mountains standing in a line, one back of the other. She who used to be
a woman and Ganłjine went there together. They were mating as they went
along, as could be told from the tracks. Deer tracks were in one place
and nearby, other deer tracks, but on one side a man's tracks. They went
toward the east.
When the husband came back he saw by the tracks that a man had visited
the camp and had gone away with his wife. He went back to the settlement
and told them that the woman with whom he had gone to hunt had gone off,
leaving human tracks on one side and on the other side like a deer.
The people went in a company to the place where the man had camped and
commenced following the tracks that were human on one side and deer-like
on the other. While being trailed they ran from those who were following
them, who ran after them, chasing them around until the one who had been
a woman was worn out. They overtook her and threw on her a ring of
turquoise, followed by one of _bacinϵ_ and then one of _tcϵłtcϵϵ_, and
finally one of _yołgai_. As these rings fell on her she became
progressively human in shape. When she had become a human being again,
they took her back to the settlement. When it was time for deer to run
again, she became a deer once more, and then became a person again.
When thunder was heard, they made a camp and went to hunt little fawns
which they were bringing into the camp. This woman who had turned into a
deer had little fawns which she had borne for a deer. She went around
among the houses where the fawns were being brought in and found her own
lying there dead. An Indian had killed them both and had brought them
in. When she learned a man had brought in pretty fawns, with yellow
around their eyes, she ran there and commenced to cry.
She spoke, saying that the deer they should see along the trail where
she went with her children would be herself and that they should pray to
her.
-----
Footnote 51:
Told by Frank Crockett's father following the preceding story so
closely as to make its separation a matter of doubt. A fuller version
was obtained from a San Carlos, p. 49, above.
THE GAMBLER WHO SECURED THE WATER-CEREMONY.[52]
A boy started playing _najonc_ and lost his arrows, his moccasins, his
breechcloth, his shirt, his headband, his hair, his eyebrows, and his
eyelashes. When he returned home so divested, his mother told him to go
away somewhere that she might not see him again.
He started away, utterly naked as he was, and traveled until he came to
the edge of the ocean. He jumped into the water but was thrown back.[53]
He did this three times with the same result and then jumped in under
the water. When he looked back through the water it was white. He began
to eat all kinds of “worms” as he went along. He ate, also, some of the
green growth floating on the water. They came with him to the house made
of water. The fly that sat inside his ear gave him information and
advice. All the water people and the fog people went with him;
Water-old-man was among them and Water-youth with a downy feather on the
crown of his head. He was sent down that way with a message.[54] They
sent him where the black blanket of water is spread down.
“Over there he is running along,” someone said. “Now to you they are
starting, Water-youths, to you they are starting. Yonder we are coming,
Water-youths are coming,” he said. “They are coming right up the stream.
“Fog-youths are coming, right in front of the fog they are coming.
“Where the water stands straight up, next to him, the water people are
coming to us. With water-downy-feathers as their feathers they are
coming to us; holding the lightning in their hands they are coming to
us.
“Where the fog stands straight up, standing next to me, they come to
us,” he said. “Fog-youths come to us,” he said. “At the end of the
water, they come to us. Having downy feathers of fog they come to us;
holding the lightning in their hands they come to us.”[55]
The one who became water came by the house made of fog and water. “Where
is the place called 'House-of-water'?” he asked. “This place is called
'House-of-water'” the water people replied. His monitor, fly, told him
they were not telling him the truth. He came to the house made of water.
“Where is the place called 'House-of-water'?” he asked. It was Water
Chief to whom he came. “It is called 'Water-house' right here,” he
replied. His fly told him that was correct; that 'Water-house' was
there.
Two vessels filled with water which was boiling, were by the fire.
“Drink all there is in one of the vessels,” he was told by Water Chief.
He drank the contents of one vessel and then vomited. He was saying,
“wa, wa,” as he vomited. He threw up all of the underwater “worms.”
They bathed him with the contents of the other vessel. They commenced to
dance and danced for twelve nights without sleeping. When they had
danced twelve nights without his falling asleep they told him he might
go home.
Then Naiyenezgani danced there among them. His hat was white on top. He
held his hand outspread over him as he stood by him. Water-old-man, too,
danced among them. Water-house was on this side.
