Men began their journey from the Red River, and the Ka[']-ka still
lived, as it does now, at Ko-thlu-el-lon-ne, when the wonderful Snail
People (not snails, as may be inferred, but a tribe of that name), who
lived in the "Place of the Snails" (K'ia-ma-k'ia-kwin), far south of
where Zuni now is, caused, by means of their magic power, all the game
animals in the whole world round about to gather together in the great
forked canon-valley under their town, and there to be hidden.
The walls of this canon were high and insurmountable, and the whole
valley although large was filled full of the game animals, so that their
feet rumbled and rattled together like the sound of distant thunder, and
their horns crackled like the sound of a storm in a dry forest. All
round about the canon these passing wonderful Snail People made a road
(line) of magic medicine and sacred meal, which road, even as a corral,
no game animal, even though great Elk or strong Buck Deer, could pass.
Now, it rained many days, and thus the tracks of all these animals
tending thither were washed away. Nowhere could the Ka[']-ka or the
children of men, although they hunted day after day over the plains and
mountains, on the mesas and along the canon-valleys, find prey or trace
of prey.
Thus it happened that after many days they grew hungry, almost famished.
Even the great strong Sha'-la-k'o and the swift Sa-la-mo-pi-a walked
zigzag in their trails, from the weakness of hunger. At first the mighty
Ka[']-ka and men alike were compelled to eat the bones they had before
cast away, and at last to devour the soles of their moccasins and even
the deer-tail ornaments of their dresses for want of the flesh of
K'iap-in-a-ha-i, Game animals.
Still, day after day, though weak and disheartened, men and the
Ka[']-ka sought game in the mountains. At last a great Elk was given
liberty. His sides shook with tallow, his dewlap hung like a bag, so
fleshy was it, his horns spread out like branches of a dead tree, and
his crackling hoofs cut the sands and even the rocks as he ran westward.
He circled far off toward the Red River, passed through the Round
Valley, and into the northern canons. The Sha'-la-k'o was out hunting.
He espied the deep tracks of the elk and fleetly followed him. Passing
swift and strong was he, though weak from hunger, and ere long he came
in sight of the great Elk. The sight gladdened and strengthened him; but
alas! the Elk kept his distance as he turned again toward the
hiding-place of his brother animals. On and on the Sha'-la-k'o followed
him, until he came to the edge of a great canon, and peering over the
brink discovered the hiding-place of all the game animals of the world.
"Aha! so here you all are," said he. "I'll hasten back to my father,
Pa-u-ti-wa,[1] who hungers for flesh, alas! and grows weak." And like
the wind the Sha'-la-k'o returned to Ko-thlu-el-lon-ne. Entering, he
informed the Ka[']-ka, and word was sent out by the swift
Sa-la-mo-pi-a[2] to all the We-ma-a-ha-i for counsel and assistance, for
the We-ma-a-ha-i were now the Fathers of men and the Ka[']-ka . The
Mountain Lion, the Coyote, the Wild Cat, the Wolf, the Eagle, the
Falcon, the Ground Owl, and the Mole were summoned, all hungry and lean,
as were the Ka'-ka and the children of men, from want of the flesh of
the game animals. Nevertheless, they were anxious for the hunt and moved
themselves quickly among one another in their anxiety. Then the passing
swift runners, the Sa-la-mo-pi-a, of all colors, the yellow, the blue,
the red, the white, the many colored, and the black, were summoned to
accompany the We-ma-a-ha-i to the canon-valley of the Snail People. Well
they knew that passing wonderful were the Snail People, and that no easy
matter would it be to overcome their medicine and their magic. But they
hastened forth until they came near to the canon. Then the
Sha'-la-k'o,[3] who guided them, gave directions that they should make
themselves ready for the hunt.
When all were prepared, he opened by his sacred power the magic corral
on the northern side, and forth rushed a great buck Deer.
"Long Tail, the corral has been opened for thee. Forth comes thy game,
seize him!" With great leaps the Mountain Lion overtook and threw the
Deer to the ground, and fastened his teeth in his throat.
The corral was opened on the western side. Forth rushed a Mountain
Sheep.
"Coyote, the corral has been opened for thee. Forth comes thy game,
seize him!" The Coyote dashed swiftly forward. The Mountain Sheep dodged
him and ran off toward the west. The Coyote crazily ran about yelping
and barking after his game, but the Mountain Sheep bounded from rock to
rock and was soon far away. Still the Coyote rushed crazily about, until
the Mountain Lion commanded him to be quiet. But the Coyote smelled the
blood of the Deer and was beside himself with hunger. Then the Mountain
Lion said to him disdainfully, Satisfy thy hunger on the blood that I
have spilled, for to-day thou hast missed thy game; and thus ever will
thy descendants like thee blunder in the chase. As thou this day
satisfiest thy hunger, so also by the blood that the hunter spills or
the flesh that he throws away shall thy descendants forever have being."
