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Lummis | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + p.break {margin-top: 3em;} /* for thought breaks */ + + h1 {text-align: center; clear: both; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 3em;} + h2 {text-align: center; clear: both; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 2em;} + h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + + div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} + + div.centered table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + + a {text-decoration: none;} + + img {border: none; max-width: 100%; height: auto;} + img.w100 {width: 100%;} + + em {font-style: italic;} + + .hidden {display: none;} + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-style: normal; + font-variant: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; 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margin-right: 2%;} + .chapter, .bbox, .reptitle {page-break-before: always;} + .titlep {page-break-before: always; page-break-after: always;} + .pagenum {visibility: hidden;} +} + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77804 ***</div> + + +<figure class="figcenternocap illowp50" id="cover" style="max-width: 35em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/cover.jpg" alt="Front cover of the book"> +</figure> + + + +<div class="titlep"> +<h1>THE MAN WHO MARRIED +THE MOON<br> +<br> +<span class="xsmlfont">AND OTHER PUEBLO INDIAN FOLK-STORIES</span></h1> + +<p class="tpcenter"><span class="smlfont">BY</span><br> +<br> +<span class="vlrgfont">CHARLES F. LUMMIS</span><br> +<br> +<span class="smlfont"><i>AUTHOR OF “SOME STRANGE CORNERS OF OUR COUNTRY”<br> +“A NEW MEXICO DAVID,” ETC.</i></span></p> + +<figure class="figcenternocap illowp74" id="mwmm01" style="max-width: 8.9375em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm01.jpg" alt="Publisher's device"> +</figure> + +<p class="tpcenter"><span class="smlfont">NEW YORK</span><br> +<span class="lrgfont">THE CENTURY CO.</span><br> +1894</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="fmatter"> +<p class="center smlfont">Copyright, 1891, 1892, 1894,<br> +By <span class="smcap">The Century Co.</span></p> + +<p class="center smlfont smcap padtoplrg">The De Vinne Press.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<figure class="figcenter illowp58" id="mwmm02" style="max-width: 38.6875em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm02.jpg" id="fig01" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">THE BOY IN THE HOUSE OF THE TRUES. (SEE PAGE <a href="#Page_115">115</a>.)</figcaption> +</figure> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="dedication">To<br> +the Fairy Tale that came true in<br> +the Home of the Tée-wahn<br> +My Wife and Child</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_vii"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>vii]</span> +<h2 id="contents">CONTENTS</h2> +</div> + + +<div class="centered"> +<table> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt"> </td> + <td class="tdlsc"> </td> + <td class="tdrb"><span class="allsmcap">PAGE</span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsc" colspan="2">Introduction: The Brown Story-Tellers</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#introduction">1</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">I</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Antelope Boy</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap01">12</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">II</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Coyote and the Crows</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap02">22</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">III</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The War-Dance of the Mice</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap03">24</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">IV</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Coyote and the Blackbirds</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap04">27</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">V</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Coyote and the Bear</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap05">30</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">VI</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The First of the Rattlesnakes</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap06">34</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">VII</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Coyote and the Woodpecker</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap07">49</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">VIII</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Man who Married the Moon</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap08">53</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">IX</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Mother Moon</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap09">71</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">X</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Maker of the Thunder-Knives</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap10">74</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XI</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Stone-Moving Song</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap11">82</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XII</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Coyote and the Thunder-Knife</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap12">84</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XIII</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Magic Hide-and-Seek</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap13">87</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XIV</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Race of the Tails</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap14">99</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XV</td> + <td class="tdlsc">Honest Big-Ears</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap15">103</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XVI</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Feathered Barbers</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap16">106</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XVII</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Accursed Lake</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap17">108</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XVIII</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Moqui Boy and the Eagle</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap18">122</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XIX</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The North Wind and the South Wind</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap19">127</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XX</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Town of the Snake-Girls</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap20">130</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XXI</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Drowning of Pecos</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap21">137</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt"><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_viii"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>viii]</span>XXII</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Ants that Pushed on the Sky</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap22">147</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XXIII</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Man who Wouldn’t Keep Sunday</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap23">161</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XXIV</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Brave Bobtails</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap24">169</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XXV</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Revenge of the Fawns</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap25">178</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XXVI</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Sobbing Pine</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap26">194</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XXVII</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Quères Diana</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap27">200</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XXVIII</td> + <td class="tdlsc">A Pueblo Bluebeard</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap28">203</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XXIX</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Hero Twins</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap29">206</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XXX</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Hungry Grandfathers</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap30">215</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XXXI</td> + <td class="tdlsc">The Coyote</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap31">222</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdrt">XXXII</td> + <td class="tdlsc">Doctor Field-Mouse</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#chap32">232</a></td> + </tr> +</table> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_ix"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>ix]</span></p> +<h2 id="illustrations">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> +</div> + + +<div class="centered"> +<table> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh"> </td> + <td class="tdrb"><span class="allsmcap">PAGE</span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">The Boy in the House of the Trues</td> + <td class="tdrb"><span class="allsmcap"><a href="#fig01">FRONTISPIECE</a></span></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">“As I come in, kindly old Tata Lorenso is just beginning a Story”</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig02">7</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">The Coyote carries the Baby to the Antelope Mother</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig03">15</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">Rain falls on Pée-k’hoo</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig04">18</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">“The two Runners came sweeping down the Home-stretch, straining every Nerve”</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig05">20</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">“As He caught the Hoop He was instantly changed into a poor Coyote!”</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig06">37</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">“Coyote, are you People?”</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig07">41</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">“As He seized it He was changed from a tall young Man into a great Rattlesnake”</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig08">45</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">The Coyotes at Supper with the Woodpeckers</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig09">50</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">The Isleta Girls grinding Corn with the “Mano” on the “Metate”</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig10">56</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">The Moon-Maiden</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig11">57</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">The Yellow-Corn-Maidens throwing Meal at the pearl “Omate”</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig12">59</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">The Grief of Nah-chu-rú-chu</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig13">65</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">“The Witch made Herself very small, and went behind the Foot of a big Crane”</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig14">95</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh"><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_x"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>x]</span>The Hunter and the Lake-man</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig15">111</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">The Cursing of the Lake</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig16">119</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">South, East, North, and West in Search of Kahp-too-óo-yoo</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig17">153</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">Kahp-too-óo-yoo calling the Rain</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig18">158</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">The Wolf, and the Coyote with the Toothache</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig19">183</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">The Wolf meets the Boys Playing with their Bows and Arrows</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig20">187</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">“The Fawns appeared suddenly, and at sight of Them the Wolf dropped the Spoonful of Soup”</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig21">191</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">“There They Stood Side by Side”</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig22">225</a></td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdlsh">“‘How Shall I Get It?’ said the Coyote”</td> + <td class="tdrb"><a href="#fig23">229</a></td> + </tr> +</table> +</div> + +<p class="center padtop smlfont">These illustrations are from drawings by George Wharton Edwards, +after photographs by the author.</p> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="reptitle">TÉE-WAHN FOLK-STORIES</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_1"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>1]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenternocap illowp100" id="mwmm03" style="max-width: 40em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm03.jpg" alt="Decorative title: Tée-wahn Folk-stories"> +</figure> + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="introduction">THE BROWN STORY-TELLERS</h2> +</div> + + +<div class="ddropcapbox"> +<img class="idropcap" src="images/dcapi01.jpg" width="160" height="330" alt="I"> +</div> +<p> FANCY that if almost any of us were +asked, “When did people begin to make +fairy stories?” our first thought would +be, “Why, of course, after mankind had +become civilized, and had invented writing.” +But in truth the making of myths, +which is no more than a dignified name +for “fairy stories,” dates back to the +childhood of the human race.</p> + +<p>Long before Cadmus invented letters +(and I fear Cadmus himself was as much of a myth +as was his dragon’s-teeth harvest), long before there +were true historians or poets, there were fairy stories +and story-tellers. And to-day, if we would seek the +place where fairy stories most flourish, we must go, +not to the nations whose countless educated minds +are now devoted to story-telling for the young, but +to peoples who have no books, no magazines, no +alphabets—even no pictures.</p> + +<p>Of all the aboriginal peoples that remain in North +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_2"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>2]</span> +America, none is richer in folk-lore than the Pueblo +Indians of New Mexico, who are, I believe, next to +the largest of the native tribes left in the United +States. They number nine thousand souls. They +have nineteen “cities” (called pueblos, also) in this +Territory, and seven in Arizona; and each has its +little outlying colonies. They are not cities in size, it +is true, for the largest (Zuñi) has only fifteen hundred +people, and the smallest only about one hundred; +but cities they are, nevertheless. And each city, +with its fields, is a wee republic—twenty-six of the +smallest, and perhaps the oldest, republics in the +world; for they were already such when the first +European eyes saw America. Each has its governor, +its congress, its sheriffs, war-captains, and +other officials who are elected annually; its laws, +unwritten but unalterable, which are more respected +and better enforced than the laws of any American +community; its permanent and very comfortable +houses, and its broad fields, confirmed first by Spain +and later by patents of the United States.</p> + +<p>The architecture of the Pueblo houses is quaint +and characteristic. In the remote pueblos they are +as many as six stories in height—built somewhat +in the shape of an enormous terraced pyramid. The +Pueblos along the Rio Grande, however, have felt +the influence of Mexican customs, and their houses +have but one and two stories. All their buildings, +including the huge, quaint church which each pueblo +has, are made of stone plastered with adobe mud, +or of great, sun-dried bricks of adobe. They are +the most comfortable dwellings in the Southwest—cool +in summer and warm in winter.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_3"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>3]</span> +The Pueblos are divided into six tribes, each +speaking a distinct language of its own. Isleta, +the quaint village where I lived five years, in an +Indian house, with Indian neighbors, and under +Indian laws, is the southernmost of the pueblos, +the next largest of them all, and the chief city of +the Tée-wahn tribe.<a id="FNanchor_1" href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> All the languages of the Pueblo +tribes are exceedingly difficult to learn.</p> + +<p>Besides the cities now inhabited, the ruins of +about fifteen hundred other pueblos—and some of +them the noblest ruins in the country—dot the +brown valleys and rocky mesa-tops of New Mexico. +All these ruins are of stone, and are extremely interesting. +The implacable savages by whom they +were hemmed in made necessary the abandonment +of hundreds of pueblos; and this great number of +ruins does not indicate a vast ancient population. +The Pueblos <em>never</em> counted above 30,000 souls.</p> + +<p>The Pueblo Indians have for nearly two centuries +given no trouble to the European sharers of their +domain; but their wars of defense against the savage +tribes who surrounded them completely—with the +Apaches, Navajos, Comanches, and Utes—lasted +until a very few years ago. They are valiant +fighters for their homes, but prefer any honorable +peace. They are not indolent, but industrious—tilling +their farms, tending their stock, and keeping +all their affairs in order. The women own the +houses and their contents, and do not work outside; +and the men control the fields and crops. An +unhappy home is almost an unknown thing among +them; and the universal affection of parents for +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_4"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>4]</span> +children and respect of children for parents are extraordinary. +I have never seen a child unkindly +treated, a parent saucily addressed, or a playmate +abused, in all my long and intimate acquaintance +with the Pueblos.</p> + +<p>Isleta lies on the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, +upon the western bank of the Rio Grande, on a lava +promontory which was once an island—whence the +town takes its Spanish name. Its Tée-wahn title is +Shee-eh-whíb-bak.<a id="FNanchor_2" href="#Footnote_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> Its population, according to +the census taken in 1891, is a little less than twelve +hundred. It is nearly surrounded by fertile vineyards, +orchards of peaches, apricots, apples, cherries, +plums, pears, and quinces, and fields of corn, wheat, +beans, and peppers, all owned by my dusky neighbors. +The pueblo owns over one hundred and ten +thousand acres of land, the greater part of which is +reserved for pasturing horses and cattle.</p> + +<p>The people of Isleta are, as a rule, rather short +in stature, but strongly built. All have a magnificent +depth and breadth of chest, and a beautifully +confident poise of the head. Most of the men are +very expert hunters, tireless runners, and fine horsemen. +Besides ordinary hunting they have communal +hunts—for rabbits in the spring, for antelope +and deer in the fall—thoroughly organized, in +which great quantities of game are killed.</p> + +<p>Their amusements are many and varied. Aside +from the numerous sacred dances of the year, their +most important occasions, they have various races +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_5"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>5]</span> +which call for great skill and endurance, quaint +social enjoyments, and games of many kinds, some +of which are quite as difficult as chess. They are +very fair weavers and pottery-makers. The women +are good housewives, and most of them excellent +seamstresses.</p> + +<p>Yet, with all this progress in civilization, despite +their mental and physical acuteness and their excellent +moral qualities, the Tée-wahn are in some +things but overgrown children. Their secret inner +religion<a id="FNanchor_3" href="#Footnote_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> is one of the most complicated systems +on earth. Besides the highest deities, all +the forces of nature, all animals, as well as many +things that are inanimate, are invested by them +with supernatural powers. They do not worship +idols, but images and tokens of unseen powers are +revered. They do nothing without some reason, +generally a religious one, and whatever they observe +they can explain in their own superstitious +way. Every custom they have and every belief +they own has a reason which to them is all-sufficient; +and for each they have a story. There is no +duty to which a Pueblo child is trained in which he +has to be content with the bare command, “Do +thus”; for each he learns a fairy tale designed to +explain how people first came to know that it was +right to do thus, and detailing the sad results which +befell those who did otherwise.</p> + +<p>It is from this wonderful folk-lore of the Tée-wahn +that I have learned—after long study of the +people, their language, customs, and myths—and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_6"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>6]</span> +taken, unchanged and unembellished, this series of +Indian fairy tales. I have been extremely careful +to preserve, in my translations, the exact Indian +<em>spirit</em>. An absolutely literal translation would be +almost unintelligible to English readers, but I have +taken no liberties with the real meaning.</p> + +<p>The use of books is not only to tell, but to preserve; +not only for to-day, but for ever. What an +Indian wishes to perpetuate must be saved by +tongue and ear, by “telling-down,” as were the +world’s first histories and poems. This oral transmission +from father to son is of sacred importance +with the natives. Upon it depends the preservation +of the amusements, the history, the beliefs, the customs, +and the laws of their nation. A people less +observant, less accurate of speech and of memory, +would make a sad failure of this sort of record; but +with them it is a wonderful success. The story +goes down from generation to generation, almost +without the change of a word. The fact that it is +told in fixed metrical form—a sort of blank verse—helps +the memory.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="mwmm04" style="max-width: 50em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm04.jpg" id="fig02" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">“AS I COME IN, KINDLY OLD TATA LORENSO IS JUST BEGINNING A STORY.”</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>Here in Isleta, the quaint pueblo of the Tée-wahn, +I became deeply interested not only in the +folk-stories themselves, but also in the manner of +handing them down. Winter is the season for +story-telling. Then the thirsty fields no longer cry +for water, the irrigating-ditches have ceased to +gnaw at their banks, and the men are often at +leisure. Then, of an evening, if I go over to visit +some <i>vecino</i> (neighbor), I am likely to find, in the +great adobe living-room, a group of very old men +and very young boys gathered about the queer little +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_7"></a><!-- original location of illustration --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_8"></a><!-- blank page --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_9"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>9]</span> +corner fireplace with its blazing upright sticks. +They, too, have come a-visiting. The young men +are gathered in another corner by themselves, eating +roasted corn, and talking in whispers so as not +to disturb their elders, for respect to age is the +corner-stone of all Indian training. They are not +required to listen to the stories, being supposed to +know them already.</p> + + +<p class="break">If in the far, sweet days when I stood at my +grandmother’s knee, and shivered over “Bluebeard,” +or thrilled at “Jack the Giant-killer,” some +one could have shown us a picture of me as I was +to be listening to other fairy tales twenty-five years +later, I am sure that her eyes would have opened +wide as mine. Certainly neither of us ever dreamed +that, thousands of miles from the old New England +fireplace, when the dear figures that sat with me +before its blazing forestick had long been dust, I +would be sitting where I am to-night and listening +to the strange, dark people who are around me.</p> + +<p>The room is long and low, and overhead are +dark, round rafters—the trunks of straight pine-trees +that used to purr on the sides of the most famous +mountain in New Mexico. The walls are +white as snow, and you would never imagine that +they are built only of cut sods, plastered over and +whitewashed. The floor is of adobe clay, packed +almost as hard as a rock, and upon it are bright-hued +blankets, woven in strange figures. Along +the walls are benches, with wool mattresses rolled +up and laid upon them. By and by these will be +spread upon the floor for beds, but just now they +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_10"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>10]</span> +serve as cushioned seats. Over in a corner are +strange earthen jars of water, with little gourd dippers +floating, and here and there upon the wall +hang bows and arrows in sheaths of the tawny hide +of the mountain lion; queer woven belts of red and +green, and heavy necklaces of silver and coral, with +charms of turquoise—the stone that stole its color +from the sky.</p> + +<p>There is a fireplace, too, and we are gathered all +about it, a dozen or more—for I have become an +old friend here. But it is not like the fireplace +where the little sister and I used to roast our apples +and pop our corn. A wee hearth of clay rises +a few inches from the floor; a yard above it hangs +the chimney, like a big white hood; and a little +wall, four feet high, runs from it out into the room, +that the wind from the outer door may not blow +the ashes. There is no big front log, but three or +four gnarled cedar sticks, standing on one end, +crackle loudly.</p> + +<p>Some of us are seated on benches, and upon the +floor. His back against the wall, squats my host, +who is just going to begin another fairy story. +Such a wee, withered, wrinkled old man! It seems +as though the hot winds of the Southwest had dried +him as they dry the forgotten last year’s apples +that shrivel here and there upon lonely boughs. +He must be a century old. His children, grandchildren, +great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren +are all represented here to-night. +Yet his black eyes are like a hawk’s, under their +heavy brows, and his voice is musical and deep. +I have never heard a more eloquent story-teller, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_11"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>11]</span> +and I have heard some famous ones. I can tell +you the words, but not the impressive tones, the +animation of eye and accent, the eloquent gestures +of this venerable Indian as he tells—what? An +Indian telling fairy stories?</p> + +<p>Yes, indeed. He is the very man to tell them. +If this dusky old playground for wrinkles, who +never saw the inside of a book, could write out all +the fairy stories he knows, Webster’s Unabridged +Dictionary would hardly hold them. His father +and his father’s father, and so on back for countless +centuries, have handed down these stories +by telling, from generation to generation, just as +Tata<a id="FNanchor_4" href="#Footnote_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> Lorenso is telling his great-great-grandsons +to-night. When these boys grow up, they will tell +these stories to their sons and grandsons; and so +the legends will pass on and on, so long as there +shall be a Tée-wahn Indian left in all New Mexico.</p> + +<p>But Lorenso is ready with his story. He pauses +only to make a cigarette from the material in my +pouch (they call me <i>Por todos</i>, because I have tobacco +“for all”), explains for my benefit that this +is a story of the beginning of Isleta, pats the head +of the chubby boy at his knee, and begins again.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_1" href="#FNanchor_1" class="label">[1]</a> Spelled Tigua by Spanish authors.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_2" href="#FNanchor_2" class="label">[2]</a> The name means “Knife-laid-on-the-ground-to-play-<i>whib</i>.” <i>Whib</i> is an +aboriginal foot-race in which the runners have to carry a stick with their toes. +The name was perhaps suggested by the knife-like shape of the lava ridge on +which the pueblo is built.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_3" href="#FNanchor_3" class="label">[3]</a> For they are all devout, if not entirely understanding, members of a +Christian church; but keep also much of their prehistoric faiths.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_4" href="#FNanchor_4" class="label">[4]</a> “Father.”</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_12"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>12]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap01">I<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE ANTELOPE BOY</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">O</span>NCE upon a time there were two towns of the +Tée-wahn, called Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee (white +village) and Nah-choo-rée-too-ee (yellow village). +A man of Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee and his wife were +attacked by Apaches while out on the plains one +day, and took refuge in a cave, where they were +besieged. And there a boy was born to them. +The father was killed in an attempt to return to +his village for help; and starvation finally forced +the mother to crawl forth by night seeking roots +to eat. Chased by the Apaches, she escaped to +her own village, and it was several days before she +could return to the cave—only to find it empty.</p> + +<p>The baby had begun to cry soon after her departure. +Just then a Coyote<a id="FNanchor_5" href="#Footnote_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> was passing, and +heard. Taking pity on the child, he picked it up +and carried it across the plain until he came to a +herd of antelopes. Among them was a Mother-Antelope +that had lost her fawn; and going to her +the Coyote said:</p> + +<p>“Here is an <i>ah-bóo</i> (poor thing) that is left by +its people. Will you take care of it?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_13"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>13]</span> +The Mother-Antelope, remembering her own +baby, with tears said “Yes,” and at once adopted +the tiny stranger, while the Coyote thanked her +and went home.</p> + +<p>So the boy became as one of the antelopes, and +grew up among them until he was about twelve +years old. Then it happened that a hunter came +out from Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee for antelopes, and +found this herd. Stalking them carefully, he shot +one with an arrow. The rest started off, running +like the wind; but ahead of them all, as long as +they were in sight, he saw a boy! The hunter +was much surprised, and, shouldering his game, +walked back to the village, deep in thought. Here +he told the Cacique<a id="FNanchor_6" href="#Footnote_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a> what he had seen. Next day +the crier was sent out to call upon all the people to +prepare for a great hunt, in four days, to capture +the Indian boy who lived with the antelopes.</p> + +<p>While preparations were going on in the village, +the antelopes in some way heard of the intended +hunt and its purpose. The Mother-Antelope was +very sad when she heard it, and at first would say +nothing. But at last she called her adopted son +to her and said: “Son, you have heard that the +people of Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee are coming to hunt. +But they will not kill us; all they wish is to take +you. They will surround us, intending to let all +the antelopes escape from the circle. You must +follow me where I break through the line, and your +real mother will be coming on the northeast side in +a white <i>manta</i> (robe). I will pass close to her, and +you must stagger and fall where she can catch you.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_14"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>14]</span> +On the fourth day all the people went out upon +the plains. They found and surrounded the herd +of antelopes, which ran about in a circle when the +hunters closed upon them. The circle grew smaller, +and the antelopes began to break through; but the +hunters paid no attention to them, keeping their +eyes upon the boy. At last he and his antelope +mother were the only ones left, and when she +broke through the line on the northeast he followed +her and fell at the feet of his own human +mother, who sprang forward and clasped him in +her arms.</p> + +<p>Amid great rejoicing he was taken to Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee, +and there he told the <i>principales</i><a id="FNanchor_7" href="#Footnote_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> how +he had been left in the cave, how the Coyote had +pitied him, and how the Mother-Antelope had +reared him as her own son.</p> + +<p>It was not long before all the country round +about heard of the Antelope Boy and of his marvelous +fleetness of foot. You must know that the antelopes +never comb their hair, and while among them +the boy’s head had grown very bushy. So the +people called him <i>Pée-hleh-o-wah-wée-deh</i> (big-headed +little boy).</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp47" id="mwmm05" style="max-width: 31.75em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm05.jpg" id="fig03" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">THE COYOTE CARRIES THE BABY TO THE ANTELOPE MOTHER.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>Among the other villages that heard of his +prowess was Nah-choo-rée-too-ee, all of whose +people “had the bad road.”<a id="FNanchor_8" href="#Footnote_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> They had a wonderful +runner named <i>Pée-k’hoo</i> (Deer-foot), and very +soon they sent a challenge to Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee +for a championship race. Four days were to be +given for preparation, to make bets, and the like. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_15"></a><!-- original location of illustration --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_16"></a><!-- blank page --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_17"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>17]</span> +The race was to be around the world.<a id="FNanchor_9" href="#Footnote_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> Each village +was to stake all its property and the lives of all its +people on the result of the race. So powerful were +the witches of Nah-choo-rée-too-ee that they felt +safe in proposing so serious a stake; and the people +of Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee were ashamed to decline +the challenge.</p> + +<p>The day came, and the starting-point was surrounded +by all the people of the two villages, +dressed in their best. On each side were huge +piles of ornaments and dresses, stores of grain, and +all the other property of the people. The runner +for the yellow village was a tall, sinewy athlete, +strong in his early manhood; and when the Antelope +Boy appeared for the other side, the witches +set up a howl of derision, and began to strike their +rivals and jeer at them, saying, “Pooh! We might +as well begin to kill you now! What can that +<i>óo-deh</i> (little thing) do?”</p> + + + +<p class="break">At the word “<i>Hái-ko!</i>” (“Go!”) the two runners +started toward the east like the wind. The +Antelope Boy soon forged ahead; but Deer-foot, +by his witchcraft, changed himself into a hawk and +flew lightly over the lad, saying, “<em>We</em> do this way +to each other!”<a id="FNanchor_10" href="#Footnote_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> The Antelope Boy kept running, +but his heart was very heavy, for he knew +that no feet could equal the swift flight of the +hawk.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_18"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>18]</span> +But just as he came half-way to the east, a Mole +came up from its burrow and said:</p> + +<p>“My son, where are you going so fast with a +sad face?”</p> + +<p>The lad explained that the race was for the +property and lives of all his people; and that the +witch-runner had turned to a hawk and left him far +behind.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp52" id="mwmm06" style="max-width: 28.125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm06.jpg" id="fig04" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">RAIN FALLS ON PÉE-K’HOO.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_19"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>19]</span> +“Then, my son,” said the Mole, “I will be he +that shall help you. Only sit down here a little +while, and I will give you something to carry.”</p> + +<p>The boy sat down, and the Mole dived into the +hole, but soon came back with four cigarettes.<a id="FNanchor_11" href="#Footnote_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a></p> + +<p>Holding them out, the Mole said, “Now, my +son, when you have reached the east and turned +north, smoke one; when you have reached the +north and turn west, smoke another; when you +turn south, another, and when you turn east again, +another. <i>Hái-ko!</i>”</p> + +<p>The boy ran on, and soon reached the east. +Turning his face to the north he smoked the first +cigarette. No sooner was it finished than he became +a young antelope; and at the same instant +a furious rain began. Refreshed by the cool +drops, he started like an arrow from the bow. +Half-way to the north he came to a large tree; +and there sat the hawk, drenched and chilled, unable +to fly, and crying piteously.</p> + +<p>“Now, friend, <em>we</em> too do this to each other,” +called the boy-antelope as he dashed past. But +just as he reached the north, the hawk—which +had become dry after the short rain—caught up +and passed him, saying, “We too do this to each +other!” The boy-antelope turned westward, and +smoked the second cigarette; and at once another +terrific rain began.<a id="FNanchor_12" href="#Footnote_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a> Half-way to the west he again +passed the hawk shivering and crying in a tree, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_20"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>20]</span> +and unable to fly; but as he was about to turn to +the south, the hawk passed him with the customary +taunt. The smoking of the third cigarette +brought another storm, and again the antelope +passed the wet hawk half-way, and again the hawk +dried its feathers in time to catch up and pass him +as he was turning to the east for the home-stretch. +Here again the boy-antelope stopped and smoked +a cigarette—the fourth and last. Again a short, +hard rain came, and again he passed the water-bound +hawk half-way.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="mwmm07" style="max-width: 39.75em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm07.jpg" id="fig05" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">“THE TWO RUNNERS CAME SWEEPING DOWN THE HOME-STRETCH, STRAINING EVERY NERVE.”</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>Knowing the witchcraft of their neighbors, the +people of Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee had made the condition +that, in whatever shape the racers might run the +rest of the course, they must resume human form +upon arrival at a certain hill upon the fourth turn, +which was in sight of the goal. The last wetting +of the hawk’s feathers delayed it so that the antelope +reached the hill just ahead; and there, resuming +their natural shapes, the two runners came +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_21"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>21]</span> +sweeping down the home-stretch, straining every +nerve. But the Antelope Boy gained at each +stride. When they saw him, the witch-people felt +confident that he was their champion, and again +began to push, and taunt, and jeer at the others. +But when the little Antelope Boy sprang lightly +across the line, far ahead of Deer-foot, their joy +turned to mourning.</p> + +<p>The people of Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee burned all +the witches upon the spot, in a great pile of corn; +but somehow one escaped, and from him come all +the witches that trouble us to this day.</p> + +<p>The property of the witches was taken to Nah-bah-tóo-too-ee; +and as it was more than that village +could hold, the surplus was sent to Shee-eh-whíb-bak +(Isleta), where we enjoy it to this day; +and later the people themselves moved here. And +even now, when we dig in that little hill on the +other side of the <i>charco</i> (pool), we find charred +corn-cobs, where our forefathers burned the witch-people +of the yellow village.</p> + +<p>During Lorenso’s story the black eyes of the boys +have never left his face; and at every pause they +have made the customary response, “Is that so?” +to show their attention; while the old men have +nodded approbation, and smoked in deep silence.</p> + +<p>Now Lorenso turns to Desiderio,<a id="FNanchor_13" href="#Footnote_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a> who is far +more wrinkled even than he, and says, “You have +a tail, brother.” And Desiderio, clearing his +throat and making a new cigarette with great impressiveness, +begins: “My sons, do you know why +the Coyote and the Crows are always at war? +No? Then I will tell you.”</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_5" href="#FNanchor_5" class="label">[5]</a> The small prairie-wolf.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_6" href="#FNanchor_6" class="label">[6]</a> The highest religious official.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_7" href="#FNanchor_7" class="label">[7]</a> The old men who are the congress of the pueblo.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_8" href="#FNanchor_8" class="label">[8]</a> That is, were witches.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_9" href="#FNanchor_9" class="label">[9]</a> The Pueblos believed it was an immense plain whereon the racers were +to race over a square course—to the extreme east, then to the extreme north, +and so on, back to the starting-point.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_10" href="#FNanchor_10" class="label">[10]</a> A common Indian taunt, either good-natured or bitter, to the loser of a +game or to a conquered enemy.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_11" href="#FNanchor_11" class="label">[11]</a> These are made by putting a certain weed called <i>pee-én-hleh</i> into +hollow reeds.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_12" href="#FNanchor_12" class="label">[12]</a> I should state, by the way, that the cigarette plays an important part in +the Pueblo folk-stories,—they never had the pipe of the Northern Indians,—and +all rain-clouds are supposed to come from its smoke.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_13" href="#FNanchor_13" class="label">[13]</a> Pronounced Day-see-dáy-ree-oh.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_22"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>22]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap02">II<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE COYOTE AND THE CROWS</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">O</span>NCE on a time many Káh-ahn lived in the edge +of some woods. A little out into the plain +stood a very large tree, with much sand under it. +One day a Coyote was passing, and heard the +Crows singing and dancing under this tree, and +came up to watch them. They were dancing in a +circle, and each Crow had upon his back a large bag.