The Sia have an elaborate cosmogony, highly colored with the heroic deeds of mythical beings. That which the writer here presents is simply the nucleus of their belief from which spring stories in infinite numbers, in which every phenomenon of nature known to these people is accounted for. Whole chapters could be devoted to the experiences of each mythical being mentioned in the cosmogony.

In the beginning there was but one being in the lower world, SÛs´sÎstinnako, a spider. At that time there were no other animals, birds, reptiles, or any living creature but the spider. He drew a line of meal from north to south and crossed it midway from east to west; and he placed two little parcels north of the cross line, one on either side of the line running north and south. These parcels were very valuable and precious, but the people do not know to this day of what they consisted; no one ever knew but the creator, SÛs´sistinnako. After placing the parcels in position, SÛs´sistinnako sat down on the west side of the line running north and south, and south of the cross line, and began to sing, and in a little while the two parcels accompanied him in the song by shaking, like rattles. The music was low and sweet, and after awhile two women appeared, one evolved from each parcel; and in a short time people began walking about; then animals, birds, and all animate objects appeared, and SÛs´sistinnako continued to sing until his creation was complete, when he was very happy and contented. There were many people and they kept close together, and did not pass about much, for fear of stepping upon one another; there was no light and they could not see. The two women first created were the mothers of all; the one created on the east side of the line of meal, SÛs´sistinnako named Ût[´]set, and she was the mother of all Indians; he called the other Now[´]Ûtset, she being the mother of other nations. SÛs´sistÍnnako divided the people into, clans, saying to certain of the people: “You are of the corn clan, and you are the first of all;” and to others he said: “You belong to the coyote, the bear, the eagle people,” and so on.

After SÛs´sistinnako had nearly perfected his creation for Ha´arts (the earth), he thought it would be well to have rain to water the earth, and so he created the cloud, lightning, thunder, and rainbow peoples to work for the people of Ha´arts. This second creation was separated into six divisions, one of which was sent to each of the cardinal points and to the zenith and nadir, each division making its home in a spring in the heart of a great mountain, upon whose summit was a giant tree. The Sha´-ka-ka (spruce) was on the mountain of the north; the Shwi´-ti-ra-wa-na (pine) on the mountain of the west; the Mai´-chi-na (oak)—Quercus undulata, variety Gambelii—on the mountain of the south; the Shwi´-si-ni-ha´-na-we (aspen) on the mountain of the east; the Marsh´-ti-tÄ-mo (cedar) on the mountain of the zenith, and the Mor´-ri-tÄ-mo (oak), variety pungens, on the mountain of the nadir. While each division had its home in a spring, SÛs´sistinnako gave to these people Ti´-ni-a, the middle plain of the world (the world was divided into three parts: Ha´arts, the earth; Ti´nia, the middle plain, and Hu´-wa-ka, the upper plain), not only for a working field for the benefit of the people of Ha´arts, but also for their pleasure ground.

Not wishing this second creation to be seen by the people of Ha´arts as they passed about over Ti´nia, he commanded the Sia to smoke, that clouds might ascend and serve as masks to protect the people of Ti´nia from view of the inhabitants of Ha´arts.

The people of Ha´arts made houses for themselves by digging holes in rocks and the earth. They could not build houses as they now do, because they could not see. In a short time the two mothers, Ût´set and Now´Ûtset (the latter being the elder and larger, but the former having the best mind and heart), who resided in the north, went into the chita (estufa) and talked much to one another, and they decided that they would make light, and said: “Now we will make light, that our people may see; we can not now tell the people, but to-morrow will be a good day and day after to-morrow will also be a good day”—meaning that their thoughts were good, and they spoke with one tongue, and that their future would be bright, and they added: “Now all is covered with darkness, but after awhile we will have light.” These two women, being inspired by SÛs´sistinnako, created the sun from white shell, turkis, red stone, and abalone shell. After making the sun they carried him to the east and there made a camp, as there were no houses. The next morning they ascended a high mountain and dropped the sun down behind it, and after a time he began to ascend, and when the people saw the light their hearts rejoiced. When far off his face was blue; as he came nearer the face grew brighter. They, however, did not see the sun himself, but a mask so large that it covered his entire body. The people saw that the world was large and the country beautiful, and when the women returned to the village they said to the people: “We are the mothers of all.”

Though the sun lighted the world in the day, he gave no light at night, as he returned to his home in the west; and so the two mothers created the moon from a slightly black stone, many varieties of a yellow stone, turkis, and a red stone, that the world might be lighted at night, and that the moon might be a companion and a brother to the sun; but the moon traveled slowly, and did not always furnish light, and so they created the star people and made their eyes of beautiful sparkling white crystal, that they might twinkle and brighten the world at night. When the star people lived in the lower world they were gathered into groups, which were very beautiful; they were not scattered about as they are in the upper world. Again the two women entered the chita and decided to make four houses—one in the north, one in the west, one in the south, and one in the east—house in this instance meaning pueblo or village. When these houses were completed they said, now we have some beautiful houses; we will go first to that of the north and talk much for all things good. Now´Ûtset said to her sister: “Let us make other good things,” and the sister asked: “What things do you wish to make?” She answered: “We are the mothers of all peoples, and we must do good work.” “Well,” replied the younger sister, “to-morrow I will pass around and see my other houses, and you will remain here.”