[Footnote 1: The chief god of the Ka[']-ka, now represented by masks,
and the richest costuming known to the Zunis, which are worn during the
winter ceremonials of the tribe.]
[Footnote 2: The Sa-la-mo-pi-a are monsters with round heads, long
snouts, huge feathered necks, and human bodies. They are supposed to
live beneath the waters, to come forth or enter snout foremost. They
also play an important part in the Ka'-ka or sacred dances of winter.]
[Footnote 3: Monster human bird forms, the warrior chiefs of
Pa-u-ti-wa, the representatives of which visit Zuni, from their supposed
western homes in certain springs, each New Year. They are more than
twelve feet high, and are carried swiftly about by persons concealed
under their dresses.]
The corral was opened on the southern side. An Antelope sprang forth.
With bounds less strong than those of the Mountain Lion, but nimbler,
the Wild Cat seized him and threw him to the ground.
The corral was opened on the eastern side. Forth ran the O-ho-li (or
albino antelope). The Wolf seized and threw him. The Jack Rabbit was let
out. The Eagle poised himself for a moment, then swooped upon him. The
Cotton Tail came forth. The Prey Mole waited in his hole and seized him;
the Wood Rat, and the Falcon made him his prey; the Mouse, and the
Ground Owl quickly caught him.
While the We-ma-a-ha-i were thus satisfying their hunger, the game
animals began to escape through the breaks in the corral. Forth through
the northern door rushed the Buffalo, the great Elk, and the Deer, and
toward the north the Mountain Lion, and the yellow Sa-la-mo-pi-a swiftly
followed and herded them, to the world where stands the yellow mountain,
below the great northern ocean.
Out through the western gap rushed the Mountain Sheep, herded and driven
by the Coyote and the blue Sa-la-mo-pi-a, toward the great western
ocean, where stands the ancient blue mountain.
Out through the southern gap rushed the Antelope, herded and driven by
the Wild Cat and the red Sa-la-mo-pi-a, toward the great land of summer,
where stands the ancient red mountain.
Out through the eastern gap rushed the O-ho-li, herded and driven by the
Wolf and the white Sa-la-mo-pi-a, toward where "they say" is the eastern
ocean, the "Ocean of day", wherein stands the ancient white mountain.
Forth rushed in all directions the Jack Rabbit, the Cotton Tail, the
Bats, and the Mice, and the Eagle, the Falcon, and the Ground Owl
circled high above, toward the great "Sky ocean," above which stands the
ancient mountain of many colors, and they drove them over all the earth,
that from their homes in the air they could watch them in all places;
and the Sa-la-mo-pi-a of many colors rose and assisted them.
Into the earth burrowed the Rabbits, the Bats, and the Mice, from the
sight of the Eagle, the Falcon, and the Ground Owl, but the Prey Mole
and the black Sa-la-mo-pi-a thither followed them toward the four
caverns (wombs) of earth, beneath which stands the ancient black
mountain.
Then the earth and winds were filled with rumbling from the feet of the
departing animals, and the Snail People saw that their game was
escaping; hence the world was filled with the wars of the Ka[']-ka, the
Snail People, and the children of men.
Thus were let loose the game animals of the world. Hence the Buffalo,
the Great Elk, and the largest Deer are found mostly in the north, where
they are ever pursued by the great Mountain Lion; but with them escaped
other animals, and so not alone in the north are the Buffalo, the Great
Elk, and the Deer found.
Among the mountains and the canons of the west are found the Mountain
Sheep, pursued by the Coyote; but with them escaped many other animals;
hence not alone in the west are the Mountain Sheep found.
Toward the south escaped the Antelopes, pursued by the Wild Cat. Yet
with them escaped many other animals; hence not alone in the south are
the Antelopes found.
Toward the east escaped the O-ho-li, pursued by the Wolf; but with them
escaped many other animals; hence not alone in the east are the
O-ho-li-we found.
Forth in all directions escaped the Jack Rabbits, Cotton Tails, Rats,
and Mice; hence over all the earth are they found. Above them in the
skies circle the Eagle, the Falcon, and the Ground Owl; yet into the
earth escaped many of them, followed by the Prey Mole; hence beneath the
earth burrow many.
Thus, also, it came to be that the Yellow Mountain Lion is the master
Prey Being of the north, but his younger brothers, the blue, the red,
the white, the spotted, and the black Mountain Lions wander over the
other regions of earth. Does not the spotted Mountain Lion (evidently
the Ocelot) live among the _high_ mountains of the south?
Thus, too, was it with the Coyote, who is the master of the West, but
whose younger brothers wander over all the regions; and thus, too, with
the Wild Cat and the Wolf.
In this tradition there is an attempt, not only to explain the special
distribution throughout the six regions, of the Prey animals and their
prey, but also to account for the occurrence of animals in regions other
than those to which, according to this classification, they properly
belong.
[Illustration: MOUNTAIN LION FETICHES OF THE CHASE--HUNTER GOD
OF THE NORTH]