THE SERPENT OF THE SEA
NOTE.--The priest of the K'iáklu or epic-ritual of Zuñi is never allowed to initiate the telling of short folk-stories. If he make such a beginning, be must complete the whole cycle before he ceases his recital or his listeners relax their attention. The following tale was told by an attendant Indian (not a priest), whose name is Waíhusiwa.
"Son ah tehi!" he exclaimed, which may be interpreted: "Let us abide with the ancients to-night."
The listeners reply "E-so," or "Tea-tu." ("Certainly,"or "Be it well.")
In the times of our forefathers, under Thunder Mountain was a village called K'iákime ("Home of the Eagles"). It is now in ruins; the roofs are gone, the ladders have decayed, the hearths grown cold. But when it was all still perfect, and, as it were, new, the
