Outlines of Zuñi Creation Myths / Thirteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1891-1892, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1896, pages 321-448

by Frank Hamilton Cushing

THE COUNCIL OF THE FATHERS THAT THE PERFECTION OF THE CUSTOM BE ACCOMPLISHED.

Then were the fathers of the People-priests of the House of Houses sore displeased at these murmurings of their children, and bade them to be hushed; yet they pondered, and bethought themselves how to still these foolish children yet more completely, so that the precious Mothers of Corn be not made sad by their plaints.

"What is this ye tell us?" said they. "These things be to the simple as the wind and other movings, speechless; but to us, they be signs, even as erst the warnings of the under-world were signs to our fathers the beloved, and ourselves, that we seek still further the Middle, so are these things signs to us. Stay, therefore, thy feet with patience, while we devise that ye be made content and happy." Then to one another they said, "It may well be Paíyatuma, the liquid voices his flute and the flutes of his players that they tell of. Come now, we will await the time of our custom, and then learn if perchance our hearts guess aright."