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.
"Behold, father and elder brother, we come seeking only the light of
thy favor. Listen!"
Then they told him of the lost Corn maidens, and prayed him to seek
them, that messages of conciliation might be sent them or given.
"Being so, be it well with thy wishes. Go ye before contentedly,"
answered the Eagle, smoothing his feathers.
Forthwith the warriors returned to the council of the fathers, relating
how that their message had been well received, and the eagle leapt
forth and winged his way high into the sky--high, high, until he
circled among the clouds, small seeming and swift, as seed-down in a
whirlwind. And all through the heights he circled and sailed, to the
north, the west, the south and the east. Yet nowhere saw he trace
of the Maidens. Then he flew lower, returning, and the people heard
the roar of his wings almost ere the warriors were rested, and arose
eagerly to receive his tidings. As he alighted, the fathers said,
"Enter thou and sit, oh brother, and say to us what thou hast to say;"
and they offered him the cigarette of the space-relations.
When they had puffed to the regions and purified his breath with smoke,
and blown smoke over the sacred things, then the Eagle spake: "Far have
I journeyed, scanning all the regions. Neither blue bird nor wood-rat
can hide from my seeing," said he, snapping his beak and looking
aslant. "Neither of them, unless they hide under bushes; yet have I
failed to see aught of the maidens ye seek for. Send you, therefore,
for my younger brother the Falcon; strong of flight is he, yet not
so potently strong as I, and nearer the ground he takes his way ere
sunrise."
Then the Eagle, scarce awaiting the thanks of the fathers, spread
his wings and flew away to Twin mountain, and the Warrior Priests of
the Bow, sought again fleetly over the plain to the westward for his
younger brother, the Falcon.