438 ZUNI CREATION MYTHS. Ieth.axn.13 



''Failed, say ye? Of course lie failed! For be clambers aloft to 

 tbe clouds and tliiuks, forsooth, that he can see under every bush and 

 into every shadow, as sees the Sun-father who sees not with eyes! 

 Go ye before," said the Falcon; and ere they had turned toward the 

 town, he had spread his sharp wings and was skimming oft' over the 

 tops of the trees and bushes as though verily seeking for field mice or 

 birds' nests. And the warriors returned to tell the fathers and await 

 his coming; but after he had sought far over the world to the north 

 and the west, the east and the south, he too returned and was 

 received as had been the Eagle ; but when he had settled on the edge 

 of a tray, before the altar, as on the ant hills he settles today, and had 

 smoked and been smoked as had been the Eagle, he told the sorrowing 

 fathers and mothers that he had looked behind every copse and clift"- 

 shadow, but of the maidens had found no trace. " They are hidden 

 more closely than ever sparrow hid," said he, gripping the cover of the 

 tray on which he jjerched as though it were real feathers and blood, 

 and ruffling his crest. Then he, too, flew away to his hills in the west. 



"Alas! alas! our beautiful maiden mothers!" cried the matrons. 

 "Lost, lost as the dead are they!" "Yea," said others, "where, how 

 indeed, shall we seek them now ? For the far-seeing Eagle and the close- 

 searching Falcon alike have failed to find them." 



THE SEEKING OF THE MAIDENS OF CORN BY THE RAVEN. 



"Stay your feet with patience," said the fathers. For some amongst 

 them heard a Raven who was wandering about the edge of the town at 

 break of day seeking food in the dirt and refuse, and they bethought 

 themselves. " Look, now ! There is Heavy-nose, whose beak never fails 

 to find the substance of seed itself, however so little or well bidden it be. 

 Surely he well must know then, of the maiden-mothers thereof. Let us 

 call him." So they bade the warrior-priests go forth once more. Forth 

 to the river side went the priests. "We carry no pricking quills," said 

 they, raising their hands all weaponless, "and, O, Black-banded father, 

 we seek your aid; for look now, the mother-maidens of seed whose 

 substance is the food ahke of thy people and our people, have fled away 

 whither neither our grandfather the Eagle, nor yet his younger brother 

 the Falcon, can trace them; and we pray thee to aid us or give us 

 counsel of guidance." 



"TTrt.' ka!" cried the Raven. "Nay, now; much too hungiy am I to 

 go abroad fasting on business, for ye and thy kind. Ye are stingy ! 

 Here have I been since ever perching time, striving to win a tbroat- 

 ful, but ye pick thy bones and lick thy bowls too clean for the like of 

 that, be sure ! " 



" But come in then, thou poor grandfather. Surely we will give thee 

 food to eat ; yea, and a cigarette to smoke with all due observance ! " 



" Say ye so ?" said the Raven, ruffling his collar and opening his mouth 

 so wide with a lusty Ictcala-Jca, that well he might have swallowed his 