</p> + +<p>“Crow-friends, what are you doing?” asked the +Coyote, who was much interested.</p> + +<p>“Oh, we are dancing with our mothers,” said +the Crows.</p> + +<p>“How pretty! And will you let me dance, +too?” asked the Coyote of the <i>too-whit-lah-wid-deh</i> +crow (captain of the dance).</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes,” replied the Crow. “Go and put +your mother in a bag and come to the dance.”</p> + +<p>The Coyote went running home. There his old +mother was sitting in the corner of the fireplace. +The stupid Coyote picked up a stick and struck +her on the head, and put her in a bag, and hurried +back to the dance with her.</p> + +<p>The Crows were dancing merrily, and singing: +“<i>Ai nana, que-ée-rah, que-ée-rah</i>.” (“Alas, Mama! +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_23"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>23]</span> +you are shaking, you are shaking!”) The Coyote +joined the dance, with the bag on his back, and +sang as the Crows did:</p> + +<p>“<i>Ai nana, que-ée-rah, que-ée-rah</i>.”<a id="FNanchor_14" href="#Footnote_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a></p> + +<p>But at last the Crows burst out laughing, and +said, “What do you bring in your bag?”</p> + +<p>“My mother, as you told me,” replied the Coyote, +showing them.</p> + +<p>Then the Crows emptied their bags, which were +filled with nothing but sand, and flew up into the +tree, laughing.</p> + +<p>The Coyote then saw that they had played him +a trick, and started home, crying “<i>Ai nana!</i>” +When he got home he took his mother from the +bag and tried to set her up in the chimney-corner, +always crying, “<i>Ai nana</i>, why don’t you sit up as +before?” But she could not, for she was dead. +When he found that she could not sit up any more, +he vowed to follow the Crows and eat them all the +rest of his life; and from that day to this he has +been hunting them, and they are always at war.</p> + +<p>As Desiderio concludes, the old men hitch their +blankets around their shoulders. “No more stories +to-night?” I ask; and Lorenso says:</p> + +<p>“<i>In-dáh</i> (no). Now it is to go to bed. <i>Tóo-kwai</i> +(come),” to the boys. “Good night, friends. Another +time, perhaps.”</p> + +<p>And we file out through the low door into the +starry night.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_14" href="#FNanchor_14" class="label">[14]</a> <i>Ai nana</i> is an exclamation always used by mourners.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_24"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>24]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap03">III<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE WAR-DANCE OF THE MICE</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>O-NIGHT it is withered Diego<a id="FNanchor_15" href="#Footnote_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a> who begins +with his story, in the musical but strange +Tée-wahn tongue, of “Shée-choon t’o-ah-fuar.” +Serious as that looks, it means only “the war-dance +of the Mice.”</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was war between the +people of Isleta and the Mice. There was a great +battle, in which the Tée-wahn killed many Mice +and took their scalps. Then the Tée-wahn returned +to their village, and the warriors went into +the <i>estufa</i> (sacred council-chamber) to prepare +themselves by fasting for the great scalp-dance +in twelve days. While the warriors were sitting +inside, the Mice came secretly by night to attack +the town, and their spies crept up to the <i>estufa</i>. +When all the Tée-wahn warriors had fallen asleep, +the Mice came stealing down the big ladder into +the room, and creeping from sleeper to sleeper, they +gnawed every bowstring and cut the feathers from +the arrows and the strap of every sling. When +this was done, the Mice raised a terrible war-whoop +and rushed upon the warriors, brandishing their +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_25"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>25]</span> +spears. The Tée-wahn woke and caught up their +bows and arrows, but only to find them useless. +So the warriors could do nothing but run from their +tiny foes, and up the ladder to the roof they rushed +pell-mell and thence fled to their homes, leaving +the Mice victorious.</p> + +<p>The rest of the town made such fun of the warriors +that they refused to return to the fight; and +the elated Mice held a public dance in front of the +<i>estufa</i>. A brave sight it was, the army of these +little people, singing and dancing and waving their +spears. They were dressed in red blankets, with +leather leggings glistening with silver buttons from +top to bottom, and gay moccasins. Each had two +eagle feathers tied to the top of his spear—the +token of victory. And as they danced and marched +and counter-marched, they sang exultingly:</p> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0"><i>Shée-oh-pah ch’-ót-im!</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Neh-máh-hlee-oh ch’-ot-im!</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Hló-tu feé-ny p’-óh-teh!</i></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>over and over again—which means</p> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0">Quick we cut the bowstring!</div> + <div class="i0">Quick we cut the sling-strap!</div> + <div class="i0">We shaved the arrow-feathers off!</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>For four days they danced and sang, and on the +night of the fourth day danced all night around +a big bonfire. The next morning they marched +away. That was the time when the Mice conquered +men; and that is the reason why we have +never been able to drive the Mice out of our homes +to this day.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_26"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>26]</span> +“Is <em>that</em> the reason?” ask all the boys, who +have been listening with big black eyes intent.</p> + +<p>“That is the very reason,” says withered Diego. +“Now, <i>compadre</i> Antonio, there is a tail to you.”</p> + +<p>Antonio, thus called upon, cannot refuse. Indian +etiquette is very strict upon this point—as well as +upon all others. So he fishes in his memory for a +story, while the boys turn expectant faces toward +him. He is not nearly so wrinkled as Diego, but +he is very, very old, and his voice is a little tremulous +at first. Wrapping his blanket about him, he +begins:</p> + +<p>Then I will tell you why the Coyote and the Blackbirds +are enemies—for once they were very good +friends in the old days.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_15" href="#FNanchor_15" class="label">[15]</a> Pronounced Dee-áy-go.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_27"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>27]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap04">IV<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE COYOTE AND THE BLACKBIRDS</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">O</span>NCE upon a time a Coyote lived near an open +wood. As he went to walk one day near the +edge of the wood, he heard the Blackbirds (the +Indian name means “seeds of the prairie”) calling +excitedly:</p> + +<p>“Bring my bag! Bring my bag! It is going +to hail!”</p> + +<p>The Coyote, being very curious, came near and +saw that they all had buckskin bags to which they +were tying lassos, the other ends of which were +thrown over the boughs of the trees. Very much +surprised, the Coyote came to them and asked:</p> + +<p>“Blackbird-friends, what are you doing?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, friend Coyote,” they replied, “we are +making ourselves ready, for soon there will be a +very hard hail-storm, and we do not wish to be +pelted to death. We are going to get into these +bags and pull ourselves up under the branches, +where the hail cannot strike us.”</p> + +<p>“That is very good,” said the Coyote, “and I +would like to do so, too, if you will let me join you.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes! Just run home and get a bag and a +lasso, and come back here and we will help you,” +said the Pah-táhn, never smiling.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_28"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>28]</span> +So the Coyote started running for home, and +got a large bag and a lasso, and came back to the +Blackbirds, who were waiting. They fixed the +rope and bag for him, putting the noose around +the neck of the bag so that it would be closed +tight when the rope was pulled. Then they threw +the end of the lasso over a strong branch and said:</p> + +<p>“Now, friend Coyote, you get into your bag +first, for you are so big and heavy that you cannot +pull yourself up, and we will have to help you.”</p> + +<p>The Coyote crawled into the bag, and all the +Blackbirds taking hold of the rope, pulled with all +their might till the bag was swung clear up under the +branch. Then they tied the end of the lasso around +the tree so the bag could not come down, and ran +around picking up all the pebbles they could find.</p> + +<p>“Mercy! How the hail comes!” they cried excitedly, +and began to throw stones at the swinging +bag as hard as ever they could.</p> + +<p>“Mercy!” howled the Coyote, as the pebbles +pattered against him. “But this is a terrible storm, +Blackbird-friends! It pelts me dreadfully! And +how are you getting along?”</p> + +<p>“It is truly very bad, friend Coyote,” they answered, +“but you are bigger and stronger than we, +and ought to endure it.” And they kept pelting +him, all the time crying and chattering as if they, +too, were suffering greatly from the hail.</p> + +<p>“Ouch!” yelled the Coyote. “That one hit me +very near the eye, friends! I fear this evil storm +will kill us all!”</p> + +<p>“But be brave, friend,” called back the Blackbirds. +“We keep our hearts, and so should you, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_29"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>29]</span> +for you are much stronger than we.” And they +pelted him all the harder.</p> + +<p>So they kept it up until they were too tired to +throw any more; and as for the Coyote, he was so +bruised and sore that he could hardly move. Then +they untied the rope and let the bag slowly to the +ground, and loosened the noose at the neck and +flew up into the trees with sober faces.</p> + +<p>“Ow!” groaned the Coyote, “I am nearly dead!” +And he crawled weeping and groaning from the +bag, and began to lick his bruises. But when he +looked around and saw the sun shining and the +ground dry, and not a hailstone anywhere, he knew +that the Blackbirds had given him a trick, and he +limped home in a terrible rage, vowing that as soon +as ever he got well he would follow and eat the +Blackbirds as long as he lived. And ever since, +even to this day, he has been following them to eat +them, and that is why the Coyote and the Blackbirds +are always at war.</p> + +<p>“Is that so?” cried all the boys in chorus, their +eyes shining like coals.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, that is the cause of the war,” said old +Antonio, gravely. “And now, brother, there is a +tail to you,” turning to the tall, gray-haired Felipe<a id="FNanchor_16" href="#Footnote_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a>; +and clearing his throat, Felipe begins about the +Coyote and the Bear.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_16" href="#FNanchor_16" class="label">[16]</a> Pronounced Fay-lée-peh.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_30"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>30]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap05">V<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE COYOTE AND THE BEAR<a id="FNanchor_17" href="#Footnote_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a></span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">O</span>NCE upon a time Ko-íd-deh (the Bear) and +Too-wháy-deh (the Coyote) chanced to meet at +a certain spot, and sat down to talk. After a while +the Bear said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Coyote, do you see what good land this +is here? What do you say if we farm it together, +sharing our labor and the crop?”</p> + +<p>The Coyote thought well of it, and said so; and +after talking, they agreed to plant potatoes in partnership.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said the Bear, “I think of a good way +to divide the crop. I will take all that grows below +the ground, and you take all that grows above +it. Then each can take away his share when he is +ready, and there will be no trouble to measure.”</p> + +<p>The Coyote agreed, and when the time came +they plowed the place with a sharp stick and +planted their potatoes. All summer they worked +together in the field, hoeing down the weeds with +stone hoes and letting in water now and then from +the irrigating-ditch. When harvest-time came, the +Coyote went and cut off all the potato-tops at the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_31"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>31]</span> +ground and carried them home, and afterward the +Bear scratched out the potatoes from the ground +with his big claws and took them to his house. +When the Coyote saw this his eyes were opened, +and he said:</p> + +<p>“But this is not fair. You have those round +things, which are good to eat, but what I took home +we cannot eat at all, neither my wife nor I.”</p> + +<p>“But, friend Coyote,” answered the Bear, gravely, +“did we not make an agreement? Then we must +stick to it like men.”</p> + +<p>The Coyote could not answer, and went home; +but he was not satisfied.</p> + +<p>The next spring, as they met one day, the Bear said:</p> + +<p>“Come, friend Coyote, I think we ought to plant +this good land again, and this time let us plant it +in corn. But last year you were dissatisfied with +your share, so this year we will change. You take +what is below the ground for your share, and I will +take only what grows above.”</p> + +<p>This seemed very fair to the Coyote, and he +agreed. They plowed and planted and tended the +corn; and when it came harvest-time the Bear +gathered all the stalks and ears and carried them +home. When the Coyote came to dig his share, he +found nothing but roots like threads, which were +good for nothing. He was very much dissatisfied; +but the Bear reminded him of their agreement, and +he could say nothing.</p> + +<p>That winter the Coyote was walking one day by +the river (the Rio Grande), when he saw the Bear +sitting on the ice and eating a fish. The Coyote +was very fond of fish, and coming up, he said:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_32"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>32]</span> +“Friend Bear, where did you get such a fat +fish?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I broke a hole in the ice,” said the Bear, +“and fished for them. There are many here.” +And he went on eating, without offering any to the +Coyote.</p> + +<p>“Won’t you show me how, friend?” asked the +Coyote, fainting with hunger at the smell of the +fish.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes,” said the Bear. “It is very easy.” +And he broke a hole in the ice with his paw. “Now, +friend Coyote, sit down and let your tail hang in +the water, and very soon you will feel a nibble. +But you must not pull it till I tell you.”</p> + +<p>So the Coyote sat down with his tail in the cold +water. Soon the ice began to form around it, and +he called:</p> + +<p>“Friend Bear, I feel a bite! Let me pull him +out.”</p> + +<p>“No, no! Not yet!” cried the Bear, “wait +till he gets a good hold, and then you will not lose +him.”</p> + +<p>So the Coyote waited. In a few minutes the +hole was frozen solid, and his tail was fast.</p> + +<p>“Now, friend Coyote,” called the Bear, “I think +you have him. Pull!”</p> + +<p>The Coyote pulled with all his might, but could +not lift his tail from the ice, and there he was—a +prisoner. While he pulled and howled, the Bear +shouted with laughter, and rolled on the ice and +ha-ha’d till his sides were sore. Then he took his +fish and went home, stopping every little to laugh +at the thought of the Coyote.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_33"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>33]</span> +There on the ice the Coyote had to stay until a +thaw liberated him, and when he got home he was +very wet and cold and half starved. And from that +day to this he has never forgiven the Bear, and will +not even speak to him when they meet, and the +Bear says, politely, “Good morning, friend Too-wháy-deh.”</p> + +<p>“Is that so?” cry the boys.</p> + +<p>“That is so,” says Felipe. “But now it is time +to go home. <i>Tóo-kwai!</i>”</p> + +<p>The story-telling is over for to-night. Grandmother +Reyes is unrolling the mattresses upon the floor; +and with pleasant “good-nights” we scatter for our +homes here and there in the quaint adobe village.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_17" href="#FNanchor_17" class="label">[17]</a> The Coyote, you must know, is very stupid about some things; and in almost +all Pueblo fairy stories is the victim of one joke or another. The bear, +on the other hand, is one of the wisest of animals.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_34"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>34]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenternocap illowp100" id="mwmm08" style="max-width: 39.125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm08.jpg" alt="Decorative title: The First of the Rattlesnakes"> +</figure> + + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="chap06">VI<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE FIRST OF THE RATTLESNAKES</span></h2> +</div> + + +<div class="ddropcapbox"> +<img class="idropcap" src="images/dcapn01.jpg" width="156" height="360" alt="N"> +</div> +<p>OW there is a tail to you, <i>compadre</i> +[friend],” said old Desiderio, nodding +at Patricio<a id="FNanchor_18" href="#Footnote_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a> after we had sat awhile in +silence around the crackling fire.</p> + +<p>Patricio had a broad strip of rawhide +across his knee, and was scraping +the hair from it with a dull knife. It +was high time to be thinking of new +soles, for already there was a wee hole +in the bottom of each of his moccasins; +and as for Benito, his shy little grandson, <em>his</em> toes +were all abroad.</p> + +<p>But shrilly as the cold night-wind outside hinted +the wisdom of speedy cobbling, Patricio had no wish +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_35"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>35]</span> +to acquire that burro’s tail, so, laying the rawhide +and knife upon the floor beside him, he deliberately +rolled a modest pinch of the aromatic <i>koo-ah-rée</i> +in a corn-husk, lighted it at the coals, and +drew Benito’s tousled head to his side.</p> + +<p>“You have heard,” he said, with a slow puff, +“about Nah-chu-rú-chu, the mighty medicine-man +who lived here in Isleta in the times of the ancients?”</p> + +<p>“<i>Ah-h!</i>” (Yes) cried all the boys. “You have +promised to tell us how he married the moon!”</p> + +<p>“Another time I will do so. But now I shall +tell you something that was before that—for Nah-chu-rú-chu +had many strange adventures before +he married Páh-hlee-oh, the Moon-Mother. Do +you know why the rattlesnake—which is the king +of all snakes and alone has the power of death in +his mouth—always shakes his <i>guaje</i><a id="FNanchor_19" href="#Footnote_19" class="fnanchor">[19]</a> before he +bites?”</p> + +<p>“<i>Een-dah!</i>” chorused Ramón and Benito, and +Fat Juan, and Tomás,<a id="FNanchor_20" href="#Footnote_20" class="fnanchor">[20]</a> very eagerly; for they were +particularly fond of hearing about the exploits of +the greatest of Tée-wahn medicine-men.</p> + +<p>“Listen, then, and you shall hear.”</p> + + +<p class="break">In those days Nah-chu-rú-chu had a friend who +lived in a pueblo nearer the foot of the Eagle-Feather +Mountain than this, in the Place of the +Red Earth, where still are its ruins; and the two +young men went often to the mountain together +to bring wood and to hunt. Now, Nah-chu-rú-chu +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_36"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>36]</span> +had a white heart, and never thought ill; but +the friend had the evil road and became jealous, +for Nah-chu-rú-chu was a better hunter. But he +said nothing, and made as if he still loved Nah-chu-rú-chu +truly.</p> + +<p>One day the friend came over from his village +and said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Nah-chu-rú-chu, let us go to-morrow +for wood and to have a hunt.”</p> + +<p>“It is well,” replied Nah-chu-rú-chu. Next +morning he started very early and came to the village +of his friend; and together they went to the +mountain. When they had gathered much wood, +and lashed it in bundles for carrying, they started +off in opposite directions to hunt. In a short time +each returned with a fine fat deer.</p> + +<p>“But why should we hasten to go home, friend +Nah-chu-rú-chu?” said the friend. “It is still early, +and we have much time. Come, let us stop here +and amuse ourselves with a game.”</p> + +<p>“It is well, friend,” answered Nah-chu-rú-chu; +“but what game shall we play? For we have +neither <i>pa-toles</i>, nor hoops, nor any other game +here.”</p> + +<p>“See! we will roll the <i>mah-khúr</i>,<a id="FNanchor_21" href="#Footnote_21" class="fnanchor">[21]</a> for while I +was waiting for you I made one that we might +play”—and the false friend drew from beneath his +blanket a pretty painted hoop; but really he had +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_37"></a><!-- original location of illustration --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_38"></a><!-- blank page --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_39"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>39]</span> +made it at home, and had brought it hidden, on +purpose to do harm to Nah-chu-rú-chu.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp47" id="mwmm09" style="max-width: 31.375em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm09.jpg" id="fig06" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">“AS HE CAUGHT THE HOOP HE WAS INSTANTLY CHANGED INTO +A POOR COYOTE!”</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>“Now go down there and catch it when I roll +it,” said he; and Nah-chu-rú-chu did so. But as he +caught the hoop when it came rolling, he was no +longer Nah-chu-rú-chu the brave hunter, but a poor +Coyote with great tears rolling down his nose!</p> + +<p>“Hu!” said the false friend, tauntingly, “we do +this to each other! So now you have all the plains +to wander over, to the north, and west, and south; +but you can never go to the east. And if you are +not lucky, the dogs will tear you; but if you are +lucky, they may have pity on you. So now good-by, +for this is the last I shall ever see of you.”</p> + +<p>Then the false friend went away, laughing, to his +village; and the poor Coyote wandered aimlessly, +weeping to think that he had been betrayed by the +one he had loved and trusted as a brother. For +four days he prowled about the outskirts of Isleta, +looking wistfully at his home. The fierce dogs ran +out to tear him; but when they came near they +only sniffed at him, and went away without hurting +him. He could find nothing to eat save dry bones, +and old thongs or soles of moccasins.</p> + +<p>On the fourth day he turned westward, and +wandered until he came to Mesita.<a id="FNanchor_22" href="#Footnote_22" class="fnanchor">[22]</a> There was no +town of the Lagunas there then, and only a shepherd’s +hut and corral, in which were an old Quères +Indian and his grandson, tending their goats.</p> + +<p>Next morning when the grandson went out very +early to let the goats from the corral, he saw a +Coyote run out from among the goats. It went +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_40"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>40]</span> +off a little way, and then sat down and watched +him. The boy counted the goats, and none were +missing, and he thought it strange. But he said +nothing to his grandfather.</p> + +<p>For three more mornings the very same thing +happened; and on the fourth morning the boy told +his grandfather. The old man came out, and set +the dogs after the Coyote, which was sitting a little +way off; but when they came near they would not +touch him.</p> + +<p>“I suspect there is something wrong here,” said +the old shepherd; and he called: “Coyote, are you +coyote-true, or are you people?”</p> + +<p>But the Coyote could not answer; and the old +man called again: “Coyote, are you people?”</p> + +<p>At that the Coyote nodded his head, “Yes.”</p> + +<p>“If that is so, come here and be not afraid of +us; for we will be the ones to help you out of this +trouble.”</p> + +<p>So the Coyote came to them and licked their +hands, and they gave it food—for it was dying of +hunger. When it was fed, the old man said:</p> + +<p>“Now, son, you are going out with the goats +along the creek, and there you will see some willows. +With your mind look at two willows, and +mark them; and to-morrow morning you must go +and bring one of them.”</p> + +<p>The boy went away tending the goats, and the +Coyote stayed with the old man. Next morning, +when they awoke very early, they saw all the earth +wrapped in a white <i>manta</i>.<a id="FNanchor_23" href="#Footnote_23" class="fnanchor">[23]</a></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_41"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>41]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp54" id="mwmm10" style="max-width: 35.6875em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm10.jpg" id="fig07" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">“COYOTE, ARE YOU PEOPLE?”</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_42"></a><!-- blank page --></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_43"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>43]</span> +“Now, son,” said the old man, “you must wear +only your moccasins and breech-clout, and go like a +man to the two willows you marked yesterday. To +one of them you must pray; and then cut the other +and bring it to me.”</p> + +<p>The boy did so and came back with the willow +stick. The old man prayed, and made a <i>mah-khúr</i> +hoop; and bidding the Coyote stand a little way +off and stick his head through the hoop before it +should stop rolling, rolled it toward him. The +Coyote waited till the hoop came very close, and +gave a great jump and put his head through it before +it could stop. And lo! there stood Nah-chu-rú-chu, +young and handsome as ever; but his +beautiful suit of fringed buckskin was all in rags. +For four days he stayed there and was cleansed +with the cleansing of the medicine-man; and then +the old shepherd said to him:</p> + +<p>“Now, friend Nah-chu-rú-chu, there is a road.<a id="FNanchor_24" href="#Footnote_24" class="fnanchor">[24]</a> +But take with you this <i>faja</i>,<a id="FNanchor_25" href="#Footnote_25" class="fnanchor">[25]</a> for though your +power is great, you have submitted to this evil. +When you get home, he who did this to you will +be first to know, and he will come pretending to be +your friend, as if he had done nothing; and he will +ask you to go hunting again. So you must go; +and when you come to the mountain, with this <i>faja</i> +you shall repay him.”</p> + +<p>Nah-chu-rú-chu thanked the kind old shepherd, +and started home. But when he came to the Bad +Hill and looked down into the valley of the Rio +Grande, his heart sank. All the grass and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_44"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>44]</span> +fields and trees were dry and dead—for Nah-chu-rú-chu +was the medicine-man who controlled +the clouds, so no rain could fall when he was +gone; and the eight days he had been a Coyote +were in truth eight years. The river was dry, +and the springs; and many of the people were +dead from thirst, and the rest were dying. But +as Nah-chu-rú-chu came down the hill, it began +to rain again, and all the people were glad.</p> + +<p>When he came into the pueblo, all the famishing +people came out to welcome him. And +soon came the false friend, making as if he had +never bewitched him nor had known whither he +disappeared.</p> + +<p>In a few days the false friend came again to +propose a hunt; and next morning they went to +the mountain together. Nah-chu-rú-chu had the +pretty <i>faja</i> wound around his waist; and when +the wind blew his blanket aside, the other saw it.</p> + +<p>“Ay! What a pretty <i>faja</i>!” cried the false +friend. “Give it to me, friend Nah-chu-rú-chu.”</p> + +<p>“<i>Een-dah!</i>” (No) said Nah-chu-rú-chu. But the +false friend begged so hard that at last he said:</p> + +<p>“Then I will roll it to you; and if you can +catch it before it unwinds, you may have it.”</p> + +<p>So he wound it up,<a id="FNanchor_26" href="#Footnote_26" class="fnanchor">[26]</a> and holding by one end +gave it a push so that it ran away from him, +unrolling as it went. The false friend jumped +for it, but it was unrolled before he caught it.</p> + +<p>“<i>Een-dah!</i>” said Nah-chu-rú-chu, pulling it +back. “If you do not care enough for it to be +spryer than that, you cannot have it.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_45"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>45]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp59" id="mwmm11" style="max-width: 39.4375em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm11.jpg" id="fig08" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">“AS HE SEIZED IT HE WAS CHANGED FROM A TALL YOUNG MAN INTO A GREAT RATTLESNAKE.”</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_46"></a><!-- blank page --></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_47"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>47]</span> +The false friend begged for another trial; so +Nah-chu-rú-chu rolled it again. This time the +false friend caught it before it was unrolled; and +lo! instead of a tall young man, there lay a great +rattlesnake with tears rolling from his lidless eyes!</p> + +<p>“We, too, do this to each other!” said Nah-chu-rú-chu. +He took from his medicine-pouch a +pinch of the sacred meal and laid it on the snake’s +flat head for its food; and then a pinch of the +corn-pollen to tame it.<a id="FNanchor_27" href="#Footnote_27" class="fnanchor">[27]</a> And the snake ran out +its red forked tongue, and licked them.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Nah-chu-rú-chu, “this mountain +and all rocky places shall be your home. But +you can never again do to another harm, without +warning, as you did to me. For see, there is +a <i>guaje</i><a id="FNanchor_28" href="#Footnote_28" class="fnanchor">[28]</a> in your tail, and whenever you would do +any one an injury, you must warn them beforehand +with your rattle.”</p> + +<p>“And is that the reason why Ch’ah-rah-ráh-deh +always rattles to give warning before he bites?” +asked Fat Juan, who is now quite as often called +Juan Biscocho (John Biscuit), since I photographed +him one day crawling out of the big +adobe bake-oven where he had been hiding.</p> + +<p>“That is the very reason. Then Nah-chu-rú-chu +left his false friend, from whom all the rattlesnakes +are descended, and came back to his village. +From that time all went well with Isleta, +for Nah-chu-rú-chu was at home again to attend +to the clouds. There was plenty of rain, and the +river began to run again, and the springs flowed. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_48"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>48]</span> +The people plowed and planted again, as they had +not been able to do for several years, and all their +work prospered. As for the people who lived in +the Place of the Red Earth, they all moved down +here,<a id="FNanchor_29" href="#Footnote_29" class="fnanchor">[29]</a> because the Apaches were very bad; and +here their descendants live to this day.”</p> + +<p>“Is that so?” sighed all the boys in chorus, +sorry that the story was so soon done.</p> + +<p>“That is so,” replied old Patricio. “And now, +<i>compadre</i> Antonio, there is a tail to you.”</p> + +<p>“Well, then, I will tell a story which they +showed me in Taos<a id="FNanchor_30" href="#Footnote_30" class="fnanchor">[30]</a> last year,” said the old man.</p> + +<p>“Ah-h!” said the boys.</p> + +<p>“It is about the Coyote and the Woodpecker.”</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_18" href="#FNanchor_18" class="label">[18]</a> Pronounced Pah-trée-see-oh.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_19" href="#FNanchor_19" class="label">[19]</a> The Pueblo sacred rattle.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_20" href="#FNanchor_20" class="label">[20]</a> Pronounced Rah-móhn, Bay-née-toh, Whahn, Toh-máhs.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_21" href="#FNanchor_21" class="label">[21]</a> The game of <i>mah-khúr</i>, which the Pueblos learned from the Apaches many +centuries ago, is a very simple one, but is a favorite with all witches as a snare +for those whom they would injure. A small hoop of willow is painted gaily, +and has ornamental buckskin thongs stretched across it from side to side, +spoke-fashion. The challenger to a game rolls the hoop rapidly past the challenged, +who must throw a lance through between the spokes before it ceases +to roll.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_22" href="#FNanchor_22" class="label">[22]</a> An outlying colony of Laguna, forty miles from Isleta.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_23" href="#FNanchor_23" class="label">[23]</a> This figure is always used by the Pueblos in speaking of snow in connection +with sacred things.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_24" href="#FNanchor_24" class="label">[24]</a> That is, you can go home.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_25" href="#FNanchor_25" class="label">[25]</a> A fine woven belt, with figures in red and green.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_26" href="#FNanchor_26" class="label">[26]</a> Like a roll of tape.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_27" href="#FNanchor_27" class="label">[27]</a> This same spell is still used here by the <i>Hee-but-hái</i>, or snake-charmers.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_28" href="#FNanchor_28" class="label">[28]</a> Pronounced Gwáh-heh.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_29" href="#FNanchor_29" class="label">[29]</a> It is a proved fact that there was such a migration.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_30" href="#FNanchor_30" class="label">[30]</a> The most northern of the Pueblo cities. Its people are also Tée-wahn.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_49"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>49]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap07">VII<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE COYOTE AND THE WOODPECKER</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">W</span>ELL, once upon a time a Coyote and his +family lived near the edge of a wood. There +was a big hollow tree there, and in it lived an old +Woodpecker and his wife and children. One day +as the Coyote-father was strolling along the edge +of the forest he met the Woodpecker-father.</p> + +<p>“<i>Hin-no-kah-kée-ma</i>” (Good evening), said the +Coyote; “how do you do to-day, friend Hloo-rée-deh?”</p> + +<p>“Very well, thank you; and how are you, friend +Too-wháy-deh?”</p> + +<p>So they stopped and talked together awhile; +and when they were about to go apart the Coyote +said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Woodpecker, why do you not come as +friends to see us? Come to our house to supper +this evening, and bring your family.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you, friend Coyote,” said the Woodpecker; +“we will come with joy.”</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp82" id="mwmm12" style="max-width: 40.125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm12.jpg" id="fig09" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">THE COYOTES AT SUPPER WITH THE WOODPECKERS.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>So that evening, when the Coyote-mother had +made supper ready, there came the Woodpecker-father +and the Woodpecker-mother with their +three children. When they had come in, all five +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_50"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>50]</span> +of the Woodpeckers stretched themselves as they +do after flying, and by that showed their pretty +feathers—for the Hloo-rée-deh has yellow and +red marks under its wings. While they were +eating supper, too, they sometimes spread their +wings, and displayed their bright under-side. +They praised the supper highly, and said the +Coyote-mother was a perfect housekeeper. When +it was time to go, they thanked the Coyotes +very kindly and invited them to come to +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_51"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>51]</span> +supper at their house the following evening. +But when they were gone, the Coyote-father +could hold himself no longer, and he said:</p> + +<p>“Did you see what airs those Woodpeckers +put on? Always showing off their bright feathers? +But I want them to know that the +Coyotes are equal to them. <em>I’ll</em> show them!”</p> + +<p>Next day, the Coyote-father had all his family +at work bringing wood, and built a great +fire in front of his house. When it was time +to go to the house of the Woodpeckers he +called his wife and children to the fire, and +lashed a burning stick under each of their arms, +with the burning end pointing forward; and +then he fixed himself in the same way.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said he, “we will show them! When +we get there, you must lift up your arms now and +then, to show them that we are as good as the +Woodpeckers.”</p> + +<p>When they came to the house of the Woodpeckers +and went in, all the Coyotes kept lifting their +arms often, to show the bright coals underneath. +But as they sat down to supper, one Coyote-girl +gave a shriek and said:</p> + +<p>“Oh, <i>tata</i>! My fire is burning me!”</p> + +<p>“Be patient, my daughter,” said the Coyote-father, +severely, “and do not cry about little +things.”</p> + +<p>“Ow!” cried the other Coyote-girl in a moment, +“my fire has gone out!”</p> + +<p>This was more than the Coyote-father could +stand, and he reproved her angrily.</p> + +<p>“But how is it, friend Coyote,” said the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_52"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>52]</span> +Woodpecker, politely, “that your colors are so bright at +first, but very soon become black?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, that is the beauty of our colors,” replied +the Coyote, smothering his rage; “that they are +not always the same—like other people’s—but +turn all shades.”</p> + +<p>But the Coyotes were very uncomfortable, and +made an excuse to hurry home as soon as they +could. When they got there, the Coyote-father +whipped them all for exposing him to be laughed +at. But the Woodpecker-father gathered his children +around him, and said:</p> + +<p>“Now, my children, you see what the Coyotes +have done. Never in your life try to appear what +you are not. Be just what you really are, and put +on no false colors.”</p> + + + +<p class="break">“Is that so?” cried the boys.</p> + +<p>“That is so; and it is as true for people as for +birds. Now, <i>tóo-kwai</i>—for it is bedtime.”</p> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_53"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>53]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenternocap illowp100" id="mwmm13" style="max-width: 39.25em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm13.jpg" alt="Decorative title: The Man Who Married the Moon"> +</figure> + + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="chap08">VIII<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE MAN WHO MARRIED THE MOON</span></h2> +</div> + + +<div class="ddropcapbox"> +<img class="idropcap" src="images/dcapa01.jpg" width="236" height="320" alt="A"> +</div> +<p>MONG the principal heroes of +the Tée-wahn folk-lore, I hear +of none more frequently in the +winter story-tellings to which +my aboriginal neighbors admit +me, than the mighty Nah-chu-rú-chu. +To this day his name, +which means “The Bluish Light +of Dawn,” is deeply revered by +the quaint people who claim him +as one of their forefathers. He had no parents, +for he was created by the Trues themselves, and +by them was given such extraordinary powers as +were second only to their own. His wonderful +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_54"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>54]</span> +feats and startling adventures—as still related by +the believing Isleteños—would fill a volume. One +of these fanciful myths has interested me particularly, +not only for its important bearing on certain +ethnological matters, but for its intrinsic qualities +as well. It is a thoroughly characteristic leaf from +the legendary lore of the Southwest.</p> + +<p>Long before the first Spaniards came to New +Mexico (and <em>that</em> was three hundred and fifty +years ago) Isleta stood where it stands to-day—on +a lava ridge that defies the gnawing current +of the Rio Grande.<a id="FNanchor_31" href="#Footnote_31" class="fnanchor">[31]</a> In those far days, Nah-chu-rú-chu +dwelt in Isleta, and was a leader of his +people. A weaver by trade,<a id="FNanchor_32" href="#Footnote_32" class="fnanchor">[32]</a> his rude loom hung +from the dark rafters of his room; and in it he +wove the strong black <i>mantas</i> which are the dress +of Pueblo women to this day.</p> + +<p>Besides being very wise in medicine, Nah-chu-rú-chu +was young, and tall, and strong, and handsome; +and all the girls of the village thought it a +shame that he did not care to take a wife. For +him the shyest dimples played, for him the whitest +teeth flashed out, as the owners passed him in the +plaza; but he had no eyes for them. Then, in +the naïve custom of the Tée-wahn, bashful fingers +worked wondrous fringed shirts of buckskin, or +gay awl-sheaths, which found their way to his +house by unknown messengers—each as much as +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_55"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>55]</span> +to say, “She who made this is yours, if you will +have her.” But Nah-chu-rú-chu paid no more attention +to the gifts than to the smiles, and just kept +weaving and weaving such <i>mantas</i> as were never +seen in the land of the Tée-wahn before or since.</p> + +<p>The most persistent of his admirers were two +sisters who were called <i>Ee-eh-chóo-ri-ch’áhm-nin</i>—the +Yellow-Corn-Maidens. They were both +young and pretty, but they “had the evil road”—which +is the Indian way of saying that they +were possessed of a magic power which they always +used for ill. When all the other girls gave up, +discouraged at Nah-chu-rú-chu’s indifference, the +Yellow-Corn-Maidens kept coming day after day, +trying to attract him. At last the matter became +such a nuisance to Nah-chu-rú-chu that he hired +the deep-voiced town-crier to go through all the +streets and announce that in four days Nah-chu-rú-chu +would choose a wife.</p> + +<p>For dippers, to take water from the big earthen +<i>tinajas</i>, the Tée-wahn used then, as they use to-day, +queer little ladle-shaped <i>omates</i> made of a +gourd; but Nah-chu-rú-chu, being a great medicine-man +and very rich, had a dipper of pure pearl, +shaped like the gourds, but wonderfully precious.</p> + +<p>“On the fourth day,” proclaimed the crier, +“Nah-chu-rú-chu will hang his pearl <i>omate</i> at his +door, where every girl who will may throw a handful +of corn-meal at it. And she whose meal is so +well ground that it sticks to the <i>omate</i>, she shall be +the wife of Nah-chu-rú-chu!”</p> + +<p>When this strange news came rolling down the +still evening air, there was a great scampering of +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_56"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>56]</span> +little moccasined feet. The girls ran out from +hundreds of gray adobe houses to catch every +word; and when the crier had passed on, they ran +back into the store-rooms and began to ransack the +corn-bins for the biggest, evenest, and most perfect +ears. Shelling the choicest, each took her few +handfuls of kernels to the sloping <i>metate</i>,<a id="FNanchor_33" href="#Footnote_33" class="fnanchor">[33]</a> and +with the <i>mano</i>, or hand-stone, scrubbed the grist +up and down, and up and down, till the hard corn +was a soft, blue meal. All the next day, and +the next, and the next, they ground it over and +over again, until it grew finer than ever flour was +before; and every girl felt sure that her meal +would stick to the <i>omate</i> of the handsome young +weaver. The Yellow-Corn-Maidens worked hardest +of all; day and night for four days they ground +and ground, with all the magic spells they knew.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="mwmm14" style="max-width: 33.75em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm14.jpg" id="fig10" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">THE ISLETA GIRLS GRINDING CORN WITH THE “MANO” ON THE “METATE.”