After Ût´set had traveled over the world, visiting the houses of the west, south, and east, she returned to her home in the north and was graciously received by Now´Ûtset, who seemed happy to see her younger sister, and after a warm greeting she invited her to be seated. Now´Ûtset had a picture which she did not wish the sister to see, and she covered it with a blanket, and said, “Guess what I have here?” (pointing to the covered picture) “and when you guess correctly I will show you.” “I do not know,” said Ût´set and again the elder one asked, “What do you think I have here?” and the other replied, “I do not know.” A third time Ût´set was asked, and replied that she did not know, adding, “I wish to speak straight, and I must therefore tell you I do not know what you have there.” Then Now´Ûtset said, “That is right.” After a while the younger sister said, “I think you have under that blanket a picture, to which you will talk when you are alone.” “You are right,” said the elder sister, “you have a good head to know things.” Now´Ûtset, however, was much displeased at the wisdom displayed by Ût´set. She showed the picture to Ût´set and in a little while Ût´set left, saying, “I will now return to my house and no longer travel; to-morrow you will come to see me.”

After the return of Ût´set to her home she beckoned to the Chas´ka (chaparral cock) to come to her, and said, “You may go early to-morrow morning to the house of the sun in the east, and then follow the road from there to his home in the west, and when you reach the house in the west remain there until my sister comes to my house to talk to me, when I will call you.” In the early morning the elder sister called at the house of the younger. “Sit down, my sister,” said the younger one, and after a little time she said, “Let us go out and walk about; I saw a beautiful bird pass by, but I do not know where he lives,” and she pointed to the footprints of the bird upon the ground, which was soft, and the tracks were very plain, and it could be seen that the footprints were in a straight line from the house of the sun in the east to his house in the west. “I can not tell,” said the younger sister, “perhaps the bird came from the house in the east and has gone to the house in the west; perhaps he came from the house in the west and has gone to the house in the east; as the feet of the bird point both ways, it is hard to tell. What do you think, sister?” “I can not say,” replied the other. Four times Ût´set asked the question and received the same reply. The fourth time the elder sister added, “How can I tell? I do not know which is the front of the foot and which is the heel, but I think the bird has gone to the house in the east.” “Your thoughts are wrong,” replied the younger sister; “I know where the bird is, and he will soon be here;” and she gave a call and in a little while the Chas´ka came running to her from, the west.

The elder sister was mortified at her lack of knowledge, and said, “Come to my house to-morrow; to-day you are greater than I. I thought the bird had gone to the house in the east, but you knew where he was, and he came at your call; to-morrow you come to me.”

On the morrow the younger sister called at the house of the elder and was asked to be seated. Then Now´Ûtset said, “Sister, a word with you; what do you think that is?” pointing to a figure enveloped in a blanket, with only the feet showing, which were crossed. Four times the question was asked, and each time the younger sister said she could not tell, but finally she added, “I think the feet are crossed; the one on the right should be left and the left should be right.” “To whom do the feet belong?” inquired the elder sister. The younger sister was prompted by her grandmother, SÛs´sistinnako[4], the spider woman, to say, “I do not think it is either man or woman,” referring to beings created by SÛs´sistinnako, “but something you have made.” The elder sister replied,“You are right, my sister.” She threw the blanket off, exposing a human figure; the younger sister then left, asking the elder to call at her house on the morrow, and all night Ût´set was busy preparing an altar under the direction, however, of SÛs´sistinnako. She covered the altar with a blanket, and in the morning when the elder sister called they sat together for a while and talked; then Ût´set said, pointing to the covered altar, “What do you think I have there?” Now´Ûtset replied, “I can not tell; I may have my thoughts about it, but I do not know.” Four times Now´Ûtset was asked, and each time she gave the same reply. Then the younger sister threw off the blanket, and they both looked at the altar, but neither spoke a word.

When the elder sister left, she said to Ût´set, “To-morrow you come to my house,” and all night she was busy arranging things for the morning, and in the morning Ût´set hastened to her sister’s house. (She was accompanied by SÛs´sistinnako, who followed invisible close to her ear.) Now´Ûtset asked, “What have I there?” pointing to a covered object, and Ût´set replied, “I can not tell, but I have thought that you have under that blanket all things that are necessary for all time to come; perhaps I speak wrong.” “No,” replied Now´Ûtset, “you speak correctly,” and she threw off the blanket, saying, “My sister, I may be the larger and the first, but your head and heart are wise; you know much; I think my head must be weak.” The younger sister then said: “To-morrow you come to my house;” and in the morning when the elder sister called at the house of the younger she was received in the front room and asked to be seated, and they talked awhile; then the younger one said: “What do you think I have in the room there?” pointing to the door of an inner room. Four times the question was asked and each time Now´Ûtset replied, “I can not tell.” “Come with me,” said Ût´set, and she cried as she threw open the door, “All this is mine, when you have looked well we will go away.” The room was filled with the Ka´?suna beings with monster heads which Ût´set had created, under the direction of SÛs´sistinnako.

