORN. 



The call was voiced, and the song of the Maidens of Corn sounded as 

 when the others had retired before ; the drum was beaten and the rattles 



