THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE COMING OF PAÍYATUMA AND HIS PEOPLE OF THE FLUTE.
Then silently the Priests of the Bow returned as they had come, and 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, told of what they had seen and listened to in the Cave of the Rainbow. But the watchers had grown weary, and only the fathers heard and understood. While the people nodded their heads all drowsily, some sleeping, the leaders arose as their father ancients had arisen on that night of the birth of Corn in the olden time, and 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) they performed rites, and said mystic prayer-words. And in 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 than 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 people assembled that they might sit the more seemly for the coming, mayhap, of precious strangers.