Kitabı oku: «Myths and Tales from the White Mountain Apache», sayfa 5

Releasing the Deer. ⁴⁹

Ganisk'ide⁵⁰ was the only one who owned deer. He was the only one who brought them home and who ate their flesh. He gave none of the meat to the people who lived near him.

Ravens, who were then people, proposed that they make a puppy and desert it. They did this; they moved away and left a puppy lying there. When the children of Ganisk'ide went where the people had moved away, they found the puppy. They took it up and carried it home.

Ganisk'ide told the children to throw the puppy away, but when they objected, he told them to try the dog's eyes by holding fire in front of them. When they brought the fire near the dog's eyes it cried, “gai gai gai.” “It is a real dog,” Ganisk'ide said. “You may take him behind the stone door where the deer are enclosed and let him eat the entrails.”

When the children had taken the dog behind this door he became a man again. He moved the stone to one side and the deer that were inside ran out. Ganisk'ide called to his wife from the doorway to touch the nostrils of the deer with her odorous secretions. She touched each of the deer on the nose as they ran by her and they received the sense of smell. They ran away from her.

“You said it was a dog,” he said to his children with whom he was angry, “but he turned them out for us.” The deer scattered all over the earth.

Deer Woman. ⁵¹

After he married, they went on a hunting trip. When they had established camp where they were to get the deer meat, the man went out to hunt, but the woman stayed at the camp. As the husband left, he said, if anyone came from the north, that would be himself, but if someone came from the east it would be someone else.

Then Ganłjine came there carrying a deer mask in his hand which he put on the brush of which the camp was made, and sat down by the fire. The deer mask was eating as if it were alive and it made a noise like a deer. Ganłjine told the woman to put on the thing which was lying there. She replied that a deer mask was something to be afraid of. “Put it on and let me look at it,” he insisted. “Will it be all right?” she asked him. He told her to put it on anyway, and stand at one side so he could look at it. She put it on and stood at the place designated in the posture of a deer.

He threw a turquoise ring on her, and she became like a deer as far as her neck. Then he threw a ring of bacinϵ on her and an additional portion of her body changed to a deer. Next he threw a ring of tcϵłtcϵϵ, and last, one of yołgai. She was then completely like a deer and walked away, wiggling her tail.

Toward the east there are mountains called Iłijgo. There are four mountains standing in a line, one back of the other. She who used to be a woman and Ganłjine went there together. They were mating as they went along, as could be told from the tracks. Deer tracks were in one place and nearby, other deer tracks, but on one side a man's tracks. They went toward the east.

When the husband came back he saw by the tracks that a man had visited the camp and had gone away with his wife. He went back to the settlement and told them that the woman with whom he had gone to hunt had gone off, leaving human tracks on one side and on the other side like a deer.

The people went in a company to the place where the man had camped and commenced following the tracks that were human on one side and deer-like on the other. While being trailed they ran from those who were following them, who ran after them, chasing them around until the one who had been a woman was worn out. They overtook her and threw on her a ring of turquoise, followed by one of bacinϵ and then one of tcϵłtcϵϵ, and finally one of yołgai. As these rings fell on her she became progressively human in shape. When she had become a human being again, they took her back to the settlement. When it was time for deer to run again, she became a deer once more, and then became a person again.

When thunder was heard, they made a camp and went to hunt little fawns which they were bringing into the camp. This woman who had turned into a deer had little fawns which she had borne for a deer. She went around among the houses where the fawns were being brought in and found her own lying there dead. An Indian had killed them both and had brought them in. When she learned a man had brought in pretty fawns, with yellow around their eyes, she ran there and commenced to cry.

She spoke, saying that the deer they should see along the trail where she went with her children would be herself and that they should pray to her.

The Gambler who secured the Water-Ceremony. ⁵²

A boy started playing najonc and lost his arrows, his moccasins, his breechcloth, his shirt, his headband, his hair, his eyebrows, and his eyelashes. When he returned home so divested, his mother told him to go away somewhere that she might not see him again.

