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 were shaken—but all in vain. No maidens came forth from the bower. Then eagerly the leaders sought all through the bower. Naught found they save the precious wands and the garments all softly laid thereupon, of their beloved Maidens of the Seed. Deep was their grief and all silent were the people. Then spake the fathers: "Look ye now; ye have watched ill, ye matrons and elders, and therein grievously have ye sinned, wherefore lost be our beloved maidens, mothers of the Seed of Seed, for some amongst our children have dared to hold them less than precious, and look upon them as upon maidens of the people they look! Wherefore arise, and brush away from thy persons and spit forth from thy mouths the evil of this night, that the day find ye not shame-darkened, and further ill befall ye not than the grievous loss of our beautiful maidens; for the rash forwardness of our youths, and the negligence ye have proven guilty of in failing to watch all things well are sore, and are punished full meetly as was warned us aforetime by this our grievous loss!"

Then said they to one another, "We must seek (but how?) the maidens; and we must summon them forth from their hiding with solemn promise, if only that we may look upon them once more and see that they go forth at least content with those who have not wrought this evil, and content with us, not wroth; and that they be not thus wroth or sad hearted, and therefore withhold not from us their sacred breaths of blessing, lacking which the corn seed, life of flesh, can not flourish. But who shall seek them for us? They left no trail behind and far must have instant journeyed, being now of other-being—as may be seen by their cast-off garments, left here with us. O, woe! woe the day when we heeded not well their preciousness! If woe to us, woe indeed to our murmuring children who know not what they want, and lightly consider too many of the things they have, therein lightly holding them!"

THE SEEKING OF THE MAIDENS OF CORN BY THE EAGLE.

Again, therefore, called they forth the two master-priests, and said: "Who, now, think ye, should journey to seek our precious maidens? Bethink ye, strong of will, who amongst the beings is even as ye are, strong of will and good of eyes?

"There is our great elder brother and father, the Eagle, he of the side floating down (sulahaiyan látane) and the terraced tail-fan (áwi‘hluiyan k‘yátine); surely he is enduring of will and surpassing of sight."

"Yea, most surely," said the fathers. "Go ye forth and beseech him."

Then northward fared the twain swiftly to Twin mountain, where dwelt with his mate and his young, in a grotto high up among the crags, the Eagle of the White Bonnet.

And when they climbed the mountain and spake in at the entrance of the grotto, behold! only the eaglets were there, who, frightened, screamed lustily, striving to hide themselves in the dark recesses to the rearward, "O, pull not our feathers, ye of hurtful touch, but wait, when we are older we will drop them e'en from the clouds for you!"

"Hush!" said the warriors, "wait ye in peace, for we seek not ye but thy father!"

But from afar came at once, a frown on his brow, the old Eagle. "Why disturb ye my pin-featherlings?" cried he.