</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_57"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>57]</span> +Now, in those far-off days the Moon had not +gone up into the sky to live, but was a maiden of +Shee-eh-whíb-bak. And a very beautiful girl she +was, though blind of one eye. She had long admired +Nah-chu-rú-chu, but was always too maidenly to +try to attract his attention as other girls had done; +and at the time when the crier made his proclamation, +she happened to be +away at her father’s ranch. +It was only upon the fourth +day that she returned to +town, and in a few moments +the girls were to go with +their meal to test it upon +the magic dipper. The two +Yellow-Corn-Maidens were +just coming from their house +as she passed, and told her +of what was to be done. +They were very confident +of success, and told the +Moon-girl only to pain her; +and laughed derisively as +she went running to her +home.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp30" id="mwmm15" style="max-width: 16.4375em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm15.jpg" id="fig11" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">THE MOON-MAIDEN.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>By this time a long file +of girls was coming to Nah-chu-rú-chu’s +house, outside +whose door hung the pearl +<i>omate</i>. Each girl carried in +her left hand a little jar of +meal; and as they passed the door one by one, each +took from the jar a handful and threw it against +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_58"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>58]</span> +the magic dipper. But each time the meal dropped +to the ground, and left the pure pearl undimmed +and radiant as ever.</p> + +<p>At last came the Yellow-Corn-Maidens, who had +waited to watch the failure of the others. As they +came where they could see Nah-chu-rú-chu sitting +at his loom, they called: “Ah! Here we have the +meal that will stick!” and each threw a handful at +the <i>omate</i>. But it did not stick at all; and still +from his seat Nah-chu-rú-chu could see, in that +mirror-like surface, all that went on outside.</p> + +<p>The Yellow-Corn-Maidens were very angry, and +instead of passing on as the others had done, they +stood there and kept throwing and throwing at the +<i>omate</i>, which smiled back at them with undiminished +luster.</p> + +<p>Just then, last of all, came the Moon, with a +single handful of meal which she had hastily ground. +The two sisters were in a fine rage by this time, +and mocked her, saying:</p> + +<p>“Hoh! <i>P’áh-hlee-oh</i>,<a id="FNanchor_34" href="#Footnote_34" class="fnanchor">[34]</a> you poor thing, we are very +sorry for you! Here we have been grinding our +meal four days and still it will not stick, and you +we did not tell till to-day. How, then, can you +ever hope to win Nah-chu-rú-chu? Pooh, you silly +little thing!”</p> + +<p>But the Moon paid no attention whatever to +their taunts. Drawing back her little dimpled +hand, she threw the meal gently against the pearl +<i>omate</i>, and so fine was it ground that every tiniest +bit of it clung to the polished shell, and not a particle +fell to the ground.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_59"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>59]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="mwmm16" style="max-width: 49.8125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm16.jpg" id="fig12" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">THE YELLOW-CORN-MAIDENS THROWING MEAL AT THE PEARL “OMATE.”</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_60"></a><!-- blank page --></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_61"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>61]</span> +When Nah-chu-rú-chu saw that, he rose up +quickly from his loom and came and took the +Moon by the hand, saying, “You are she who +shall be my wife. You shall never want for anything, +since I have very much.” And he gave her +many beautiful <i>mantas</i>, and cotton wraps, and fat +boots of buckskin that wrap round and round, that +she might dress as the wife of a rich chief. But the +Yellow-Corn-Maidens, who had seen it all, went +away vowing vengeance on the Moon.</p> + +<p>Nah-chu-rú-chu and his sweet Moon-wife were +very happy together. There was no other such +housekeeper in all the pueblo as she, and no other +hunter brought home so much buffalo-meat from +the vast plains to the east, nor so many antelopes, +and black-tailed deer, and jack-rabbits from the +Manzanos as did Nah-chu-rú-chu. But he constantly +was saying to her:</p> + +<p>“Moon-wife, beware of the Yellow-Corn-Maidens, +for they have the evil road and will try to do +you harm, but you must always refuse to do whatever +they propose.” And always the young wife +promised.</p> + +<p>One day the Yellow-Corn-Maidens came to the +house and said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Nah-chu-rú-chu, we are going to the +<i>llano</i><a id="FNanchor_35" href="#Footnote_35" class="fnanchor">[35]</a> to gather <i>amole</i>.<a id="FNanchor_36" href="#Footnote_36" class="fnanchor">[36]</a> Will you not let your wife +go with us?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, she may go,” said Nah-chu-rú-chu; +but taking her aside, he said, “Now be sure that +you refuse whatever they may propose.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_62"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>62]</span> +The Moon promised, and started away with the +Yellow-Corn-Maidens.</p> + +<p>In those days there was only a thick forest of +cottonwoods where are now the smiling vineyards, +and gardens, and orchards of Isleta, and to reach +the <i>llano</i> the three women had to go through this +forest. In the very center of it they came to a +deep <i>pozo</i>—a square well, with steps at one side +leading down to the water’s edge.</p> + +<p>“Ay!” said the Yellow-Corn-Maidens, “how +hot and thirsty is our walk! Come, let us get a +drink of water.”</p> + +<p>But the Moon, remembering her husband’s +words, said politely that she did not wish to drink. +They urged in vain, but at last, looking down into +the <i>pozo</i>, called:</p> + +<p>“Oh, Moon-friend! Come and look in this still +water, and see how pretty you are!”</p> + +<p>The Moon, you must know, has always been just +as fond of looking at herself in the water as she is to +this very day, and forgetting Nah-chu-rú-chu’s warning, +she came to the brink, and looked down upon +her fair reflection. But at that very moment, the two +witch-sisters pushed her head foremost into the <i>pozo</i>, +and drowned her; and then filled the well with earth, +and went away as happy as wicked hearts can be.</p> + + + +<p class="break">Nah-chu-rú-chu began to look oftener from his +loom to the door as the sun crept along the adobe +floor, closer and closer to his seat; and when the +shadows were very long, he sprang suddenly to his +feet, and walked to the house of the Yellow-Corn-Maidens +with long, strong strides.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_63"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>63]</span> +“<i>Ee-eh-chóo-ri-ch’áhm-nin</i>,” he said, very sternly, +“where is my little wife?”</p> + +<p>“Why, isn’t she at home?” asked the wicked +sisters as if in great surprise. “She got enough +<i>amole</i> long before we did, and started home with it. +We supposed she had come long ago.”</p> + +<p>“Ah,” groaned Nah-chu-rú-chu within himself; +“it is as I thought—they have done her ill.” But +without a word to them he turned on his heel and +went away.</p> + +<p>From that hour all went ill with Isleta, for Nah-chu-rú-chu +held the well-being of all his people, +even unto life and death. Paying no attention to +what was going on about him, he sat motionless +upon the very crosspiece of the <i>estufa</i> ladder—the +highest point in all the town—with his head +bowed upon his hands. There he sat for days, +never speaking, never moving. The children that +played along the streets looked up to the motionless +figure, and ceased their boisterous play. The +old men shook their heads gravely, and muttered: +“We are in evil times, for Nah-chu-rú-chu is mourning, +and will not be comforted. And there is no more +rain, so that our crops are drying in the fields. +What shall we do?”</p> + +<p>At last all the councilors met together, and decided +that there must be another effort made to +find the lost wife. It was true that the great Nah-chu-rú-chu +had searched for her in vain, and the +people had helped him; but perhaps some one else +might be more fortunate. So they took some of +the sacred smoking-weed wrapped in a corn-husk +and went to Shée-wid-deh, who has the sharpest +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_64"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>64]</span> +eyes in all the world. Giving him the sacred gift +they said:</p> + +<p>“Eagle-friend, we see Nah-chu-rú-chu in great +trouble, for he has lost his Moon-wife. Come, +search for her, we pray you, if she be alive or +dead.”</p> + +<p>So the Eagle took the offering, and smoked the +smoke-prayer; and then he went winging upward +into the very sky. Higher and higher he rose, in +great upward circles, while his keen eyes noted +every stick, and stone, and animal on the face of all +the world. But with all his eyes, he could see nothing +of the lost wife; and at last he came back sadly, +and said:</p> + +<p>“People-friends, I went up to where I could see +the whole world, but I could not find her.”</p> + +<p>Then the people went with an offering to the +Coyote, whose nose is sharpest in all the world; +and besought him to try to find the Moon. The +Coyote smoked the smoke-prayer, and started off +with his nose to the ground, trying to find her +tracks. He trotted all over the earth; but at last +he too came back without finding what he sought.</p> + +<p>Then the troubled people got the Badger to +search, for he is best of all the beasts at digging—and +he it was whom the Trues employed to dig the +caves in which the people first dwelt when they +came to this world. The Badger trotted and +pawed, and dug everywhere, but he could not find +the Moon; and he came home very sad.</p> + +<p>Then they asked the Osprey, who can see farthest +under water, and he sailed high above all the +lakes and rivers in the world, till he could count the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_65"></a><!-- original location of illustration --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_66"></a><!-- blank page --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_67"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>67]</span> +pebbles and the fish in them, but he too failed to +discover the lost Moon.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp50" id="mwmm17" style="max-width: 33.5em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm17.jpg" id="fig13" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">THE GRIEF OF NAH-CHU-RÚ-CHU.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>By now the crops were dead and sere in the +fields, and thirsty animals walked crying along the +dry river. Scarcely could the people themselves dig +deep enough to find so much water as would keep +them alive. They were at a loss which way to turn; +but at last they thought: We will go to P’ah-kú-ee-teh-áy-deh,<a id="FNanchor_37" href="#Footnote_37" class="fnanchor">[37]</a> +who can find the dead—for surely +she is dead, or the others would have found her.</p> + +<p>So they went to him and besought him. The +Turkey-buzzard wept when he saw Nah-chu-rú-chu +still sitting there upon the ladder, and said: +“Truly it is sad for our great friend; but for me, I +am afraid to go, since they who are more mighty +than I have already failed; but I will try.” And +spreading his broad wings he went climbing up the +spiral ladder of the sky. Higher he wheeled, and +higher, till at last not even the Eagle could see +him. Up and up, till the hot sun began to singe +his head, and not even the Eagle had ever been so +high. He cried with pain, but still he kept mounting—until +he was so close to the sun that all the +feathers were burned from his head and neck. But +he could see nothing; and at last, frantic with +the burning, he came wheeling downward. When +he got back to the <i>estufa</i> where all the people were +waiting, they saw that his head and neck had been +burnt bare of feathers—and from that day to this +the feathers would never grow out again.</p> + +<p>“And did you see nothing?” they all asked, +when they had bathed his burns.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_68"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>68]</span> +“Nothing,” he answered, “except that when I +was half-way down I saw in the middle of yon cottonwood +forest a little mound covered with all the +beautiful flowers in the world.”</p> + +<p>“Oh!” cried Nah-chu-rú-chu, speaking for the +first time. “Go, friend, and bring me one flower +from the very middle of that mound.”</p> + +<p>Off flew the Buzzard, and in a few minutes returned +with a little white flower. Nah-chu-rú-chu +took it, and descending from the ladder in silence, +walked to his house, while all the wondering people +followed.</p> + +<p>When Nah-chu-rú-chu came inside his home once +more, he took a new <i>manta</i> and spread it in the +middle of the room; and laying the wee white +flower tenderly in its center, he put another new +<i>manta</i> above it. Then, dressing himself in the +splendid buckskin suit the lost wife had made him, +and taking in his right hand the sacred <i>guaje</i> (rattle), +he seated himself at the head of the <i>mantas</i> +and sang:</p> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0">“<i>Shú-nah, shú-nah!</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Aí-ay-ay, aí-ay-ay, aí-ay-ay!</i>”</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0">(Seeking her, seeking her!</div> + <div class="i0">There-away, there-away!)</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>When he had finished the song, all could see +that the flower had begun to grow, so that it lifted +the upper <i>manta</i> a little. Again he sang, shaking +his gourd; and still the flower kept growing. +Again and again he sang; and when he had finished +for the fourth time, it was plain to all that a +human form lay between the two <i>mantas</i>. And +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_69"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>69]</span> +when he sang his song the fifth time, the form sat +up and moved. Tenderly he lifted away the over-cloth, +and there sat his sweet Moon-wife, fairer than +ever, and alive as before!<a id="FNanchor_38" href="#Footnote_38" class="fnanchor">[38]</a></p> + +<p>For four days the people danced and sang in the +public square. Nah-chu-rú-chu was happy again; +and now the rain began to fall. The choked earth +drank and was glad and green, and the dead crops +came to life.</p> + +<p>When his wife told him how the witch-sisters +had done, he was very angry; and that very day +he made a beautiful hoop to play the <i>mah-khúr</i>. +He painted it, and put strings across it, decorated +with beaded buckskin.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said he, “the wicked Yellow-Corn-Maidens +will come to congratulate you, and will +pretend not to know where you were. You must +not speak of that, but invite them to go out and +play a game with you.”</p> + +<p>In a day or two the witch-sisters did come, with +deceitful words; and the Moon invited them to go +out and play a game. They went up to the edge +of the <i>llano</i>, and there she let them get a glimpse +of the pretty hoop.</p> + +<p>“Oh, give us that, Moon-friend,” they teased. +But she refused. At last, however, she said:</p> + +<p>“Well, we will play the hoop-game. I will stand +here, and you there; and if, when I roll it to you, +you catch it before it falls upon its side, you may +have it.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_70"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>70]</span> +So the witch-sisters stood a little way down the +hill, and she rolled the bright hoop. As it came +trundling to them, both grasped it at the same instant; +and lo! instead of the Yellow-Corn-Maidens, +there were two great snakes, with tears rolling +down ugly faces. The Moon came and put upon +their heads a little of the pollen of the corn-blossom +(still used by Pueblo snake-charmers) to tame them, +and a pinch of the sacred meal for their food.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said she, “you have the reward of treacherous +friends. Here shall be your home among +these rocks and cliffs forever, but you must never +be found upon the prairie; and you must never +bite a person. Remember you are women, and +must be gentle.”</p> + +<p>And then the Moon went home to her husband, +and they were very happy together. As for the +sister snakes, they still dwell where she bade them, +and never venture away; though sometimes the +people bring them to their houses to catch the +mice, for these snakes never hurt a person.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_31" href="#FNanchor_31" class="label">[31]</a> Bandelier has published a contrary opinion, to which I do not think he +would now cling. The folk-lore and the very name of the town fully prove to +me that its site has not changed in historic times.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_32" href="#FNanchor_32" class="label">[32]</a> In the ancient days, weaving was practised only by the men, among the +Pueblos. This old usage is now reversed, and it is the women who weave, +except in the pueblos of Moqui.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_33" href="#FNanchor_33" class="label">[33]</a> The slab of lava which still serves as a hand-mill in Pueblo houses.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_34" href="#FNanchor_34" class="label">[34]</a> Tée-wahn name of the moon; literally, “Water-Maiden.”</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_35" href="#FNanchor_35" class="label">[35]</a> Plain.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_36" href="#FNanchor_36" class="label">[36]</a> The soapy root of the palmilla, used for washing.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_37" href="#FNanchor_37" class="label">[37]</a> Turkey-buzzard; literally, “water-goose-grandfather.”</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_38" href="#FNanchor_38" class="label">[38]</a> Nah-chu-rú-chu’s incantation followed the exact form still used by the +Indian conjurors of the Southwest in their wonderful trick of making corn +grow and mature from the kernel in one day.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_71"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>71]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap09">IX<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE MOTHER MOON</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">A</span>ND do you know why it is that the Moon has +but one eye? It is a short story, but one of +the most poetic and beautiful in all the pretty folk-lore +of the Pueblos.</p> + +<p>P’áh-hlee-oh, the Moon-Maiden, was the Tée-wahn +Eve<a id="FNanchor_39" href="#Footnote_39" class="fnanchor">[39]</a>—the first and loveliest woman in all +the world. She had neither father nor mother, +sister nor brother; and in her fair form were the +seeds of all humanity—of all life and love and +goodness. The Trues, who are the unseen spirits +that are above all, made T’hoor-íd-deh, the Sun, +who was to be father of all things; and because he +was alone, they made for him a companion, the first +to be of maids, the first to be a wife. From them +began the world and all that is in it; and all their +children were strong and good. Very happy were +the Father-all and the Mother-all, as they watched +their happy brood. He guarded them by day and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_72"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>72]</span> +she by night—only there <em>was</em> no night, for then +the Moon had two eyes, and saw as clearly as the +Sun, and with glance as bright. It was all as one +long day of golden light. The birds flew always, +the flowers never shut, the young people danced +and sang, and none knew how to rest.</p> + +<p>But at last the Trues thought better. For the +endless light grew heavy to the world’s young eyes +that knew no tender lids of night. And the Trues +said:</p> + +<p>“It is not well, for so there is no sleep, and the +world is very tired. We must not keep the Sun +and Moon seeing alike. Let us put out one of his +eyes, that there may be darkness for half the time, +and then his children can rest.” And they called +T’hoor-íd-deh and P’áh-hlee-oh before them to say +what must be done.</p> + +<p>But when she heard that, the Moon-Mother +wept for her strong and handsome husband, and +cried:</p> + +<p>“No! No! Take my eyes, for my children, +but do not blind the Sun! He is the father, the +provider—and how shall he watch against harm, +or how find us game without his bright eyes? +Blind me, and keep him all-seeing.”</p> + +<p>And the Trues said: “It is well, daughter.” +And so they took away one of her eyes, so that +she could never see again so well. Then night +came upon the tired earth, and the flowers and +birds and people slept their first sleep, and it was +very good. But she who first had the love of +children, and paid for them with pain as mother’s +pay, she did not grow ugly by her sacrifice. Nay, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_73"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>73]</span> +she is lovelier than ever, and we all love her to +this day. For the Trues are good to her, and +gave her in place of the bloom of girlhood the +beauty that is only in the faces of mothers.</p> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0">So mother-pale above us</div> + <div class="i1">She bends, her watch to keep,</div> + <div class="i0">Who of her sight dear-bought the night</div> + <div class="i1">To give her children sleep.</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_39" href="#FNanchor_39" class="label">[39]</a> She is honored in almost every detail of the Pueblo ceremonials. The +most important charm or implement of the medicine-men, the holiest fetish +of all, is typical of her. It is called Mah-pah-róo, the Mother, and is the +most beautiful article a Pueblo ever fashioned. A flawless ear of pure white +corn (a type of fertility or motherhood) is tricked out with a downy mass of +snow-white feathers, and hung with ornaments of silver, coral, and the +precious turquoise.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_74"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>74]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap10">X<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE MAKER OF THE THUNDER-KNIVES</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">Y</span>OU have perhaps seen the beautiful arrow-heads +of moss-agate, petrified wood, or volcanic +glass which were used, until very recently, +by the Indians of the Southwest, and are still treasured +by them. At least you are familiar with the +commoner flint ones left by the aboriginal tribes +farther eastward. And seeing them, you must +have wondered how they were ever made from +such fearfully stubborn stone—always the very +hardest that was accessible to the maker. I have +tried for six hours, with the finest drills, to make a +little hole in the thinnest part of an agate arrow-head, +to put it on a charm-ring; but when the drill +and I were completely worn out, there was not so +much as a mark on the arrow-head to show what +we had been doing. If you will take one to your +jeweler, he will have as poor luck.</p> + +<p>But the <em>making</em> of the arrow-heads is really a +very simple matter; and I have fashioned many +very fair ones. The only implements are part of +a peculiarly shaped bone—preferably from the +thigh of the elk—and a stick about the size of a +lead-pencil, but of double the diameter. The maker +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_75"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>75]</span> +of <i>puntas</i> takes the bone in his left hand; in his +right is the stick, against which the selected splinter +of stone is firmly pressed by the thumb. With +a firm, steady pressure against the sharp edge of +the bone, a tiny flake is nicked from the splinter. +Then the splinter is turned, and a nick is similarly +made on the other side, just a little ahead of the +first; and so on. It is by this alternate nicking +from opposite sides that the stone-splinter grows +less by tiny flakes, and is shaped by degrees to a +perfect arrow-head. If you will notice the edge of +an arrow-head, you will see plainly that the work +was done in this way, for the edge is not a straight +but a wavy line—sometimes even a zigzag, recalling +the manner in which saw-teeth are “set.”</p> + +<p>Every Indian, and every one who has studied +the Indian, knows this. But if I ask one of my +brown old <i>compadres</i> here, where he got the +arrow-head which he wears as a charm about his +wrinkled neck, he will not tell me any such story +as that. No, indeed!</p> + +<p>Quáh-le-kee-raí-deh, the Horned Toad, gave it +to him. So? Oh, yes! He talked so nicely to a +Horned Toad on the mesa<a id="FNanchor_40" href="#Footnote_40" class="fnanchor">[40]</a> the other day, that the +little creature put a <i>punta</i> where he could find it +the next time he went thither.</p> + +<p>Whenever a Pueblo sees a Quáh-le-kee-raí-deh, +he jumps from his horse or his big farm-wagon, +and makes every effort to capture the <i>animalito</i> before +it can reach a hole. If successful, he pulls from +his blanket or his legging-garters a red thread—no +other color will do—and ties it necklace-fashion +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_76"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>76]</span> +around the neck of his little prisoner. Then he +invokes all sorts of blessings on the Horned Toad, +assures it of his sincere respect and friendship, +begs it to remember him with a <i>punta</i>, and lets it +go. Next time he goes to the mesa, he fully expects +to find an arrow-head, and generally <em>does</em> +find one—doubtless because he then searches +more carefully on that broad reach where so many +arrow-heads have been lost in ancient wars and +hunts. Finding one, he prays to the Sun-Father +and the Moon-Mother and all his other deities, +and returns profound thanks to the Horned Toad. +Some finders put the arrow-head in the pouch +which serves Indians for a pocket.<a id="FNanchor_41" href="#Footnote_41" class="fnanchor">[41]</a> Some wear +it as an amulet on the necklace. In either case, +the belief is that no evil spirit can approach the +wearer while he has that charm about him. In +fact, it is a sovereign spell against witches.</p> + +<p>The common belief of the Pueblos is that the +Horned Toad makes these arrow-heads only during +a storm, and deposits them at the very instant +when it thunders. For this reason an arrow-head +is always called <i>Kóh-un-shée-eh</i>, or thunder-knife. +The strange appearance of this quaint, spiked lizard—which +is really not a “hop-toad” at all—doubtless +suggested the notion; for his whole back is +covered with peculiar points which have very much +the shape and color of Indian arrow-heads.</p> + +<p>Quáh-le-kee-raí-deh is a very important personage +in the Pueblo folk-lore. He not only is the +inventor and patentee of the arrow-head and the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_77"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>77]</span> +scalping-knife,<a id="FNanchor_42" href="#Footnote_42" class="fnanchor">[42]</a> but he also invented irrigation, and +taught it to man; and is a general benefactor of +our race.</p> + +<p>There is one very sacred folk-story which tells +why boys must never smoke until they have +proved their manhood. Pueblo etiquette is very +strict on all such points.<a id="FNanchor_43" href="#Footnote_43" class="fnanchor">[43]</a></p> + +<p>Once upon a time there lived in Isleta two boys +who were cousins. One day their grandfather, +who was a True Believer (in all the ancient rites), +caught them in a corner smoking the <i>weer</i>. +Greatly shocked, he said to them:</p> + +<p>“Sons, I see you want to be men; but you +must prove yourselves before you are thought to +be. Know, then, that nobody is born with the +freedom of the smoke, but every one must earn it. +So go now, each of you, and bring me Quée-hla-kú-ee, +the skin of the oak.”</p> + +<p>Now, in the talk of men, Quée-hla-kú-ee is another +thing; but the boys did not know. They got their +mothers to give them some tortillas,<a id="FNanchor_44" href="#Footnote_44" class="fnanchor">[44]</a> and +with this lunch they started for the Bosque (a +10,000-foot peak twenty miles east of Isleta). +Reaching the mountain, they went to every kind +of tree and cut a little piece of its bark—for they +were not sure which was the oak. Then they +came home, very tired, and carried the bark to +their grandfather. But when he had looked at +it all he said:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_78"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>78]</span> +“Young men, you have not yet proved yourselves. +So now it is for you to go again and look +for the <em>oak</em>-bark.”</p> + +<p>At this their hearts were heavy, but they took +tortillas and started again. On the way they met +an old Horned Toad, who stopped them and said:</p> + +<p>“Young-men-friends, I know what trouble you +are in. Your <i>tata</i> has sent you for the skin of the +oak, but you do not know the oak he means. But +I will be the one to help you. Take these,” and he +gave them two large thunder-knives, “and with +these in hand go up that cañon yonder. In a little +way you will see a great many of your enemies, the +Navajos, camping. On the first hill from which +you see their fire, there stop. In time, while you +wait there, you will hear a Coyote howling across +the cañon. Then is the time to give your enemy-yell +[war-whoop] and attack them.”</p> + +<p>The boys thanked the Horned Toad and went. +Presently they saw the camp-fire of the Navajos, +and waiting till the Coyote called they gave the +enemy-yell and then attacked. They had no weapons +except their thunder-knives, but with these they +killed several Navajos, and the others ran away. +In the dark and their hurry they made a mistake +and scalped a woman (which was never customary +with the Pueblos).</p> + +<p>Taking their scalps, they hurried home to their +grandfather, and when he saw that they had +brought the real oak-skin (which is an Indian +euphemy for “scalp”), he led them proudly to the +Cacique, and the Cacique ordered the T’u-a-fú-ar +(scalp-dance). After the inside days, when the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_79"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>79]</span> +takers of scalps must stay in the <i>estufa</i>, was the +dance. And when it came to the round dance at +night the two boys were dancing side by side.</p> + +<p>Then a young woman who was a stranger came +and pushed them apart and danced between them. +She was very handsome, and both fell in love with +her. But as soon as their hearts thought of love, +a skeleton was between them in place of the girl—for +they who go to war or take a scalp have no +right to think of love.</p> + +<p>They were very frightened, but kept dancing until +they were too tired, and then went to the singers +inside the circle to escape. But the skeleton followed +them and stood beside them, and they could +not hide from it.</p> + +<p>At last they began to run away, and went to the +east. Many moons they kept running, but the +skeleton was always at their heels. At last they +came to the Sunrise Lake, wherein dwell the Trues +of the East.</p> + +<p>The guards let them in, and they told the Trues +all that had happened, and the skeleton stood beside +them. The Trues said: “Young men, if you +are men, sit down and we will protect you.”</p> + +<p>But when the boys looked again at the skeleton +they could not stop, but ran away again. Many +moons they ran north till they came to where the +Trues of the North dwell in the Black Lake of +Tears.</p> + +<p>The Trues of the North promised to defend +them, but again the skeleton came and scared +them away; and they ran for many moons until +they came to the Trues of the West, who dwell +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_80"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>80]</span> +in T’hoor-kím-p’ah-whée-ay, the Yellow Lake +Where the Sun Sets. And there the same things +happened; and they ran away again to the south, +till they found the Trues of the South in P’ah-chéer-p’ah-whée-ay, +the Lake of Smooth Pebbles.</p> + +<p>But there again it was the same, and again they +ran many moons till they came to the Trues of the +Center, who live here in Isleta. And here the +skeleton said to them:</p> + +<p>“Why do you run from me now? For when +you were dancing you looked at me and loved me, +but now you run away.”</p> + +<p>But they could not answer her, and ran into the +room of the Trues of the Center, and told their +story. Then the Trues gave power to the Cum-pa-huit-la-wid-deh<a id="FNanchor_45" href="#Footnote_45" class="fnanchor">[45]</a> +to see the skeleton,—which +no one else in the world could see, except the +Trues and the two young men,—and said to him:</p> + +<p>“Shoot this person who follows these two.”</p> + +<p>So the Cum-pa-huit-la-wid-deh shot the skeleton +through with an arrow from the left side to the +right side,<a id="FNanchor_46" href="#Footnote_46" class="fnanchor">[46]</a> and took the scalp.</p> + +<p>That was the end of the skeleton, and the young +men were free. And when the Trues had given +them counsel, they came to their people, and told +the Cacique all. He made a new scalp-dance, because +they had not stayed to finish the first one.</p> + +<p>And when the dance was done, they told all the +people what had happened. Then the principals +had a meeting and made a rule which is to this +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_81"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>81]</span> +day, that in the twelve days of the scalp<a id="FNanchor_47" href="#Footnote_47" class="fnanchor">[47]</a> no warrior +shall think thoughts of love.</p> + +<p>For it was because they had love-thoughts of +the Navajo girl that her skeleton haunted them. +And at the same time it was made the law, which +still is, that no one shall smoke till he has taken a +scalp to prove himself a man.</p> + +<p>For if the boys had not been smoking when +they had not freedom to, their grandfather would +not have sent them, and all that trouble would not +have come. And that is why.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_40" href="#FNanchor_40" class="label">[40]</a> Table-land.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_41" href="#FNanchor_41" class="label">[41]</a> The “left-hand-bag,” <i>shur-taí-moo</i>, because it always hangs from the +right shoulder and under the left arm.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_42" href="#FNanchor_42" class="label">[42]</a> Which were formerly about the same thing—a large and sharp-edged +arrow-head or similar stone being the only knife of the Pueblos in prehistoric +times.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_43" href="#FNanchor_43" class="label">[43]</a> See my “Strange Corners of Our Country” (The Century Co.), chap. xviii.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_44" href="#FNanchor_44" class="label">[44]</a> A cake of unleavened batter cooked on a hot stone. They look something +like a huge flapjack, but are very tough and keep a long time.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_45" href="#FNanchor_45" class="label">[45]</a> Guard at the door of the gods.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_46" href="#FNanchor_46" class="label">[46]</a> The only official method of killing a witch, which is one of the chief +duties of the Cum-pa-huit-la-wen.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_47" href="#FNanchor_47" class="label">[47]</a> The period of fasting and purification before and during the scalp-dance.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_82"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>82]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap11">XI<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE STONE-MOVING SONG</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE Horned Toad is also a famous musician—a +sort of Pueblo Orpheus, whose song charms +the very stones and trees. A short folk-story of +Isleta refers to this.</p> + +<p>One day Quáh-le-kee-raí-deh was working in +his field. There were many very large rocks, +and to move them he sang a strong song as he +pulled:</p> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0"><i>Yah éh-ah, héh-ah háy-na,</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Yah, éh-ah, heh-ah hay-na,</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Wha-naí-kee-ay hee-e-wid-deh</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Ah-kwe-ée-hee ai-yén-cheh,</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Yahb-k’yáy-queer ah-chóo-hee.</i></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>When he sang this and touched the heaviest stone, +it rose up from the ground, and went over his head +and fell far behind him.</p> + +<p>While he worked so, Too-wháy-deh came along; +and seeing what happened, he wished to meddle, +as his way is. So he said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Quáh-le-kee-raí-deh, let <em>me</em> do it.”</p> + +<p>“No, friend,” said the Horned Toad. “It is +better for every one to do what he knows, and not +to put himself in the work of others.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_83"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>83]</span> +“Do not think so,” answered the Coyote. +“For I can do this also. It is very easy.”</p> + +<p>“It is well, then—but see that you are not +afraid; for so it will be bad.”</p> + +<p>Too-wháy-deh laid off his blanket and took +hold of the largest rock there was, and sang +the song. When he sang, the rock rose up in +the air to go over his head; but he, being +scared, ducked his head. Then at once the +rock fell on him, and he had no bones left. +Then the Horned Toad laughed, and gave the +enemy-yell (war-whoop), saying: “We do this +to one another!”</p> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_84"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>84]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap12">XII<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE COYOTE AND THE THUNDER-KNIFE</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">A</span>NOTHER Isleta myth tells of an equally sad +misadventure of the Coyote.</p> + +<p>Once upon a time an old Coyote-father took +a walk away from home; for in that season of +the year his babies were so peevish they would +not let him sleep. It happened that a Locust +was making pottery, under a tree; and every +time she moved the molding-spoon around the +soft clay jar, she sang a song. The Coyote, +coming near and hearing, thought: “Now that +is the very song I need to put my <i>óo-un</i> to +sleep.” And following the sound he came to +the tree, and found Cheech-wée-deh at work. +But she had stopped singing.</p> + +<p>“Locust-friend,” said he, “come teach me that +song, so that I can soothe my children to sleep.” +But the Locust did not move to answer; and +he repeated:</p> + +<p>“Locust-friend, come teach me that song.”</p> + +<p>Still she did not answer, and the Coyote, +losing his patience, said:</p> + +<p>“Locust, if you don’t teach me that song, I +will eat you up!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_85"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>85]</span> +At that, the Locust showed him the song, +and he sang with her until he knew how.</p> + +<p>“Now I know it, thank you,” he said. “So I +will go home and sing it to my children, and +they will sleep.”</p> + +<p>So he went. But as he came to a pool, half-way +home, a flock of Afraids-of-the-Water<a id="FNanchor_48" href="#Footnote_48" class="fnanchor">[48]</a> flew +up at his very nose, and drove out his memory. +He went looking around, turning over the stones +and peeping in the grass; but he could not find +the song anywhere. So he started back at last +to get the Locust to teach him again.</p> + +<p>But while he was yet far, the Locust saw him, +so she shed her skin, leaving a dry husk, as snakes +do, and filled it with sand. Then she made it to sit +up, and put the molding-spoon in its hands, and +the clay jars in front of it; and she herself flew up +into the tree.</p> + +<p>Coming, the Coyote said: “Friend Locust, show +that song again; for I got scared, and the song +was driven out of me.” But there was no answer.</p> + +<p>“Hear, Locust! I will ask just once more; and if +you do not show me the song, I’ll swallow you!”</p> + +<p>Still she did not reply; and the Coyote, being +angry, swallowed the stuffed skin, sand, spoon, and +all, and started homeward, saying: “<em>Now</em> I think +I have that song in me!”</p> + +<p>But when he was half-way home he stopped and +struck himself, and said: “What a fool, truly! For +now I am going home without a song. But if I +had left the Locust alive, and bothered her long +enough, she would have shown me. I think now +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_86"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>86]</span> +I will take her out, to see if she will not sing for +me.”</p> + +<p>So he ran all around, hunting for a black thunder-knife,<a id="FNanchor_49" href="#Footnote_49" class="fnanchor">[49]</a> +and singing:</p> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0">Where can I find Shée-eh-fóon?</div> + <div class="i0">Where can I find Shée-eh-fóon?</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>At last he found a large piece of the black-rock, +and broke it until he got a knife. He made a mark +on his breast with his finger, saying: “Here I will +cut, and take her out.”</p> + +<p>Then he cut. “Mercy!” said he, “but it bites!” +He cut again, harder. “Goodness! but how it +bites!” he cried, very loud. And cutting a third +time, he fell down and died. So he did not learn +the song of the pottery-making.</p> + + + +<p class="break">The Quères Pueblos have exactly the same +folk-story, except that they make the Horned +Toad, instead of the Locust, the music-teacher. In +their version, the Horned Toad, after being swallowed, +kills the Coyote by lifting its spines. Remembering +what I have said of the maker of the +thunder-knives, you will readily see the analogy +between this and the obsidian splinter of the Tée-wahn +story. It is, indeed, one of the most characteristic +and instructive examples of the manner in +which a folk-story becomes changed.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_48" href="#FNanchor_48" class="label">[48]</a> The ironical Tée-wahn name for ducks.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_49" href="#FNanchor_49" class="label">[49]</a> One of obsidian, or volcanic glass.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_87"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>87]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="mwmm18" style="max-width: 40.1875em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm18.jpg" alt="Decorative title: The Magic Hide-and-seek"> +</figure> + + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="chap13">XIII<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE MAGIC HIDE-AND-SEEK</span></h2> +</div> + + +<div class="ddropcapbox"> +<img class="idropcap" src="images/dcapi02.jpg" width="152" height="353" alt="I"> +</div> +<p> FANCY I must have been dozing after +that hard ride; for when a far-away, +cracked voice that could be none other +than Grandfather Ysidro’s said, “<i>Kah-whee-cá-me, +Lorenso-kaí-deh!</i>” I started +up so hastily as to bump my head +against the whitewashed wall. That +may seem a queer sentence to rouse +one so sharply; and especially when +you know what it means. It meant +that old Ysidro<a id="FNanchor_50" href="#Footnote_50" class="fnanchor">[50]</a> had just finished a +story, which I had altogether missed, and was now +calling upon the old man next him to tell one, by +using the customary Pueblo saying:</p> + +<p>“There is a tail to you, Father Lorenso!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_88"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>88]</span> +<i>Kah-whee-cá-me</i> is what a Teé-wahn Indian always +says in such a case, instead of “Now <em>you</em> tell +a story, friend.” It is not intended as an impolite +remark, but merely refers to the firm belief of these +quaint people that if one were to act like a stubborn +donkey, and refuse to tell a story when called +on, a donkey’s tail would grow upon him!</p> + +<p>With such a fate in prospect, you may be sure +that the roundabout invitation thus conveyed is +never declined.