In the time before time Onatah, the Spirit of the Corn; as she walked the earth with her ravin-black hair and sparkeling eyes, the corn, the Indian maize, sprang up by itself from the earth. Onatah walked her two sisters, the Spirits of the Squash and the Bean. As they passed by, squash-vines and bean-plants grew from the corn-hills.

One day Onatah was grasped her by the hair by Hahgwehdaetgah, the Evil One of the earth, who swiftly dragged her to his gloomy cave.

Hahgwehdaetgah sent out his fire-breathing monsters, he blighted Onatah's grain. Her sisters, the Spirits of the Squash and the Bean, fled terror.

As poor Onatah; trembling in the dark cave of the Evil One. She mourned her blighted cornfields, and terrorized sisters.

Onatah cried, "O warm, bright sun! if I may walk once more upon the earth, never again will I leave my corn!" The little birds of the air heard her cry, and told the sun of her vow The sun, who loved Onatah, sent out many searching beams of light. They pierced through the damp earth, and guided her back again to her fields.

Ever after, she watched her fields. The little birds of the air followed her through the rows of corn, and made war on the tiny enemies that gnawed at the roots of the grain.

Onatah could no longer count on her sisters, the Spirits of the Squash and Bean, to watch with her or call the early dew, cooling winds or ask the sun to drive away the great rain. She had to to plant the corn seed and hoe the fields.