“Water-youths all came here where they were dancing. With their downy
feathers of water they came there. They came to the dance ground holding
lightning in their hands.
“From 'House-made-of-fog,' Fog-girls came where they danced having their
downy feathers of fog. They held lightning in their hands.
“Water-youths were behind them, pretty, they were behind them; having
their downy feathers of water, they were behind them. Holding lightning
in their hands, they were all behind them.
“The Fog-girls came from the house made of fog. Having downy feathers of
fog, they danced with fog. All holding lightning in their hands, the
dance being made of fog they started to dance with him.
“They danced with the boy who became water.”
Naiyenezgani danced among them. When they were looking somewhere else
Naiyenezgani became a baby again, and was tied in a basket cradle. The
attention of the people was attracted elsewhere and when they saw
Naiyenezgani again he was standing among the Water-maidens to whom he
did various things.
Tobatc'istcini, too, was tied as a baby, then the two men did various
things to them. The twelve nights had passed without anyone sleeping. He
stood between the Water-maidens. The men from a distance made a circle
and danced. The Water-people danced with him. The Fog-people danced with
him.
The Sun was present there. From so great a height[56] he looked down on
them. They danced in his presence. They danced, too, in the presence of
the Moon. When twelve nights had passed and it was the twelfth morning
he went to sleep. Far off, a Water-maiden stood. He, who became water,
stood here and there stood a Fog-maiden. When twelve nights had passed
he fell asleep. He loved this one. They shouted to him saying, “You are
falling asleep.” The one standing behind him stepped by his foot and he
fell against him.
Bił'olisn was there where they were dancing.
“He took her away, where the land is beautiful with corn.
“Fog-maiden; where the land is beautiful with pumpkins.
“Bił'olisn; where the land is beautiful with large corn, they two
went.
“Fog-maiden; where the land is beautiful with large pumpkins, they
two went.
“Bił'olisn; where the land is beautiful with large corn, they two
sat down.
“Fog-maiden; where the land is beautiful with large pumpkins, they
two sat down.
“Bił'olisn; where the land is beautiful with large corn, they two
lay down.
“Fog-maiden; where the land is beautiful with pumpkins, they two lay
down.
“At the east where the black water lies, stands the large corn, with
staying roots, its large stalk, its red silk, its long leaves, its
tassel dark and spreading, on which there is dew.
“At the sunset, where the yellow water lies, stands the large pumpkin
with its tendrils, its long stem, its wide leaves, its yellow top on
which there is pollen.”[57]
This all happened where the man turned to water. He came back here where
people were living. His mother had her hair cut off and was weeping for
him. He came back at the end of a year. His younger brother was walking
outdoors and saw him. When he saw him coming back he said, “Mother, over
there my brother is returning.” “Evil one,[58] why do you say that?” she
replied. “I am telling the truth, my brother is coming. Come here and
look,” the boy said. She came out and found it was true. She called him
her son, and told him she had been having a hard time and had cried on
his account.
He went and hunted deer in company with his brother. He asked his
brother to hunt in a certain direction and circle around to him again.
There were thunder showers. The young man was sitting by himself. In one
direction it was raining, it was black with the falling rain.
“I wish I might drink water again on top where black rain stands up. I
wish I might drink water again on top where the water stands up.” His
brother returned and surprised him while he was still singing.
They went back again to the house and the boy told them that his brother
had been singing. He was told there were no songs and that he was not
speaking the truth. He reaffirmed his statement. He asked that a
sweathouse be built. When it was ready the boys went in and were singing
inside. The young man who had been turned into water started to sing the
water songs. Inside he wove lightning together again. There had been no
water songs and now they existed. Thus, there came to be medicinemen for
water.
-----
Footnote 52:
Told by Frank Crockett's father who practised the ceremony. It is for
the recovery of those who have been made ill by the floods due to
thunderstorms.
Footnote 53:
A gambler made desperate by his losses is the hero of a Navajo
(Matthews, 160) and a Jicarilla story (This series, vol. 8, 214).
Footnote 54:
A messenger wears a downy feather tied at the crown of his head and is
protected by it on his journey. It serves as a safe conduct.
Footnote 55:
These four paragraphs appear to contain the words of songs.
Footnote 56:
As high as a man's head.