</p> + +<p>Grandfather Lorenso bows his head gravely, +but seems in no haste. He is indeed impressively +deliberate as he slowly makes a cigarette from a +bit of corn-husk and a pinch of tobacco, lights it +upon a coal raked out of the fireplace by his +withered fingers, blows a slow puff eastward, then +one to the north, another to the west, a fourth to +the south, one straight above his head, and one +down toward the floor. There is one part of the +United States where the compass has <em>six</em> cardinal +points (those I have just named), and that is among +these Indians, and in fact all the others of the +Southwest. The cigarette plays a really important +part in many sacred ceremonies of the +Pueblos; for, as I have explained, its collective +smoke is thought to be what makes the rain-clouds +and brings the rain; and it is also a charm +against witches.</p> + +<p>Having thus propitiated the divinities who dwell +in the directions named, Lorenso looks about the +circle to see if all are listening. The glance satisfies +him—as well it may. There are no heedless +eyes or ears in the audience, of which I am the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_89"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>89]</span> +only white member—and a very lucky one, in +that I, an “Americano,” am allowed to hear these +jealously guarded stories, and to see the silent +smoke-prayer which would never be made if a +stranger were present. There are seven agèd +men here, and nine bright-eyed boys—all <i>Isleteños</i> +(inhabitants of Isleta). We are huddled +around the fireplace in the corner of the big, +pleasant room, against whose dark rafters and +farther white walls the shadows dance and waver.</p> + +<p>And now, taking a deep puff, Lorenso exclaims:</p> + +<p>“<i>Nah-t’ hóo-ai!</i>” (In a house.) It has nothing +to do with the story; but is the prologue to inform +the hearers that the story is about to open.</p> + +<p>“Ah-h-h!” we all responded, which is as much +as to say, “We are listening—go on”; and Lorenso +begins his story.</p> + + + +<p class="break">Once upon a time there was a Teé-wahn village +on the other side of the mountain, and there lived +a man and his wife who thought more of the future +of their children than did the others. To care +better for the children they moved to a little ranch +some distance from the village, and there taught +their two little sons all they could. Both boys +loved the outdoors, and games, and hunting; and +the parents were well pleased, saying to each +other:</p> + +<p>“Perhaps some day they will be great hunters!”</p> + +<p>By the time the elder boy was twelve and the +younger ten, they both were very expert with the +little bows and arrows their father carefully made +them; and already they began to bring home many +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_90"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>90]</span> +rabbits when they were allowed to go a little way +from home. There was only one command their +parents gave about their hunts; and that was that +they must never, never go south. They could +hunt to the east, north, and west, but not south.</p> + +<p>Day after day they went hunting, and more +and more rabbits they killed, growing always more +expert.</p> + +<p>One day when they had hunted eastward, the +elder boy said:</p> + +<p>“Brother, can you say any reason why we must +not go south?”</p> + +<p>“I know nothing,” replied the younger, “except +what I overheard our parents saying one day. +They spoke of an old woman who lives in the +south who eats children; and for that they said +they would never let us go south.”</p> + +<p>“Pooh!” said the elder, “I think nothing of <em>that</em>. +The real reason must be that they wish to save the +rabbits in the south, and are afraid we would kill +them all. There must be many rabbits in that +<i>bosque</i> [forest] away down there. Let’s go and +see—<em>they</em> won’t know!”</p> + +<p>The younger boy being persuaded, they started +off together, and after a long walk came to the +<i>bosque</i>. It was full of rabbits, and they were +having great sport, when suddenly they heard a +motherly voice calling through the woods. In a +moment they saw an old woman coming from the +south, who said to the boys:</p> + +<p>“<i>Mah-kóo-oon</i> [grandchildren], what are you +doing here, where no one ever thinks to come?”</p> + +<p>“We are hunting, Grandmother,” they replied. +“Our parents would never let us come south; but +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_91"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>91]</span> +to-day we came to see if the rabbits are more numerous +here than above.”</p> + +<p>“Oh!” said the old woman, “this game you see +here is <em>nothing</em>. Come, and I will show you where +there is much, and you can carry very large rabbits +home to your parents.” But she was deceiving +them.</p> + +<p>She had a big basket upon her back, and stooping +for the boys to get into it, she carried them +farther and farther into the woods. At last they +came to an old, battered house; and setting the +basket down, she said:</p> + +<p>“Now we have come all the way here, where no +one ever came before, and there is no way out. +You can find no trail, and you will have to stay +here contented, or I will eat you up!”</p> + +<p>The boys were much afraid, and said they would +stay and be contented. But the old woman went +into the house and told her husband—who was as +wicked as she—to get wood and build a big fire +in the <i>horno</i>.<a id="FNanchor_51" href="#Footnote_51" class="fnanchor">[51]</a> All day long the fire burned, and +the oven became hotter than it had ever been. In +the evening the old witch-woman raked out the +coals, and calling the boys seized them and forced +them into the fiery oven.</p> + + + +<p class="break">“<i>Tahb-kóon-nahm?</i>” (Is that so?) we all exclaimed—that +being the proper response whenever +the narrator pauses a moment.</p> + +<p>“That is so,” replied Lorenso, and went on.</p> + + + +<p class="break">Then the old woman put a flat rock over the +little door of the oven, and another over the smoke-hole, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_92"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>92]</span> +and sealed them both tight with clay. All +that night she and her husband were chuckling to +think what a nice breakfast they would have—for +both of them were witch-people, and ate all +the children they could find.</p> + +<p>But in the morning when she unsealed the oven, +there were the two boys, laughing and playing together +unhurt—for the Wháy-nin<a id="FNanchor_52" href="#Footnote_52" class="fnanchor">[52]</a> had come to +their aid and protected them from the heat.</p> + +<p>Leaving the boys to crawl out, the old woman +ran to the house and scolded the old man terribly +for not having made the oven hot enough. “Go +this minute,” she said, “and put in the oven all the +wood that it will hold, and keep it burning all +day!”</p> + +<p>When night came, the old woman cleaned the +oven, which was twice as hot as before; and again +she put in the boys and sealed it up. But the next +morning the boys were unhurt and went to playing.</p> + +<p>The witch-woman was very angry then; and giving +the boys their bows and arrows, told them to +go and play. She stayed at home and abused the +old witch-man all day for a poor fire-maker.</p> + +<p>When the boys returned in the evening, she said:</p> + +<p>“To-morrow, grandchildren, we will play <i>Nah-oo-p’ah-chée</i> +(hide-and-seek), and the one who is found +three times by the other shall pay his life.”</p> + +<p>The boys agreed,<a id="FNanchor_53" href="#Footnote_53" class="fnanchor">[53]</a> and secretly prayed to the +Trues to help them—for by this time they knew +that the old man and the old woman “had the bad +road.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_93"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>93]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenternocap illowp53" id="mwmm19" style="max-width: 35.8125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm19.jpg" alt="The boys hide by the door"> +</figure> + +<p>The next day came; +and very soon the old +woman called them to +begin the game. The +boys were to hide first; +and when the old woman +had turned her eyes and +vowed not to look, they +went to the door and +hid, one against each of +its jambs. There you +could look and look, and +see the wood through +them—for the Trues, to +help them, made them +invisible. When they +were safely hidden they +whooped, “<i>Hee-táh!</i>” +and the old woman began +to hunt, singing the +hide-and-seek song:</p> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0"><i>Hee-táh yahn</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Hee choo-ah-kóo</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Mee, mee, mee?</i></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0">(Now, now,</div> + <div class="i0">Which way</div> + <div class="i0">Went they, went they, went they?)</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_94"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>94]</span> +After hunting some time she called:</p> + +<p>“You little fellows are on the door-posts. Come +out!”</p> + +<p>So the boys came out and “made blind” (covered +their eyes) while the old woman went to hide. +There was a pond close by, with many ducks on +it; and making herself very little, she went and hid +under the left wing of the duck with a blue head.<a id="FNanchor_54" href="#Footnote_54" class="fnanchor">[54]</a></p> + +<p>When they heard her “<i>Hee-táh!</i>” the boys +went searching and singing; and at last the elder +cried out:</p> + +<p>“Old woman, you are under the left wing of the +whitest duck on the lake—the one with the blue +head. Come out!”</p> + +<p>This time the boys made themselves small and +crawled into the quivers beside their bows and arrows. +The old woman had to sing her song over +a great many times, as she went hunting all +around; but at last she called:</p> + +<p>“Come out of the quivers where you are!”</p> + +<p>Then the witch made herself very small indeed, +and went behind the foot of a big crane that was +standing on one leg near the lake. But at last +the boys found her even there.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp52" id="mwmm20" style="max-width: 34.6875em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm20.jpg" id="fig14" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">“THE WITCH MADE HERSELF VERY SMALL, AND WENT BEHIND THE FOOT OF A BIG CRANE.”</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>It was their last turn now, and the old woman +felt very triumphant as she waited for them to hide. +But this time they went up and hid themselves +under the right arm of the Sun.<a id="FNanchor_55" href="#Footnote_55" class="fnanchor">[55]</a> The old witch +hunted everywhere, and used all her bad power, +but in vain; and when she was tired out she had +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_95"></a><!-- original location of illustration --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_96"></a><!-- blank page --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_97"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>97]</span> +to cry, “<i>Hee-táh-ow!</i>” And then the boys came +down from under the Sun’s arm rejoicing.</p> + +<p>The old witch, taking her last turn, went to the +lake and entered into a fish, thinking that there +she would be perfectly safe from discovery. It did +take the boys a great while to find her; but at last +they shouted:</p> + +<p>“Old woman, you are in the biggest fish in the +lake. Come out!”</p> + +<p>As she came walking toward them in her natural +shape again, they called: “Remember the agreement!” +and with their sharp arrows they killed +the old witch-woman and then the old witch-man. +Then they took away the two wicked old hearts, +and put in place of each a kernel of spotless corn; +so that if the witches should ever come to life +again they would no longer be witches, but people +with pure, good hearts. They never did come to +life, however, which was just as well.</p> + +<p>Taking their bows and arrows, the boys—now +young men, for the four “days” they had been +with the witches were really four years—returned +home. At the village they found their anxious +parents, who had come to ask the Cacique to order +all the people out to search.</p> + +<p>When all saw the boys and heard their story, +there was great rejoicing, for those two witch-people +had been terrors to the village for years. On +their account no one had dared go hunting to the +south. And to this day the game is thicker there +than anywhere else in the country, because it has +not been hunted there for so long as in other places. +The two young men were forgiven for disobedience +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_98"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>98]</span> +(which is a very serious thing at any age, among +the Pueblos), and were made heroes. The Cacique +gave them his two daughters for wives, and all +the people did them honor.<a id="FNanchor_56" href="#Footnote_56" class="fnanchor">[56]</a></p> + + + +<p class="break">“Is that so?” we responded; and Lorenso replied, +“That is so,” gathering his blanket and rising +to go without “putting a tail” to any one, for it +was already late.</p> + +<p>I may add that the game of hide-and-seek is still +played by my dusky little neighbors, the Pueblo +children, and the searching-song is still sung by +them, exactly as the boys and the old witch played +and sang—but of course without their magical +talent at hiding.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_50" href="#FNanchor_50" class="label">[50]</a> Pronounced Ee-seé-droh.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_51" href="#FNanchor_51" class="label">[51]</a> An outdoor bake-oven, made of clay, and shaped like a beehive.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_52" href="#FNanchor_52" class="label">[52]</a> “The Trues,” as the Pueblos call their highest divinities.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_53" href="#FNanchor_53" class="label">[53]</a> For such a challenge, which was once a common one with the Indians, +could not possibly be declined.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_54" href="#FNanchor_54" class="label">[54]</a> I should tell you that, being a witch, she could not possibly have gone +under the right wing. Everything that is to the left belongs to the witches.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_55" href="#FNanchor_55" class="label">[55]</a> Who is, in the Pueblo belief, the father of all things.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_56" href="#FNanchor_56" class="label">[56]</a> This story seems to be one of the myths about the Hero Twin Brothers, +the children of the Sun. They are, next to Sun-Father and Moon-Mother, +the chief deities of all the southwestern tribes. In the Quères folk-lore they +figure very prominently; but in the Tée-wahn are more disguised.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_99"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>99]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap14">XIV<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE RACE OF THE TAILS</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">N</span>EARLY every people has its own version of +the race of the Hare and the Tortoise. That +current among the Pueblos makes the Rabbit the +hero, by a trick rather cleverer than Æsop’s.</p> + +<p>Once the Coyote came where Pee-oo-ée-deh, +the little “cotton-tail” rabbit, sat at the door of +his house, thinking.</p> + +<p>“What do you think, friend Pee-oo-ée-deh?” +said the Coyote.</p> + +<p>“I am thinking, friend Too-wháy-deh, why some +have large tails like you; but we have no tails. +Perhaps if we had tails like yours, we could run +straight; but now we have to hop.”</p> + +<p>“It is true, <i>ah-bóo</i>,”<a id="FNanchor_57" href="#Footnote_57" class="fnanchor">[57]</a> said the Coyote, not knowing +that the Rabbit laughed in his heart. “For I +can run faster than any one, and never did any +gain from me in the foot-races. But <em>you</em>,—you just +hop like a bird.”</p> + +<p>The Rabbit made a sad face, and the Coyote +said: “But come, friend Pee-oo-ée-deh, let us run +a race. We will run around the world, and see +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_100"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>100]</span> +who will win. And whichever shall come in first, +he shall kill the other and eat him.”<a id="FNanchor_58" href="#Footnote_58" class="fnanchor">[58]</a></p> + +<p>“It is well,” answered the Rabbit. “In four +days we will run.”</p> + +<p>Then the Coyote went home very glad. But +Pee-oo-ée-deh called a <i>junta</i> of all his tribe, and +told them how it was, and the way he thought to +win the race. And when they had heard, they all +said: “It is well. Fear not, for we will be the ones +that will help you.”</p> + +<p>When the fourth day came, the Coyote arrived +smiling, and threw down his blanket, and stood +ready in only the dark blue <i>taparabo</i>,<a id="FNanchor_59" href="#Footnote_59" class="fnanchor">[59]</a> saying: +“But what is the use to run? For I shall win. It +is better that I eat you now, before you are tired.”</p> + +<p>But the Rabbit threw off his blanket, and tightened +his <i>taparabo</i>, and said: “Pooh! For the end +of the race is far away, and <em>there</em> is time to talk of +eating. Come, we will run around the four sides +of the world.<a id="FNanchor_60" href="#Footnote_60" class="fnanchor">[60]</a> But <em>I</em> shall run underground, for +so it is easier for me.”</p> + +<p>Then they stood up side by side. And when +they were ready, the Capitan shouted “<i>Haí-koo!</i>” +and they ran. The Coyote ran with all his legs; +but the Rabbit jumped into his hole and threw out +sand, as those who dig very fast.</p> + +<p>Now for many days the Coyote kept running to +the east, and saw nothing of Pee-oo-ée-deh. But +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_101"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>101]</span> +just as he came to the east and was turning to the +north, up jumped a rabbit from under the ground +in front of him, and shouted: “We do this to one +another”; and jumped back in the hole and began +to throw out dirt very hard.</p> + +<p>“Ai!” said the Coyote. “I wish I could run +under the ground like that, for it seems very easy. +For all these days I have run faster than ever any +one ran; yet Pe-oo-ée-deh comes to the east +ahead of me.” But he did not know it was the +brother of Pee-oo-ée-deh, who had come out to +the east to wait for him.</p> + +<p>So Too-wháy-deh ran harder; and after many +days he came to the end of the world, to the +north. But just as he was to turn west, up +sprang a rabbit in front of him, and taunted him, +and went back in its hole, digging.</p> + +<p>The Coyote’s heart was heavy, but he ran <em>very</em> +hard. “Surely,” he said, “no one can run so fast +as <em>this</em>.”</p> + +<p>But when he came to the west, a rabbit sprang +up ahead of him, and mocked him, and went again +under the ground. And when he had run to the +south, there was the same thing. At last, very +tired and with his tongue out, he came in sight of +the starting-point, and there was Pee-oo-ée-deh, +sitting at the door of his house, smoothing his hair. +And he said: “Pooh! Coyote-friend, we do this to +one another. For now it is clear that big tails are +not good to run with, since I have been waiting +here a long time for you. Come here, then, that I +may eat you, though you are tough.”</p> + +<p>But Too-wháy-deh, being a coward, ran away and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_102"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>102]</span> +would not pay his bet. And all the brothers of +Pee-oo-ée-deh laughed for the trick they had put +upon the Coyote.</p> + + + +<p class="break">In a case which I knew of, years ago, this folk-story +seems to have given a hint to human racers. +A Mexican who owned a large and very fleet-footed +burro, challenged a young Indian of Acoma +to a ten-mile race. The Indian was a very famous +runner, and the challenger depended on the distance +alone to wear him out. In accordance with +the conditions the rivals started together from +the goal, the Indian on foot, the Mexican on his +burro. For about four miles the Indian left the +galloping donkey far behind; but he could not +keep up such a tremendous pace, and the burro began +to gain. About midway of the course where +the trail touches a great lava-flow, the Indian dove +into a cave. Just as the Mexican was passing, out +came an Indian, passed the burro with a magnificent +spurt, and after a long run reached the farther +goal about a hundred feet ahead. Unfortunately +for him, however, the trick was detected—he was +the twin brother of the challenged man, and had +awaited him in the cave, taking up the race fresh +when the first runner was tired!</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_57" href="#FNanchor_57" class="label">[57]</a> Poor thing.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_58" href="#FNanchor_58" class="label">[58]</a> A challenge of this sort, with life as the stake, was very common +among all Indians; and it was impossible for the challenged to decline. This +story recalls that of the Antelope Boy. Four days always elapsed between +the challenge and the race.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_59" href="#FNanchor_59" class="label">[59]</a> Breech-clout, which is the only thing worn in a foot-race.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_60" href="#FNanchor_60" class="label">[60]</a> Which the Pueblos believe to be flat and square.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_103"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>103]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap15">XV<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">HONEST BIG-EARS</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">N</span>EARLY all of you have seen pictures of the +Burro, the quaint little donkey of the Southwest. +He is very small,—not more than half the +weight of a smallish mule,—but very strong, very +sure-footed, and very reliable. And he is one of +the drollest, “cutest,” wisest-looking creatures on +earth.</p> + +<p>T’ah-hlá-a-hloon, or Big-ears, as the Tée-wahn +call him, does not appear very often in their folk-lore—and +for a very natural reason. Most of +these myths were made centuries before a white +man ever saw this country; and until Europeans +came, there were neither horses, donkeys, sheep, +goats, cats, nor cattle (except the buffalo) in either +America. It was the Spanish pioneers who gave +all these animals to the Pueblos. Nor did the Indians +have milk, cheese, wheat, or metals of any +sort. So when we see a story in which any of +these things are mentioned, we may know that it +was made within the last three hundred and fifty +years—or that an old story has been modified to +include them.</p> + +<p>There is one of these comparatively modern +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_104"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>104]</span> +nursery-tales which is designed to show the honesty +and wisdom of the Burro.</p> + +<p>Once Big-ears was coming alone from the farm +of his master to Isleta, carrying a load of curd +cheeses done up in buckskin bags. As he came +through the hills he met a Coyote, who said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Big-ears, what do you carry on your +back?”</p> + +<p>“I carry many cheeses for my master, friend +Too-wháy-deh,” answered the Burro.</p> + +<p>“Then give me one, friend, for I am hunger-dying.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said the Burro, “I cannot give you one, +for my master would blame me—since they are +not mine but his, and a man of the pueblo waits +for them.”</p> + +<p>Many times the Coyote asked him, with soft +words; but Big-ears would not, and went his way. +Then Too-wháy-deh followed him behind, without +noise, and slyly bit the bag and stole a cheese. +But Big-ears did not know it, for he could not see +behind.</p> + +<p>When he came to the pueblo, the man who +awaited him unloaded the cheeses and counted +them. “There lacks one,” he said; “for thy master +said he would send <em>so</em> many. Where is the other?”</p> + +<p>“Truly, I know not,” answered Big-ears, “but +I think Too-wháy-deh stole it; for he asked me +on the way to give him a cheese. But wait—I +will pay him!”</p> + +<p>So Big-ears went back to the hills and looked +for the house of Too-wháy-deh. At last he found +it, but the Coyote was nowhere. So he lay down +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_105"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>105]</span> +near the hole, and stretched his legs out as if dead, +and opened his mouth wide, and was very still.</p> + +<p>Time passing so, the Old-Woman-Coyote came +out of the house to bring a jar of water. But +when she saw the Burro lying there, she dropped +her <i>tinaja</i>, and ran in crying:</p> + +<p>“<i>Hloo-hli!</i><a id="FNanchor_61" href="#Footnote_61" class="fnanchor">[61]</a> come out and see! For a <em>buffalo</em> +has died out here, and we must take in some meat.”</p> + +<p>So Old-Man-Coyote came out, and was very +glad, and began to sharpen his knife.</p> + +<p>But his wife said: “But before you cut him up, +get me the liver, for I am very hungry”—and the +liver is that which all the foxes like best.</p> + +<p>Then the Old-Man-Coyote, thinking to please +her, went into the Burro’s mouth to get the liver; +but Big-ears shut his teeth on Too-wháy-deh’s +head, and jumped up and ran home. The Old-Woman-Coyote +followed running, crying: “<i>Ay, +Nana!</i> Let go!” But Big-ears would not listen +to her, and brought the thief to his master. +When the master heard what had been, he killed +the Coyote, and thanked Big-ears, and gave him +much grass. And this is why, ever since, Big-ears +strikes with his hind feet if anything comes +behind him slyly; for he remembers how Too-wháy-deh +stole the cheese.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_61" href="#FNanchor_61" class="label">[61]</a> Old Man.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_106"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>106]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap16">XVI<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE FEATHERED BARBERS</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HE coyote, one summer day, having taken a +bath in the river, lay down in the hot sand to dry +himself. While he was sleeping there, a crowd of +Quails came along; and seeing that he was asleep, +they said:</p> + +<p>“Huh! Here is that foolish Too-wháy-deh. Let +us give him a trick!”</p> + +<p>So they cut off all his hair, which makes one to +be laughed at, and ran away.</p> + +<p>When the Coyote woke up he was ashamed, +and wished to punish those who had made him +<i>pelado</i>; and he ran around to see if he could find +the tracks of an enemy. There were only the +tracks of the Quails, so he knew they had done it. +Very angry, he followed the trail until it went into +a large hole. He went all around to see if they +had come out; but there were no other tracks, +so he went in. First the hole was big, but then +it grew small, and he had to dig. When he had +dug a long time, he caught a Quail, and he said:</p> + +<p>“Ho, Ch’um-níd-deh! It is you that cut my hair +and left me a laughed-at. But I am going to eat +you this very now!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_107"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>107]</span> +“No, friend Too-wháy-deh, it was another who +did it. You will find him farther in, with the scissors<a id="FNanchor_62" href="#Footnote_62" class="fnanchor">[62]</a> +still in his hand.”</p> + +<p>So the Coyote let that Quail go, and dug and dug +till he caught another. But that one said the same +thing; and Too-wháy-deh let him go, and dug +after the next one. So it was, until he had let +them all go, one by one; and when he came to the +very end of the hole, there were no more.</p> + +<p>With this, the Coyote was very angry, and ran +out of the hole, promising to catch and eat them +all. As he came out he met the Cotton-tail, and +cried with a fierce face:</p> + +<p>“Hear, you Pee-oo-ée-deh! If you don’t catch +me the Ch’úm-nin that cut my hair, I’ll eat <em>you</em>!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I can catch them, friend Coyote,” said the +Rabbit. “See, here is their trail!”</p> + +<p>When they had followed the trail a long way, +they saw the birds sitting and laughing under a +bush.</p> + +<p>“Now you wait here while I go and catch them,” +said Pee-oo-ée-deh. So the Coyote sat down to +rest. As soon as the Rabbit was near them, the +Quails flew a little way, and he kept running after +them. But as soon as they were over a little hill, +he turned aside and ran home, and the Coyote +never knew if the Quails were caught or not.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_62" href="#FNanchor_62" class="label">[62]</a> This indicates that the tale is comparatively modern.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_108"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>108]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenternocap illowp100" id="mwmm21" style="max-width: 40em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm21.jpg" alt="Decorative title: The Accursed Lake"> +</figure> + + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="chap17">XVII<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE ACCURSED LAKE</span></h2> +</div> + + +<div class="ddropcapbox"> +<img class="idropcap" src="images/dcapa02.jpg" width="276" height="311" alt="A"> +</div> +<p>WAY to the southeast of the Manzano +Mountains, two days’ journey +from my pueblo of Isleta, +are the shallow salt lakes. For +scores of miles their dazzling +sheen is visible—a strange +patch of silver on the vast +brown plains. They are +near the noblest ruins in our +North America—the wondrous +piles of massive masonry +of Abó, Cuaray, and the so-called “Gran +Quivira”—the latter the home of the silliest delusion +that ever lured treasure-hunters to their death. +The whole region has a romantic history, and is important +to the scientific student. From that locality +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_109"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>109]</span> +came, centuries ago, part of the people who then +founded Isleta, and whose descendants dwell here +to this day. Perhaps you would like to know <em>why</em> +those lakes are salt now—for my Indian neighbors +say that once they were fresh and full of fish, and +that the deer and buffalo came from all the country +round to drink there. The story is very important +ethnologically, for it tells much of the strange secret +religion of the Pueblos, and more concerning +the method of initiating a young Indian into one +of the orders of medicine-men—both matters which +men of science have found extremely difficult to +be learned. Here is the story as it is believed by +the Tée-wahn, and as it was related to me by one +of them.</p> + + + +<p class="break">Long ago there was still a village east of Shoo-paht-hóo-eh, +the Eagle-Feather (Manzano) Mountains, +and in it lived a famous hunter. One day, +going out on the plains to the east, he stalked a +herd of antelopes, and wounded one with his arrows. +It fled eastward, while the herd went south; +and the hunter began to trail it by the drops of +blood. Presently he came to the largest lake, into +which the trail led. As he stood on the bank, wondering +what to do, a fish thrust its head from the +water and said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Hunter, you are on dangerous ground!” +and off it went swimming. Before the Hunter +could recover from his surprise, a Lake-Man came +up out of the water and said:</p> + +<p>“How is it that you are here, where no human +ever came?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_110"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>110]</span> +The Hunter told his story, and the Lake-Man +invited him to come in. When he had entered the +lake, he came to a house with doors to the east, +north, west, and south, and a trap-door in the roof, +with a ladder; and by the latter door they entered. +In their talk together the Lake-Man learned that +the Hunter had a wife and little son at home.</p> + +<p>“If that is so,” said he, “why do you not come +and live with me? I am here alone, and have +plenty of other food, but I am no hunter. We +could live very well here together.” And opening +doors on four sides of the room he showed the +Hunter four other huge rooms, all piled from floor +to ceiling with corn and wheat and dried squash +and the like.</p> + +<p>“That is a very good offer,” said the astonished +Hunter. “I will come again in four days; and if my +Cacique will let me, I will bring my family and stay.”</p> + +<p>So the Hunter went home—killing an antelope +on the way—and told his wife all. She thought +very well of the offer; and he went to ask permission +of the Cacique. The Cacique demurred, for +this was the best hunter in all the pueblo,<a id="FNanchor_63" href="#Footnote_63" class="fnanchor">[63]</a> but at +last consented and gave him his blessing.</p> + +<p>So on the fourth day the Hunter and his wife +and little boy came to the lake with all their property. +The Lake-Man met them cordially, and gave +the house and all its contents into the charge of the +woman.<a id="FNanchor_64" href="#Footnote_64" class="fnanchor">[64]</a></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp47" id="mwmm22" style="max-width: 28em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm22.jpg" id="fig15" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">THE HUNTER AND THE LAKE-MAN.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>Some time passed very pleasantly, the Hunter +going out daily and bringing back great quantities +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_111"></a><!-- original location of illustration --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_112"></a><!-- blank page --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_113"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>113]</span> +of game. At last the Lake-Man, who was of an +evil heart, pretended to show the Hunter something +in the east room; and pushing him in, locked +the great door and left him there to starve—for +the room was full of the bones of men whom he +had already entrapped in the same way.</p> + +<p>The boy was now big enough to use his bow +and arrows so well that he brought home many +rabbits; and the witch-hearted Lake-Man began +to plot to get him, too, out of the way.</p> + +<p>So one morning when the boy was about to +start for a hunt, he heard his mother groaning as +if about to die; and the Lake-Man said to him:</p> + +<p>“My boy, your mother has a terrible pain, and +the only thing that will cure her is some ice from +T’hoor-p’ah-whée-ai [Lake of the Sun],<a id="FNanchor_65" href="#Footnote_65" class="fnanchor">[65]</a> the water +from which the sun rises.”</p> + +<p>“Then,” said the boy, straightway, “if that is so, +I will take the heart of a man [that is, be brave] +and go and get the ice for my little mother.” And +away he started toward the unknown east.</p> + +<p>Far out over the endless brown plains he trudged +bravely; until at last he came to the house of Shee-chóo-hlee-oh, +the Old-Woman-Mole, who was there +all alone—for her husband had gone to hunt. +They were dreadfully poor, and the house was almost +falling down, and the poor, wrinkled Old-Woman-Mole +sat huddled in the corner by the +fireplace, trying to keep warm by a few dying +coals. But when the boy knocked, she rose and +welcomed him kindly and gave him all there was +in the house to eat—a wee bowl of soup with a +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_114"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>114]</span> +patched-up snowbird in it. The boy was very +hungry, and picking up the snowbird bit a big +piece out of it.</p> + +<p>“Oh, my child!” cried the old woman, beginning +to weep. “You have ruined me! For my husband +trapped that bird these many years ago, but we +could never get another; and that is all we have +had to eat ever since. So we never bit it, but +cooked it over and over and drank the broth. And +now not even that is left.” And she wept bitterly.</p> + +<p>“Nay, Grandmother, do not worry,” said the +boy. “Have you any long hairs?”—for he saw +many snowbirds lighting near by.</p> + +<p>“No, my child,” said the old woman sadly. +“There is no other living animal here, and you +are the first human that ever came here.”</p> + +<p>But the boy pulled out some of his own long +hair and made snares, and soon caught many birds. +Then the Old-Woman-Mole was full of joy; and +having learned his errand, she said:</p> + +<p>“My son, fear not, for I will be the one that shall +help you. When you come into the house of the +Trues, they will tempt you with a seat; but you +must sit down only on what you have.<a id="FNanchor_66" href="#Footnote_66" class="fnanchor">[66]</a> Then they +will try you with smoking the <i>weer</i>, but I will help you.”</p> + +<p>Then she gave him her blessing, and the boy +started away to the east. At last, after a weary, +weary way, he came so near the Sun Lake, that +the <i>Whit-lah-wíd-deh</i><a id="FNanchor_67" href="#Footnote_67" class="fnanchor">[67]</a> of the Trues saw him coming, +and went in to report.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_115"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>115]</span> +“Let him be brought in,” said the Trues; and +the Whit-lah-wíd-deh took the boy in and in +through eight rooms, until he stood in the presence +of all the gods, in a vast room. There were all the +gods of the East, whose color is white, and the +blue gods of the North, the yellow gods of the +West, the red gods of the South, and the rainbow-colored +gods of the Up, the Down, and the +Center, all in human shape. Beyond their seats +were all the sacred animals—the buffalo, the bear, +the eagle, the badger, the mountain lion, the rattlesnake, +and all the others that are powerful in +medicine.</p> + +<p>Then the Trues bade the boy sit down, and +offered him a white <i>manta</i> (robe) for a seat; but +he declined respectfully, saying that he had been +taught, when in the presence of his elders, to sit +on nothing save what he brought, and he sat upon +his blanket and moccasins. When he had told his +story, the Trues tried him, and gave him the sacred +<i>weer</i> to smoke—a hollow reed rammed with <i>pee-en-hleh</i>.<a id="FNanchor_68" href="#Footnote_68" class="fnanchor">[68]</a> +He smoked, and held the smoke bravely. +But just then the Old-Woman-Mole, who had followed +him underground all this way, dug a hole +up to his very toes; and the smoke went down +through his feet into the hole, and away back to +the Old-Woman-Mole’s house, where it poured out +in a great cloud. And not the tiniest particle escaped +into the room of the Trues. He finished +the second <i>weer</i><a id="FNanchor_69" href="#Footnote_69" class="fnanchor">[69]</a> without being sick at all; and the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_116"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>116]</span> +Trues said, “Yes, he is our son. But we will try +him once more.” So they put him into the room +of the East with the bear and the lion; and the +savage animals came forward and breathed on him, +but would not hurt him. Then they put him into +the room of the North, with the eagle and the +hawk; then into the room of the West, with the +snakes; and lastly, into the room of the South, +where were the Apaches and all the other human +enemies of his people. And from each room he +came forth unscratched.</p> + +<p>“Surely,” said the Trues, “this is our son! But +once more we will try him.”</p> + +<p>They had a great pile of logs built up (“cob-house” +fashion), and the space between filled with +pine-knots. Then the Whit-lah-wíd-deh set the +boy on the top of the pile and lighted it.</p> + +<p>But in the morning, when the guard went out, +there was the boy unharmed and saying: “Tell +the Trues I am cold, and would like more fire.”</p> + +<p>Then he was brought again before the Trues, +who said: “Son, you have proved yourself a True +Believer, and now you shall have what you seek.”</p> + +<p>So the sacred ice was given him, and he started +homeward—stopping on the way only to thank +the Old-Woman-Mole, to whose aid he owed his +success.</p> + +<p>When the wicked Lake-Man saw the boy coming, +he was very angry, for he had never expected +him to return from that dangerous mission. But +he deceived the boy and the woman; and in a few +days made a similar excuse to send the boy to the +gods of the South after more ice for his mother.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_117"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>117]</span> +The boy started off as bravely as before. When +he had traveled a great way to the south, he came +to a drying lake; and there, dying in the mud, +was a little fish.</p> + +<p>“<i>Ah-bóo</i> [poor thing], little fish,” said the boy; +and picking it up, he put it in his gourd canteen +of water. After awhile he came to a good lake; +and as he sat down to eat his lunch the fish in his +gourd said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Boy, let me swim while you eat, for +I love the water.”</p> + +<p>So he put the fish in the lake; and when he was +ready to go on, the fish came to him, and he put +it back in his gourd. At three lakes he let the fish +swim while he ate; and each time the fish came +back to him. But beyond the third lake began a +great forest which stretched clear across the world, +and was so dense with thorns and brush that no +man could pass it. But as the boy was wondering +what he should do, the tiny fish changed itself +into a great Fish-Animal with a very hard, strong +skin,<a id="FNanchor_70" href="#Footnote_70" class="fnanchor">[70]</a> and bidding the boy mount upon its back, it +went plowing through the forest, breaking down +big trees like stubble, and bringing him through +to the other side without a scratch.</p> + +<p>“Now, Friend Boy,” said the Fish-Animal, +“you saved my life, and I will be the one that +shall help you. When you come to the house +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_118"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>118]</span> +of the Trues, they will try you as they did in +the East. And when you have proved yourself, +the Cacique will bring you his three daughters, +from whom to choose you a wife. The two +eldest are very beautiful, and the youngest is +not; but you ought to choose her, for beauty +does not always reach to the heart.”</p> + +<p>The boy thanked his fish-friend and went on, +until at last he came to the house of the Trues of +the South. There they tried him with the <i>weer</i> +and the fire, just as the Trues of the East had +done, but he proved himself a man, and they gave +him the ice. Then the Cacique brought his three +daughters, and said:</p> + +<p>“Son, you are now old enough to have a wife,<a id="FNanchor_71" href="#Footnote_71" class="fnanchor">[71]</a> +and I see that you are a true man who will dare +all for his mother. Choose, therefore, one of my +daughters.”</p> + +<p>The boy looked at the three girls; and truly the +eldest were very lovely. But he remembered the +words of his fish friend, and said:</p> + +<p>“Let the youngest be my wife.”</p> + +<p>Then the Cacique was pleased, for he loved +this daughter more than both the others. And +the boy and the Cacique’s daughter were married +and started homeward, carrying the ice and many +presents.</p> + +<p>When they came to the great forest, there was +the Fish-Animal waiting for them, and taking both +on his back he carried them safely through. At +the first lake he bade them good-by and blessed +them, and they trudged on alone.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_119"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>119]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp40" id="mwmm23" style="max-width: 26.875em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm23.jpg" id="fig16" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">THE CURSING OF THE LAKE.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_120"></a><!-- blank page --></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_121"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>121]</span> +At last they came in sight of the big lake, and +over it were great clouds, with the forked lightning +leaping forth. While they were yet far off, they +could see the wicked Lake-Man sitting at the top +of his ladder, watching to see if the boy would +return, and even while they looked they saw the +lightning of the Trues strike him and tear him to +shreds.</p> + +<p>When they came to the lake the boy found his +mother weeping for him as dead. And taking his +wife and his mother,—but none of the things of +the Lake-Man, for those were bewitched,—the boy +came out upon the shore. There he stood and prayed +to the Trues that the lake might be accurst forever; +and they heard his prayer, for from that +day its waters turned salt, and no living thing has +drunk therefrom.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_63" href="#FNanchor_63" class="label">[63]</a> All hunters give the Cacique a tenth of their game, for his support.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_64" href="#FNanchor_64" class="label">[64]</a> As is the custom among all Pueblo Indians.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_65" href="#FNanchor_65" class="label">[65]</a> Located “somewhere to the east”; perhaps the ocean.