Now when the time of ripening corn was near, the fathers ordered
preparation for the ‘Hláhekwe, or dance of the Corn maidens.
When the days of preparing had been well nigh numbered, the old ones,
even the Kâ´yemäshi themselves who had come with the Kâ´kâ (subject now
to the prayerful breaths of the priest-fathers of the people) in the
spring and summer times of the Kâ´k’okshi dances, came forth yet again
from the west, and with fun and much noise of mouth, made--as for his
sister their father had first made--a bower of cedar. But this bower
they built, not in the open plain, but in the great court of the town
where the dances and customs of the Kâ´kâ were held. For in these days
the people and the kinties of Seed no longer came as strangers to the
abode of other people, hence builded not their bower in the plain, but
in the plaza of their own town. And the Kâ´yemäshi diligently collected
cedar-boughs and rafter-poles from the hills beyond the plains. With
these, as they had been commanded in olden time by K‘yäk´lu, they
builded the great bower. They helped also the chosen men of the Badger
and Water kinties to bring the hemlock trees from the southern canyon,
and danced, singing gravely for the nonce, as these called forth the
growth thereof in sacred smoke of the spaces, and then, as the night
fell, laden with offerings from the people, and whitened with the favor
of their prayer-meal, they returned whither the Kâ´kâ and the souls of
men ever return, westward along the river to the mountains of the Dance
of Good and the Waters of the Dead.
Then came the Sun-priest and the Priests of the House of Houses,
with the tabernacles of sacred seed-substances, the _múetone_, the
_k‘yáetone_ and the _chúetone_, and with world-terraced bowls of
sacred favor (prayer-meal). These, they bore into the plaza in solemn
procession, followed by the matrons of the Seed and Water clans, with
the trays of new seed and their offerings of plumed wands to the
spaces; and even as today, in every particular, so then the Priest
of the Sun and his younger brothers of the House laid out the sacred
reclining terrace and roadway of prayer, leading down from it through
the middle, and duly placed the sacred things in order upon and before
it. As today it is done even in the same order, so then the priests
took their places at the rear of the terrace and altar of sacred
things, and the matrons theirs by their trays of new seed, those of the
Seed kins southwardly to the right, those of the Water kins northwardly
to the left beside the reclining terrace and down the sacred roadway
guided and placed, each in order, by the chosen leaders of the dance,
and watched over by the Priests of the Bow.
Thus, when the singers came and sat them down in the southern side, as
today, so then, the father of the people gave the word for beginning,
and spake the issuing-forth rites. But then, not as now, there were
singers only to the south, yea, and dancers only of them, whence the
complainings of the people had been voiced.
As the darkness deepened the master-priest said, "Lo, now! as in the
olden time let kindled be a fire, beyond the dancers (_ótakwe_) in
front of the bower. Mayhap by its light yet other singers and dancers
will come, as in the olden time came Paíyatuma and his people, for the
perfection of the corn. If so be, those who murmur will be content with
the completeness of our custom."
Then those whose office it was to keep the shell and fire, generated
with their hands the heat thereof, and the youths round about merrily
attended them with fuel, and in the brightening light the dance went on.
THE SENDING OF THE TWAIN PRIESTS OF THE BOW, THAT THEY BESPEAK THE AID
OF PAÍYATUMA AND HIS FLUTE PEOPLE.
When the House of the Seven Stars had risen high in the sky, then the
fathers summoned before them the two Master-priests of the Bow. "Ye
have heard," said they in low-sounding speech, "the complainings of
these children and their tales of strange sights and sounds at the
grotto under Thunder mountain. Go forth, therefore, and test the truth
of all this. If so be ye too hear the music, approach the cavern and
send greeting before ye. It were no wonder if ye behold Paíyatuma and
his maidens other seven, and his singers and players of flutes. They
will deem ye well arrived, and maychance will deign to throw the light
of their favor upon us and give us help of their custom, thereby adding
to the contentment and welfare of our children among men, and to the
completeness of our own observances."
Then with their hands the Fathers of the House extended their breaths,
which breathing, the Priests of the Bow went forth, one following the
other.