to receive his offering.

Certain men are selected, who, with bodies nude save the loin skirt
and with bare feet, walk from Zuñi to the lake, a distance of 45
miles, exposed to the scorching rays of the summer sun, to deposit
plume sticks and pray for rain. If the hearts of those sent be pure
and good, the clouds will gather and rain will fall, but if evil be in
their hearts no rain will fall during the journey and they return with
parched lips and blistered skin. The Kōk-kō repeat the prayers for
rain with their intercessions to the Yä-tō-tka, the Sun, and by them
the plume sticks are sent to the 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-lō,
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-lō'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-lō to the spirit lake,
he said, "Here is the home of the Kōk-kō; I will guide you to the
kiva and open for you the door." After entering the kiva the Käk-lō
viewed all those assembled and said, "Let me see; are all my people