Meanwhile the daughter of the priest-chief opened the sky-hole and placed a sacred medicine-bowl half full of water on the floor where the sunlight would shine into it, and where it would reflect the sky, and there she sat looking intently down into the water. By-and-by the Eagle came in sight, and she saw his shadow in the water.
Just then the Sun drew his shield from his face. Oh! how hot it was down there on the earth. The sky was ablaze with light, and no one dared to look at it; and the sands grew so hot that they burned the moccasins of those who walked upon them. Everybody ran into the houses, and the Eagle spread his wings and gently descended, for he too was hot. And when he came near to the house, the girl let him in and welcomed him.
“Thou comest, father,” said she.
He only drooped his head and flapped his wings, unable even to speak, so hot was he.
She saw that he was near to fainting. Therefore she fanned him—made cool wind for him with the basket tray and her mantle—and sprinkled cold water upon his head.
“Thou hast been to the home of our father?” she asked, when he had recovered.
“Yes,” replied the Eagle.
“What has he advised that we should do?” asked she.
“This,” said the Eagle; “tomorrow morning at the dawn of day thou wilt arise and bathe thyself. Then at sunrise thou shalt put on thy finest garments. The dance will come forth; and then it will come forth the second time, and the third time, and again it will come the fourth time. Then I will mount thee upon my shoulders and bear thee away toward the Sun, who will be waiting for us. It may be that we shall have the good fortune to reach his home; and it may be that we shall get only a little way when everything shall come to pass unhappily and thou wilt be no more.” That is what he said to her.
It grew night. The girl collected all the basket-trays that she had made for her father’s sacred plumes; these by the firelight she spread out, and then began to divide them into different heaps.
Now, her parents, who were sitting in the next room, heard her until it was late at night, and they said to each other: “Wonder what it is that keeps our daughter up?” So the old priest-chief arose and entered her room.
“My child, art thou not at rest yet?” asked he.
“No,” replied she. “I am dividing the trays I have made for thee. These,” said she, pointing to a heap of yellow ones, “shall pertain to the north-land; these, the blue, to the west-land; the red to the land of the south, the white to the east, the variegated to the upper regions, and the black to the regions below. For tomorrow, beloved father, thou shalt see me no more.”
“It is well,” said the father, for he was a great priest and knew the will of the gods, and to this he always said: “It is well. What, therefore, should I say?” So the old man left her.
Then as morning approached she bathed herself. And the Eagle, looking down, said: “My child, my mother, lie down and rest thyself, for we are about to undertake a long journey. Never fear; I will wake thee at the right time.” So she lay down and slept. The Eagle perched himself above her and watched for the dawn.
By-and-by the great star arose. Then he knew that the Sun would soon follow it, and he said: “Mother, arise! dress thyself, for the time is near at hand.”
Outside on the housetops called the two war-priests to their children:
“Hasten, hasten! Prepare for the dance!
Hasten, hasten! Eat for the dance!
Hasten, hasten, our children all!”
Then the girl went into another room and brought forth her finest dresses, and these, garment after garment, she put on—not one dress, but many. Upon her shoulders she placed four mantles of snow-white embroidered cotton. Then she said to the Eagle: “Wait a moment; I have yet to think of our children in the Home of the Eagles.” Therefore she brought forth her basket-bowls of fine meal with which she had been accustomed to powder her face. There was meal of the yellow corn, the blue cornmeal, the red cornmeal, the white cornmeal, the speckled cornmeal, and the black cornmeal. “See,” said she, as she regarded the various vessels of meal; “my children, by means of these shall ye beautify flesh; by means of these be precious against evil; by means of these shall ye finish preciously your roads of life. I am to be no more. Far off and to an unknown region go I. Possibly I may reach it, and live; probably not reach it, and die. These do I leave as your inheritance. My children, goodbye.”40
Then the Eagle descended. The drum began to sound outside; the dance was coming—for the first time, mind you, not the fourth. Then said the Eagle, as he lowered himself: “Place thyself upon my back; grasp me by the shoulders.” And the girl did as she was bidden. She reclined herself lengthwise on the back of the Eagle, and grasped with her left hand his shoulders. “Now, place one foot on one of my thighs and the other on the other.” She placed one foot on one of his thighs and the other on the other; and the Eagle spread his tail and raised it that she might not fall off. “All ready?” asked he, as the drum of the coming dance sounded outside.
“Yes,” said the girl; and they arose.
“Open the wicket!” and shoa! the Eagle spread his wings and away off up into the sky he sprang with the maiden. Round and round, round and round, they circled in the sky, but those below saw nothing as they danced in the shadows of the