Footnote 57:
Clearly a song.
Footnote 58:
Because one supposedly dead was being mentioned to a near relative.
THE MAN WHO VISITED THE SKY WITH THE EAGLES.[59]
Long ago, there was a man who had a wife and two children, both boys. He
went with Coyote on a hunting trip and camped near where they expected
to secure game. He went out to hunt in the morning; and Coyote also went
by himself and, as he was walking along, he came where there was an
eagle's nest on a point of rock jutting out in the middle of a high
cliff. There were young eagles in the nest.
Coyote returned to the camp and reported to the hunter that he had seen
young eagles in a nest. Saying he wished some good feathers for
feathering arrows, he asked the other man to lower him from the top of
the cliff to the nest. When they had come to the place, Coyote asked the
other man to allow himself to be lowered and to throw the feathers down
for him. Coyote lowered him, asking if he had come to the young eagles.
The reply was, “Not yet.” A little later, the same question was repeated
and the answer this time was, “Yes.” Coyote then let the rope fall on
the man saying, “Cousin, she who was your wife will be mine.”
The man then sat with the young eagles. He asked what sort of weather
prevailed when their father returned. They replied that a “male” rain
fell.[60] Soon a “male” rain fell and the father of the young eagles
flew back in the rain. When he came where the man was sitting with the
young eagles, he asked who was there. The man replied that Coyote had
lowered him and that he was hovering his children for him. The male bird
told him he might remain there and flew off.
The man then asked the young birds in what sort of weather their mother
came back. They said she returned when a “female” rain was falling. Soon
a “female” rain fell and the eagle's wife returned. She asked the man
who he was; he told her that Coyote had lowered him down there and that
he was staying with her children. Now she told him he might remain there
and departed.
The male bird came back accompanied by a “male” rain. He brought with
him a water vessel made of turquoise and bade the man drink. He drank
and the water was not exhausted although the vessel of turquoise was
very small.[61]
Accompanied by a “female” rain the female bird returned and perched
nearby. She put down a horn vessel of boiled corn and invited the man to
eat it. It was a small vessel, but it was not empty when he had finished
his meal.
She flew away again and after four days the eagle people all assembled.
They gave him an eagle shirt and instructed him to do as they did. He
put on the shirt and flew a little way with it. He put on one shirt
after another and flew farther and farther each time, four times. He was
a man but he became an eagle.
“Where am I going?” he asked.
“Where the black mirage is located at the center of the sky, I go
up.
In the shadow of his dark wings, I come.
“Where the blue mirage is located at the center of the sky, I go up.
In the shadow of his blue wings, I come.
“Where the yellow mirage is located at the center of the sky, I go
up.
In the shadow of the yellow wings, I come.
“Where the white mirage is located at the center of the sky, I go
up.
In the shadow of the white wings, I come,” he sang.
“Between the two who sit on the white sky, I go up. Where the white
weeds tower up, white on the sky at its center, I go up,” he
sang.
“Where the dark houses of the eagles project, I come,” he sang.
“Where the blue houses of eagles project, I go up.
“Where the red houses of the eagles project, I go up.
“Where the white houses of the eagles project, I go up,” he sang.
He lay down where there were no habitations. They asked him in vain to
come inside the building, for soon the person with a skull that kills
would come.
Saying he would remain there, he refused, and lay down. In the night, he
heard the one with a skull that kills coming. He took up a stone and hit
him with it as he walked by and killed him. He also killed the bees that
had caused the eagles to die out by stinging them. He took the bees from
their nests and killed them all. He killed, too, the wasps that lived in
rocks, and all the yellow jackets. The tumble weeds, also, were killing
the eagles by rolling on them. He beat these weeds with a stick and
destroyed them.
He inquired of an old eagle woman where others were living. She told him
of wood-rats which have many houses and bring back much material when
they go abroad. He went where cactus was standing and when night came,
lay down to sleep. He heard the sound of people shouting toward the
east. They were saying, “Down here.” They were chasing an insect called
_agetdlic_. He killed it.
The stars were people and were coming to get arrows. Those who were
running after _agetdlic_ jumped over his body one by one as they reached
it. The last one who was running succeeded in jumping over the body but
fell back on it.
