THE SEEKING OF THE MAIDENS OF CORN BY PAÍYATUMA.
Beyond the first valley of the high plain to the southward, he set the four plume-wands in this wise: First, the yellow, he planted upright, and over it leaned, looking at it intently. And when it had ceased to flutter, lo! the eagle down on it leaned northward, but moved not. Then he thus set the blue wand and watched it, and the white wand; but the eagle down on them leaned to right and left and still northward, yet moved not thereafter.
Then farther on he planted the red wand, and breathing not, long watched it closely, bending low. Soon the soft down-plumes began to wave as though blown by the breath of some small creature; backward and forward, northward and southward they swayed, as if in time to the breath of one resting.
"Ha! 'tis the breath of my maidens in Summerland!" quoth Paíyatuma, "for the plume of the southland sways, soft though, to their gentle breathing. Lo! thus it is and thus shall it ever be when I set the down of my mists on the plains, and scatter my bright beads in the northland; summer shall go thither from afar, borne on the breaths of the Seed maidens, and where they breathe, warmth, health, showers and fertility shall follow with the birds of Summerland and the butterflies, northward over the world." This he said as he uprose and sped, by the magic of his knowledge how, all swiftly, far southward into the countries of Summerland; yea, swiftly and all silently as the soft breath he sought for, bearing his painted flute before him. And when he paused as though to rest, he played on his painted flute, and quickly butterflies and birds sought the dew of his breathings therefrom.
Them he sent forth to seek the Maidens, following swiftly, and long ere he found them he greeted them, with the music of his song-sound, as the People of Seed now greet them in the song of their dances.
THE FINDING OF THE MAIDENS OF CORN IN SUMMERLAND.
And when the Maidens heard his music and saw his tall form advancing through their great fields of ready quickened corn, they plucked ears thereof, each of her kind, and with them filled their colored trays and over all spread broidered mantles—broidered in all bright colors and with the creature-signs of Summerland. From eldest to youngest they sallied forth to meet and to welcome him, still in their great fields of corn! Then he greeted them, each with the touch of his hands and the breath of his flute, and bade them prepare to follow him erewhile to the northland home of their deserted children.
THE RETURN OF THE MAIDENS OF CORN WITH PAÍYATUMA.
Lo! when the time had come, by the magic of their knowledge how, they lightened themselves of all weariableness or lingerfulness, and in their foster-father's lead, his swift lead, sped back as the stars speed over the world at night time toward the home of our ancients. Yet at night and dawn only journeyed they, as the dead do and the stars also. Thus journeying and resting by the way, that the appointed days might be numbered, they came at evening in the full of the last moon to the place of the Middle, bearing as at first their trays of seed, each her own kind.