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_66" href="#FNanchor_66" class="label">[66]</a> That is, upon his blanket and moccasins, the unvarying etiquette of the +Medicine House.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_67" href="#FNanchor_67" class="label">[67]</a> One of an order of medicine-men, who among other duties, act as guards +of the Medicine House.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_68" href="#FNanchor_68" class="label">[68]</a> The smoking of the pungent <i>weer</i> is a very severe ordeal; and it is a +disgrace to let any of the smoke escape from the mouth or nose.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_69" href="#FNanchor_69" class="label">[69]</a> Two being the usual number given a candidate for initiation into a medicine +order.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_70" href="#FNanchor_70" class="label">[70]</a> It is quite possible that this “Fish-Animal with a hard, strong skin,” +living far to the south, is the alligator. Of course, the Pueblos never saw +that strange saurian; but they probably heard of it in the earliest days from +nomad tribes, and as a great scientist has pointed out, we may always depend +upon it that there is a nucleus of truth in all these folk-myths. Such +a strange animal, once heard of, would be very sure to figure in some story.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_71" href="#FNanchor_71" class="label">[71]</a> For it must be remembered that all these travels had taken many years.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_122"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>122]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap18">XVIII<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE MOQUI<a id="FNanchor_72" href="#Footnote_72" class="fnanchor">[72]</a> BOY AND THE EAGLE</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">S</span>OME of the folk-stories told in Isleta were +evidently invented in other pueblos, whence +the Tée-wahn have learned them in their trading-trips. +There is even a story from the far-off towns +of Moqui, three hundred miles west of here and +ninety miles from the railroad. The Moquis live +in northeast Arizona, in strange adobe towns,<a id="FNanchor_73" href="#Footnote_73" class="fnanchor">[73]</a> +perched upon impregnable islands of rock, rising +far above the bare, brown plain. They are seldom +visited and little known by white men. All the +other Pueblo towns and tribes have changed +somewhat in the present era of American occupation; +but the Moquis remain very much as they +were when the first Spaniard found them—three +hundred and fifty years ago. They retain +many customs long extinct among their kindred, +and have some of which no trace is to be found +elsewhere. One of the minor differences, but one +which would be almost the first to strike a stranger, +is the absence of captive eagles in Moqui; and this +is explained by the following folk-story:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_123"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>123]</span> +The Eagle is Kah-báy-deh (commander) of all that +flies, and his feathers are strongest in medicine.</p> + +<p>So long ago that no man can tell how long, +there lived in Moqui an old man and an old +woman, who had two children—a boy and a +girl. The boy, whose name was Tái-oh, had a +pet Eagle, of which he was very fond; and the +Eagle loved its young master. Despite his +youth, Tái-oh was a capital hunter; and every +day he brought home not only rabbits enough for +the family, but also to keep the Eagle well fed.</p> + +<p>One day when he was about to start on a +hunt, he asked his sister to look out for the +Eagle during his absence. No sooner was he +out of sight than the girl began to upbraid the +bird bitterly, saying: “How I hate you, for my +brother loves you so much. If it were not for +you, he would give me many more rabbits, but +now you eat them up.”</p> + +<p>The Eagle, feeling the injustice of this, was +angry; so when she brought him a rabbit for +breakfast the Eagle turned his head and looked +at it sidewise, and would not touch it. At noon, +when she brought him his dinner, he did the +same thing; and at night, when Tái-oh returned, +the Eagle told him all that had happened.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said the Eagle, “I am very tired of +staying always here in Moqui, and I want to go +home to visit my people a little. Come and go +along with me, that you may see where the +Eagle-people live.”</p> + +<p>“It is well,” replied Tái-oh. “To-morrow +morning we will go together.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_124"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>124]</span> +In the morning they all went out into the +fields, far down in the valley, to hoe their corn, +leaving Tái-oh at home.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said the Eagle, “untie this thong from +my leg, friend, and get astride my neck, and we +will go.”</p> + +<p>The string was soon untied, and Tái-oh got +astride the neck of the great bird, which rose up +into the air as though it carried no weight at all. +It circled over the town a long time, and the people +cried out with wonder and fear at seeing an Eagle +with a boy on his back. Then they sailed out over +the fields, where Tái-oh’s parents and his sister +were at work; and all the three began to cry, and +went home in great sorrow.</p> + +<p>The Eagle kept soaring up and up until they +came to the very sky. There in the blue was +a little door, through which the Eagle flew. +Alighting on the floor of the sky, he let Tái-oh +down from his back, and said:</p> + +<p>“Now, you wait here, friend, while I go and +see my people,” and off he flew.</p> + +<p>Tái-oh waited three days, and still the Eagle did +not return; so he became uneasy and started out +to see what he could find. After wandering a long +way, he met an old Spider-woman.</p> + +<p>“Where are you going, my son?” she asked.</p> + +<p>“I am trying to find my friend, the Eagle.”</p> + +<p>“Very well, then, I will help you. Come into +my house.”</p> + +<p>“But how can I come into so small a door?” +objected Tái-oh.</p> + +<p>“Just put your foot in, and it will open big +enough for you to enter.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_125"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>125]</span> +So Tái-oh put his foot in, and, sure enough, the +door opened wide, and he went into the Spider’s +house and sat down.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said she, “you will have some trouble +in getting to the house of your friend, the Eagle, +for to get there you will have to climb a dreadful +ladder. It is well that you came to me for help, +for that ladder is set with sharp arrow-heads and +knives of flint, so that if you tried to go up it, it +would cut your legs off. But I will give you this +sack of sacred herbs to help you. When you come +to the ladder, you must chew some of the herbs +and spit the juice on the ladder, which will at once +become smooth for you.”<a id="FNanchor_74" href="#Footnote_74" class="fnanchor">[74]</a></p> + +<p>Tái-oh thanked the Spider-woman and started +off with the sack. After awhile he came to the +foot of a great ladder, which went away up out of +sight. Its sides and rungs were bristling with keen +arrow-heads, so that no living thing could climb +it; but when Tái-oh chewed some of the magic +herb and spat upon the ladder, all the sharp points +fell off, and it was so smooth that he climbed it +without a single scratch.</p> + +<p>After a long, long climb, he came to the top of +the ladder, and stepped upon the roof of the Eagles’ +house. But when he came to the door he found it +so bristling with arrow-points that whoever might +try to enter would be cut to pieces. Again he +chewed some of the herb, and spat upon the door; +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_126"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>126]</span> +and at once all the points fell off, and he entered +safely, and inside he found his Eagle-friend, and +all the Eagle-people. His friend had fallen in love +with an Eagle-girl and married her, and that was +the reason he had not returned sooner.</p> + +<p>Tái-oh stayed there some time, being very nicely +entertained, and enjoyed himself greatly in the +strange sky-country. At last one of the wise old +Eagle-men came to him and said:</p> + +<p>“Now, my son, it is well that you go home, for +your parents are very sad, thinking you are dead. +After this, whenever you see an Eagle caught +and kept captive, you must let it go; for now you +have been in our country, and know that when we +come home we take off our feather-coats and are +people like your own.”</p> + +<p>So Tái-oh went to his Eagle-friend and said he +thought he must go home.</p> + +<p>“Very well,” said the Eagle; “get on my neck +and shut your eyes, and we will go.”</p> + +<p>So he got on, and they went down out of the +sky, and down and down until at last they came to +Moqui. There the Eagle let Tái-oh down among +the wondering people, and, bidding him an affectionate +good-by, flew off to his young wife in the +sky.</p> + +<p>Tái-oh went to his home loaded down with dried +meat and tanned buckskin, which the Eagle had +given him; and there was great rejoicing, for all +had given him up as dead. And this is why, to +this very day, the Moquis will not keep an Eagle +captive, though nearly all the other Pueblo towns +have all the Eagle-prisoners they can get.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_72" href="#FNanchor_72" class="label">[72]</a> Pronounced Móh-kee.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_73" href="#FNanchor_73" class="label">[73]</a> See “Some Strange Corners of Our Country.” The Century Co., New York.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_74" href="#FNanchor_74" class="label">[74]</a> This recalls a superstition of the Peruvian mountain Indians, ancient +and modern. The latter I have often seen throwing upon a stone at the crest +of a mountain pass the quid of coca-leaves they had been chewing. They +believe such use of this sacred herb propitiates the spirits and keeps off the +terrible <i>soroche</i>, or mountain-sickness; and that it also makes veins of metal +easier to be worked—softening the stone, even as it did for Tái-oh.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_127"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>127]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap19">XIX<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE NORTH WIND AND THE SOUTH WIND</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">N</span>EARLY every nation has its folk-lore concerning +Jack Frost and his anti-type. The cold +North Wind is always the enemy of man, and the +warm South Wind always his friend. The Quères +pueblos of Acoma and Laguna have an allegorical +folk-story, in which the good spirit of heat defeats +his icy-hearted rival.</p> + +<p>Once, long ago, the <i>ta-pó-pe</i> (governor) of +Acoma had a beautiful daughter, for whom many +of the young men had asked in vain, for she would +have none of them. One day there came climbing +up the stone ladder to the cliff-built pueblo a tall +and handsome stranger. His dress glistened with +white crystals, and his face, though handsome, was +very stern. The fair <i>kot-chin-á-ka</i> (chief’s daughter), +bending at a pool in the great rock to fill her +water-jar, saw and admired him as he came striding +proudly to the village; and he did not fail to +notice the dusky beauty. Soon he asked for her in +due form; and in a little while they were to be +married.</p> + +<p>But, with the coming of Shó-kee-ah—for that +was the name of the handsome stranger—a sad +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_128"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>128]</span> +change befell Acoma. The water froze in the +springs and the corn withered in the fields. Every +morning Shó-kee-ah left the town and went away +to his home in the far North; and every evening +he returned, and the air grew chill around. The +people could raise no crops, for the bitter cold +killed all that they planted, and nothing would grow +but the thorny cactus. To keep from starving, +they had to eat the cactus-leaves, roasting them +first to remove the sharp thorns. One day, when +the <i>kot-chin-á-ka</i> was roasting cactus-leaves, there +came another handsome stranger with a sunny +smile and stood beside her.</p> + +<p>“What dost thou there?” he asked; and she +told him.</p> + +<p>“But do not so,” said the young man, giving her +an ear of green corn. “Eat this, and I will bring +thee more.”</p> + +<p>So saying, he was gone; but very soon he returned +with such a load of green corn as the +strongest man could not lift, and carried it to +her house.</p> + +<p>“Roast this,” he said, “and when the people +come to thee, give them each two ears, for hereafter +there shall always be much corn.”</p> + +<p>She roasted the corn and gave it to the people, +who took it eagerly, for they were starving. But +soon Shó-kee-ah returned, and the warm, bright +day grew suddenly cold and cloudy. As he +put his foot on the ladder to come down into the +house (all Pueblo rooms used to be entered only +from the roof, and thousands are so yet) great +flakes of snow fell around him; but Mí-o-chin, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_129"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>129]</span> +the newcomer, made it very warm, and the +snow melted.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Shó-kee-ah, “we will see which is +more powerful; and he that is shall have the <i>kot-chin-á-ka</i>.” +Mí-o-chin accepted the challenge, and +it was agreed that the contest should begin on the +morrow and last three days. Mí-o-chin went to +consult an old Spider-woman as to the best way to +conquer his powerful rival, and she gave him the +necessary advice.</p> + +<p>Next day the people all gathered to see the trial +of strength between the two wizards. Shó-kee-ah +“made medicine,” and caused a driving sleet and +a bitter wind that froze all waters. But Mí-o-chin +built a fire and heated small stones in it, and with +them caused a warm South Wind, which melted the +ice. On the second day, Shó-kee-ah used more +powerful incantations, and made a deep snow to +cover the world; but again Mí-o-chin brought his +South Wind and chased away the snow. On the +third day Shó-kee-ah used his strongest spell, and +it rained great icicles, until everything was buried +under them. But when Mí-o-chin built his fire +and heated the stones, again the warm South Wind +drove away the ice and dried the earth. So it +remained to Mí-o-chin; and the defeated Shó-kee-ah +went away to his frozen home in the North, +leaving Mí-o-chin to live happy ever after with the +<i>kot-chin-á-ka</i>, whom he married amid the rejoicing +of all the people of Acoma.</p> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_130"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>130]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap20">XX<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE TOWN OF THE SNAKE-GIRLS</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">I</span>N the times that were farthest back, the forefathers +of those who now dwell in Isleta were +scattered about in many small villages. You have +already heard the myths of how the inhabitants of +several villages finally abandoned their homes and +came to live in the one big town of the Tée-wahn. +Three miles north of Isleta, amid the sandy plain +of Los Padillas, stands the strange round mesa of +Shee-em-tóo-ai. It is a circular “island” of hard, +black lava, cut off from the long lava cliffs which +wall the valley of the Rio Grande on the west. Its +level top, of over fifty acres, is some two hundred +feet above the plain; the last fifty feet being a +stern and almost unbroken cliff. Upon its top are +still visible the crumbling ruins of the pueblo of +Poo-reh-tú-ai—a town deserted, as we are historically +sure, over three hundred and fifty years ago. +The mound outlines of the round <i>estufa</i>, the houses +and the streets, are still easy to be traced, and bits +of pottery, broken arrow-heads, and other relics, +still abound there. In history we know no more of +the pueblo than that it was once there, but had +been abandoned already when Coronado passed in +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_131"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>131]</span> +1540; but my aboriginal friends and fellow-citizens +of Shee-eh-whíb-bahk have an interesting legend +of the pueblo of Poo-reh-tú-ai and the cause which +led to its abandonment.</p> + +<p>When the mesa town was inhabited, so was +Isleta; and, being but three miles apart, the intercommunication +was constant. At one time, four +hundred years ago or more, there lived in Isleta +a very handsome youth whose name was K’oo-ah-máh-koo-hóo-oo-aí-deh—which +means Young-Man-Who-Embraces-a-Corncob.</p> + +<p>In spite of this serious burden of a title, the +young man was greatly admired, and had many +friends. Probably they called him something else +“for short,” or people wouldn’t have had time to +associate with him. There were two sisters, very +pretty girls, living in Poo-reh-tú-ai, and they fell +very seriously in love, both with this same youth. +But he had never really found out how handsome +he was, and so thought little about girls anyhow, +caring more to run fastest in the races and to kill +the most game in the hunts. The sisters, finding +that he would not notice their shy smiles, began to +make it in their way to pass his house whenever +they came to Isleta, and to say <i>hin-a-kú-pui-yoo</i> +(good morning) as they met him on the road. But +he paid no attention to them whatever, except +to be polite; and even when they sent him the +modest little gift which means “there is a young +lady who loves you!” he was as provokingly indifferent +as ever.</p> + +<p>After long coquetting in vain, the girls began to +hate him as hard as before they had loved him. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_132"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>132]</span> +They decided, no doubt, that he was <i>oó-teh</i>, the +Tée-wahn word for “a mean old thing”; and +finally one proposed that they put him out of the +way, for both sisters, young and pretty as they +were, were witches.</p> + +<p>“We will teach him,” said one.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said the other, “he ought to be punished; +but how shall we do it?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, we will invite him to play a game of <i>mah-khúr</i>, +and then we’ll fix him. I’ll go now and +make the hoop.”</p> + +<p>The witch-sisters made a very gay hoop, and +then sent word to the youth to meet them at the +sacred sand-hill, just west of Isleta, as they had +important business with him. Wondering what it +could be, he met them at the appointed time and +place.</p> + +<p>“Now, Brother Young-Man-Who-Embraces-a-Corncob,” +said the eldest sister, “we want to amuse +ourselves a little, so let us have a game of <i>mah-khúr</i>. +We have a very nice hoop to play it. You +go half-way down the hill and see if you can catch +it when we roll it to you. If you can, you may +have the hoop; but if you fail, you come and roll +it to us and we’ll see if we can catch it.”</p> + +<p>So he went down the hill and waited, and the +girls sent the bright wheel rolling toward him. +He was very nimble, and caught it “on the fly”; +but that very instant he was no longer the tall, +handsome Young-Man-Who-Embraces-a-Corncob, +but a poor little Coyote, with great tears rolling +down his cheeks. The witch-sisters came laughing +and taunting him, and said:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_133"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>133]</span> +“You see it would have been better to marry +us! But now you will always be a Coyote and +an outcast from home. You may roam to the +north and to the south and to the west, but never +to the east” (and therefore not back to Isleta).</p> + +<p>The Coyote started off, still weeping; and the +two wicked sisters went home rejoicing at their +success. The Coyote roamed away to the west, +and at last turned south. After a time he came +across a party of Isleteños<a id="FNanchor_75" href="#Footnote_75" class="fnanchor">[75]</a> returning from a trading-trip +to the Apache country. He sneaked +about their camp, snapping up odd scraps—for +he was nearly starved. In the morning the Indians +spied this Coyote sitting and watching them at a +little distance, and they set their dogs on him. +But the Coyote did not run; and when the dogs +came to him they merely sniffed and came away +without hurting him—though every one knows +that the dog and the Coyote have been enemies +almost ever since the world began. The Indians +were greatly astonished; and one of them, who +was a medicine-man, began to suspect that there +was something wrong. So, without saying anything +to the others, he walked over to the Coyote +and said: “Coyote, are you Coyote-true, or somebody +bewitched?” But the Coyote made no reply. +Again the medicine-man asked: “Coyote, are you +a man?” At this the Coyote nodded his head affirmatively, +while tears rolled from his eyes.</p> + +<p>“Very well, then,” said the medicine-man, “come +with me.” So the Coyote rose and followed him +to the camp; and the medicine-man fed and cared +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_134"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>134]</span> +for him as the party journeyed toward Isleta. The +last night they camped at the big barranca, just +below the village; and here the medicine-man told +his companions the story of the bewitchment,—for +the Coyote had already told him,—and they were +all greatly astonished, and very sad to learn that +this poor Coyote was their handsome friend, K’oo-ah-máh-koo-hóo-oo-aí-deh.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said the medicine-man, “we will make +a nice hoop and try a game.” He made it, and +said to the Coyote: “Friend, go and stand over +there; and when I roll this hoop toward you, you +must jump and put your head through it before it +stops rolling or falls over upon its side.”</p> + +<p>The Coyote stood off, and the medicine-man +sent the hoop rolling toward him very hard. Just +as it came near enough the Coyote made a wonderful +jump and put his head squarely through the +middle of it—and there, instead of the gaunt Coyote, +stood the Young-Man-Who-Embraces-a-Corncob, +handsome and well and strong as ever. They +all crowded around to congratulate him and to listen +to what had befallen him.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said the medicine-man, “when we get +home, the two witch-sisters will come to congratulate +you, and will pretend not to know anything of +the trouble that befell you, and when you see them +you must invite <em>them</em> to a game of <i>mah-khúr</i>.”</p> + +<p>It all came about as he said. When the party +got back to Isleta all the people welcomed the +young man whose mysterious disappearance had +made all sad. The news of his return spread rapidly, +and soon reached the village of Poo-reh-tú-ai. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_135"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>135]</span> +In a day or two the witch-sisters came to Isleta, +bringing on their heads baskets of the choicest +foods and other gifts, which they presented to him +in the most cordial manner. To see how they +welcomed him, one would never fancy that they +had been the wicked causes of his suffering. He +played his part equally well, and gave no sign +that he saw through their duplicity. At last, when +they were about to start home, he said: “Sisters, +let us come to the sand-hill to-morrow to play a +little game.”</p> + +<p>An invitation—or rather a challenge—of that +sort must be accepted under all Indian etiquette; +and the witch-sisters agreed. So at the appointed +hour they met him at the sacred hill. He had +made a very beautiful hoop, and when they saw it +they were charmed, and took their positions at the +foot of the declivity. “One, two, three!” he counted; +and at the word “three!” sent the hoop rolling +down to them. They both grabbed it at the same +instant, and lo! instead of the pretty, but evil-minded +sisters of Poo-reh-tú-ai, there lay two huge +rattlesnakes, with big tears falling from their eyes. +Young-Man-Who-Embraces-a-Corncob laid upon +their ugly, flat heads a pinch of the sacred meal, +and they ran out their tongues and licked it.</p> + +<p>“Now,” he said, “this is what happens to the +treacherous. Here in these cliffs shall be your +home forever. You must never go to the river, so +you will suffer with thirst and drag yourselves in +the dust all the days of your life.”</p> + +<p>The Young-Man-Who-Embraces-a-Corncob +went back to Isleta, where he lived to a ripe old +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_136"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>136]</span> +age. As for the snakes, they went to live in the +cliffs of their own mesa. The people of Poo-reh-tú-ai +soon learned of the fate of the witch-sisters, +and knew that those two great snakes, with tears +in their eyes, were they. That was the beginning of +the downfall of Poo-reh-tú-ai; for the people grew +fearful of one another, lest there might be many +more witches, unbeknown, among them. The distrust +and discontent grew rapidly—for to this day +nothing on earth will disrupt any Indian community +so quickly or so surely as the belief that some +of the people are witches. In a very short time +the people decided to abandon Poo-reh-tú-ai altogether. +Most of them migrated to the Northwest, +and I have not as yet found even a legend to tell +what became of them. The rest settled in Isleta, +where their descendants dwell to this day. There +are old men here now who claim that their great-grandfathers +used to see the two huge rattlesnakes +basking on the cliffs of the mesa of Shee-em-tóo-ai, +and that the snakes always wept when +people came near them.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_75" href="#FNanchor_75" class="label">[75]</a> Pronounced Eez-lay-táyn-yos.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_137"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>137]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap21">XXI<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE DROWNING OF PECOS</span></h2> +</div> + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>WENTY-FIVE miles southeast of Santa Fé, +New Mexico, lie the deserted ruins of the +ancient Pueblo town of Pecos. The village was finally +abandoned by the Indians in 1840; and their +neat houses of adobe bricks and stone, and their +quaint adobe church, have sadly fallen to decay. +The history of the abandonment of Pecos is by +no means startling; but the Indian tradition—for +they have already added this to their countless +myths—is decidedly so. The story is related +by two aged Pecos Indians who still live in the +pueblo of Jemez.</p> + +<p>“Now, this is a true story,” said my informant, +an Isleteño, who had often heard it from +them.</p> + +<p>Once Pecos was a large village, and had many +people.<a id="FNanchor_76" href="#Footnote_76" class="fnanchor">[76]</a> But it came that nearly all of them had +the evil road, and in the whole town were but five +True Believers (in the Indian religion). These +were an old woman, her two sons, and two other +young men. Agostin, her elder son, was a famous +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_138"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>138]</span> +hunter, and very often went to the mountains with +a friend of his who had an evil spirit—though +Agostin was not aware of that.</p> + +<p>One day the friend invited Agostin to go hunting, +and next day they went to the mountains. +Just at the foot they found a herd of deer, one of +which Agostin wounded. The deer fled up the +mountain, and the two friends followed by the +drops of blood. Half-way to the top they came +to a second herd, which ran off to the right of +the trail they were following, and the evil-spirited +friend went in pursuit of them, while Agostin kept +on after the one he had wounded.</p> + +<p>He came at last to the very top of the mountain, +and there of a sudden the trail ceased. +Agostin hunted all about, but in vain, and at +last started down the other side of the mountain.</p> + +<p>As he came to a deep cañon he heard singing, +and, peering cautiously through the bushes, he +saw a lot of witch-men sitting around a fallen +pine and singing, while their chief was trying +to raise the tree.</p> + +<p>Agostin recognized them all, for they were of +Pecos, and he was much grieved when he saw his +friend among them. Then he knew that the deer +had all been witches, and that they had led him off +on a false trail.</p> + +<p>Greatly alarmed, he crept back to a safe distance, +and then hurried home and told his aged +mother all that had happened, asking her if he +should report it to the Cacique.</p> + +<p>“No,” said she, with a sigh, “it is of no use; +for he, too, has the evil road. There are but few +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_139"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>139]</span> +True Believers left, and the bad ones are trying +to use us up.”</p> + +<p>Among the five good people was one of the +Cum-pah-whit-lah-wen (guards of the medicine-men); +and to him Agostin told his story. But he +also said: “It is of no use. We are too few to do +anything.”</p> + +<p>At last the bad people falsely accused the old +woman, saying that her power was more than that +of all the medicine-men put together (which is a +very serious charge, even to-day, among the Indians); +and challenged her to come before all the +people in the medicine-house and perform miracles +with them, well knowing that she could not. The +challenge was for life or death; whichever side +won was to kill the others without being resisted.</p> + +<p>The poor old woman told her sons, with tears, +saying: “Already we are killed. We know nothing +of these things, and we may make ready to die.”</p> + +<p>“Nay, Nana,” said Agostin.<a id="FNanchor_77" href="#Footnote_77" class="fnanchor">[77]</a> “Despair not yet, +but prepare lunch for Pedro<a id="FNanchor_77a" href="#Footnote_77" class="fnanchor">[77]</a> and me, that we go to +other villages for advice. Perhaps there the medicine-men +will tell us something.”</p> + +<p>So the mother, still weeping, made some tortillas, +and, strapping these to their belts, the young +men set out.</p> + +<p>Pedro, the younger, went east, and Agostin took +the road to the north. Whatever person they met, +or to whatever village they came, they were to seek +advice.</p> + +<p>When Agostin came to the foot of the mountains, +he was very thirsty, but there was no water. As he +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_140"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>140]</span> +entered a gorge he saw Hyo-kwáh-kwah-báy-deh, +a little bird which builds its nest with pebbles and +clay in the crannies of the cliffs, and is of exactly +the same color as the sandstones. He thought, +“Ah, little bird, if you could speak I would ask +you where there is water, for I am fainting with +thirst, and dare not eat, for that would make it +worse!”</p> + +<p>But the little bird, knowing his thought, said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Agostin, I see that you are one of the +True Believers, and I will show you where there is +water; or wait, I will go and bring you some, for +it is very far.” And off he flew.</p> + +<p>Agostin waited, and presently the little bird +came back, bringing an acorn-cup full of water. +Then Agostin’s heart sank, and he thought: “Alas! +what good will that drop do me?”</p> + +<p>But the little bird replied: “Do not think that +way, friend. Here is enough, and even more; for +when you drink all you wish, there will still be +some left.”</p> + +<p>And so it was. Agostin drank and drank, then +ate some tortillas and drank again; and when he +was satisfied, the acorn-cup was still nearly full.</p> + +<p>Then the little bird said: “Now come, and I will +lead you. But when we come to the top of the +mountain, and I say, ‘We are at the top,’ you must +say, ‘No, we are down in the mountain—at the +bottom of it.’ Do not forget.”</p> + +<p>Agostin promised, and the little bird flew in front +of him. At last they were at the top, and the little +bird said:</p> + +<p>“Here we are, friend, at the top.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_141"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>141]</span> +“No,” answered Agostin, “we are down in the +mountain—at the bottom of it.”</p> + +<p>Three times the little bird repeated his words, +and three times Agostin made the same answer.</p> + +<p>At the third reply they found themselves in a +room in the mountain. There was a door in front +of them, and beside it stood a Cum-pah-whit-lah-wíd-deh +(guard), who said to Agostin—for the +little bird had disappeared:</p> + +<p>“Son, how came you here, where none ever +think of coming? Do you think you are a man?”</p> + +<p>Agostin told the whole story of the witches’ +challenge, and of how he had gone out to seek +advice, and of how the little bird had brought him +here, and the guard said:</p> + +<p>“You are coming with the thought of a man; so +now come in,” and he opened the door.</p> + +<p>But when Agostin entered the inner room, which +was so large that no end could be seen, he found +himself in the presence of the Trues in human shape.</p> + +<p>There sat the divinities of the East, who are +white; and of the North, who are blue; and beyond +them were the sacred animals—the mountain +lion, the eagle, bear, buffalo, badger, hawk, rabbit, +rattlesnake, and all the others that are of the Trues. +Agostin was very much afraid, but the guard said +to him:</p> + +<p>“Do not fear, son, but take the heart of a man, +and pray to all sides.” So he faced to the six +sides, praying. When he had finished, one of the +Trues spoke to him, and said:</p> + +<p>“What can it be that brought you here? Take +the heart of a man and tell us.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_142"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>142]</span> +Then Agostin told his whole story; after which +the Trues said to him:</p> + +<p>“Do not be worried, son. We will help you out +of that.”</p> + +<p>The principal True of the East said:</p> + +<p>“Son, I will give you the clothes you must wear +when you are in the medicine-house for the contest +of power”; and he gave Agostin four dark-blue +breech-clouts and some moccasins for himself and +the three other good young men, and a black +<i>manta</i> (robe) and pair of moccasins for his mother.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said the True, “the evil-spirited ones +will have this medicine-making contest in the <i>estufa</i>,<a id="FNanchor_78" href="#Footnote_78" class="fnanchor">[78]</a> +and when you enter, you five, you must all be +dressed in these clothes. The people will all be +there, old and young, and there will hardly be room +for you to stand; and they will all sneer at you +and spit upon you. But do not be sorry. And take +this cane to hold between you. Let your mother +take it with one hand at the bottom, then the Whit-lah-wíd-deh’s +hand, then her other hand, and then +his other hand; and last your brother’s hand, +your hand, then his other hand, and your other +hand at the top of all. And when you say, ‘We +are at the top of the mountain,’ he must answer, +‘No, we are down in the mountain—at the bottom +of it.’ This you must keep saying. Now go, son, +with the heart of a man.”</p> + +<p>Then the Whit-lah-wíd-deh led Agostin out, +and the little bird showed him the way down the +mountain.</p> + +<p>When he reached home it was the afternoon of +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_143"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>143]</span> +the appointed day, and in the evening the medicine-making +contest for life or death was to come.</p> + +<p>In a little while the younger brother arrived, +with his new clothes and moccasins torn to shreds; +for he had traveled far in a rough country, without +meeting a soul from whom to ask advice.</p> + +<p>Agostin called together the four other True Believers, +and told them all that had happened and +what they must do, giving them the sacred clothing.</p> + +<p>In the evening they went to the <i>estufa</i>, which +was crowded with the witch-people, so that they +had barely room to stand.</p> + +<p>Then the evil-spirited ones began to make medicine, +and turned themselves into bears, coyotes, +crows, owls, and other animals. When they were +done, they said to the old woman:</p> + +<p>“Now it is your turn. We will see what you +can do.”</p> + +<p>“I know nothing about these things,” she said, “but +I will do what I can, and the Trues will help me.”</p> + +<p>Then she and the four young men took hold of +the sacred cane as the Trues had showed Agostin.</p> + +<p>“We are on the top of the mountain,” said he.</p> + +<p>“No,” answered his brother, “we are down in +the mountain—at the bottom of it.”</p> + +<p>This they said three times. At the third saying +the people heard on all sides the <i>guajes</i> of the +Trues.<a id="FNanchor_79" href="#Footnote_79" class="fnanchor">[79]</a> At the same moment the ladder<a id="FNanchor_80" href="#Footnote_80" class="fnanchor">[80]</a> was +jerked violently up out of the room, so that no +one could get out.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_144"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>144]</span> +Then the two brothers repeated their words +again, and at the third saying the thunder began +to roar outside, and all could hear plainly the singing +and the <i>guajes</i> of the Trues. It began to rain +violently, and the water poured down through the +roof-door, and the lightning stuck its tongue in. +The brothers kept repeating their words, and soon +the water was knee-deep. But where the five True +Believers stood, holding the cane, the floor was +dusty. Soon the flood came to the waists of the +witch-people, and then to their necks, and the +children were drowning. Then they cried out to +the old woman:</p> + +<p>“Truly, mother, your power is greater than ours. +We submit.”</p> + +<p>But she paid no attention to them, and her sons +continued their words, and the water kept pouring +in until it touched the very ceiling. But all around +the five it stood back like a wall, and they were on +dry ground.</p> + +<p>At last all the evil-spirited ones were drowned. +Then the rain ceased and the water departed as +fast as it had come. The ladder came down through +the roof-door again, and the five True Believers +climbed out and went to their homes.</p> + +<p>But it was very desolate, for they were the only +survivors. Their nearest relatives and dearest +friends had perished with the other witch-people. +At last they could no longer bear to live in the +lonely valley, and they decided to live elsewhere. +On the way the old mother and one of the men +died. Agostin went to the pueblo of Cochití, and +Pedro and the Whit-lah-wíd-deh settled in the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_145"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>145]</span> +pueblo of Jemez, where they are still living (or +were in the spring of 1891).</p> + +<p>Such is the Indian version of the abandonment +of the great pueblo which Coronado—that wonderful +Spanish explorer—found in 1540. As a +matter of fact, the Hyó-qua-hoon, or people of +Pecos, had dwindled away by war, epidemics, and +the like, until only five were left; and in 1840 these +lonely survivors moved to other pueblos, and abandoned +their ruined town forever. But the story is +very valuable, not only for the glimpse it affords +of some of their most secret beliefs, but also as +showing how folk-stories of the most aboriginal +stamp are still coined.</p> + +<p>Witchcraft is still a serious trouble in all the +pueblos, despite the efforts of the medicine-men, +whose special duty it is to keep down the witches. +One little pueblo called Sandia is dying out—as +many others have done before it—because the +medicine-men are quietly killing those whom they +suspect of being witches. In 1888 a very estimable +Indian woman of that town was slain by them +in the customary way,—shot through from side to +side with an arrow,—and this form of execution is +still practised.</p> + +<p>In Isleta they fear the Americans too much to +indulge in witch-killing, for Albuquerque is only a +few miles away. But it is only a little while ago +that a young Isletan who was accused spent three +months in the neck-stocks in our aboriginal prison, +and much of the time had to “ride the horse,” sitting +with his legs crossed upon the adobe floor and +the heavy weight of the stocks pressing him down, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_146"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>146]</span> +a torture worthy of the Inquisition. The case was +kept out of the American courts only by the payment +of a large sum to his parents by his accusers.</p> + +<p>One whose eyes or lids look red is always regarded +with suspicion here, for witch-people are +supposed not to sleep at night, but to change +themselves into animals and roam over the world. +Eccentric actions also lay one open to accusation; +and when I first came here I was dangerously near +being classed with the witches because, to amuse +my dusky little neighbors, I imitated various animal +cries to their great edification, but to the very serious +doubt of their elders. The fact that they doubt +whether Americans know enough to be first-class +witches was largely instrumental in saving me from +serious danger.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_76" href="#FNanchor_76" class="label">[76]</a> It was, indeed, the largest pueblo in New Mexico, having at one time a +population of about 2000.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_77" href="#FNanchor_77" class="label">[77]</a> Pronounced Ah-gohs-téen and Páy-droh.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_78" href="#FNanchor_78" class="label">[78]</a> Where it is sacrilegious to make medicine.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_79" href="#FNanchor_79" class="label">[79]</a> The thunder is said by the Tée-wahn to be the sacred dance-rattle of +their gods.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_80" href="#FNanchor_80" class="label">[80]</a> The only entrance to any <i>estufa</i> is by a ladder let down through a door +in the roof.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_147"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>147]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenternocap illowp100" id="mwmm24" style="max-width: 39.1875em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm24.jpg" alt="Decorative title: The Ants That Pushed on the Sky"> +</figure> + + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="chap22">XXII<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE ANTS THAT PUSHED ON THE SKY</span></h2> +</div> + + +<div class="ddropcapbox"> +<img class="idropcap" src="images/dcapa03.jpg" width="226" height="261" alt="A"> +</div> +<p> VERY ancient and characteristic +story about the origin of Isleta is +based on the historic fact that part +of its founders came from east of +the Manzano Mountains, from one +of the prehistoric pueblos whose +ruins are now barely visible in +those broad plains.</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there lived in one of those +villages (so runs the story) a young Indian named +Kahp-too-óo-yoo, the Corn-stalk Young Man. He +was not only a famous hunter and a brave warrior +against the raiding Comanches, but a great wizard; +and to him the Trues had given the power of the +clouds. When Kahp-too-óo-yoo willed it, the glad +rains fell, and made the dry fields laugh in green; +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_148"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>148]</span> +and without him no one could bring water from +the sky. His father was Old-Black-Cane, his +mother was Corn-Woman, and his two sisters were +Yellow-Corn-Maiden, and Blue-Corn-Maiden.</p> + +<p>Kahp-too-óo-yoo had a friend, a young man of +about the same age. But, as is often true, the +friend was of a false heart, and was really a witch, +though Kahp-too-óo-yoo never dreamed of such a +thing.</p> + +<p>The two young men used to go together to the +mountains to get wood, and always carried their +bows and arrows, to kill deer and antelopes, or +whatever game they might find.</p> + +<p>One day the false friend came to Kahp-too-óo-yoo, +and said:</p> + +<p>“Friend, let us go to-morrow for wood, and to +hunt.”</p> + +<p>They agreed that so they would do. Next day +they started before sunrise, and came presently to +the spot where they gathered wood. Just there +they started a herd of deer. Kahp-too-óo-yoo +followed part of the herd, which fled to the northwest, +and the friend pursued those that went southwest. +After a long, hard chase, Kahp-too-óo-yoo +killed a deer with his swift arrows, and brought it +on his strong back to the place where they had +separated. Presently came the friend, very hot +and tired, and with empty hands; and seeing the +deer, he was pinched with jealousy.</p> + +<p>“Come, friend,” said Kahp-too-óo-yoo. “It is +well for brothers to share with brothers. Take of +this deer and cook and eat; and carry a part to +your house, as if you had killed it yourself.