They removed the skin, cut up meat, tied it up, and put it on the man's
back for him to carry. They warned him against looking back. He started
away with it and carried it until he came to the top of a hill.
Wondering why he had been told not to look back, he did so and fell over
backward. He went to the camp of the eagles and told them his load was
on the hill. They went to get the load and brought it to the camp. There
was a big pile of the meat which they brought back. “This was what he
meant,” they said. It was sunset by the time they brought the meat back.
“The man is a good helper,” they said. “He has killed for us all those
who used to kill us.” The man then said he was going home, and the eagle
people told him he might do so. They told him, though, that if he was
afraid four times to fly down, that he could not go down. He was afraid
the fourth time and came back saying that he would start home again on
the fourth day.
They went with him to the place where the trail came up. He was afraid
three times, but when it was to be the fourth time he flew down.
“Where the white mirage is located in the center of the sky he rested;
where the yellow house stands, resting in its shadow he sat down.
“The blue house, standing at the center of the sky; resting in the shade
he sat down again.
“The black house, standing at the center of the sky; resting in its
shade he sat down again.”
From there he flew down and lit on the earth. He alighted on a tree near
which sat the Coyote who had lowered him. He was saying he would shoot
the eagle there and get feathers to fix his arrow's. When Coyote tried
to steal up close under him the eagle flew away to his house and became
a man again. Those, who used to be his children had been renamed, “They
grew up by eating the neck.” Coyote had punched their eyes out. “He did
it with an awl,” they told their father.
When he came back from hunting, his two children had been all right. He
heard him bring his load as he came back. He was saying,
“Raised-with-neck-meat, come and meet me.” “Do not go there,” he told
his sons. Coyote kept shouting as he came. He brought the load there and
threw it down. He called out. “Good, Cousin. You have come back? I took
good care of your children.”
The man who had been with the eagles then told his wife to put four
stones on the fire. She put them on the fire to heat. She put one here
and one here. “Put two of the stones in your mouth and put your feet on
these two,” he told Coyote. Coyote did as he was told to, but ran only a
little way before his tail fell out. His wife had an ill odor from being
with Coyote. He beat among Coyote's children with a stick.
He did not like living on the earth. He placed eagle plumes in a row
which multiplied fourfold. With the aid of these the man became an
eagle. The people living here came to have medicinemen with power from
eagles. He was a man but became an eagle and is now in the sky above.
-----
Footnote 59:
Told by the father of Frank Crockett in February, 1910. For the
distribution of this story see p. 67 above. It was said to be the myth
of a ceremony used to cure one who gets ill from eagle feathers when
he uses them to put on his arrows.
Footnote 60:
This method of knowing when the parents are to return is found in
another myth, p. 17 above.
Footnote 61:
A similar supplying of his wants is in the Navajo account, Matthews,
199.
HE WHO BECAME A SNAKE.[62]
A man (Naiyenezgani) was living alone. He brought wood there and built a
fire. He danced on rawhide against white men and then went to war. He
came where the white people were and killed a white woman. He raised up
her skirt with a stick and Gila monster was there. “Let that be your
name,” he said and Gila Monster was called _łenellai_. The two of them
started back and came to a mountain called Bitcilł'ehe. From there they
went back and came to a place called Tsitena'a. A porcupine was there
and one of the men said, “My cousin, a porcupine lies here.” They killed
it and buried it in the ashes of the fire. At midnight he uncovered it,
but Naiyenezgani did not eat of it, only his partner. “My cousin, it
tastes like red peppers, taste it,” he said. They lay down again and
went to sleep. The next morning there were traces where the one who had
eaten had crawled into the water as a snake. Naiyenezgani went back from
there and in the yellow light of evening came back to Tatakawa,[63]
saying, “Since early this morning I came from Tsitena'a.” When all the
people had come together they asked, “What place is called that?”
“Big-hawk-old-man says he has been all over earth and seen
everything.[64] Send for him,” they said. When he was summoned, he came
walking with his cane and sat down. “You are accustomed to say you have
seen every place on earth. A man says he has come from Tsitena'a since
early this morning,” they told him. “Well, it is not near. I flew from
there in ten days and when I came here the yellow light of sunset was
over the earth.”
