How Áhaiyúta and Mátsailéma Stole the Thunder-Stone and Lightning-Shaft
In this Zuni myth, the twin war gods Áhaiyúta and Mátsailéma acquired the powerful weapons of thunder and lightning. The thunder-stone and lightning-shaft were kept by powerful beings who did not want to share their power. The twins, known for their cunning and bravery, devised a plan to steal these sacred weapons. Using their shapeshifting abilities and the help of their grandmother (Spider Woman often fills this role), they infiltrated the home of the thunder beings. They stole the thunder-stone (which creates thunder when struck) and the lightning-shaft (which shoots bolts of lightning). Th