And K‘yäk´lu said: "It is well; I am ready; yea, even my heart listeneth," and in cadence to their speech following, he moved the Duck with her tinkling, talking shells, as a master of song moves his baton, or a dancer his rattle, and in solemn, ceaseless tone, as in singing yet with speech more steady, the gods, one by one, told to K‘yäk´lu the things each best knew, whereof he so wondrously speaks when come amongst us for the welfare of our little children, bringing them the sacred breath of the Kâ´kâ itself, and to their elders these same speeches of the gods.
When, after long time, they had done, they further charged him with a message of comfort to the mourning mothers, and with commandments and instructions to men and the beings.
Then they brought forth the sacred cigarette, and the master priest-gods smoked in relationship with K‘yäk´lu to all the six regions, and, rising, he was led in turn to the portal of each chamber, first to the northern, then to the western, southern, eastern, upper, and lower, and he placed his fingers on the sill of each, that in aftertimes he should know, though but dim of sight, or in the dark, the places of worship (which men built then but poorly) from others, and in such alone, and to chosen few who hold the rites of the Kâ´kâ, should therein tell and do the customs and words of the gods and tell of other such like precious ancient things.
Then the Sálamopia lifted the ladder and guided upward K‘yäk´lu and the Duck, showing them safely to the shore of the lake. When the old ones (Kâ´yemäshi) heard the shells of the Duck tinkling, forth they came, bringing their litter and singing boisterously, for much they loved K‘yäk´lu as the light of the rising sun fell upon him, as a raven loves bright shells or chips of glistening stone.
THE INSTRUCTION OF THE K´YEMÄSHI BY K‘YÄK´LU.
And when they had come to the side of K‘yäk´lu, instant they became grave, for he bade them hearken to the words of the gods, and their instructions.
"Ye shall attend me, for know that ye are to be the guardians of the Kâ´kâ and tellers of its meanings, and givers of enjoyment to the children of men, even as ye gave the enjoyment of comfort unto me, when ye sought me in the plain of my sorrows. Ye shall bear me to the people yonder, for I have tidings for them, and instructions the to which ye shall bear witness in aftertimes when I am not by. Ye shall cherish the Kâ´kâ; yea, and all other precious customs, for thereunto as unto life mortal, yet unceasing, became fitted thy father, my brother younger; and thereunto were ye born, ye and thy sister elder, man-woman of the Kâ´kâ, as unto the councils thereof am I become slave yet master. But my sister, thy mother, shall abide by the place she hath made, maintaining it, as woman ever maintaineth the hearth she hath made, all the days of men."
HOW THE K´YEMÄSHI BORE K‘YÄK´LU TO HIS PEOPLE.
This said K‘yäk´lu as he sat him down on the litter, and obediently the Kâ´yemäshi lifted it upon their shoulders and bore it away, along the trail eastward, down which westward we go after death and fulfilment. And as they journeyed through the plain, calling loudly to one another, the little people of the Marmot villages ran out and stood up, looking at them and calling to one another, which so amused and pleased the Kâ´yemäshi that they became proud of their master and uncle, K‘yäk´lu, and sang all the way thereafter of the audience they had at every prairie-dog village, of Marmot youths and Marmot maidens; and thus they were singing gleefully as they neared the camp of the people, insomuch that none were frightened, but all wondered who were those pleasant, strange people coming, and what one of precious consideration guided of the far-journeying Duck they were bearing aloft on their litter. Thus, ever since, they sing, as they bring in K‘yäk´lu from the western plain, along the river-trail of the dead, and thus happily and expectantly we await their coming, our little ones wonderingly as did the first men of those days.