Naiyenezgani then said, “He stayed with me last night and he ate
something. It seems he turned into a snake and crawled in the river.”
All the Eagle people, Black Whirlwind, the Sun, the Moon, and the Gan
people all started toward Tsitena'a. When they came there, in the
presence of the Sun and Moon, Black Gan rolled a turquoise hoop into the
water. The water of the river rose up so much. Then Ganłbaiye rolled a
hoop of _bacinϵ_ into the water. Next Gan with his face half covered
rolled a hoop of _tsϵłtcϵϵ_ in the water and the river was lifted up so
much (about a yard). Finally, Ganłtci' rolled a hoop of _yołgai_ and the
water was high enough above the river bed that a man could walk under
it.[65]
They all entered the bed of the river and followed the man who had
turned into a snake. They finally overtook him. There was a snake on
the other side which they concluded was the one who had been a man. A
turquoise hoop was rolled toward him and it jumped over his neck. From
the neck up he took on the appearance of a man. A hoop of _bacinϵ_ was
next rolled and it fell to the waist. Next a loop of _tcϵłtcϵϵ_ was
rolled which jumped on the man and fell to the hips, above which he
took the form of a man. Finally a hoop of _yołgai_ was rolled, and his
entire body became human. Then they took him by the hand and led him
back. They danced for him twelve nights and he was restored as a man.
During the twelve nights, no one was allowed to sleep, but someone did
fall asleep. The one who had turned into a snake began to sing, “I am
going up. I am going up where the sky comes together,” he said as he
sang. He was no longer seen where he had been standing. The man had a
sister who began to sing. “Truly, I am going where it is called,
mesquites-come-together.” She was no longer where she had been
standing.
She is the one who crawls around here in the summertime. The female
lives below; the male lives above.[66]
It was here the Indians secured the supernatural power. Naiyenezgani
alone had the _najonc_ poles. He alone played with them. There were two
of the poles.
My yucca fruits lie this way.
-----
Footnote 62:
Told by the father of Frank Crockett in February, 1910. This is the
myth upon which the ceremony for curing one bitten by a snake rests.
For the San Carlos version see p. 64 above.
Footnote 63:
A valley on Cedar Creek in the White Mountain country.
Footnote 64:
This knowledge of geography by a bird-old-man is found in a San Carlos
story, p. 21.
Footnote 65:
The deities and materials have definite associations with the
world-quarters. There are certain variations in this association.
Footnote 66:
This refers to rattlesnakes under the mesquite bushes where they are
said to be frequently encountered. The male above is probably the
lightning which from this narrative appears connected with the
porcupine.
THE HUNTER WHO SECURED THE BEAR CEREMONY.[67]
A man was out hunting when there was snow on the ground. As he walked
along a hillside he slipped and fell off. Below was a bear's den and he
fell right into it. When the female bear discovered him she jumped
around and said, “Wau, wau, wau, wau.” “Please do not act like that,
grandmother,” he said. “It seems I fell in here.” He remained there four
days without anything to eat. “Are you not hungry?” the bear asked. “I
am hungry,” he replied, “but what is there I can eat?” She shook herself
and cactus fruit rained down from her. After a second period of fasting,
the same question was asked and the same reply given. When the bear
shook herself, juniper berries fell. The third time it was white oak
acorns, and the fourth time, manzanita berries.
After that she said there were two persons living across the valley and
that they would go there to visit. She also said the visit would be
dangerous, for she had in mind bears and a bear's camp. The bear told
the man to remain between her hind legs during the period of danger.
When they entered the bear's house and the hosts became aware of the
man's presence, they became aroused and growled, “Wau, wau, wau.” The
man remained between the hind legs of his companion who reached around
with her front legs and defended him. “He has been with me a long time
and he is our friend,” she said to the others.
Next they all went to a camp where there were three bears and there
again the same things happened and the same expressions were used. From
there they went with him to a camp where there were four bears. He was
protected at that camp as on the former occasions and was introduced as
a friend.
Accompanied by the bears, he went back to the camp at which he had first
arrived. He had been gone a year. He came back to his own people. From
this man there came to be bear songs and medicinemen with bear power.
-----
Footnote 67:
Told by the father of Frank Crockett in February, 1910.
THE CANNIBAL OWL.[68]