He started away, utterly naked as he was, and traveled until he came to the edge of the ocean. He jumped into the water but was thrown back.⁵³ He did this three times with the same result and then jumped in under the water. When he looked back through the water it was white. He began to eat all kinds of “worms” as he went along. He ate, also, some of the green growth floating on the water. They came with him to the house made of water. The fly that sat inside his ear gave him information and advice. All the water people and the fog people went with him; Water-old-man was among them and Water-youth with a downy feather on the crown of his head. He was sent down that way with a message.⁵⁴ They sent him where the black blanket of water is spread down.

“Over there he is running along,” someone said. “Now to you they are starting, Water-youths, to you they are starting. Yonder we are coming, Water-youths are coming,” he said. “They are coming right up the stream.

“Fog-youths are coming, right in front of the fog they are coming.

“Where the water stands straight up, next to him, the water people are coming to us. With water-downy-feathers as their feathers they are coming to us; holding the lightning in their hands they are coming to us.

“Where the fog stands straight up, standing next to me, they come to us,” he said. “Fog-youths come to us,” he said. “At the end of the water, they come to us. Having downy feathers of fog they come to us; holding the lightning in their hands they come to us.”⁵⁵

The one who became water came by the house made of fog and water. “Where is the place called 'House-of-water'?” he asked. “This place is called 'House-of-water'” the water people replied. His monitor, fly, told him they were not telling him the truth. He came to the house made of water. “Where is the place called 'House-of-water'?” he asked. It was Water Chief to whom he came. “It is called 'Water-house' right here,” he replied. His fly told him that was correct; that 'Water-house' was there.

Two vessels filled with water which was boiling, were by the fire. “Drink all there is in one of the vessels,” he was told by Water Chief. He drank the contents of one vessel and then vomited. He was saying, “wa, wa,” as he vomited. He threw up all of the underwater “worms.”

They bathed him with the contents of the other vessel. They commenced to dance and danced for twelve nights without sleeping. When they had danced twelve nights without his falling asleep they told him he might go home.

Then Naiyenezgani danced there among them. His hat was white on top. He held his hand outspread over him as he stood by him. Water-old-man, too, danced among them. Water-house was on this side.

“Water-youths all came here where they were dancing. With their downy feathers of water they came there. They came to the dance ground holding lightning in their hands.

“From 'House-made-of-fog,' Fog-girls came where they danced having their downy feathers of fog. They held lightning in their hands.

“Water-youths were behind them, pretty, they were behind them; having their downy feathers of water, they were behind them. Holding lightning in their hands, they were all behind them.

“The Fog-girls came from the house made of fog. Having downy feathers of fog, they danced with fog. All holding lightning in their hands, the dance being made of fog they started to dance with him.

“They danced with the boy who became water.”

Naiyenezgani danced among them. When they were looking somewhere else Naiyenezgani became a baby again, and was tied in a basket cradle. The attention of the people was attracted elsewhere and when they saw Naiyenezgani again he was standing among the Water-maidens to whom he did various things.

Tobatc'istcini, too, was tied as a baby, then the two men did various things to them. The twelve nights had passed without anyone sleeping. He stood between the Water-maidens. The men from a distance made a circle and danced. The Water-people danced with him. The Fog-people danced with him.

The Sun was present there. From so great a height⁵⁶ he looked down on them. They danced in his presence. They danced, too, in the presence of the Moon. When twelve nights had passed and it was the twelfth morning he went to sleep. Far off, a Water-maiden stood. He, who became water, stood here and there stood a Fog-maiden. When twelve nights had passed he fell asleep. He loved this one. They shouted to him saying, “You are falling asleep.” The one standing behind him stepped by his foot and he fell against him.

Bił'olisn was there where they were dancing.

“He took her away, where the land is beautiful with corn.

“Fog-maiden; where the land is beautiful with pumpkins.

“Bił'olisn; where the land is beautiful with large corn, they two went.

“Fog-maiden; where the land is beautiful with large pumpkins, they two went.

