THE FINDING OF PAÍYATUMA, AND HIS CUSTOM OF THE FLUTE.
When, up the trail of the river, they had some time passed Mátsaki, they heard the sound of a drum and strains of song now and then echoing down from Thunder mountain. Then they knew that the sounds came from the Cavern of the Rainbow, and so hastened forward; and as they neared the entrance, mists enshrouded them, and they knew now also that verily Paíyatuma was there. Then they called to know if there were gathering within. The singing ceased, and they were bidden to enter and sit. As they did so, Paíyatuma came forward to them and said:
"Ye come well. I have commanded the singers to cease and the players to draw breath from their flutes, that we might hearken to the messages ye bear, since for naught never stranger visits the place of a stranger."
"True," replied the two, "our fathers have sent us to seek and greet ye, it having been declared by our children that thy song-sounds and the customs thereof so far surpass our own, even those of our beloved Maidens, makers of the seed of seeds."
"Ah, well!" replied he, "thus ever is it with men, children, verily! Athirst ever are they for that which is not or which they have not. Yet it is well that ye come, and it shall be as ye wish. Sit ye yet longer, watch and listen."
To the left, grouped around a great world-bowl, clad in broidered cotton vestment, were a splendid band of players, long flutes in their hands and the adornments of god-priests on their faces and persons. In their midst, too, was a drummer and also a bearer of the song-staff; aged, they, and dignified with years.
Paíyatuma scattered a line of pollen on the floor, and folding his arms strode to the rear of the cavern, then turned him about and with straightened mien (tsámo‘hlanishi), advanced again. Following him, lo, and behold! came seven maidens beauteous like to the Maidens of Corn, but taller and fainter of form. Like to them also in costume, yet differing somewhat in the hue of the mantles they wore. And in their hands they carried, not tablets of the sun, moon, and each her star with cross symbol of the Corn priests above them, but, verily, wands of cottonwood from the branchlets and buds of which tiny clouds flowed forth.
"These be the sisters of our Maidens of Corn, of the House of the Stars, seen these too, as they, so these more faintly, as, when above are seen the stars of the House of Seven, others seven are seen below in the waters. Like in form of gesture is their dance custom, but fertile not of the seed, but of the water of life wherewith the seed is quickened," said Paíyatuma.
He lifted his flute, then took his place in the line of the dancers, as the yä´poto does in the line of the Corn dance. The drum sounded until the cavern shook as with thunder. The flutes sang and sighed as the wind in a wooded canyon whilst still the storm is distant. White mists floated up from the wands of the maidens and mingled with the breath of the flutes over the terraced world-bowl, above which sported the butterflies of Summerland, about the dress of the Rainbow in the strange blue light of the night.
Awed and entranced with the beauty of it were the Priests of the Bow, insomuch that when they arose to go they feared to speak their further message. But Paíyatuma, smiling, gave them his breath with his hands and said, "Go ye the way before, telling the fathers of our custom, and straightway we will follow."