The Religious Life of the Zuñi Child

e same great god. So constantly are the lesser gods employed in offering plumes to the great god that at night the sacred road (the Galaxy) can be seen filled with feathers, though by day they are invisible. They believe that the soul or essence of the plumes travels over this road, just as the soul from the body travels from Zuñi to the spirit lake, and in their offerings of food the food itself is not received by the gods, but the spiritual essence of the food.

One of the most important characters in Zuñi mythology, the Käk-l[=o], finding himself alone in the far Northwest, saw many roads, but could not tell which one led to his people, and he wept bitterly. The tear marks are still to be seen on the Käk-l[=o]'s face. A duck, hearing some one's cries, appeared and inquired the cause of the trouble. "I wish to go to my people, but the roads are many, and I do not know the right one." The sagacious duck replied, "I know all roads, and I will lead you to your people." Having led the Käk-l[=o] to the spirit