From the lying together of these twain upon the great world-waters, so
vitalizing, terrestrial life was conceived; whence began all beings
of earth, men and the creatures, in the Four-fold womb of the World
(Áwiten Téhu‘hlnakwi).
Thereupon the Earth-mother repulsed the Sky-father, growing big and
sinking deep into the embrace of the waters below, thus separating from
the Sky-father in the embrace of the waters above. As a woman forebodes
evil for her first-born ere born, even so did the Earth-mother
forebode, long withholding from birth her myriad progeny and meantime
seeking counsel with the Sky-father. "How," said they to one another,
"shall our children, when brought forth, know one place from another,
even by the white light of the Sun-father?"
Now like all the surpassing beings (_píkwaiyin áhâi_) the Earth-mother
and the Sky-father were _‘hlímna_ (changeable), even as smoke in the
wind; transmutable at thought, manifesting themselves in any form at
will, like as dancers may by mask-making.
Thus, as a man and woman, spake they, one to the other. "Behold!" said
the Earth-mother as a great terraced bowl appeared at hand and within
it water, "this is as upon me the homes of my tiny children shall be.
On the rim of each world-country they wander in, terraced mountains
shall stand, making in one region many, whereby country shall be known
from country, and within each, place from place. Behold, again!" said
she as she spat on the water and rapidly smote and stirred it with
her fingers. Foam formed, gathering about the terraced rim, mounting
higher and higher. "Yea," said she, "and from my bosom they shall draw
nourishment, for in such as this shall they find the substance of life
whence we were ourselves sustained, for see!" Then with her warm breath
she blew across the terraces; white flecks of the foam broke away, and,
floating over above the water, were shattered by the cold breath of
the Sky-father attending, and forthwith shed downward abundantly fine
mist and spray! "Even so, shall white clouds float up from the great
waters at the borders of the world, and clustering about the mountain
terraces of the horizons be borne aloft and abroad by the breaths of
the surpassing of soul-beings, and of the children, and shall hardened
and broken be by thy cold, shedding downward, in rain-spray, the water
of life, even into the hollow places of my lap! For therein chiefly
shall nestle our children mankind and creature-kind, for warmth in thy
coldness."
Lo! even the trees on high mountains near the clouds and the Sky-father
crouch low toward the Earth-mother for warmth and protection! Warm is
the Earth-mother, cold the Sky-father, even as woman is the warm, man
the cold being!
"Even so!" said the Sky-father; "Yet not alone shalt _thou_ helpful be
unto our children, for behold!" and he spread his hand abroad with the
palm downward and into all the wrinkles and crevices thereof he set
the semblance of shining yellow corn-grains; in the dark of the early
world-dawn they gleamed like sparks of fire, and moved as his hand was
moved over the bowl, shining up from and also moving in the depths of
the water therein. "See!" said he, pointing to the seven grains clasped
by his thumb and four fingers, "by such shall our children be guided;
for behold, when the Sun-father is not nigh, and thy terraces are as
the dark itself (being all hidden therein), then shall our children be
guided by lights--like to these lights of all the six regions turning
round the midmost one--as in and around the midmost place, where these
our children shall abide, lie all the other regions of space! Yea! and
even as these grains gleam up from the water, so shall seed-grains
like to them, yet numberless, spring up from thy bosom when touched
by my waters, to nourish our children." Thus and in other ways many
devised they for their offspring.