the Maidens of Corn

Role: maidens · First appears: Section 63 · The Finding of Paíyatuma, and His Custom of the Flute

As morning neared in Section 66, the youths of the Dance sought the Maidens of Corn and plucked at their white garments. The Maidens placed the substance of their flesh within the corn and fled as mists to the far south Summerland; in Section 67, they were gone from the bower, leaving their wands and garments behind.

In Section 72, Paíyatuma sent butterflies and birds to seek them, and greeted them with his song-sound before he found them. In Section 73, the Maidens gathered ears of corn into their trays and went out, from eldest to youngest, to welcome him. He told them to prepare to follow him north to their deserted children. In Section 74, they returned with their foster-father to the place of the Middle, carrying their seed trays; they are described as his foster-children, returning “in their foster-father's lead, his swift lead”. In Section 63, the Maidens of the Dew are called sisters of the Maidens of Corn.

Relationship record

Life events

• The youths sought the Maidens of Corn and plucked at their garments.(Section 66 · The Sacrilege of the Youths of the Dance, and the Fleeting of the Maidens of Corn)
  • With: the youths mortal
  • “these, impassioned and in rivalry, sought all too freely the presence of the Mother-maidens, no longer holding them so precious as in olden time, but e'en plucking at their white garments.”
• The Maidens of Corn placed their flesh’s substance in the corn and fled to the far south Summerland.(Section 66 · The Sacrilege of the Youths of the Dance, and the Fleeting of the Maidens of Corn)
  • “Behold! having thus by their wonderful knowledge now placed within the corn the substance of their flesh, then even as the mists became they, and with the mists drifting, fled away, verily, to the far south Summerland!”
• The Maidens of Corn disappeared, leaving their wands and garments behind.(Section 67 · The Mourning for Loss of the Maidens of Corn · 📍 the bower)
  • “Naught found they save the precious wands and the garments all softly laid thereupon, of their beloved Maidens of the Seed.”
• Paíyatuma sent butterflies and birds to seek the Maidens.(Section 72 · The Seeking of the Maidens of Corn by Paíyatuma · 📍 Summerland)
  • With: Paíyatuma
  • “Them he sent forth to seek the Maidens, following swiftly, and long ere he found them he greeted them, with the music of his song-sound, as the People of Seed now greet them in the song of their dances.”
• Paíyatuma greeted the Maidens with the music of his song-sound.(Section 72 · The Seeking of the Maidens of Corn by Paíyatuma)
  • With: Paíyatuma
  • “long ere he found them he greeted them, with the music of his song-sound”
• The Maidens of Corn gathered ears of corn and filled their trays for the visitor.(Section 73 · The Finding of the Maidens of Corn in Summerland · 📍 Summerland)
  • “they plucked ears thereof, each of her kind, and with them filled their colored trays”
• The Maidens of Corn went out to welcome the visitor.(Section 73 · The Finding of the Maidens of Corn in Summerland · 📍 Summerland)
  • “From eldest to youngest they sallied forth to meet and to welcome him, still in their great fields of corn!”
• The Maidens of Corn were told to prepare to follow him north to their deserted children.(Section 73 · The Finding of the Maidens of Corn in Summerland)
  • “bade them prepare to follow him erewhile to the northland home of their deserted children.”
• The Maidens of Corn returned with their foster-father to the place of the Middle, carrying their seed trays.(Section 74 · The Return of the Maidens of Corn with Paíyatuma)
  • With: Paíyatuma
  • “they came at evening in the full of the last moon to the place of the Middle, bearing as at first their trays of seed, each her own kind.”

Section 63 · The Finding of Paíyatuma, and His Custom of the Flute

• siblings with the Maidens of the Dew “These be the sisters of our Maidens of Corn, of the House of the Stars, seen these too, as they, so these more faintly, as, when above are seen the stars of the House of Seven, others seven are seen below in the waters.”

Section 74 · The Return of the Maidens of Corn with Paíyatuma

• foster-parent: Paíyatuma “in their foster-father's lead, his swift lead”

Also listed in Other Figures — Minor Figures

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Extracted from the original text of Outlines of Zuñi Creation Myths. Made with Rho MD.