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_149"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>149]</span> +“Thank you,” answered the other coldly, as one +who will not; but he did not accept.</p> + +<p>When they had gathered each a load of wood, +and lashed it with rawhide thongs in bundles upon +their shoulders, they trudged home—Kahp-too-óo-yoo +carrying the deer on top of his wood. His +sisters received him with joy, praising him as a +hunter; and the friend went away to his house, +with a heavy face.</p> + +<p>Several different days when they went to the +mountain together, the very same thing came to +pass. Kahp-too-óo-yoo killed each time a deer; +and each time the friend came home with nothing, +refusing all offers to share as brothers. And he +grew more jealous and more sullen every day.</p> + +<p>At last he came again to invite Kahp-too-óo-yoo +to go; but this time it was with an evil purpose +that he asked. Then again the same things +happened. Again the unsuccessful friend refused +to take a share of Kahp-too-óo-yoo’s deer; and +when he had sat long without a word, he said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Kahp-too-óo-yoo, now I will prove you +if you are truly my friend, for I do not think it.”</p> + +<p>“Surely,” said Kahp-too-óo-yoo, “if there is any +way to prove myself, I will do it gladly, for truly I +am your friend.”</p> + +<p>“Then come, and we will play a game together, +and with that I will prove you.”</p> + +<p>“It is well! But what game shall we play, for +here we have nothing?”</p> + +<p>Near them stood a broken pine-tree, with one +great arm from its twisted body. And looking at +it, the false friend said:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_150"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>150]</span> +“I see nothing but to play the <i>gallo</i> race; and +because we have no horses<a id="FNanchor_81" href="#Footnote_81" class="fnanchor">[81]</a> we will ride this arm +of the pine-tree—first I will ride, and then you.”</p> + +<p>So he climbed the pine-tree, and sat astride the +limb as upon a horse, and rode, reaching over to +the ground as if to pick up the chicken.<a id="FNanchor_82" href="#Footnote_82" class="fnanchor">[82]</a></p> + +<p>“Now you,” he said, coming down; and Kahp-too-óo-yoo +climbed the tree and rode on the swinging +branch. But the false friend bewitched the +pine, and suddenly it grew in a moment to the +very sky, carrying Kahp-too-óo-yoo.</p> + +<p>“We do this to one another,” taunted the false +friend, as the tree shot up; and taking the wood, +and the deer which Kahp-too-óo-yoo had killed, +he went to the village. There the sisters met him, +and asked:</p> + +<p>“Where is our brother?”</p> + +<p>“Truly I know not, for he went northwest and +I southwest; and though I waited long at the +meeting-place, he did not come. Probably he will +soon return. But take of this deer which I killed, +for sisters should share the labors of brothers.”</p> + +<p>But the girls would take no meat, and went +home sorrowful.</p> + +<p>Time went on, and still there was no Kahp-too-óo-yoo. +His sisters and his old parents wept +always, and all the village was sad. And soon +the crops grew yellow in the fields, and the springs +failed, and the animals walked like weary shadows; +for Kahp-too-óo-yoo, he who had the power of the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_151"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>151]</span> +clouds, was gone, and there was no rain. And +then perished all that is green; the animals fell in +the brown fields; and the gaunt people who sat to +warm themselves in the sun began to die there +where they sat. At last the poor old man said to +his daughters:</p> + +<p>“Little daughters, prepare food, for again we +will go to look for your brother.”</p> + +<p>The girls made cakes of the blue corn-meal for +the journey; and on the fourth day they started. +Old-Black-Cane hobbled to the south, his wife to +the east, the elder girl to the north, and the +younger to the west.</p> + +<p>For a great distance they traveled; and at last +Blue-Corn-Maiden, who was in the north, heard a +far, faint song. It was so little that she thought +it must be imaginary; but she stopped to listen, +and softly, softly it came again:</p> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0"><i>Tó-ai-fóo-ni-hlóo-hlim,</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Eng-k’hai k’háhm;</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Eé-eh-bóori-kóon-hlee-oh,</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Ing-k’hai k’háhm.</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Ah-ee-ái, ah-hee-ái,</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Aim!</i></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0">(Old-Black-Cane</div> + <div class="i0">My father is called;</div> + <div class="i0">Corn-Woman</div> + <div class="i0">My mother is called.</div> + <div class="i0"><i>Ah-ee-ái, ah-hee-ái,</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Aim!</i>)</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>When she heard this, Blue-Corn-Maiden ran +until she came to her sister, and cried:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_152"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>152]</span> +“Sister! Sister! I think I hear our brother somewhere +in captivity. Listen!”</p> + +<p>Trembling, they listened; and again the song +came floating to them, so soft, so sad that they +wept—as to this day their people weep when a +white-haired old man, filled with the memories of +Kahp-too-óo-yoo, sings that plaintive melody.</p> + +<p>“Surely it is our brother!” they cried; and off +they went running to find their parents. And +when all listened together, again they heard the +song.</p> + +<p>“Oh, my son!” cried the poor old woman, “in +what captivity do you find yourself? True it is +that your father is Old-Black-Cane, and I, your +mother, am called Corn-Woman. But why do you +sing thus?”</p> + +<p>Then all four of them began to follow the song, +and at last they came to the foot of the sky-reaching +pine; but they could see nothing of Kahp-too-óo-yoo, +nor could their cries reach him. There, on +the ground, were his bow and arrows, with strings +and feathers eaten away by time; and there was +his pack of wood, tied with the rawhide thong, +ready to be taken home. But after they had +searched everywhere, they could not find Kahp-too-óo-yoo; +and finally they went home heavy at +heart.</p> + +<p>At last it happened that P’ah-whá-yoo-óo-deh, +the Little Black Ant, took a journey and went up +the bewitched pine, even to its top in the sky. +When he found Kahp-too-óo-yoo there a prisoner, +the Little Black Ant was astonished, and said:</p> + +<p>“Great <i>Kah-báy-deh</i> [Man of Power], how comes +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_153"></a><!-- original location of illustration --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_154"></a><!-- blank page --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_155"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>155]</span> +it that you are up here in such a condition, while +your people at home are suffering and dying for +rain, and few are left to meet you if you return? +Are you here of your free will?”</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp50" id="mwmm25" style="max-width: 33.625em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm25.jpg" id="fig17" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">SOUTH, EAST, NORTH, AND WEST IN SEARCH OF KAHP-TOO-ÓO-YOO.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>“No,” groaned Kahp-too-óo-yoo; “I am here +because of the jealousy of him who was as my +brother, with whom I shared my food and labor, +whose home was my home, and my home his. He +is the cause, for he was jealous and bewitched me +hither. And now I am dying of famine.”</p> + +<p>“If that is so,” said the Little Black Ant, “I will +be the one to help you”; and he ran down to the +world as fast as he could. When he got there he +sent out the crier to summon all his nation, and +also that of the <i>In-toon</i>, the Big Red Ants. Soon +all the armies of the Little Black Ants and the Big +Red Ants met at the foot of the pine, and held a +council. They smoked the <i>weer</i> and deliberated +what should be done.</p> + +<p>“You Big Red Ants are stronger than we who +are small,” said the War-Captain of the Little +Black Ants, “and for that you ought to take the +top of the tree to work.”</p> + +<p>“<i>Een-dah!</i>” (No) said the War-Captain of the +Big Red Ants. “If you think we are the stronger, +give us the bottom, where we can work more, and +you go to the top.”</p> + +<p>So it was agreed, and the captains made their +armies ready. But first the Little Black Ants got +the cup of an acorn, and mixed in it corn-meal and +water and honey, and carried it up the tree. They +were so many that they covered its trunk all the +way to the sky.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_156"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>156]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenternocap illowp45" id="mwmm26" style="max-width: 30.5625em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm26.jpg" alt="The ants carry the acorn cup"> +</figure> + +<p>When Kahp-too-óo-yoo saw, his heart was +heavy, and he thought: “But what good will that +very little +do me, for +I am dying of hunger +and thirst?” +“Nay, friend,” answered +the Captain +of the Little Black +Ants, who knew his +thought. “A person +should not think so. This +little is enough, and there +will be some left.”</p> + +<p>And it was so; for when Kahp-too-óo-yoo +had eaten all he could, +the acorn-cup was still nearly full. +Then the ants carried the cup to +the ground and came back to him.</p> + +<p>“Now, friend,” said the Captain, +“we will do our best. +But now you must shut your +eyes till I say ‘<i>Ahw!</i>’”</p> + +<p>Kahp-too-óo-yoo shut his eyes, +and the Captain sent signals down +to those at the foot of the tree. And +the Little Black Ants above put their +feet against the sky and pushed with +all their might on the top of the pine; +and the Big Red Ants below caught the +trunk and pulled as hard as they could; and the +very first tug drove the great pine a quarter of its +length into the earth.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_157"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>157]</span> +“<i>Ahw!</i>” shouted the Captain of the Little Black +Ants, and Kahp-too-óo-yoo opened his eyes; but +he could see nothing below.</p> + +<p>“Shut your eyes again,” said the Captain, giving +the signal. Again the Little Black Ants +pushed mightily against the sky, and the Big Red +Ants pulled mightily from below; and the pine was +driven another fourth of its length into the earth.</p> + +<p>“<i>Ahw!</i>” cried the Captain; and when Kahp-too-óo-yoo +opened his eyes he could just see the big, +brown world.</p> + +<p>Again he closed his eyes. There was another +great push and pull, and only a quarter of the pine +was left above the ground. Now Kahp-too-óo-yoo +could see, far below, the parched fields strewn with +dead animals, and his own village full of dying +people.</p> + +<p>Again the Little Black Ants pushed and the Big +Red Ants pulled, and this time the tree was driven +clear out of sight, and Kahp-too-óo-yoo was left +sitting on the ground. He hastily made a bow and +arrows and soon killed a fat deer, which he brought +and divided among the Little Black Ants and the +Big Red Ants, thanking them for their kindness.</p> + +<p>Then he made all his clothing to be new, for he +had been four years a prisoner in the bewitched +tree, and was all in rags. Making for himself +a flute from the bark of a young tree, he played +upon it as he strode homeward and sang:</p> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0"><i>Kahp-too-óo-yoo tú-mah-quee,</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Nah-chóor kwé-shay-tin,</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Nah-shúr kwé-shay-tin;</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Kahp-too-óo-yoo tú-mah-quee!</i></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_158"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>158]</span></p> +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0">(Kahp-too-óo-yoo has come to life again,</div> + <div class="i0">Is back to his home coming,</div> + <div class="i0">Blowing the yellow and the blue;</div> + <div class="i0">Kahp-too-óo-yoo has come to life again!)</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp28" id="mwmm27" style="max-width: 15.1875em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm27.jpg" id="fig18" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">KAHP-TOO-ÓO-YOO CALLING THE RAIN.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>As he walked and sang, the forgotten clouds +came over him, and the soft rain began to fall, and +all was green and good. But +only so far as his voice reached +came the rain; and beyond all +was still death and drought. +When he came to the end of +the wet, he played and sang +again; and again the rain fell +as far as his voice was heard. +This time the Fool-Boy, who +was wandering outside the dying +village, saw the far storm +and heard the singing. He +ran to tell Kahp-too-óo-yoo’s +parents; but nobody would +believe a Foolish, and they +sent him away.</p> + +<p>When the Fool-Boy went +out again, the rain fell on him +and gave him strength, and +he came running a second +time to tell. Then the sisters +came out of the house and saw +the rain and heard the song; +and they cried for joy, and +told their parents to rise and +meet him. But the poor old people were dying of +weakness, and could not rise; and the sisters went +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_159"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>159]</span> +alone. When they met him they fell on their knees, +weeping; but Kahp-too-óo-yoo lifted them up and +blessed them, gave an ear of blue corn to Blue-Corn-Maiden, +and to Yellow-Corn-Maiden an ear +of yellow corn, and brought them home.</p> + +<p>As he sang again, the rain fell in the village; +and when it touched the pinched faces of the dead +they sat up and opened their mouths to catch it. +And the dying crawled out to drink, and were +strong again; and the withered fields grew green +and glad.</p> + +<p>When they came to the house, Kahp-too-óo-yoo +blessed his parents, and then said:</p> + +<p>“Little sisters, give us to eat.”</p> + +<p>But they answered, “How? For you have been +gone these four years, and there was none to give +us rain. We planted, but nothing came, and to-day +we ate the last grain.”</p> + +<p>“Nay, little sisters,” he said. “A person should +not think so. Look now in the store-rooms, if +there be not something there.”</p> + +<p>“But we have looked and looked, and turned +over everything to try to find one grain.”</p> + +<p>“Yet look once more,” he said; and when they +opened the door, lo! there was the store-room +piled to the roof with corn, and another room was +full of wheat. Then they cried for joy, and began to +roast the blue ears, for they were dying of hunger.</p> + +<p>At the sweet smell of the roasting corn came +the starving neighbors, crowding at the door, and +crying:</p> + +<p>“O Kahp-too-óo-yoo! Give us to taste one +grain of corn, and then we will go home and die.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_160"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>160]</span> +But Kahp-too-óo-yoo handed to each an ear, +and said:</p> + +<p>“Fathers, brothers, go now to your own houses, +for there you will find corn as much as here.” And +when they went, it was so. All began to roast +corn and to eat; and the dead in the houses awoke +and were strong again, and all the Village sang +and danced.</p> + +<p>From that time there was plenty of rain, for he +who had the power of the clouds was at home +again. In the spring the people planted, and in +the fall the crops were so great that all the town +could not hold them; so that which was left they +brought to Shee-eh-whíb-bak (Isleta), where we +enjoy it to this day.</p> + +<p>As for the false friend, he died of shame in his +house, not daring to come out; and no one wept +for him.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_81" href="#FNanchor_81" class="label">[81]</a> This mention of the horse is, of course, modern. I think it is an interpolation. +The rest of the story bears traces of great antiquity.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_82" href="#FNanchor_82" class="label">[82]</a> In imitation of one of the most popular and exciting sports of the Southwestern +Indians and Mexicans.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_161"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>161]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap23">XXIII<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE MAN WHO WOULDN’T KEEP SUNDAY</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">A</span>MONG the folk-stories of the Pueblos which +show at once that they are not of such antiquity +as the rest, is this. It is plain that the +story is post-Spanish—that it has been invented +within the last three hundred and fifty years. That +seems to us a long time to go back in the history of +America, but to the Pueblos it is a trifling dot on +the long line of their antiquity.</p> + +<p>The following tale is an amusing instance of the +fashion in which some of the myth-makers have +mixed things. It is an Indian fairy tale, but with +a Christian moral—which was learned from the +noble and effective Spanish missionaries who toiled +here.</p> + +<p>Once upon a time, in a pueblo south of Isleta,—one +of its old colonies known as P’ah-que-tóo-ai, +the Rainbow Town, but deserted long ago,—there +were two Indians who were great friends. They +started in life with equal prospects, married young, +and settled in the same town. But though friends, +their natures were very different. One was a good +man in his heart, and the other was bad. The +good man always observed Sunday, but the other +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_162"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>162]</span> +worked every day. The good man had better luck +than the bad; and the latter became jealous. At +last he said: “Friend, tell me, why is it that you +always make more success than I?”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps,” answered Good, “because I keep +Sunday, but work hard all the other days of the +week, while you work every day.”</p> + +<p>Time went on, and both the friends accumulated +considerable wealth in servants, stock, and +ornaments. The good man let his servants rest +on Sunday, but the bad made his work every day, +and did not even give them time to smoke. Good +prospered most, and had more servants, more +stock, and more ornaments than Bad, who grew +more jealous daily. At last Bad said to Good: +“Friend, you say that you have good luck because +you keep Sunday, but I’ll bet I am right in <em>not</em> +keeping it.”</p> + +<p>“No,” replied Good; “I’ll bet <em>I</em> am right, and +that Sunday ought to be kept.”</p> + +<p>“Then I will bet all my stock against all your +stock, and all my lands against your lands, and +everything we have except our wives. To-morrow, +be ready about breakfast-time, and we will go +out into the public road and ask the first three +men we meet which of us is right. And whichever +gets the voice of the majority, he shall be the winner, +and shall take all that is of the other.”</p> + +<p>Good agreed—for an Indian cannot back out +of a challenge,—and so the next morning the two +friends took the public road. In a little while they +met a man, and said to him: “Friend, we want +your voice. Which of us is right, the one who +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_163"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>163]</span> +observes Sunday and lets his <em>peons</em> rest then, or +he who does not?”</p> + +<p>Now it happened that this person was not a +man, but an old devil who was taking a walk in +human form; and he promptly answered: “Without +doubt he is right who does not keep Sunday,” +and went his road.</p> + +<p>“Aha!” said Bad to Good. “You see I got the +first voice.”</p> + +<p>They started on again and soon met another +man, to whom they asked the same. But it was +the same old devil, and he gave them the same +answer.</p> + +<p>“Aha!” said Bad. “Now I have the second +voice, you see.”</p> + +<p>Presently they met a third man, and asked him +the same, and he answered the same; for it was +the same old devil in another body.</p> + +<p>“Aha!” said Bad, “I am the winner! Get down +from that burro, and let me have her and her colt, +for now all that was yours is mine, as we agreed.”</p> + +<p>Good got down from the burro with tears in his +eyes, for he was thinking of his wife, and said:</p> + +<p>“Now, friend, having gained all, you are going +back to our home; but I shall not. Tell my wife +that I am going to the next pueblo to seek work, +and that I will not be back until I have earned as +much as I have lost in this bet, or more; but tell +her not to be sad.”</p> + +<p>Then they shook hands and parted, Bad riding +home full of joy, and Good trudging off through +the sand toward Isleta, which was the largest and +wealthiest pueblo of the tribe. On the road night +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_164"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>164]</span> +overtook him, and seeing an abandoned house in +a field, he hastened to it for shelter from the cold +of night. A portion of the roof still remained, with +the <i>fogon</i> (corner fireplace) and chimney, and he +began to brush a place to lie down. Now it happened +that this house was the place where all the +devils of that country used to meet at night; and +before Good went to sleep he heard noises of the +devils coming. He was very much frightened, and +to hide himself climbed up into the chimney and +stood upon its crosspiece.</p> + +<p>In a moment the devils began to arrive singly or +in pairs; and at last came the old devil—the very +one who had played the trick on Good. He called +the meeting to order, and asked them what they +had been doing. A young devil arose and said:</p> + +<p>“The next pueblo is the largest and wealthiest +of this nation. For three weeks now, all its people, +and all the people along that river, have been +working at the spring from which the river comes, +but have not been able to undo me. Three weeks +ago I came to that spring and thought how nice it +would be to stop up the spring, and how the people +would swear if their gods did not send rain. So I +stuck a big stone in the spring and stopped all the +water; and ever since, the water will not come out, +and the people work in vain, and they are dying of +thirst, and all their stock. Now they will either +forsake their gods and serve us, or die like the +animals, thinking nothing of their past or future.”</p> + +<p>“Good!” said the old devil, rubbing his hands. +“You have done well! But tell me—is there no +way to open the spring?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_165"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>165]</span> +“There is only one way,” said the young devil, +“and one man could do that—but they will never +think of it. If a man took a long stick, shaped like +a sword, and went and stood on top of the stone, +and struck it with the full length of the stick first +east and west, and then north and south, the water +would come out so hard that the stone would be +thrown out upon the banks and the spring could +never be stopped again.”</p> + +<p>“Is <em>that</em> the only way?” said the old devil. “You +have done very well, for they certainly will never +think to do that. Now for the next.”</p> + +<p>Then another young devil arose and reported this:</p> + +<p>“I, too, have done something. In the pueblo +across the mountain I have the daughter of the +wealthiest man sick in bed, and she will never get +well. All the medicine-men have tried in vain to +cure her. She, too, will be ours.”</p> + +<p>“Good!” said the old devil. “But is there no +way in which any one may cure her?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, there is one way, but they never will think +of that. If a person should carry her to the door just +as the sun is rising, and hold her so that its very +first rays would touch the top of her head, she would +be well at once, and never could be made sick again.”</p> + +<p>“You are right,” said the old devil, “they will +never think of that. You have done well.”</p> + +<p>Just then a rooster crowed, and the old devil +cried, “You have a road!”—which means, “an +adjournment is in order.” All the devils hurried +away; and when they were gone, poor Good +crawled down from the chimney half dead with +fright, and hurried on toward Isleta. When he +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_166"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>166]</span> +got there he found the people in great trouble, for +their crops were withering and their cattle dying +for want of water.</p> + +<p>“I see,” thought Good to himself, “that these +devils told the truth about one thing, and so +perhaps they did about all. I will try to undo +them, even if I fail.” Going to the Cacique he +asked what they would give him if he would open +the spring. The Cacique told the <i>principales</i>, and +they held a <i>junta</i>, and decided to let the stranger +name his own price.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said he, “I will do this if you will give +me half the value of the whole village.”</p> + +<p>They agreed, and asked how many men he +would need to help him, and when he would begin.</p> + +<p>“I need no men. Lend me only a hard stick +the length of my outstretched arms, and a horse.”</p> + +<p>These were given him, and he went to the spring +alone. Leaping upon the stone he struck it with +the full length of the stick east and west, and then +north and south, and sprang nimbly to the bank. +At that very instant the water rushed out harder +than it had ever done. All the people and cattle +along the river came to the banks and drank and +revived. They began to irrigate their fields again, +and the dying crops grew green.<a id="FNanchor_83" href="#Footnote_83" class="fnanchor">[83]</a> When Good got +back to the pueblo, half of all the grain and money +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_167"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>167]</span> +and dresses and ornaments were piled up in a +huge pile waiting for him, and half the horses and +cattle and sheep were waiting in big herds. It +was so that he had to hire a great many men to +help him home with his wealth, which was more +than any one person ever had before. He appointed +a mayordomo to take charge of this caravan, +and to meet him at a certain point on the way +home. He himself, taking a horse, rode away at +once to the other pueblo, where the rich man’s +daughter was sick. Arriving at nightfall, he +stopped at the house of an old woman. While he +ate, she told him how sad was all the village; for +the girl who had been so kind to all was dying.</p> + +<p>“But,” said he, “I can cure her.”</p> + +<p>“<i>In-dah</i>,” said the crone; “for all the medicine +men have tried vainly, and how shall you?”</p> + +<p>“But I can,” he insisted; and at last the old +woman went to the rich man, and said there was a +stranger at her house who was sure he could cure +the girl.</p> + +<p>The <i>rico</i> said: “Go and tell him to come here +quickly,” and the old woman did so. When Good +came, the rich man said: “Are you he who says +he can cure my daughter?”</p> + +<p>“I am the one.”</p> + +<p>“For how much will you cure her?”</p> + +<p>“What will you give?”</p> + +<p>“Half of all I have, which is much.”</p> + +<p>“It is well. To-morrow be ready, for I will +come just before the sun.”</p> + +<p>In the blue of the morning Good came and +waked the girl, and carried her to the door. In a +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_168"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>168]</span> +moment came the sun, and its first ray fell upon +her bent head. In an instant she was perfectly +well, and stronger and prettier than ever.</p> + +<p>That very day her father gladly divided all his +wealth into two equal shares, and gave half to +Good, who again had to hire many cow-boys and +men with <i>carretas</i> to help him transport all this. +At the appointed spot he found his mayordomo; +and putting all the stock together, with many +herders, and all the wagons full of corn and dresses +and ornaments and money together, started homeward, +sending ahead a messenger on a beautiful +horse to apprise his wife.</p> + +<p>When the jealous Bad saw this fine horse going +to the house of his friend, he ran over to see what +it meant; and while he was still there, Good arrived +with all his wealth. Filled with envy, Bad +asked him where he had got all this; and Good +told the whole story.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Bad, “I will go there too, and perhaps +I will hear something.” So off he rode on the +burro he had won from Good, till he came to the +deserted house, and climbed up in the chimney.</p> + +<p>Soon the devils met, and the two young ones +told their chief that the spring had been opened +and the girl cured, and that neither could ever be +bewitched again.</p> + +<p>“Somebody must have listened to us last night,” +said the old devil, greatly troubled. “Search the +house.” In a little while they found the jealous +friend in the chimney, and supposing him to be the +one who had undone them, without mercy puffed +him to the place where devils live.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_83" href="#FNanchor_83" class="label">[83]</a> Here, as in several other stories in this volume, is a touch of the arid +character of the Southwest. The country is always so dry that irrigation is +necessary in farming, and in very bad years the streams have not water even +for that. The Rio Grande itself frequently disappears in September between +certain points in its course in sandy New Mexico; and within ten miles below +Isleta I have seen its bed bone-dry. Ignorance of this fact has caused serious +blunders on the part of historians unfamiliar with the country of which they +wrote.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_169"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>169]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap24">XXIV<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE BRAVE BOBTAILS</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">W</span>HEN it came old Anastacio’s turn, one +night, to tell a story to the waiting circle, it +was several minutes before he responded to the +quaint summons; and at last Lorenso repeated: +“There is a tail to you, <i>compadre</i> Anastacio!” +The words seemed to remind him of something; +for he turned to his fat grandson, and said:</p> + +<p>“Juan! Knowest thou why the Bear and the +Badger have short tails? For once they had them +long as Kéem-ee-deh, the Mountain Lion. <i>In-dah?</i> +Then I will tell thee.”</p> + + + +<p class="break">Once in the Days of the Old, it was that a young +man lived here in Shee-eh-whíb-bak whom they +called T’hoor-hlóh-ah, the Arrow of the Sun. He +was not of the Tée-wahn, but a Ute, who was +taken in war while yet a child. When the warriors +brought him here, a Grandmother who was +very poor took him for her son, and reared him, +loving him greatly, and teaching him all the works +of men. Coming to be a young man, he was a +mighty hunter; but so good in his heart that he +loved the animals as brothers, and they all loved +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_170"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>170]</span> +him. When he went out to hunt, the first game he +killed he always dressed and left there for his animal-friends +to eat. Sometimes it was Kéem-ee-deh, +king of the four-feet, who came to the feast +Sun-Arrow had made; and sometimes Kahr-naí-deh, +the Badger, who is best of all to dig, and who +showed Those of Old how to make their caves; +and sometimes the smaller ones. They were all +grateful; for no other was so kind to feed them.</p> + +<p>Now the Grandmother would never let Sun-Arrow +go to war, fearing that he would be killed; +and all the other young men laughed at him, because +he had never taken the sacred <em>oak-bark</em>. +And when the others danced the great round-dance, +he had to stand alone. So he was ashamed, +and vowed that he would prove himself a man; +and taking secretly his bow and arrows and his +thunder-knife, he went away by night alone, and +crossed the Eagle-Feather Mountains.</p> + +<p>Now in that time there was always great war +with the Comanches, who lived in the plains. +They came often across the mountains and attacked +Isleta by night, killing many people. Their +chief was P’ee-kú-ee-fa-yíd-deh, or Red Scalp, the +strongest and largest and bravest of men. For +many years all the warriors of Isleta had tried to +kill him, for he was the head of the war; but he +slew all who came against him. He was very +brave, and painted his scalp red with <i>páh-ree</i>, so +that he might be known from far; and left his +scalp-lock very long, and braided it neatly, so that +an enemy might grasp it well.</p> + +<p>Now Sun-Arrow met this great warrior; and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_171"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>171]</span> +with the help of an old Spider-woman,<a id="FNanchor_84" href="#Footnote_84" class="fnanchor">[84]</a> slew him +and took his scalp. When the people of Isleta +saw Sun-Arrow returning, the young men began to +laugh and say: “Va! T’hoor-hlóh-ah has gone to +make war again on the rabbits!”</p> + +<p>But when he came into the plaza, saying nothing, +and they saw that <em>oak-bark</em> which all knew, +all cried out: “Come and look! For here is Sun-Arrow, +who was laughed at—and now he has +brought the bark of Red Scalp, whom our bravest +have tried in vain to kill.”</p> + +<p>So when he had taken the scalp to the Cacique, +and they had had the round-dance, and the days +of purification were over, they called Sun-Arrow +the greatest warrior of the Tée-wahn, and made +him second to the Cacique. Then all who had +daughters looked at him with good eyes, and all +the maidens wished for so brave a husband. But +he saw none of them, except the youngest daughter +of the Cacique; for he loved her. When the Grandmother +had spoken to the Cacique, and it was well, +they brought the young people together, and gave +them to eat of the betrothal corn—to Sun Arrow +an ear of the blue corn, and to her an ear of the +white corn, because the hearts of maidens are +whiter than those of men. When both had eaten +the raw corn, every seed of it, the old folks said: +“It is well! For truly they love each other. And +now let them run the marrying-race.”</p> + +<p>Then all the people gathered yonder where are +the ashes of the evil-hearted ones who were burned +when Antelope Boy won for his people. And the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_172"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>172]</span> +elders marked a course, as of three miles, from +there to the sacred sand-hill beside the Kú-mai. +When they said the word, Sun-Arrow and the girl +went running like young antelope, side by side. +Up to the Place of the Bell they ran, and turned +back running; and when they came to the people, +the girl was a little in front, and all cried:</p> + +<p>“It is well! For now Eé-eh-chah has won a +husband, and she shall always be honored in her +own house.”</p> + +<p>So they were married, and the Cacique blessed +them. They made a house by the plaza,<a id="FNanchor_85" href="#Footnote_85" class="fnanchor">[85]</a> and Sun-Arrow +was given of the fields, that he might plant.</p> + +<p>But of the maidens there was one who did not +forgive Sun-Arrow that he would not look at her; +and in her heart she thought to pay him. So she +went to a Spider-woman,<a id="FNanchor_86" href="#Footnote_86" class="fnanchor">[86]</a> and said: “Grandmother, +help me! For this young man despised +me, and now I will punish him.”</p> + +<p>Then the Spider-woman made an accursed +prayer-stick of the feathers of the woodpecker, +and spoke to the Ghosts, and said to the girl:</p> + +<p>“It is well, daughter! For I am the one that +will help you. Take only this Toad, and bury it in +your floor, <em>this</em> way, and then ask T’hoor-hlóh-ah +to come to your house.”</p> + +<p>The girl made a hole in her floor, and buried +P’ah-foo-ée-deh, the Toad. Then she went to Sun-Arrow +and said: “Friend T’hoor-hlóh-ah, come to +my house a little; for I have to talk to you.”</p> + +<p>But when Sun-Arrow sat down in her house, his +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_173"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>173]</span> +feet were upon the floor over the hole; and in a +moment the Toad grew very great, and began to +swallow him by the feet. Sun-Arrow kicked and +fought, for he was very strong. But he could do nothing; +and in a little, he was swallowed to the knees. +Then he called in a great voice for his wife; and +all the people of the Tée-wahn came running with +her. When they saw him so, they were very sad; +and Eé-eh-chah took his hand, and the Grandmother +took his other, and all the people helped +them. But all were not so strong as the great +Toad; and fast it was swallowing him, until he was +at the waist. Then he said:</p> + +<p>“Go, my people! Go, my wife! For it is in vain. +Go from this place, that you may not see me. +And pray to the Trues if they will help me.” So +they all went, mourning greatly.</p> + +<p>In that time it came that Shee-íd-deh, the +House-Mouse, stirred from his hole; and seeing +Sun-Arrow <em>so</em>, he came to him, weeping.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Friend Sun-Arrow!” he cried. “You +who have been a father to us all, you who have fed +us, and have proved yourself so brave—it is not deserved +that you should be thus. But we for whom +you have cared, we will be the ones to help you!”</p> + +<p>Then Shee-íd-deh ran from the house until he +found the Dog, and to him told it all. And Quee-ah-níd-deh, +whose voice was big, ran out into the +plains, up and down, <i>pregonando</i><a id="FNanchor_87" href="#Footnote_87" class="fnanchor">[87]</a> to all the animals; +and they came hurrying from all places. +Soon all the birds and all the four-feet were met in +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_174"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>174]</span> +council in the room where Sun-Arrow was; and +the Mountain Lion was captain. When he had +listened to them, he said:</p> + +<p>“Now let each tribe of you choose from it one +who is young and strong, to give help to him who +has fed us. For we cannot leave him to die so.”</p> + +<p>When every kind that walks or flies had chosen +its strongest one, the chosen stood out; Kéem-ee-deh +called them by name to take their turns.</p> + +<p>“Kóo-ah-raí-deh!” he called; and the Bluebird +of the mountains came to Sun-Arrow, who was +now swallowed up to his armpits. Sun-Arrow +grasped her long tail with both hands, and she +flew and flew with all her might, not caring for the +pain, until her tail was pulled off. But Sun-Arrow +was not budged a hair.</p> + +<p>Then the captain called Ku-íd-deh, the Bear, to +try. He gave his long tail to Sun-Arrow to hold; +and when he had counted “One, two, <em>three</em>!” he +pulled with a great pull, so hard that his whole tail +came off. And still Sun-Arrow was not stirred.</p> + +<p>Then it was to the Coyote. But <em>he</em> said: “My +ears are stronger”; for he was a coward, and +would not give to pull on his pretty tail, of which +he is proud. So he gave to Sun-Arrow to hold +by his ears, and began to pull backward. But +soon it hurt him, and he stopped when his ears +were pulled forward.</p> + +<p>“Now it is to you, Kahr-naí-deh,” said the +Mountain Lion; and the Badger came out to try. +First he dug around Sun-Arrow, and gave him to +hold his tail. Then he counted <em>three</em>, and pulled +greatly, so that his tail came off—and Sun-Arrow +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_175"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>175]</span> +was moved a very little. But the Badger did not +fear the pain, and said:</p> + +<p>“Let it be to me twice again, Kah-báy-deh.”<a id="FNanchor_88" href="#Footnote_88" class="fnanchor">[88]</a></p> + +<p>“It is well!” said the Mountain Lion. “So let +it be.”</p> + +<p>So the Badger dug again, and gave the stump +of his tail, and pulled. And Sun-Arrow was +loosened a little more; but the stump slipped +through his hands, for it was very short.</p> + +<p>“<em>Around</em> me, friend,” said the Badger, when +he had dug a third time; and Sun-Arrow clasped +his hands around the Badger’s body, behind the +fore legs. Then for the third time Kahr-naí-deh +pulled—so mightily that he dragged Sun-Arrow +clear out from the Toad’s mouth. At that, all the +animals fell upon the wicked Toad, and killed it; +and gave thanks to Those Above for the deliverance +of their friend.</p> + +<p>When they had prayed, Sun-Arrow thanked all +the animals, one by one; and to the Bluebird, the +Bear, and the Badger, he said:</p> + +<p>“Friends, how shall I thank you who have suffered +so much for me? And how can I pay you for +your help, and for the tails that you have lost?” +But to the Coyote he did not say a word.</p> + +<p>Then said the Badger:</p> + +<p>“Friend T’hoor-hlóh-ah, as for me, your hand +has always been held out to me. You have fed +me, and have been as a father: I want no pay for +this tail that I have lost.”</p> + +<p>And the Bear and the Bluebird both answered +the same thing.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_176"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>176]</span> +So Sun-Arrow again gave them many thanks, +and they went away to their homes. As for Sun-Arrow, +he hurried to the Medicine House, where +all the Tée-wahn were making medicine<a id="FNanchor_89" href="#Footnote_89" class="fnanchor">[89]</a> that he +might be saved. And when they saw him entering, +his wife ran and cried on his shoulder, and all +the people gave thanks to the Trues.</p> + +<p>Sun-Arrow told them all that was; and when +the Father-of-all-Medicine looked in the sacred +<i>cajete</i><a id="FNanchor_90" href="#Footnote_90" class="fnanchor">[90]</a> he saw the evil-hearted girl paying the +Spider-woman. Then the Cum-pah-whít-la-wen<a id="FNanchor_91" href="#Footnote_91" class="fnanchor">[91]</a> +went running with their bows and arrows, and +brought the girl; and she was punished as are +they that have the evil road. As for the Spider-woman, +she was already dead of shame; for she +knew all that had been.</p> + +<p>In a time it came that his father-in-law the +Cacique died; and they made Sun-Arrow Cacique +in his place. For many years he was so, +bringing great good to his people; for he was +very wise.</p> + +<p>As for the Bear, the Badger, and the Bluebird, +they would never go to the medicine-men of their +tribes to have their tails mended to grow again; +for they were proud that they had suffered to help +their friend. And to this very day they go with +short tails, and are honored by all the animals, and +by all True Believers. But Too-wháy-deh, the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_177"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>177]</span> +coward, he who would not hurt himself with pulling—he +is a laughed-at to this day. For his ears +cannot lie back, as is well for beasts, but always +point straight forward, as Sun-Arrow pulled them.</p> + + + +<p class="break">Any one who has ever seen the Coyote, or any +other of the wolf or fox tribe, must have noticed +the alert forward pricking of the ears. Among the +Pueblos, any such peculiarity of nature—and particularly +of animal life—is very sure to have a folk-story +hung to it. It has always seemed to me that +the boy who always wants to know “why?” has a +better time of it among my Indian friends than anywhere +else. For there is always sure to be a why, +and an interesting one—which is much more satisfactory +than only learning that “it’s bedtime now,” +or that “I’m busy.”</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_84" href="#FNanchor_84" class="label">[84]</a> About equivalent to our “fairy godmother.”</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_85" href="#FNanchor_85" class="label">[85]</a> Public square in the center of the pueblo.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_86" href="#FNanchor_86" class="label">[86]</a> Here equivalent to a witch.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_87" href="#FNanchor_87" class="label">[87]</a> The technical (Spanish) word for the official heralding by which all +announcements are still made among the Pueblos.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_88" href="#FNanchor_88" class="label">[88]</a> Commander.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_89" href="#FNanchor_89" class="label">[89]</a> Not compounding remedies, but going through the magic dance and incantations +to which the Indians always resort in time of trouble. For a description +of a medicine-making, see “Some Strange Corners of Our Country.”