How Ahaiyutaa and Matsailema stole the Thunderstone and the Lightning-Shaft

Áhaiyúta and Mátsailéma, two brothers, lived with their grandmother at the ancient Middle Place of Sacrifice on Thunder Mountain, a place sacred to the Zuni people. One day, while hunting prairie dogs, a sudden rainstorm made the ground muddy and slippery, irritating the boys. As thunder rumbled in the south and lightning illuminated the sky, the younger brother was struck by an idea. “Let us go to the Land of Everlasting Summer and steal the thunder and lightning from the gods,” he suggested with enthusiasm. Though the elder brother was more cautious, he agreed, deciding they would set out the next morning after providing prairie dogs for their grandmother.

Early the next morning, the brothers stealthily left under the guise of hunting more prairie dogs. They journeyed to the beautiful Land of Everlasting Summer, where they found the House of the Beloved Gods, a grand and impenetrable structure. Unable to enter, the younger brother suggested seeking help from their grandfather, the Centipede. Upon finding him, they flattered him into helping them steal the thunder-stone and lightning-shaft from the gods. The Centipede, despite his initial reluctance, agreed and ingeniously climbed the smooth walls to retrieve the powerful items, returning them to the eager boys.

Back at their home on Thunder Mountain, the brothers could not resist the temptation to play with their new treasures. Ignoring their grandmother’s stern warnings, they unleashed the power of the thunder-stone and lightning-shaft, causing a massive storm that flooded their home. The rain fell heavily, and the lightning and thunder were relentless, particularly above their grandmother’s house. The brothers, in their reckless play, did not heed their grandmother’s pleas until it was too late. The floodwaters rose, claiming their grandmother’s life. In sorrow, they buried her, and from her resting place, a plant sprouted with fiery red pods—peppers.

The brothers realized that despite their loss, they had inadvertently given humanity a new food. They scattered the seeds, ensuring the growth of peppers, which became cherished for their fiery taste. The mountain remained a place where thunder and lightning often dance across the sky, a testament to the brothers’ bold adventure and the unintended legacy they left behind. It is said that the Centipede, blamed by the brothers for their mischief, was transformed by the gods, leaving his descendants small and shriveled, a reminder of his role in the tale.

This retelling honors the living tradition of the Zuni people, whose culture and stories continue to thrive today.

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