“Bił'olisn; where the land is beautiful with large corn, they two sat down.

“Fog-maiden; where the land is beautiful with large pumpkins, they two sat down.

“Bił'olisn; where the land is beautiful with large corn, they two lay down.

“Fog-maiden; where the land is beautiful with pumpkins, they two lay down.

“At the east where the black water lies, stands the large corn, with staying roots, its large stalk, its red silk, its long leaves, its tassel dark and spreading, on which there is dew.

“At the sunset, where the yellow water lies, stands the large pumpkin with its tendrils, its long stem, its wide leaves, its yellow top on which there is pollen.”⁵⁷

This all happened where the man turned to water. He came back here where people were living. His mother had her hair cut off and was weeping for him. He came back at the end of a year. His younger brother was walking outdoors and saw him. When he saw him coming back he said, “Mother, over there my brother is returning.” “Evil one,⁵⁸ why do you say that?” she replied. “I am telling the truth, my brother is coming. Come here and look,” the boy said. She came out and found it was true. She called him her son, and told him she had been having a hard time and had cried on his account.

He went and hunted deer in company with his brother. He asked his brother to hunt in a certain direction and circle around to him again. There were thunder showers. The young man was sitting by himself. In one direction it was raining, it was black with the falling rain.

“I wish I might drink water again on top where black rain stands up. I wish I might drink water again on top where the water stands up.” His brother returned and surprised him while he was still singing.

They went back again to the house and the boy told them that his brother had been singing. He was told there were no songs and that he was not speaking the truth. He reaffirmed his statement. He asked that a sweathouse be built. When it was ready the boys went in and were singing inside. The young man who had been turned into water started to sing the water songs. Inside he wove lightning together again. There had been no water songs and now they existed. Thus, there came to be medicinemen for water.

The Man who visited the Sky with the Eagles. ⁵⁹

Long ago, there was a man who had a wife and two children, both boys. He went with Coyote on a hunting trip and camped near where they expected to secure game. He went out to hunt in the morning; and Coyote also went by himself and, as he was walking along, he came where there was an eagle's nest on a point of rock jutting out in the middle of a high cliff. There were young eagles in the nest.

Coyote returned to the camp and reported to the hunter that he had seen young eagles in a nest. Saying he wished some good feathers for feathering arrows, he asked the other man to lower him from the top of the cliff to the nest. When they had come to the place, Coyote asked the other man to allow himself to be lowered and to throw the feathers down for him. Coyote lowered him, asking if he had come to the young eagles. The reply was, “Not yet.” A little later, the same question was repeated and the answer this time was, “Yes.” Coyote then let the rope fall on the man saying, “Cousin, she who was your wife will be mine.”

The man then sat with the young eagles. He asked what sort of weather prevailed when their father returned. They replied that a “male” rain fell.⁶⁰ Soon a “male” rain fell and the father of the young eagles flew back in the rain. When he came where the man was sitting with the young eagles, he asked who was there. The man replied that Coyote had lowered him and that he was hovering his children for him. The male bird told him he might remain there and flew off.

The man then asked the young birds in what sort of weather their mother came back. They said she returned when a “female” rain was falling. Soon a “female” rain fell and the eagle's wife returned. She asked the man who he was; he told her that Coyote had lowered him down there and that he was staying with her children. Now she told him he might remain there and departed.

The male bird came back accompanied by a “male” rain. He brought with him a water vessel made of turquoise and bade the man drink. He drank and the water was not exhausted although the vessel of turquoise was very small.⁶¹

Accompanied by a “female” rain the female bird returned and perched nearby. She put down a horn vessel of boiled corn and invited the man to eat it. It was a small vessel, but it was not empty when he had finished his meal.

She flew away again and after four days the eagle people all assembled. They gave him an eagle shirt and instructed him to do as they did. He put on the shirt and flew a little way with it. He put on one shirt after another and flew farther and farther each time, four times. He was a man but he became an eagle.

“Where am I going?” he asked.

“Where the black mirage is located at the center of the sky, I go up.