</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_90" href="#FNanchor_90" class="label">[90]</a> A jar of magic water, in which the chief conjuror is supposed to see all +that is going on in the world.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_91" href="#FNanchor_91" class="label">[91]</a> Armed guards of the Medicine House.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_178"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>178]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenternocap illowp100" id="mwmm28" style="max-width: 39.1875em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm28.jpg" alt="Decorative title: The Revenge of the Fawns"> +</figure> + + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="chap25">XXV<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE REVENGE OF THE FAWNS</span></h2> +</div> + + + +<div class="ddropcapbox"> +<img class="idropcap" src="images/dcapd01.jpg" width="165" height="243" alt="D"> +</div> +<p>ON CARLOS,” said Vitorino, throwing +another log upon the fire, which +caught his tall shadow and twisted it +and set it dancing against the rocky +walls of the cañon in which we were +camped for the night, “did you ever +hear why the Wolf and the Deer are +enemies?” And as he spoke he +stretched out near me, looking up +into my face to see if I were going to be interested.</p> + +<p>A few years ago it would have frightened me +very seriously to find my self thus—alone in one +of the remotest corners of New Mexico save for +that swarthy face peering up into mine by the weird +light of the camp-fire. A stern, quiet but manly +face it seems to me now; but once I would have +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_179"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>179]</span> +thought it a very savage one, with its frame of long, +jet hair, its piercing eyes, and the broad streak of +red paint across its cheeks. By this time, however, +having lived long among the kindly Pueblos, +I had shaken off that strange, ignorant prejudice +against all that is unknown—which seems to be +inborn in all of us—and wondered that I could +ever have believed in that brutal maxim, worthy +only of worse than savages, that “A good Indian +is a dead Indian.” For Indians are men, after all, +and astonishingly like the rest of us when one really +comes to know them.</p> + +<p>I pricked up my ears—very glad at his hint of +another of these folk-stories.</p> + +<p>“No,” I answered. “I have noticed that the +Wolf and the Deer are not on good terms, but +never knew the reason.”</p> + +<p>“<i>Si, señor</i>,” said he,—for Vitorino knows no +English, and most of our talk was in Spanish, which +is easier to me than the Tée-wahn language,—“that +was very long ago, and now all is changed. +But once the Wolf and the Deer were like brothers; +and it is only because the Wolf did very wickedly +that they are enemies. <i>Con su licencia, señor.</i>”<a id="FNanchor_92" href="#Footnote_92" class="fnanchor">[92]</a></p> + +<p>“<i>Bueno; anda!</i>”<a id="FNanchor_93" href="#Footnote_93" class="fnanchor">[93]</a></p> + +<p>So Vitorino leaned his shoulders against a convenient +rock and began.</p> + + + +<p class="break">Once upon a time, when the Wolf and the Deer +were friends, there were two neighbors in the country +beyond the Rio Puerco, not far from where the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_180"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>180]</span> +pueblo of Laguna (a Quères town) now is. One +was a Deer-mother who had two fawns, and the +other a Wolf-mother with two cubs. They had +very good houses of adobe, just such as we live in +now, and lived like real people in every way. The +two were great friends, and neither thought of +going to the mountain for firewood or to dig +<i>amole</i><a id="FNanchor_94" href="#Footnote_94" class="fnanchor">[94]</a> without calling for the other to accompany +her.</p> + +<p>One day the Wolf came to the house of the Deer +and said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Peé-hlee-oh [Deer-woman], let us +go to-day for wood and <i>amole</i>, for I must wash +to-morrow.”</p> + +<p>“It is well, friend Káhr-hlee-oh,” replied the +Deer. “I have nothing to do, and there is food +in the house for the children while I am gone. +<i>Toó-kwai!</i> [Let us go].”</p> + +<p>So they went together across the plain and into +the hills till they came to their customary spot. +They gathered wood and tied it in bundles to bring +home on their backs, and dug <i>amole</i>, which they +put in their shawls to carry. Then the Wolf sat +down under a cedar-tree and said:</p> + +<p>“<i>Ai!</i> But I am tired! Sit down, friend Deer-woman, +and lay your head in my lap, that we may +rest.”</p> + +<p>“No, I am not tired,” replied the Deer.</p> + +<p>“But just to rest a little,” urged the Wolf. The +Deer good-naturedly lay down with her head in the +lap of her friend. But soon the Wolf bent down +and caught the trusting Deer by the throat, and +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_181"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>181]</span> +killed her. That was the first time in the world +that any one betrayed a friend, and from that deed +comes all the treachery that is.</p> + +<p>The false Wolf took off the hide of the Deer, and +cut off some of the meat and carried it home on her +load of <i>amole</i> and wood. She stopped at the house +of the Deer, and gave the Fawns some of the accursed +meat, saying:</p> + +<p>“Friends, Deer-babies, do not fear, but eat; +your mother met relatives and went to their house, +and she will not come to-night.”</p> + +<p>The Fawns were very hungry, and as soon as +the Wolf had gone home they built a big fire in the +fireplace and set the meat to cook. But at once it +began to sputter and to hiss, and the Fawn who +was tending it heard it cry, “Look out! look out! +for this is your mother!”</p> + +<p>He was greatly frightened, and called his brother +to listen, and again the same words came from the +meat.</p> + +<p>“The wicked old Wolf has killed our <i>nana</i>! +[mama],” they cried, and, pulling the meat from +the fire, they laid it gently away and sobbed themselves +to sleep.</p> + +<p>Next morning the Wolf went away to the +mountain to bring the rest of the deer-meat; and +when she was gone her Cubs came over to play +with the Fawns, as they were used to doing. +When they had played awhile, the Cubs said:</p> + +<p>“<i>Pee-oo-weé-deh</i> [little Deer], why are you so +prettily spotted, and why do you have your eyelids +red, while we are so ugly?”</p> + +<p>“Oh,” said the Fawns, “that is because when +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_182"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>182]</span> +we were little, like you, our mother put us in a +room and smoked us, and made us spotted.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Fawn-friends, can’t you spot us, too, so +that we may be pretty?”</p> + +<p>So the Fawns, anxious to avenge the death +of their mother, built a big fire of corn-cobs in +the fireplace, and threw coyote-grass on it to +make a great smoke. Then, shutting the Cubs +into the room, they plastered up the door and +windows with mud, and laid a flat rock on top +of the chimney and sealed it around with mud; +and climbing down from the roof, they took each +other’s hands and ran away to the south as fast +as ever they could.</p> + +<p>After they had gone a long way, they came to a +Coyote. He was walking back and forth with one +paw to his face, howling dreadfully with the toothache. +The Fawns said to him very politely:</p> + +<p>“<i>Ah-bóo!</i> [poor thing]. Old-man friend, we +are sorry your tooth hurts. But an old Wolf is +chasing us, and we cannot stay. If she comes this +way, asking about us, do not tell her, will you?”</p> + +<p>“<i>Een-dah.</i> Little-Deer-friends, I will not tell +her”—and he began to howl again with pain, +while the Fawns ran on.</p> + +<p>When the Wolf came to her home with the rest +of the meat, the Cubs were not there; and she +went over to the house of the Deer. It was all +sealed and still; and when she pushed in the door, +there were her Cubs dead in the smoke! When +she saw that, the old Wolf was wild with rage, and +vowed to follow the Fawns and eat them without +mercy. She soon found their tracks leading away +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_183"></a><!-- original location of illustration --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_184"></a><!-- blank page --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_185"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>185]</span> +to the south, and began to run very swiftly in +pursuit.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp49" id="mwmm29" style="max-width: 32.6875em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm29.jpg" id="fig19" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">THE WOLF, AND THE COYOTE WITH THE TOOTHACHE.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>In a little while she came to the Coyote, who +was still walking up and down, howling so that +one could hear him a mile away. But not pitying +his pain, she snarled at him roughly:</p> + +<p>“Say, old man! have you seen two Fawns running +away?”</p> + +<p>The Coyote paid no attention to her, but kept +walking with his hand to his mouth, groaning, +“<i>Mm-m-páh! Mm-m-páh!</i>”</p> + +<p>Again she asked him the same question, more +snappishly, but he only howled and groaned. +Then she was very angry, and showed her big +teeth as she said:</p> + +<p>“I don’t care about your ‘<i>Mm-m-páh! Mm-m-páh!</i>’ +Tell me if you saw those Fawns, or I’ll eat +you this very now!”</p> + +<p>“Fawns? <em>Fawns?</em>” groaned the Coyote—“I +have been wandering with the toothache ever since +the world began. And do you think I have had +nothing to do but to watch for Fawns? Go along, +and don’t bother me.”</p> + +<p>So the Wolf, who was growing angrier all the +time, went hunting around till she found the trail, +and set to running on it as fast as she could go.</p> + +<p>By this time the Fawns had come to where two +Indian boys were playing <i>k’wah-t’hím</i><a id="FNanchor_95" href="#Footnote_95" class="fnanchor">[95]</a> with their +bows and arrows, and said to them:</p> + +<p>“Friends boys, if an old Wolf comes along and +asks if you have seen us, don’t tell her, will you?”</p> + +<p>The boys promised that they would not, and the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_186"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>186]</span> +Fawns hurried on. But the Wolf could run much +faster, and soon she came to the boys, to whom she +cried gruffly:</p> + +<p>“You boys! did you see two Fawns running this +way?”</p> + +<p>But the boys paid no attention to her, and went +on playing their game and disputing: “My arrows +nearest!” “No; mine is!” “’T ain’t! Mine is!” +She repeated her question again and again, but got +no answer till she cried in a rage:</p> + +<p>“You little rascals! Answer me about those +Fawns, or I’ll eat you!”</p> + +<p>At that the boys turned around and said:</p> + +<p>“We have been here all day, playing <i>k’wah-t’hím</i>, +and not hunting Fawns. Go on, and do not +disturb us.”</p> + +<p>So the Wolf lost much time with her questions +and with finding the trail again; but then she began +to run harder than ever.</p> + +<p>In the mean time the Fawns had come to the +bank of the Rio Grande, and there was <i>P’ah-chah-hlóo-hli</i>, +the Beaver, hard at work cutting down +a tree with his big teeth. And they said to him +very politely:</p> + +<p>“Friend Old-Crosser-of-the-Water, will you +please pass us over the river?”</p> + +<p>The Beaver took them on his back and carried +them safely across to the other bank. When they +had thanked him, they asked him not to tell the old +Wolf about them. He promised he would not, and +swam back to his work. The Fawns ran and ran, +across the plain, till they came to a big black hill +of lava that stands alone in the valley southeast of +Tomé.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_187"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>187]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="mwmm30" style="max-width: 50em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm30.jpg" id="fig20" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">THE WOLF MEETS THE BOYS PLAYING WITH THEIR BOWS AND ARROWS.</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_188"></a><!-- blank page --></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_189"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>189]</span> +“Here!” said one of the Fawns, “I am sure +this must be the place our mother told us about, +where the Trues of our people live. Let us look.”</p> + +<p>And when they came to the top of the hill, they +found a trap-door in the solid rock. When they +knocked, the door was opened and a voice called, +“Enter!” They went down the ladder into a great +room underground; and there they found all the +Trues of the Deer-people, who welcomed them and +gave them food.</p> + +<p>When they had told their story, the Trues said:</p> + +<p>“Fear not, friends, for we will take care of you.”</p> + +<p>And the War-captain picked out fifty strong +young bucks for a guard.</p> + +<p>By this time the Wolf had come to the river, +and there she found the Beaver hard at work and +grunting as he cut the tree.</p> + +<p>“Old man!” she snarled, “did you see two +Fawns here?”</p> + +<p>But the Beaver did not notice her, and kept on +walking around the tree, cutting it and grunting, +“<i>Ah-oó-mah! Ah-oó-mah!</i>”</p> + +<p>She was in a terrible rage now, and roared:</p> + +<p>“I am not talking ‘<i>Ah-oó-mah!</i>’ to you. I’m +asking if you saw two Fawns.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said the Beaver, “I have been cutting +trees here by the river ever since I was born, and +I have no time to think about Fawns.”</p> + +<p>The Wolf, crazy with rage, ran up and down the +bank, and at last came back and said:</p> + +<p>“Old man, if you will carry me over the river I +will pay you; but if you don’t, I’ll eat you up.”</p> + +<p>“Well, wait then till I cut around the tree three +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_190"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>190]</span> +times more,” said the Beaver; and he made her +wait. Then he jumped down in the water and +took her on his neck, and began to swim across. +But as soon as he came where the water was deep, +he dived to the bottom and stayed there as long as +he could.</p> + +<p>“Ah-h-h!” sputtered the Wolf when he came to +the surface. As soon as the Beaver got a breath, +down he went again; and so he kept doing all the +way across, until the Wolf was nearly drowned—but +she clung to his neck desperately, and he could +not shake her off.</p> + +<p>When they came to the shore the old Wolf was +choking, coughing, and crying, and so mad that +she would not pay the Beaver as she had promised—and +from that day to this the Beaver will never +again ferry a Wolf across the river.</p> + +<p>Presently she found the trail, and came running +to the hill. When she knocked on the trap-door a +voice from within called, “Who?”</p> + +<p>“Wolf-woman,” she answered as politely as she +could, restraining her anger.</p> + +<p>“Come down,” said the voice, and hearing her +name the fifty young Deer-warriors—who had +carefully whetted their horns—stood ready. The +door flew open, and she started down the ladder. +But as soon as she set her foot on the first rung, +all the Deer-people shouted:</p> + +<p>“Look what feet!” For, though the Deer is so +much larger than the Wolf, it has smaller feet.</p> + +<p>At this she was very much ashamed, and pulled +back her foot; but soon her anger was stronger, +and she started down again. But each time the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_191"></a><!-- original location of illustration --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_192"></a><!-- blank page --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_193"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>193]</span> +Deer-people laughed and shouted, and she drew +back.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="mwmm31" style="max-width: 50em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm31.jpg" id="fig21" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">“THE FAWNS APPEARED SUDDENLY, AND AT SIGHT OF THEM THE WOLF DROPPED THE SPOONFUL OF SOUP.”</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>At last they were quiet, and she came down the +ladder. When she had told her story the old men +of the Deer-people said:</p> + +<p>“This is a serious case, and we must not judge +it lightly. Come, we will make an agreement. +Let soup be brought, and we will eat together. +And if you eat all your soup without spilling a +drop, you shall have the Fawns.”</p> + +<p>“Ho!” thought the Wolf. “<em>That</em> is easy enough, +for I will be very careful.” And aloud she said: +“It is well. Let us eat.”</p> + +<p>So a big bowl of soup was brought, and each +took a <i>guayave</i><a id="FNanchor_96" href="#Footnote_96" class="fnanchor">[96]</a> and rolled it like a spoon to dip up +the soup. The old Wolf was very careful, and had +almost finished her soup without spilling a drop. +But just as she was lifting the last sup to her +mouth the Fawns appeared suddenly in the door +of the next room, and at sight of them she dropped +the soup in her lap.</p> + +<p>“She spilled!” shouted all the Deer-people, and +the fifty chosen warriors rushed upon her and tore +her to pieces with their sharp horns.</p> + +<p>That was the end of the treacherous Wolf; and +from that day the Wolf and the Deer have been +enemies, and the Wolf is a little afraid of the Deer. +And the two Fawns? Oh, they still live with the +Deer-people in that black hill below Tomé.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_92" href="#FNanchor_92" class="label">[92]</a> “With your permission, sir.”</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_93" href="#FNanchor_93" class="label">[93]</a> “All right; go ahead!”</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_94" href="#FNanchor_94" class="label">[94]</a> The root of the palmilla, generally used for soap throughout the Southwest.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_95" href="#FNanchor_95" class="label">[95]</a> A sort of walking archery.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_96" href="#FNanchor_96" class="label">[96]</a> An Indian bread made by spreading successive films of blue corn-meal +batter on a flat hot stone. It looks more like a piece of wasp’s nest than +anything else, but is very good to eat.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_194"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>194]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap26">XXVI<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE SOBBING PINE</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">A</span>NOTHER folk-story told by the Quères colony +in Isleta also relates to Acoma, perched +upon the great round cliff in its far, fair valley.</p> + +<p>Among the folk-lore heroes of whom every +Quères lad has heard is Ees-tée-ah Muts, the Arrow +Boy. He was a great hunter and did many +remarkable things, but there was once a time when +all his courage and strength were of no avail,—when +but for the help of a little squirrel he would +have perished miserably.</p> + +<p>On reaching manhood Ees-tée-ah Muts married +the daughter of the Kot-chin (chief). She was a +very beautiful girl and her hunter-husband was +very fond of her. But, alas! she was secretly a +witch and every night when Ees-tée-ah Muts was +asleep she used to fly away to the mountains, +where the witches held their uncanny meetings. +You must know that these witches have dreadful +appetites, and that there is nothing in the world +of which they are so fond as boiled baby.</p> + +<p>Ees-tée-ah Muts, who was a very good man, +had no suspicion that his wife was guilty of such +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_195"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>195]</span> +practices, and she was very careful to keep him in +ignorance of it.</p> + +<p>One day, when the witch-wife was planning to +go to a meeting, she stole a fat young baby and +put it to cook in a great <i>olla</i> (earthen jar) in the +dark inner room. But before night she found she +must go for water, and as the strange stone reservoir +at Acoma is a laborious half-mile from the +houses, she would be gone some time. So, as she +departed with a bright-painted <i>tinaja</i> upon her +head, she charged her husband on no account to +enter the inner room.</p> + +<p>When she was gone Ees-tée-ah Muts began to +ponder what she had said, and he feared that all +was not well. He went to the inner room and +looked around, and when he found the baby cooking +he was grieved, as any good husband would +be, for then he knew that his wife was a witch. +But when his wife returned with water, he said not +a word, keeping only a sharp lookout to see what +would come.</p> + +<p>Very early that night Ees-tée-ah Muts pretended +to go to sleep, but he was really very wide awake. +His wife was quiet, but he could feel that she was +watching him. Presently a cat came sneaking into +the room and whispered to the witch-wife:</p> + +<p>“Why do you not come to the meeting, for we +await you?”</p> + +<p>“Wait me yet a little,” she whispered, “until the +man is sound asleep.”</p> + +<p>The cat crept away, and Ees-tée-ah Muts kept +very still. By and by an owl came in and bade +the woman hurry. And at last, thinking her +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_196"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>196]</span> +husband asleep, the witch-wife rose noiselessly and +went out. As soon as she was gone, Ees-tée-ah +Muts got up and followed her at a distance, for it +was a night of the full moon.</p> + +<p>The witch-wife walked a long way till she came +to the foot of the Black Mesa, where was a great +dark hole with a rainbow in its mouth. As she +passed under the rainbow she turned herself into a +cat and disappeared within the cave. Ees-tée-ah +Muts crept softly up and peered in. He saw a +great firelit room full of witches in the shapes of +ravens and vultures, wolves and other animals of ill +omen. They were gathered about their feast and +were enjoying themselves greatly, eating and dancing +and singing and planning evil to mankind.</p> + +<p>For a long time Ees-tée-ah Muts watched them, +but at last one caught sight of his face peering in +at the hole.</p> + +<p>“Bring him in!” shouted the chief witch, and +many of them rushed out and surrounded him and +dragged him into the cave.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said the chief witch, who was very angry, +“we have caught you as a spy and we ought to kill +you. But if you will save your life and be one +of us, go home and bring me the hearts of your +mother and sister, and I will teach you all our ways, +so that you shall be a mighty wizard.”</p> + +<p>Ees-tée-ah Muts hurried home to Acoma and +killed two sheep; for he knew, as every Indian +knows, that it was useless to try to escape from the +witches. Taking the hearts of the sheep, he +quickly returned to the chief witch, to whom he +gave them. But when the chief witch pricked the +hearts with a sharp stick they swelled themselves +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_197"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>197]</span> +out like a frog. Then he knew that he had been +deceived, and was very angry, but pretending not +to care he ordered Ees-tée-ah Muts to go home, +which the frightened hunter was very glad to do.</p> + +<p>But next morning when Ees-tée-ah Muts awoke +he was not in his own home at all, but lying on a +tiny shelf far up a dizzy cliff. To jump was certain +death, for it was a thousand feet to the ground; +and climb he could not, for the smooth rock rose a +thousand feet above his head. Then he knew that +he had been bewitched by the chief of those that +have the evil road, and that he must die. He +could hardly move without falling from the narrow +shelf, and there he lay with bitter thoughts until +the sun was high overhead.</p> + +<p>At last a young Squirrel came running along +the ledge, and, seeing him, ran back to its mother, +crying:</p> + +<p>“<i>Nana! Nana!</i> Here is a dead man lying +on our ledge!”</p> + +<p>“No, he is not dead,” said the Squirrel-mother +when she had looked, “but I think he is very +hungry. Here, take this acorn-cup and carry him +some corn-meal and water.”</p> + +<p>The young Squirrel brought the acorn-cup full +of wet corn-meal, but Ees-tée-ah Muts would not +take it, for he thought:</p> + +<p>“Pah! What is so little when I am fainting +for food?”</p> + +<p>But the Squirrel-mother, knowing what was in +his heart, said:</p> + +<p>“Not so, <i>Sau-kée-ne</i> [friend]. It looks to be +little, but there will be more than enough. Eat +and be strong.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_198"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>198]</span> +Still doubting, Ees-tée-ah Muts took the cup +and ate of the blue corn-meal until he could eat no +longer, and yet the acorn-cup was not empty. +Then the young Squirrel took the cup and brought +it full of water, and though he was very thirsty he +could not drain it.</p> + +<p>“Now, friend,” said the Squirrel-mother, when +he was refreshed by his meal, “you cannot yet +get down from here, where the witches put you; +but wait, for I am the one that will help you.”</p> + +<p>She went to her store-room and brought out a +pine-cone, which she dropped over the great cliff. +Ees-tée-ah Muts lay on the narrow ledge as +patiently as he could, sleeping sometimes and +sometimes thinking of his strange plight. Next +morning he could see a stout young pine-tree +growing at the bottom of the cliff, where he was +very sure there had been no tree at all the day +before. Before night it was a large tree, and the +second morning it was twice as tall. The young +Squirrel brought him meal and water in the acorn-cup +twice a day, and now he began to be confident +that he would escape.</p> + +<p>By the evening of the fourth day the magic pine +towered far above his head, and it was so close to +the cliff that he could touch it from his shelf.</p> + +<p>“Now, Friend Man,” said the Squirrel-mother, +“follow me!” and she leaped lightly into the tree. +Ees-tée-ah Muts seized a branch and swung over +into the tree, and letting himself down from bough +to bough, at last reached the ground in safety.</p> + +<p>The Squirrel-mother came with him to the +ground, and he thanked her for her kindness.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_199"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>199]</span> +“But now I must go back to my home,” she said. +“Take these seeds of the pine-tree and these piñon-nuts +which I have brought for you, and be very +careful of them. When you get home, give your +wife the pine-seeds, but you must eat the piñons. +So now, good-by,” and off she went up the tree.</p> + +<p>When Ees-tée-ah Muts had come to Acoma and +climbed the dizzy stone ladder and stood in the +adobe town, he was very much surprised. For the +four days of his absence had really been four years, +and the people looked strange. All had given him +up for dead, and his witch-wife had married another +man, but still lived in the same house, which was +hers<a id="FNanchor_97" href="#Footnote_97" class="fnanchor">[97]</a>. When Ees-tée-ah Muts entered she seemed +very glad to see him, and pretended to know nothing +of what had befallen him. He said nothing +about it, but talked pleasantly while he munched +the piñon-nuts, giving her the pine-seeds to eat. +Her new husband made a bed for Ees-tée-ah Muts, +and in the morning very early the two men went +away together on a hunt.</p> + +<p>That afternoon the mother of the witch-wife +went to visit her daughter, but when she came near +the house she stopped in terror, for far up through +the roof grew a great pine-tree, whose furry arms +came out at doors and windows. That was the +end of the witch-wife, for the magic seed had +sprouted in her stomach, and she was turned into +a great, sad Pine that swayed above her home, +and moaned and sobbed forever, as all her Pine-children +do to this day.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_97" href="#FNanchor_97" class="label">[97]</a> It is one of the fundamental customs of the Pueblos that the house and its +general contents belong to the wife; the fields and other outside property to +the husband.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_200"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>200]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap27">XXVII<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE QUÈRES DIANA</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HERE is a fragmentary Quères folk-story +which bears internal evidence that its heroine +was the mother of the Hero Twins—that is, the +Moon. The adventure described here is one of +those which befell the Moon-Mother, as related +in several myths; though it has been varied, evidently +by some later story-teller, and the identity +of the heroine does not appear at first sight. It +is a story common to all the Quères, and is undoubtedly +ancient; but as I heard it first in Isleta +its scene is laid in Laguna, a pueblo only two hundred +years old.</p> + +<p>Once upon a time the Tah-póh-pee<a id="FNanchor_98" href="#Footnote_98" class="fnanchor">[98]</a> of Laguna +had a daughter, who was the belle of the village. +She was very fond of hunting, and killed as much +game as any of the young men. Several miles +south of Laguna is a very large sandstone dome +rising in the plain, and in the heart of this rock +the Governor’s daughter had hollowed out a room +in which she used to camp when on her hunting-expeditions.</p> + +<p>One day there came a snow that covered the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_201"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>201]</span> +ground so that one could easily track rabbits, and +taking her bow and arrows she started off to hunt.</p> + +<p>She had unusual luck, and by the time she +reached the hunting-lodge she was loaded down +with rabbits. The evening was very cold, and she +was hungry; so, going into the rock-house, she +built a fire on the hearth and began to roast a rabbit. +Just as it was cooking a strong west wind +came up and carried the savory smell from her +chimney far to the east, till it reached a dark cavern +in the Sandia Mountains, fifty miles away. +There lived an old giantess, the terror of all the +world, and when she caught a whiff of that sweet +meat she started up and rubbed her big red eye.</p> + +<p>“Um!” she cried, “that is good! I am going to see +where it is, for I have had nothing to eat to-day.”</p> + +<p>In two steps she was at the rock-house, and, +stooping down, she called at the door: “Quáh-tzee? +[How are you?] What are you cooking in +there?”</p> + +<p>“Rabbits,” said the girl, dreadfully scared at +that great voice.</p> + +<p>“Then give me one,” shouted the old giantess. +The girl threw one out at the door, and the +giantess swallowed it at a gulp and demanded +more. The girl kept throwing them out until all +were gone. Then the giantess called for her +<i>manta</i> (dress), and her shawl and her buckskin +leggings, and ate them all, and at last said:</p> + +<p>“Little girl, now you come out, and let me eat +you.”</p> + +<p>The girl began to cry bitterly when she saw that +great savage eye at the door, which was so small +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_202"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>202]</span> +that the giantess could not get her huge hand in. +She repeated her commands thrice, and when the +girl still refused to come out, picked up a great +boulder and began to hammer the rock-house to +pieces. But just as she had broken off the roof +and stooped to pick out the girl, two hunters +chanced to pass and hear the noise. They crept +up and shot the giantess through the neck with +their strong arrows and killed her, and, bringing +new clothes for the girl, took her home safely to +Kó-iks (the native name for Laguna), where she +lived for many years.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_98" href="#FNanchor_98" class="label">[98]</a> Governor.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_203"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>203]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap28">XXVIII<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">A PUEBLO BLUEBEARD</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">A</span>NOTHER fragmentary story of the Quères +seems to refer to this same remarkable woman. +You will see the connection when you remember +that the Moon disappears every month; and I +should judge that the following myth means that +the Storm-King steals her.</p> + +<p>Once upon a time a chief of Acoma had a lovely +daughter. One day a handsome stranger stole her +and took her away to his home, which was in the +heart of the Snow Mountain (Mt. San Mateo). +He was none other than Mast-Truan, one of the +Storm-Gods. Bringing his captive home, the powerful +stranger gave her the finest clothing and +treated her very nicely. But most of the time he +had to be away from home, attending to the storms, +and she became very lonesome, for there was no +one to keep her company but Mast-Truan’s wrinkled +old mother.</p> + +<p>One day when she could stand the loneliness no +longer, she decided to take a walk through the +enormous house and look at the rooms which she +had not seen. Opening a door she came into a +very large room toward the east; and there were +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_204"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>204]</span> +a lot of women crying and shivering with cold, for +they had nothing to wear. Going through this +room she came to another, which was full of gaunt, +starving women, and here and there one lay dead +upon the floor; and in the next room were scores +of bleached and ghastly skeletons. And this was +what Mast-Truan did with his wives when he was +tired of them. The girl saw her fate, and, returning +to her room, sat down and wept—but there +was no escape, for Mast-Truan’s old hag of a +mother forever guarded the outer door.</p> + +<p>When Mast-Truan came home again, his wife +said: “It is now long that I have not seen my +fathers. Let me go home for a little while.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said he, “here is some corn which must +be shelled. When you have shelled it and ground +it, I will let you out”; and he showed her four great +rooms piled from floor to ceiling with ears of corn. +It was more than one could shell in a year; and +when her husband went out, she sat down again +to cry and bemoan her fate.</p> + +<p>Just then a queer little old woman appeared before +her, with a kindly smile. It was a <i>cumúsh-quio</i> +(fairy-woman).</p> + +<p>“What is the matter, my daughter?” asked the +old fairy, gently, “and why do you weep?”</p> + +<p>The captive told her all, and the fairy said: “Do +not fear, daughter, for I will help you, and we will +have all the corn shelled and ground in four days.”</p> + +<p>So they fell to work. For two days the girl +kept shelling; and though she could not see the +old fairy at all, she could always hear at her side +the click of the ears together. Then for two days +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_205"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>205]</span> +she kept grinding on her <i>metate</i>, apparently alone, +but hearing the constant grind of another <i>metate</i> +close beside her. At the end of the fourth day the +last kernel had been scrubbed into blue meal, and +she was very happy. Then the old fairy-woman +appeared again, bringing a large basket and a rope. +She opened the doors to all the rooms where the +poor women were prisoners, and bade them all get +into the basket one by one. Mast-Truan had taken +away the ladder from the house when he left, that +no one might be able to get out; but with her +basket and rope the good old fairy-woman let them +all down to the ground, and told them to hurry +home—which they did as fast as ever their poor, +starved legs could carry them. Then the fairy-woman +and the girl escaped, and made their way +to Acoma. So there was a Moon again—and that +it <em>was</em> the Moon, we may be very sure; since this +same girl became the mother of the Hero Twins, +who were assuredly Children of the Moon.</p> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_206"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>206]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap29">XXIX<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE HERO TWINS</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>HAT the heroes of “The Magic Hide-and-Seek” +were really the Pueblo Castor and +Pollux, the twin offspring of the Sun-Father and +the Moon-Mother, is more than probable. For +some reason which I do not know, these demigods +do not figure as clearly in the Tée-wahn myths as +among the other Pueblos, the Navajos and the +Apaches; but that they are believed in, even in +Isleta, there can be no doubt. They were the ones +who led mankind forth from its first home in the +dark center of the earth.<a id="FNanchor_99" href="#Footnote_99" class="fnanchor">[99]</a> The rainbow is their +bow, the lightnings are their arrows. Among the +other Pueblos there are countless folk-stories about +these Hero Twins; and the following example +myth will quickly remind you of the boys who +played hide-and-seek. It is told in Isleta, though +I have never heard it from the Tée-wahn people +there. Ever since the great drouth of a generation +ago, about one hundred and fifty Quères, +starved out from the pueblos of Acoma and Laguna, +have dwelt in Isleta, and they are now a +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_207"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>207]</span> +permanent part of the Village, recognized by representation +in the civil and religious government, +though speaking an altogether different language. +Tée-wahn and Quères cannot understand each +other in their own tongues, so they have to communicate +in Spanish.</p> + +<p>Máw-Sahv and Oó-yah-wee, as the Hero Twins +are named in Quères, had the Sun for a father. +Their mother died when they were born, and lay +lifeless upon the hot plain. But the two wonderful +boys, as soon as they were a minute old, were big +and strong, and began playing.</p> + +<p>There chanced to be in a cliff to the southward a +nest of white crows; and presently the young crows +said: “<i>Nana</i>, what is that over there? Isn’t it +two babies?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” replied the Mother-Crow, when she had +taken a look. “Wait and I will bring them.” So +she brought the boys safely, and then their dead +mother; and, rubbing a magic herb on the body +of the latter, soon brought her to life.</p> + +<p>By this time Máw-Sahv and Oó-yah-wee were +sizable boys, and the mother started homeward +with them.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said she when they reached the edge of +the valley and could look across to that wondrous +rock whereon stands Acoma, “go to yonder town, +my sons, for that is Ah-ko, where live your grandfather +and grandmother, my parents; and I will +wait here. Go ye in at the west end of the town +and stand at the south end of the council-grounds +until some one speaks to you; and ask them to +take you to the Cacique, for he is your grandfather. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_208"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>208]</span> +You will know his house, for the ladder to it has +three uprights instead of two. When you go in +and tell your story, he will ask you a question to +see if you are really his grandchildren, and will +give you four chances to answer what he has in a +bag in the corner. No one has ever been able to +guess what is in it, but there are birds.”</p> + +<p>The Twins did as they were bidden, and +presently came to Acoma and found the house of +the old Cacique. When they entered and told +their story, he said: “Now I will try you. What +is in yonder bag?”</p> + +<p>“A rattlesnake,” said the boys.</p> + +<p>“No,” said the Cacique, “it is not a rattlesnake. +Try again.”</p> + +<p>“Birds,” said the boys.</p> + +<p>“Yes, they are birds. Now I know that you are +truly my grandchildren, for no one else could ever +guess.” And he welcomed them gladly, and sent +them back with new dresses and jewelry to bring +their mother.</p> + +<p>When she was about to arrive, the Twins ran +ahead to the house and told her father, mother, and +sister to leave the house until she should enter; but +not knowing what was to come, they would not go +out. When she had climbed the big ladder to the +roof and started down through the trap-door by +the room-ladder, her sister cried out with joy at +seeing her, and she was so startled that she fell +from the ladder and broke her neck, and never +could be brought to life again.</p> + +<p>Máw-Sahv and Oó-yah-wee grew up to astounding +adventures and achievements. While still +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_209"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>209]</span> +very young in years, they did very remarkable +things; for they had a miraculously rapid growth, +and at an age when other boys were toddling +about home, these Hero Twins had already become +very famous hunters and warriors. They +were very fond of stories of adventure, like less +precocious lads; and after the death of their +mother they kept their grandmother busy telling +them strange tales. She had a great many anecdotes +of a certain ogre-giantess who lived in the +dark gorges of the mountains to the South, and so +much did Máw-Sahv and Oó-yah-wee hear of this +wonderful personage—who was the terror of all +that country—that their boyish ambition was fired.</p> + +<p>One day when their grandmother was busy they +stole away from home with their bows and arrows, +and walked miles and miles, till they came to a +great forest at the foot of the mountain. In the +edge of it sat the old Giant-woman, dozing in the +sun, with a huge basket beside her. She was so +enormous and looked so fierce that the boys’ hearts +stood still, and they would have hidden, but just +then she caught sight of them, and called: “Come, +little boys, and get into this basket of mine, and I +will take you to my house.”</p> + +<p>“Very well,” said Máw-Sahv, bravely hiding his +alarm. “If you will take us through this big +forest, which we would like to see, we will go with +you.”</p> + +<p>The Giant-woman promised, and the lads +clambered into her basket, which she took upon +her back and started off. As she passed through +the woods, the boys grabbed lumps of pitch from the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_210"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>210]</span> +tall pines and smeared it all over her head and +back so softly that she did not notice it. Once she +sat down to rest, and the boys slyly put a lot of big +stones in the basket, set fire to her pitched hair, +and hurriedly climbed a tall pine.</p> + +<p>Presently the Giant-woman got up and started +on toward home; but in a minute or two her head +and <i>manta</i> were all of a blaze. With a howl that +shook the earth, she dropped the basket and rolled +on the ground, grinding her great head into the +sand until she at last got the fire extinguished. +But she was badly scorched and very angry, and +still angrier when she looked in the basket and +found only a lot of stones. She retraced her steps +until she found the boys hidden in the pine-tree, +and said to them: “Come down, children, and get +into my basket, that I may take you to my house, +for now we are almost there.”</p> + +<p>The boys, knowing that she could easily break +down the tree if they refused, came down. They +got into the basket, and soon she brought them to +her home in the mountain. She set them down +upon the ground and said: “Now, boys, go and +bring me a lot of wood, that I may make a fire in +the oven and bake you some sweet cakes.”</p> + +<p>The boys gathered a big pile of wood, with +which she built a roaring fire in the adobe oven +outside the house. Then she took them and +washed them very carefully, and taking them by +the necks, thrust them into the glowing oven and +sealed the door with a great, flat rock, and left +them there to be roasted.</p> + +<p>But the Trues were friends of the Hero Twins, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_211"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>211]</span> +and did not let the heat harm them at all. When +the old Giant-woman had gone into the house, +Máw-Sahv and Oó-yah-wee broke the smaller +stone that closed the smoke-hole of the oven, and +crawled out from their fiery prison unsinged. +They ran around and caught snakes and toads +and gathered up dirt and dropped them down into +the oven through the smoke-hole; and then, +watching when the Giant-woman’s back was +turned, they sneaked into the house and hid in a +huge <i>olla</i> on the shelf.</p> + +<p>Very early in the morning the Giant-woman’s +baby began to cry for some boy-meat. “Wait till +it is well cooked,” said the mother; and hushed +the child till the sun was well up. Then she went +out and unsealed the oven, and brought in the sad +mess the boys had put there. “They have cooked +away to almost nothing,” she said; and she and +the Giant-baby sat down to eat. “Isn’t this +nice?” said the baby; and Máw-Sahv could not +help saying, “You nasty things, to like that!”