“come, teni,” said the little boy, “i will show you my home.”
teni was glad to see this strange house, for he had never been in one so large before.
they climbed about from room to room.
there were so many that teni could not count them.
after a while the little boy said, “let us go into this store-room.”
so they climbed the notched pole and lifted the stone from the hole which led into the largest granary.
teni said, “there is only one granary in our house. how many have you?”
“five,” said the little boy, “but this is the largest one.”
“see how much food we have!”
teni’s eyes opened wide with wonder. he had never seen a storeroom so well filled. there were piles and piles of skin boxes filled with powdered buffalo’s meat. there were large baskets filled with grain and beans.
in one corner was a box of wheat, and hanging from the pegs in the wall were the skin clothes and skin leggings ready for winter’s wear.
the boys climbed up some of the pegs and looked over the wall into the large reservoir.
there was only a little water in it, because it had not rained for many months.
one of the stone jars on the wall had some water in it, and teni took a long drink.
then they crept carefully along the wall till they came to a part of the cliff which hung over the reservoir.
the boys stood here a few moments and looked down at the water.
“this reservoir is nearly empty,” said teni.
“have you another?”
“yes,” said the boy, “but we pray for rain every day, because the other reservoir is nearly empty also.”
just then teni thought of mavo, so they started back.
on the way they stopped at a round room which was in the center of this queer house.
“what is this room?” said teni.
“the kiva,” said the boy. “all the men of this cliff village sleep here on the skins which you see scattered about.”
on a shelf in one part of the kiva was a curious-looking doll baby with a painted face, long hair, and bright-colored clothes.
41this doll was an idol, so the children stopped to put some red corn at its feet, touching its dress very gently.
“let us light the fire,” said teni.
they walked to a hole in the center of the floor and sat down beside it.
then they rubbed two pieces of flint together to make a spark.
they lighted the cedar wood that was in the hole, and watched the flames grow brighter and brighter.
“hush!” said teni, “we must be very quiet. i can hear the spirits talking in the fire.”
“the spirits say that mavo and i will soon be at home with father and mother and we shall be glad, too.”
by and by the boys went quietly from the still room.
