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Show ON THE TRAIL OF BEAUTY 21 struck them dead. He then claimed the perfect shell discs that they wore. These prizes, he said, would belong to him and to the Moon. As the fierce battle raged, everyone saw the Sun turn red. Many Taos scalps were taken. When they were inspected, though, the scalps of the two maidens were not found. Back at the camp, Monster Slayer told all the warriors to bring the scalps for another inspection. When he had searched every man in the camp, he found the virgins' scalps in the hands of the two sickly old men! The war leader then proposed a shooting contest to see who should marry the Corn girls. The young men lined up, but they all missed the target. Monster Slayer himself only grazed the target. Then the two old men scored bull's-eyes. It was clear that they should marry the two girls. When the war party reached the main camp, all the scalps except the virgins' were placed on poles. The two virgins' scalps were presented to Corn Man. All the warriors blackened their faces, and a pot was brought out to hold the blood and water from the washed scalps. The pot was painted and covered so that it made a drum. A grey willow twig was chosen for a drumstick. Then the sway-singing (ndaa') and dancing began around a bonfire that would burn all night. Corn Man told his nieces to go outside and choose any warriors they wished for husbands. The girls went outside and danced around each warrior several times. But they soon began to sweat from the heat of the fire. So the girls decided to leave the dance and go to the stream for a drink. Elder Sister sat on the west side of the stream while Younger Sister sat on the east side. Soon they noticed a sweet smell. They followed the scent to two young warriors, who gave them tobacco to smoke. The tobacco had been poisoned, however, and it put the girls to sleep. When they awoke in the middle of the night, they discovered that the handsome young warriors had changed into the two sickly old men. Their real names were Big Bear Man and Big Snake Man. The girls ran to Monster Slayer. He beat them to drive away the flag plant and the plume poison that was in the smoke. The beating changed the girls into clouds, though, and they drifted away from camp. When they reappeared as humans, they ran away along the Rio Grande. Elder Sister ran to the north; Younger Sister, to the south. Though they were careful not to leave any footprints, the old men tracked them by following the sweet-smelling smoke. In this way, they set out after the girls they wanted to marry. |