</p> + +<p>“Eh? Who is that?” cried the Giant-woman, +looking around till she found the boys hidden in +the <i>olla</i>. So she told them to come down, and +gave them some sweet cakes, and then sent them +out to bring her some more wood.</p> + +<p>It was evening when they returned with a big +load of wood, which Máw-Sahv had taken pains to +get green. He had also picked up in the mountains +a long, sharp splinter of quartz.<a id="FNanchor_100" href="#Footnote_100" class="fnanchor">[100]</a> The evening +was cool, and they built a big fire in the fireplace. +But immediately, as the boys had planned, +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_212"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>212]</span> +the green wood began to smoke at a dreadful rate, +and soon the room was so dense with it that they +all began to cough and strangle. The Giant-woman +got up and opened the window and put her +head out for a breath of fresh air; and Máw-Sahv, +pulling out the white-hot splinter of quartz from +the fire, stabbed her in the back so that she died. +Then they killed the Giant-baby, and at last felt +that they were safe.</p> + +<p>Now the Giant-woman’s house was a very large +one, and ran far back into the very heart of the +mountain. Having got rid of their enemies, the +Hero Twins decided to explore the house; and, +taking their bows and arrows, started boldly down +into the deep, dark rooms. After traveling a long +way in the dark, they came to a huge room in +which corn and melons and pumpkins were growing +abundantly. On and on they went, till at last +they heard the growl of distant thunder. Following +the sound, they came presently to a room in +the solid rock, wherein the lightning was stored. +Going in, they took the lightning and played with it +awhile, throwing it from one to the other, and at last +started home, carrying their strange toy with them.</p> + +<p>When they reached Acoma and told their grandmother +of their wonderful adventures, she held up +her withered old hands in amazement. And she +was nearly scared to death when they began to +play with the lightning, throwing it around the +house as though it had been a harmless ball, while +the thunder rumbled till it shook the great rock of +Acoma. They had the blue lightning which belongs +in the West; and the yellow lightning of the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_213"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>213]</span> +North; and the red lightning of the East; and the +white lightning of the South; and with all these +they played merrily.</p> + +<p>But it was not very long till Shée-wo-nah, the +Storm-King, had occasion to use the lightning; +and when he looked in the room where he was +wont to keep it, and found it gone, his wrath knew +no bounds. He started out to find who had stolen +it; and passing by Acoma he heard the thunder as +the Hero Twins were playing ball with the lightning. +He pounded on the door and ordered them +to give him his lightning, but the boys refused. +Then he summoned the storm, and it began to rain +and blow fearfully outside; while within the boys +rattled their thunder in loud defiance, regardless +of their grandmother’s entreaties to give the Storm-King +his lightning.</p> + +<p>It kept raining violently, however, and the water +came pouring down the chimney until the room +was nearly full, and they were in great danger of +drowning. But luckily for them, the Trues were +still mindful of them; and just in the nick of time +sent their servant, Teé-oh-pee, the Badger, who is +the best of diggers, to dig a hole up through the +floor; all the water ran out, and they were saved. +And so the Hero Twins outwitted the Storm-King.</p> + + + +<p class="break">South of Acoma, in the pine-clad gorges and +mesas, the world was full of Bears. There was +one old She-Bear in particular, so huge and fierce +that all men feared her; and not even the boldest +hunter dared go to the south—for there she had +her home with her two sons.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_214"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>214]</span> +Máw-sahv and Oó-yah-wee were famous hunters, +and always wished to go south; but their +grandmother always forbade them. One day, +however, they stole away from the house, and got +into the cañon. At last they came to the She-Bear’s +house; and there was old Quée-ah asleep +in front of the door. Máw-sahv crept up very +carefully and threw in her face a lot of ground +<i>chile</i>,<a id="FNanchor_101" href="#Footnote_101" class="fnanchor">[101]</a> and ran. At that the She-Bear began to +sneeze, <i>ah-hútch! ah-hútch!</i> She could not stop, +and kept making <i>ah-hútch</i> until she sneezed herself +to death.</p> + +<p>Then the Twins took their thunder-knives and +skinned her. They stuffed the great hide with +grass, so that it looked like a Bear again, and tied +a buckskin rope around its neck.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Máw-sahv, “We will give our +grandma a trick!”</p> + +<p>So, taking hold of the rope, they ran toward +Acoma, and the Bear came behind them as if leaping. +Their grandmother was going for water; +and from the top of the cliff she saw them running +so in the valley, and the Bear jumping behind +them. She ran to her house and painted one side +of her face black with charcoal, and the other side +red with the blood of an animal;<a id="FNanchor_102" href="#Footnote_102" class="fnanchor">[102]</a> and, taking a bag +of ashes, ran down the cliff and out at the Bear, to +make it leave the boys and come after her.</p> + +<p>But when she saw the trick, she reproved the +boys for their rashness—but in her heart she was +very proud of them.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_99" href="#FNanchor_99" class="label">[99]</a> They are represented in the sacred dances by the Káh-pee-óo-nin, “the +Dying-of-Cold” (because they are always naked except for the breech-clout).</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_100" href="#FNanchor_100" class="label">[100]</a> A thunder-knife.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_101" href="#FNanchor_101" class="label">[101]</a> The fiery red-pepper of the Southwest.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_102" href="#FNanchor_102" class="label">[102]</a> Ancient tokens of mourning.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_215"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>215]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap30">XXX<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE HUNGRY GRANDFATHERS</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">A</span> DISOBEDIENT child is something I have +never seen among the Pueblos, in all the +years I have lived with them. The parents are +very kind, too. My little <i>amigos</i> in Isleta and the +other Pueblo towns—for they are my friends in all—are +never spoiled; but neither are they punished +much.<a id="FNanchor_103" href="#Footnote_103" class="fnanchor">[103]</a> Personal acquaintance with a spanking is +what very few of them have. The idea of obedience +is inborn and inbred. A word is generally +enough; and for extreme cases it only needs the +threat: “Look out, or I will send for the Grandfathers!”</p> + +<p>Now, perhaps you do not know who the Grandfathers +are; but every Pueblo youngster does. It +has nothing to do with the “truly” grandpa, who +is as lovely an institution among the Tée-wahn as +anywhere else. No, the <i>Abuelos</i> were of an altogether +different sort. That name is Spanish, and +has three applications in Isleta: real grandparents; +the remarkable masked officials of a certain +dance; and the bad Old Ones. These last +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_216"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>216]</span> +are called in the Tée-wahn tongue <i>T’ai-kár-nin</i> +(Those-Who-Eat-People). They were, in fact, aboriginal +Ogres, who once sadly ravaged Isleta.</p> + +<p>The <i>T’ai-kár-nin</i> had no town, but dwelt in +caves of the lava mountain a couple of miles west +of this village—the <i>Kú-mai</i> hill. It is a bad +place at best: bleak, black, rough, and forbidding—just +the place that a properly constituted Ogre +would choose for his habitation. In the first place, +it is to the west of the town, which is “bad medicine” +in itself to any Indian, for that point of the +compass belongs to the dead and to bad spirits. +Then its color is against it; and, still worse, it is to +this day the common stamping-ground of all the +witches in this part of the country, where they +gather at night for their diabolical caucuses. Of +its serious disrepute I can convey no better idea +to the enlightened and superstitionless American +mind than by saying that it is a sort of aboriginal +“haunted house.”</p> + +<p>So the hill of <i>Kú-mai</i> was a peculiarly fit place +for the Ogres to dwell in. Deep in its gloomy +bowels they huddled on the white sand which floors +all the caves there; and crannies overhead carried +away the smoke from their fires, which curled from +crevices at the top of the peak far above them. +Ignorant Americans would probably have taken it +for a volcanic emission; but the good people of +Shee-eh-whíb-bak knew better.</p> + +<p>These Ogres were larger than ordinary men, +but otherwise carried no outward sign of their odious +calling. Their teeth were just like anybody’s +good teeth, and they had neither “tushes” nor +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_217"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>217]</span> +horns nor hoofs. Indeed, except for their unusual +size, they would have been easily mistaken for +Indians of some distant tribe. But, <i>ay de mi</i>! +How strong they were! One could easily whip +five common men in a bunch—“men even as +strong as my son, Francisco,” says Desiderio; and +Francisco is as stout as a horse.</p> + +<p>They were people of very fastidious palates, +these Ogres. Nothing was good enough for them +except human flesh—and young at that. Their +fare was entirely baby—baby young, baby brown, +and baby very fat. They never molested the +adults; but as often as they found an appetite they +descended upon the village, scooped up what children +they could lay their hands upon, and carried +them off to their caves. There they had enormous +<i>ollas</i>, into which half a dozen children could be +thrown at once.</p> + +<p>There seemed to be some spell about these +Ogres—besides their frequent hungry spells—for +the Pueblos, who were so brave in the face of other +foes, never dared fight these terrible cave-dwellers. +They continued to devastate the village, until +babies were at a premium, and few to be had at +any price; and the only way the people dared to +try to circumvent them was by strategy. In time +it came about that every house where there were +children, or a reasonable hope of them, had secret +cubby-holes back of the thick adobe walls; with +little doors which shut flush with the wall and were +also plastered with adobe, so that when they were +shut a stranger—even if he were a sharp-eyed +Indian—would never dream of their existence. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_218"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>218]</span> +And whenever arose the dreaded cry, “Here come +the <i>T’ai-kár-nin</i>!” the children were hustled, +shivering and noiseless, into the secret recesses, +and the doors were shut. Then Mr. Ogre could +come in and peer and sniff about as he liked, but +no chance to fill his market-basket could he find. +And when parents were forced to go away and +leave the babies behind, the poor young ones were +inclosed in their safe but gloomy prisons, and there +in darkness and silence had to await the parental +home-coming. These inconveniences were gladly +borne, however, since they preserved the children—and +we all know that preserved baby is better +than baby-stew. It was, of course, rather rough +on the Ogres, who began to find all their belts +most distressfully loose; but no one seemed to +consider their feelings. They were pretty well +starved when the Spaniards came and delivered +the suffering Isleteños by driving off these savage +neighbors. This looks suspiciously as if the whole +myth of the Ogres had sprung from the attacks of +the cruel Apaches and Navajos in the old days.</p> + +<p>There was one queer thing about these Ogres—on +their forages they always wore buckskin +masks, just like those of the <i>Abuelos</i> of the sacred +dance. Their bare faces were seen sometimes by +hunters who encountered them on the <i>llano</i>, but +never here in town. It was in connection with +these masks that Isleta had a great sensation recently. +The Hungry Grandfathers had been almost +forgotten, except as a word to change the +minds of children who had about quarter of a mind +to be naughty; but interest was revived by a +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_219"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>219]</span> +discovery of which my venerable friend Desiderio +Peralta was the hero.</p> + +<p>This dear old man—news of his death has come +to me as I write this very chapter—was a remarkable +character. He was one of “the oldest inhabitants” +of New Mexico—older than any other +Indian among the twelve hundred of Isleta, except +tottering Diego; and that is saying a great deal. +His hair was very gray, and his kindly old face +such an incredible mass of wrinkles that I used to +fancy Father Time himself must have said: “No, +no! You apprentices never do a thing right! +Here, <em>this</em> is the way to put on wrinkles!” and that +he then and there took old Desiderio for a model, +and showed the journeymen wrinkle-makers a trick +they never dreamed of. Certainly the job was never +so well done before. From chin to hair-roots, +from ear to ear, was such a crowded, tangled, inextricable +maze of furrows and cross-harrow lines as +I firmly believe never dwelt together on any other +one human face. Why, Desiderio could have furnished +an army of old men with wrinkles! I never +saw him smile without fearing that some of those +wrinkles were going to fall off the edge, so crowded +were they at best!</p> + +<p>But if his face was <i>arrugada</i>, his brain was not. +He was bright and chipper as a young blackbird, +and it was only of late that a touch of rheumatism +took the youth out of his legs. Until recently he +held the important position of Captain of War +for the pueblo; and only two years ago I had the +pleasure of going with two hundred <em>other</em> Indians +on a huge rabbit-hunt which was under his +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_220"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>220]</span> +personal supervision, and in which he was as active as +any one, both on his feet and with the unerring +boomerang. His eyes were good to find about as +much through the sights of a rifle as anybody’s; +and on the whole he was worth a good deal more +than I expect to be some seventy years from now. +He was a good neighbor, too; and I had few +pleasanter hours than those spent in talking with +this genial old shrivel, who was <i>muy sabio</i> in all +the folk-lore and wisdom of his unfathomable race; +and very close-mouthed about it, too—as they all +are. Still, there were some things which he seemed +willing to confide to me; and he always had an attentive +listener.</p> + +<p>Desiderio was not yet too old to herd his own +cattle during the season when they roam abroad; +and, while thus engaged, he made a discovery +which set the whole quiet village agog, though +no other outsider ever heard of it.</p> + +<p>One day in 1889 Desiderio started out from the +village, driving his cattle. Having steered them +across the <i>acequia</i> and up the sand-hills to the beginning +of the plain, he climbed to the top of the +<i>Kú-mai</i> to watch them through the day—as has +been the custom of Isleta herders from time immemorial. +In wandering over the rocky top of the +peak, he came to a ledge of rocks on the southeast +spur of the hill; and there found a fissure, at one +end of which was a hole as large as a man’s head. +Desiderio put his face and his wrinkles down to +the hole to see what he could see; and all was +dark inside. But if his eyes strained in vain, his +ears did not. From far down in the bowels of the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_221"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>221]</span> +mountain came a strange roaring, as of a heavy +wind. Desiderio was somewhat dismayed at this; +for he knew at once that he had found one of the +chimneys of the Ogres; but he did not run away. +Hunting around awhile, he found in the fissures +of the rocks some ancient buckskin masks—the +very ones worn by the Ogres, of course. He put +them back, and coming to town straightway told +the medicine-men of the Black Eyes—one of the +two parties here. They held a <i>junta</i>; and after +mature deliberation decided to go and get the +masks. This was done, and the masks are now +treasured in the Black Eye medicine-house.</p> + +<p>I have several times carefully explored the <i>Kú-mai</i>—a +difficult and tiresome task, thanks to the +knife-like lava fragments which cover it everywhere, +and which will cut a pair of new strong +shoes to pieces in an afternoon. It is true that +in this hill of bad repute there are several lava-caves, +with floors of white sand blown in from the +<i>llano</i>; and that in these caves there are a few human +bones. No doubt some of the savage nomads +camped or lived there. None of those famous <i>ollas</i> +are visible; nor have I ever been able to find any +other relics of the Hungry Grandfathers.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_103" href="#FNanchor_103" class="label">[103]</a> I must qualify this now. In the last two years I have seen one spoiled +child—just one, in ten years’ acquaintance with 9000 Pueblos!</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="padtop"><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_222"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>222]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenternocap illowp100" id="mwmm32" style="max-width: 38.625em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm32.jpg" alt="Decorative title: The Coyote"> +</figure> + + +<h2 class="nobreak" id="chap31">XXXI<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">THE COYOTE</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">A</span>LL the animals with which the Tée-wahn are +familiar—the buffalo (which they used to hunt +on the vast plains to the eastward), the bear, deer, +antelope, mountain lion, badger, wild turkey, fox, +eagle, crow, buzzard, rabbit, and so on—appear in +their legends and fairy tales, as well as in their religious +ceremonials and beliefs. Too-wháy-deh, +the Coyote,<a id="FNanchor_104" href="#Footnote_104" class="fnanchor">[104]</a> or little prairie wolf, figures in countless +stories, and always to his own disadvantage. +Smart as he is in some things, he believes whatever +is told him; and by his credulity becomes the +butt of all the other animals, who never tire of +“April-fooling” him. He is also a great coward. +To call an Indian here “<i>Too-wháy-deh</i>” is one of +the bitterest insults that can be offered him.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_223"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>223]</span> +You have already heard how the Coyote fared +at the hands of the fun-loving Bear, and of the +Crows and the Blackbirds. A very popular tale is +that of his adventure with a bright cousin of his.</p> + +<p>Once upon a time Too-wháy-shur-wée-deh, the +Little-Blue-Fox,<a id="FNanchor_105" href="#Footnote_105" class="fnanchor">[105]</a> was wandering near a pueblo, +and chanced to come to the threshing-floors, where +a great many crows were hopping. Just then the +Coyote passed, very hungry; and while yet far off, +said: “Ai! how the stomach cries! I will just +eat Little-Blue-Fox.” And coming, he said:</p> + +<p>“Now, Little-Blue-Fox, you have troubled me +enough! You are the cause of my being chased +by the dogs and people, and now I will pay you. I +am going to eat you up this very now!”</p> + +<p>“No, Coyote-friend,” answered the Little-Blue-Fox, +“<em>don’t</em> eat me up! I am here guarding these +chickens, for there is a wedding in yonder house, +which is my master’s, and these chickens are for +the wedding-dinner. Soon they will come for the +chickens, and will invite me to the dinner—and +you can come also.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said the Coyote, “if <em>that</em> is so, I will +not eat you, but will help you watch the chickens.” +So he lay down beside him.</p> + +<p>At this, Little-Blue-Fox was troubled, thinking +how to get away; and at last he said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Too-wháy-deh, I make strange that +they have not before now come for the chickens. +Perhaps they have forgotten. The best way is for +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_224"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>224]</span> +me to go to the house and see what the servants +are doing.”</p> + +<p>“It is well,” said the Coyote. “Go, then, and +I will guard the chickens for you.”</p> + +<p>So the Little-Blue-Fox started toward the house; +but getting behind a small hill, he ran away with +fast feet. When it was a good while, and he did +not come back, the Coyote thought: “While he is +gone, I will give myself some of the chickens.” +Crawling up on his belly to the threshing-floor, he +gave a great leap. But the chickens were only +crows, and they flew away. Then he began to +say evil of the Little-Blue-Fox for giving him a +trick, and started on the trail, vowing: “I will eat +him up wherever I catch him.”</p> + +<p>After many miles he overtook the Little-Blue-Fox, +and with a bad face said: “Here! Now I am +going to eat you up!”</p> + +<p>The other made as if greatly excited, and answered: +“No, friend Coyote! Do you not hear +that <i>tombé</i><a id="FNanchor_106" href="#Footnote_106" class="fnanchor">[106]</a>?”</p> + +<p>The Coyote listened, and heard a drum in the +pueblo.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said the Little-Blue-Fox, “I am called +for that dance,<a id="FNanchor_107" href="#Footnote_107" class="fnanchor">[107]</a> and very soon they will come for +me. Won’t you go too?”</p> + +<p>“If that is so, I will not eat you, but we will go +to the dance.” And the Coyote sat down and +began to comb his hair and to make himself pretty +with face-paint. When no one came, the Little-Blue-Fox +said:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_225"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>225]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp49" id="mwmm33" style="max-width: 33.0625em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm33.jpg" id="fig22" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">“THERE THEY STOOD SIDE BY SIDE.”</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_226"></a><!-- blank page --></span></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_227"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>227]</span> +“Friend Coyote, I make strange that the <i>alguazil</i> +does not come. It is best for me to go up +on this hill, whence I can see into the village. +You wait here.”</p> + +<p>“He will not dare to give me another trick,” +thought the Coyote. So he replied: “It is well. +But do not forget to call me.”</p> + +<p>So the Little-Blue-Fox went up the hill; and +as soon as he was out of sight, he began to run +for his life.</p> + +<p>Very long the Coyote waited; and at last, being +tired, went up on the hill—but there was no one +there. Then he was very angry, and said: “I +will follow him, and eat him surely! <em>Nothing</em> shall +save him!” And finding the trail, he began to +follow as fast as a bird.</p> + +<p>Just as the Little-Blue-Fox came to some high +cliffs, he looked back and saw the Coyote coming +over a hill. So he stood up on his hind feet and +put his fore paws up against the cliff, and made +many groans, and was as if much excited. In a +moment came the Coyote, very angry, crying: +“Now you shall not escape me! I am going to eat +you up now—now!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, friend Too-wháy-deh!” said the other; +“for I saw this cliff falling down, and ran to hold +it up. If I let go, it will fall and kill us both. But +come, help me to hold it.”</p> + +<p>Then the Coyote stood up and pushed against +the cliff with his fore paws, very hard; and there +they stood side by side.</p> + +<p>Time passing so, the Little-Blue-Fox said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Too-wháy-deh, it is long that I am +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_228"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>228]</span> +holding up the cliff, and I am very tired and thirsty. +You are fresher. So you hold up the cliff while I +go and hunt water for us both; for soon you too +will be thirsty. There is a lake somewhere on the +other side of this mountain; I will find it and get a +drink, and then come back and hold up the cliff +while you go.”</p> + +<p>The Coyote agreed, and the Little-Blue-Fox +ran away over the mountain till he came to the +lake, just as the moon was rising.</p> + +<p>But soon the Coyote was very tired and thirsty, +for he held up the cliff with all his might. At last +he said: “Ai! how hard it is! I am so thirsty +that I will go to the lake, even if I die!”</p> + +<p>So he began to let go of the cliff, slowly, slowly—until +he held it only with his finger-nails; and then +he made a great jump away backward, and ran as +hard as he could to a hill. But when he looked +around and saw that the cliff did not fall, he was +very angry, and swore to eat Too-wháy-shur-wée-deh +the very minute he should catch him.</p> + +<p>Running on the trail, he came to the lake; and +there the Little-Blue-Fox was lying on the bank, +whining as if greatly excited. “Now I <em>will</em> eat you +up, this minute!” cried the Coyote. But the other +said: “No, Friend Too-wháy-deh! Don’t eat <em>me</em> +up! I am waiting for some one who can swim as +well as you can. I just bought a big cheese<a id="FNanchor_108" href="#Footnote_108" class="fnanchor">[108]</a> from +a shepherd to share with you; but when I went to +drink, it slipped out of my hands into the water. +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_229"></a><!-- original location of illustration --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_230"></a><!-- blank page --></span> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_231"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>231]</span> +Come here, and I will show you.” He took the +Coyote to the edge of the high bank, and pointed +to the moon in the water.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp55" id="mwmm34" style="max-width: 36.75em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm34.jpg" id="fig23" alt=""> + <figcaption class="caption">“‘HOW SHALL I GET IT?’ SAID THE COYOTE.”</figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>“M—m!” said the Coyote, who was fainting +with hunger. “But how shall I get it? It is very +deep in the water, and I shall float up before I can +dive to it.”</p> + +<p>“That is true, friend,” said the other. “There +is but one way. We must tie some stones to your +neck, to make you heavy so you can go down +to it.”</p> + +<p>So they hunted about until they found a buckskin +thong and some large stones; and the Little-Blue-Fox +tied the stones to the Coyote’s neck, the +Coyote holding his chin up, to help.</p> + +<p>“Now, friend Too-wháy-deh, come here to the +edge of the bank and stand ready. I will take you +by the back and count <i>weem</i>, <i>wée-si</i>, <i>p’áh-chu</i>! +And when I say <em>three</em>, you must jump and I will +push—for now you are very heavy.”</p> + +<p>So he took the Coyote by the back of the neck, +swaying him back and forth as he counted. And +at “<i>p’áh-chu!</i>” he pushed hard, and the Coyote +jumped, and went into the deep water, and—never +came out again!</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_104" href="#FNanchor_104" class="label">[104]</a> Pronounced Coy-óh-ty.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_105" href="#FNanchor_105" class="label">[105]</a> He is always a hero, and as smart as the Coyote is stupid. His beautiful +pelt is an important part of the costume worn in many of the sacred +dances of the Tée-wahn.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_106" href="#FNanchor_106" class="label">[106]</a> Pronounced tom-báy. The sacred drum used in Pueblo dances.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_107" href="#FNanchor_107" class="label">[107]</a> In all such Indian dances the participants are named by the officials.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_108" href="#FNanchor_108" class="label">[108]</a> Of course chickens and cheeses were not known to the Pueblos before the +Spanish conquest; and the cheese is so vital a part of the story that I hardly +think it can be an interpolation. So this tale, though very old, is probably +not ancient—that is, it has been invented since 1600.</p> +</div> + + + + +<div class="chapter"> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_232"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>232]</span></p> +<h2 id="chap32">XXXII<br> +<span class="vsmlfont">DOCTOR FIELD-MOUSE</span></h2> +</div> + + +<p><span class="dropcap">I</span>T was the evening of the 14th of March. In +the valley of the Rio Grande, that stands at the +end of the winter. Now it is to open the big +mother-canal that comes from the river to all the +fields, giving them to drink after their long thirst; +and now to plow the <i>milpas</i>, and to uncover the +buried grape-vines, and make ready for the farmer’s +work.</p> + +<p>As the door opened to admit stalwart Francisco +to the big flickering room where we were all sitting +in silence, the long, shrill wail of a Coyote, +away up on the Accursed Hill, blew in after him +on the boisterous March wind. The boys pricked +up their ears; and bright-faced Manuelito<a id="FNanchor_109" href="#Footnote_109" class="fnanchor">[109]</a> turned +to his white-headed grandfather, and said:</p> + +<p>“<i>Tata</i>, why is it that Too-wháy-deh always +howls so? Perhaps he has a pain; for he has +been crying ever since the beginning of the world—as +they told us in the story of the Fawns and +the She-Wolf.”</p> + +<p>“What, Unknowing!” answered the old man, +kindly. “Hast thou never heard of the Coyote’s +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_233"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>233]</span> +toothache, and who was the first medicine-man in +all the world? It is not well not to know that; +for from that comes all that we know to cure the +sick. And for that, I will tell—but it is the last +story of the year. For to-morrow is <i>Tu-shée-wim</i>, +the Spring Medicine-Dance; and the snakes are +coming out from their winter houses. After that, +we must not tell of the Things of Old. For it +is very long ago; and if one made a mistake in +telling, and said that which was not all true, <i>Ch’áh-rah-ráh-deh</i> +would bite him, and he would die.<a id="FNanchor_110" href="#Footnote_110" class="fnanchor">[110]</a> +But this one I will tell thee.”</p> + + + +<p class="break">In the First Days, when the people had broken +through the crust of the earth, and had come up +out of their dark prison, underground, and crossed +Shee-p’ah-póon, the great Black Lake of Tears, +they came to the shore on this side. Then it came +that all the animals were made; and very soon the +Coyote was sent by the Trues to carry a buckskin +bag far south, and not to open it until he should +come to the Peak of the White Clouds. For +many days he ran south, with the bag on his back. +But there was nothing to eat, and he grew very +hungry. At last he thought: “Perhaps in this +bag there is to eat.” So he took it from his back, +and untied the thongs, and looked in. But there +was nothing in it except the stars; and as soon as +the bag was opened they all flew up into the sky, +where they are to this day.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_234"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>234]</span> +When the Trues saw that Too-wháy-deh had +disobeyed, they were angry, and made it that his +punishment should be to wander up and down forever, +howling with the toothache and finding no rest.</p> + +<p>So Too-wháy-deh went out with his toothache, +running all over the world groaning and crying; +and when the other four-feet slept he could only +sit and howl. Because he came to talk with the +other animals, if they could not cure him, they +caught the toothache too; and that is the reason +why they sometimes cry. But none have it like +the Coyote, who can find no rest.</p> + +<p>In those times there were no medicine-men in +the world,—not even of the people,—and the animals +found no cure.</p> + +<p>Time passing so, it came one day that T’hoo-chée-deh, +the smallest of Mice, who lives in the little +mounds around the chapparo-bush, was making +his road underground, when he came to a kind of +root with a sweet smell. T’hoo-chée-deh was very +wise; and he took the root, and put it with others +in a buckskin pouch he carried under his left arm.</p> + +<p>In a few days Kee-oo-ée-deh, the Prairie-Dog, +came with his head all fat with toothache, and said:</p> + +<p>“Friend Field-Mouse, can you not cure me of this +pain? For all say you are very wise with herbs.”</p> + +<p>“I do not know,” answered T’hoo-chée-deh. +“But we will try. For I have found a new root, +and perhaps it is good.”</p> + +<p>So he mixed it with other roots, all pounded, +and put it on the cheek of Kee-oo-ée-deh; and +in a little, the toothache was gone.</p> + +<p>In that time it was that there was so much +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_235"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>235]</span> +toothache among the animals that the Mountain +Lion, Commander of Beasts, called a council to +see what should be done. When every kind that +walks on the ground had met, he asked each of +them if they had found no cure; but none of them +knew any. The Coyote was there, howling with +pain; but all the other sick were at home.</p> + +<p>At last it was to the Field-Mouse, who is the +smallest of all animals, and who did not wish to +seem wise until all the greater ones had spoken. +When the Mountain Lion said, “And thou, T’hoo-chée-deh—hast +thou a cure?” he rose in his place +and came forward modestly, saying: “If the others +will allow me, and with the help of the Trues, +I will try what I found last.”</p> + +<p>Then he drew from his left-hand bag the roots +one by one; and last of all, the root of the <i>chee-ma-hár</i>, +explaining what it had done for Kee-oo-ée-deh. +He pounded it to powder with a stone, +and mixed it with fat; and spreading it on flat +leaves, put it to the Coyote’s jaw. And in a little +the pain was gone.<a id="FNanchor_111" href="#Footnote_111" class="fnanchor">[111]</a></p> + +<p>At that the Mountain Lion, the Bear, the Buffalo, +and all the other Captains of Four-feet, declared +T’hoo-chée-deh the Father-of-All-Medicine. +They made a strong law that from that time the +body of the Field-Mouse should be held sacred, so +that no animal dares to kill him or even to touch him +dead. And so it remains to this day. But only the +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_236"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>236]</span> +birds and the snakes, who were not at the Council of +the Four feet, they do not respect T’hoo-chée-deh.</p> + +<p>So the Field-Mouse was the first medicine-man. +He chose one of each kind of four-feet to be his +assistants, and taught them the use of all herbs, +and how to cure pain, so that each might practise +among his own people—a Bear-doctor for the +Bears, and a Wolf-doctor for the Wolves, and so to +all the tribes of the animals.</p> + +<p>Of those he taught, there was one who was not +a True Believer—the Badger. But he listened +also, and made as if he believed all. With time, +the teaching was done; and T’hoo-chée-deh sent +all his assistant doctors home to their own peoples +to heal. But whenever one of them was asked +with the sacred corn-meal<a id="FNanchor_112" href="#Footnote_112" class="fnanchor">[112]</a> to come and cure a sick +one, he always came first to get the Father, the +Field-Mouse, to accompany and help him.</p> + +<p>But all this time Kahr-naí-deh, the Badger, was +not believing; and at last he said to his wife:</p> + +<p>“Now I will <em>see</em> if Old T’hoo-chée-deh is really a +medicine-man. If he finds me, I will believe him.”</p> + +<p>So from that day for four days the Badger +touched no food, until he was almost dead. And +on the fifth day he said:</p> + +<p>“<i>In-hlee-oo wáy-ee</i>, wife of me, go now and call +T’hoo-chée-deh, to see if he will cure me.”</p> + +<p>So the Badger-wife went with meal to the house +of the Field-Mouse, making to be very sad; and +brought him back with her. When they came, the +Badger was as if very sick and in great pain.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_237"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>237]</span> +T’hoo-chée-deh asked nothing; but took off the +little pouch of roots and laid it beside him. And +then rubbing a little wood-ashes on his hands, he +put them on the stomach and breast of the Badger, +rubbing and feeling. When he had felt the Badger’s +stomach, he began to sing:</p> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0"><i>Káhr-nah-hlóo-hlee wee-end-t’hú</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Beh-hú hoo-báhn,</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Ah-náh káh-chah-him-aí</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>T’hóo-chée-hlóo-hlee t’oh-ah-yin-áhb</i></div> + <div class="i0"><i>Wee-end-t’hú beh-hú hoo-báhn.</i></div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<div class="poemcenter"> +<div class="poem"> + <div class="stanza"> + <div class="i0">(Badger-Old-Man four days</div> + <div class="i0">Has the hunger-killing,</div> + <div class="i0">To know, to know surely</div> + <div class="i0">If Field-Mouse-Old-Man</div> + <div class="i0">Has the Medicine Power.</div> + <div class="i0">Four days, four days,</div> + <div class="i0">He has the hunger-killing.)</div> + </div> +</div> +</div> + +<p>When he had finished rubbing and singing, he said +to the Badger:</p> + +<p>“There is no need of a remedy. In my teaching +I found you attentive—now be true. You +have wasted, in trying my power. Now get up +and eat, to make up for the lost. And do not +think that way again.”</p> + +<p>With that, he took his pouch of roots and went +home. As soon as he was out of the house, the +Badger said to his wife:</p> + +<p>“My wife, now I believe that Mouse-Old-Man <em>has</em> +the Power; and never again will I think <em>that</em> way.”</p> + +<p>Then the Badger-wife brought food, and he +ate—for he was dying of hunger. When he had +eaten, the animals came in to see him, for they had +heard that he was very sick. He told them all +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_238"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>238]</span> +that had been, and how T’hoo-chée-deh had known +his trick. At that, all the animals were afraid of +the Field-Mouse, and respected him more than ever—for +it was plain that he indeed had the Power.</p> + +<p>Time passing so, it came that one day the Men +of the Old made <i>nah-kú-ah-shu</i>, the great round-hunt. +When they had made a great circle on the +<i>llano</i>, and killed many rabbits, some of them found +T’hoo-chée-deh, and made him prisoner. They +brought him before the <i>principales</i>, who questioned +him, saying:</p> + +<p>“How do you gain your life?”</p> + +<p>“I gain it,” he answered, “by going about +among the animals who are sick, and curing +them.”</p> + +<p>Then the elders said: “If that is so, teach us +your Power, and we will set you free; but if not, +you shall die.”</p> + +<p>T’hoo-chée-deh agreed, and they brought him +to town with honor. For twelve days and twelve +nights he and the men stayed shut up in the <i>estufa</i>, +for two days fasting, and one day making the medicine-dance, +and then fasting and then dancing +again, as our medicine-men do to this day.</p> + +<p>On the last night, when he had taught the men +all the herbs and how to use them, and they had +become wise with practice, they sent T’hoo-chée-deh +out with a strong guard, that nothing should +harm him. They set him down at the door of his +own house under the chapparo. A law was made, +giving him full liberty of all that is grown in the +fields. To this day, all True Believers honor him, +so that he is not called small any more. When +they sing of him in the sacred places, they make +<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_239"></a>[<span class="hidden">Pg </span>239]</span> +his house great, calling it <i>koor-óo-hlee naht-hóo</i>, the +Mountain of the Chapparo. And him they call not +T’hoo-chée-deh, the Field-Mouse, but <i>Pee-íd-deh +p’ah-hláh-queer</i>, the Deer-by-the-River, that he may +not seem of little honor.<a id="FNanchor_113" href="#Footnote_113" class="fnanchor">[113]</a> For he was the Father +of Medicine, and taught us how to cure the sick.</p> + + + +<p class="break">“<i>Tahb-kóon-ahm?</i>” cried the boys. “Is <em>that</em> +why the Coyote always cries? And is that why we +must never hurt the Field-Mouse, but show him respect, +as to elders?”</p> + +<p>“That is the very why,” said Manuelito’s grandfather, +gravely; and all the old men nodded.</p> + +<p>“And why—” began ’Tonio. But his father +shook his head.</p> + +<p>“<i>Tah!</i> It is enough. <i>Tóo-kwai!</i>”</p> + +<p>So we stepped out into the night to our homes. +And from the <i>Kú-mai</i>, black against the starry sky, +the howl of Too-wháy-deh, wandering with his +toothache, swelled across the sleeping village of +the Tée-wahn.</p> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_109" href="#FNanchor_109" class="label">[109]</a> Pronounced Mahn-way-lée-to.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_110" href="#FNanchor_110" class="label">[110]</a> A fixed belief among the Pueblos, who will tell none of their myths between +the Spring Medicine-Making, in March, and the Fall Medicine-Making, +in October, lest the rattlesnake punish them for some slip from the truth.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_111" href="#FNanchor_111" class="label">[111]</a> This cure is still practised among the Tée-wahn. The sovereign remedy +for toothache, however, is to go to the <i>estufa</i> after dark, carrying food in the +left hand, march round inside the big circular room three times, leave the +food under the secret recess in the wall where the scalps taken in old wars are +kept, and then come out. The toothache is always left behind!</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_112" href="#FNanchor_112" class="label">[112]</a> The necessary accompaniment, among the Pueblos, of a call for the +doctor. In some cases, the sacred smoking-herb was used. Either article +was wrapped in corn-husk. See, also, “Some Strange Corners of Our +Country,” chapters xviii and xx.</p> +</div> + +<div class="footnote"> +<p><a id="Footnote_113" href="#FNanchor_113" class="label">[113]</a> This is not an exception. Nearly all the animals known to the Tée-wahn +have not only their common name, but a ceremonial and sacred one, which is +used exclusively in the songs and rites.</p> +</div> + +<figure class="figcenternocap illowp100" id="mwmm35" style="max-width: 40.3125em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/mwmm35.jpg" alt="Decorative tailpiece: Is that so? Yes; that is so. The End."> +</figure> + + + + +<div class="bbox"> +<p class="center"><b>Transcriber’s Note</b></p> + + +<p>All inconsistencies in hyphenation and accent use are preserved as printed.</p> + +<p>Minor punctuation errors have been repaired.</p> + +<p>The following typographic errors have been fixed:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_79">79</a>—stanger amended to stranger—Then a young woman who was a stranger ...</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_126">126</a>—seen amended to see—After this, whenever you see an Eagle ...</p> +</div> + +<p>The frontispiece has been moved to follow the title page. Other illustrations have been moved where necessary so that they are not in the middle of a paragraph. +</p> +</div> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77804 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/77804-h/images/cover.jpg b/77804-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f32c40d --- /dev/null +++ b/77804-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/77804-h/images/dcapa01.jpg b/77804-h/images/dcapa01.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..07b2f40 --- /dev/null +++ b/77804-h/images/dcapa01.jpg diff --git a/77804-h/images/dcapa02.jpg b/77804-h/images/dcapa02.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..29bf836 --- /dev/null +++ b/77804-h/images/dcapa02.jpg diff --git a/77804-h/images/dcapa03.jpg b/77804-h/images/dcapa03.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ad82053 --- /dev/null +++ b/77804-h/images/dcapa03.jpg diff --git a/77804-h/images/dcapd01.jpg b/77804-h/images/dcapd01.jpg 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