In the shadow of his dark wings, I come.

“Where the blue mirage is located at the center of the sky, I go up.

In the shadow of his blue wings, I come.

“Where the yellow mirage is located at the center of the sky, I go up.

In the shadow of the yellow wings, I come.

“Where the white mirage is located at the center of the sky, I go up.

In the shadow of the white wings, I come,” he sang.

“Between the two who sit on the white sky, I go up. Where the white weeds tower up, white on the sky at its center, I go up,” he sang.

“Where the dark houses of the eagles project, I come,” he sang.

“Where the blue houses of eagles project, I go up.

“Where the red houses of the eagles project, I go up.

“Where the white houses of the eagles project, I go up,” he sang.

He lay down where there were no habitations. They asked him in vain to come inside the building, for soon the person with a skull that kills would come.

Saying he would remain there, he refused, and lay down. In the night, he heard the one with a skull that kills coming. He took up a stone and hit him with it as he walked by and killed him. He also killed the bees that had caused the eagles to die out by stinging them. He took the bees from their nests and killed them all. He killed, too, the wasps that lived in rocks, and all the yellow jackets. The tumble weeds, also, were killing the eagles by rolling on them. He beat these weeds with a stick and destroyed them.

He inquired of an old eagle woman where others were living. She told him of wood-rats which have many houses and bring back much material when they go abroad. He went where cactus was standing and when night came, lay down to sleep. He heard the sound of people shouting toward the east. They were saying, “Down here.” They were chasing an insect called agetdlic. He killed it.

The stars were people and were coming to get arrows. Those who were running after agetdlic jumped over his body one by one as they reached it. The last one who was running succeeded in jumping over the body but fell back on it.

They removed the skin, cut up meat, tied it up, and put it on the man's back for him to carry. They warned him against looking back. He started away with it and carried it until he came to the top of a hill. Wondering why he had been told not to look back, he did so and fell over backward. He went to the camp of the eagles and told them his load was on the hill. They went to get the load and brought it to the camp. There was a big pile of the meat which they brought back. “This was what he meant,” they said. It was sunset by the time they brought the meat back.

“The man is a good helper,” they said. “He has killed for us all those who used to kill us.” The man then said he was going home, and the eagle people told him he might do so. They told him, though, that if he was afraid four times to fly down, that he could not go down. He was afraid the fourth time and came back saying that he would start home again on the fourth day.

They went with him to the place where the trail came up. He was afraid three times, but when it was to be the fourth time he flew down.

“Where the white mirage is located in the center of the sky he rested; where the yellow house stands, resting in its shadow he sat down.

“The blue house, standing at the center of the sky; resting in the shade he sat down again.

“The black house, standing at the center of the sky; resting in its shade he sat down again.”

From there he flew down and lit on the earth. He alighted on a tree near which sat the Coyote who had lowered him. He was saying he would shoot the eagle there and get feathers to fix his arrow's. When Coyote tried to steal up close under him the eagle flew away to his house and became a man again. Those, who used to be his children had been renamed, “They grew up by eating the neck.” Coyote had punched their eyes out. “He did it with an awl,” they told their father.

When he came back from hunting, his two children had been all right. He heard him bring his load as he came back. He was saying, “Raised-with-neck-meat, come and meet me.” “Do not go there,” he told his sons. Coyote kept shouting as he came. He brought the load there and threw it down. He called out. “Good, Cousin. You have come back? I took good care of your children.”

The man who had been with the eagles then told his wife to put four stones on the fire. She put them on the fire to heat. She put one here and one here. “Put two of the stones in your mouth and put your feet on these two,” he told Coyote. Coyote did as he was told to, but ran only a little way before his tail fell out. His wife had an ill odor from being with Coyote. He beat among Coyote's children with a stick.

He did not like living on the earth. He placed eagle plumes in a row which multiplied fourfold. With the aid of these the man became an eagle. The people living here came to have medicinemen with power from eagles. He was a man but became an eagle and is now in the sky above.