So Coyote slipped stealthily to the house of Sussistinnako. It was the
middle of the night. Snake, who guarded the first door, was asleep, and
he slipped quickly and quietly by. Cougar, who guarded the second door,
was asleep, and Coyote slipped by. Bear, who guarded the third door, was
also sleeping. At the fourth door, Coyote found the guardian of the fire
asleep. Slipping through into the room of Sussistinnako, he found him
also sleeping.
Coyote quickly lighted the cedar brand which was attached to his tail
and hurried out. Spider awoke, just enough to know some one was leaving
the room. "Who is there?" he cried. Then he called, "Some one has been
here." But before he could waken the sleeping Bear and Cougar and Snake,
Coyote had almost reached the upper world.
The Earth-Hardening After the Flood
Sia (New Mexico)
After the flood, the Sia returned to Ha-arts, the earth. They came
through an opening in the far north. After they had remained at their
first village a year, they wished to pass on, but the earth was very
moist and Utset was puzzled how to harden it.
Utset called Cougar. She said, "Have you any medicine to harden the road
so that we may pass over it?" Cougar replied, "I will try, mother." But
after going a short distance over the road, he sank to his shoulders in
the wet earth. He returned much afraid and told Utset that he could go
no farther.
Then she sent for Bear. She said, "Have you any medicine to harden the
road?" Bear started out, but he sank to his shoulders, and returned
saying, "I can do nothing."
Then Utset called Badger, and he tried. She called Shrew, and he failed.
She called Wolf, and he failed.
Then Utset returned to the lower world and asked Sussistinnako what she
could do to harden the earth so that her people might travel over it. He
asked, "Have you no medicine to make the earth firm? Have you asked
Cougar and Wolf, Bear and Badger and Wolf to use their medicines to
harden the earth?"