SÛs´sistinnako’s creation may be classed in three divisions:

1. Pai´-Ä-tÄ-mo: All men of Ha´arts (the earth), the sun, moon, stars, Ko´-shai-ri and Quer´-rÄn-na.

2. Ko´-pish-tai-a: The cloud, lightning, thunder, rainbow peoples, and all animal life not included under the first and third heads.

3. Ka´?suna: Beings having human bodies and monster heads, who are personated in Sia by men and women wearing masks.

After a time the younger sister closed the door and they returned to the front room. Not a word had been spoken except by the younger. As the elder sister left she said, “To-morrow you come to my house.” SÛs´sistinnako whispered in the ear of the younger, “To-morrow you will see fine things in your sister’s house, but they will not be good; they will be bad.” Now´Ûtset then said: “Before the Sun has left his home we will go together to see him; we will each have a wand on our heads made of the long white fluffy feathers of the under tail of the eagle, and we will place them vertically on our heads that they may see the sun when he first comes out;” and the younger sister replied: “You are the elder and must go before, and your plumes will see the sun first; mine can not see him until he has traveled far, because I am so small; you are the greater and must go before.” Though she said this she knew better; she knew that though she was smaller in stature she was the greater and more important woman. That night SÛs´sistinnako talked much to Ût´set. She said: “Now that you have created the Ka´?suna you must create a man as messenger between the sun and the Ka´?suna and another as messenger between the moon and the Ka´?suna.”

The first man created was called Ko´shairi; he not only acts as courier between the sun and the Ka´?suna, but he is the companion, the jester and musician (the flute being his instrument) of the sun; he is also mediator between the people of the earth and the sun; when acting as courier between the sun and the Ka´?suna and vice versa and as mediator between the people of the earth and the sun he is chief for the sun; when accompanying the sun in his daily travels he furnishes him with music and amusement; he is then the servant of the sun. The second man created was Quer´rÄnna, his duties being identical with those of the Ko´shairi, excepting that the moon is his particular chief instead of the sun, both, however, being subordinate to the sun.

After the creation of Ko´shairi and Quer´rÄnna, Ût´set called Shu-ah-kai (a small black bird with white wings) to her and said:

“To-morrow my sister and I go to see the sun when he first leaves his house. We will have wands on our heads, we will be side by side; she is much taller than I; the sun will see her face before he sees mine, and that will not be good; you must go to-morrow morning very early near the house of the sun and take a plume from your left wing, but none from your right; spread your wings and rest in front of the sun as he comes from his house.” The two women started very early in the morning to greet the rising sun. They were accompanied by all the men and youths, carrying their bows and arrows. The elder woman, after they halted to await the coming of the sun, said: “We are here to watch for the sun.” (The people had divided, some being on the side of Now´Ûtset, the others with Ût´set). “If the sun looks first upon me, all the people on my side will be my people and will slay the others, and if the sun looks first upon the face of my sister all the people on her side will be her people and they will destroy my people.”

As the sun left his house, the bird Shu´ahkai placed himself so as to obscure the light, excepting where it penetrated through the space left by the plucking of the feather from his wing, and the light shone, not only on the wand on the head of the younger sister, but it covered her face, while it barely touched the top of the plumes of the elder; and so the people of the younger sister destroyed those of the elder. The two women stood still while the men fought. The women remained on the mountain top, but the men descended into a grassy park to fight. After a time the younger sister ran to the park and cried, “This is enough; fight no more.” She then returned to the mountain and said to her sister, “Let us descend to the park and fight.” And they fought like women—not with arrows—but wrestled. The men formed a circle around them and the women fought hard and long. Some of the men said, “Let us go and part the women;” others said, “No; let them alone.” The younger woman grew very tired in her arms, and cried to her people, “I am very tired,” and they threw the elder sister upon the ground and tied her hands; the younger woman then commanded her people to leave her, and she struck her sister with her fists about the head and face as she lay upon the ground, and in a little while killed her. She then cut the breast with a stone knife and took out the heart, her people being still in a circle, but the circle was so large that they were some distance off. She held the heart in her hand and cried: “Listen, men and youths! This woman was my sister, but she compelled us to fight; it was she who taught you to fight. The few of her people who escaped are in the mountains and they are the people of the rats;” and she cut the heart into pieces and threw it upon the ground, saying, “Her heart will become rats, for it was very bad,” and immediately rats could be seen running in all directions. She found the center of the heart full of cactus, and she said, “The rats for evermore will live with the cacti;” and to this day the rats thus live (referring to the Neotoma). She then told her people to return to their homes.

It was about this time that SÛs´sistinnako organized the cult societies, instructing all of the societies in the songs for rain, but imparting only to certain ones the secrets whereby disease is extracted through the sucking and brushing processes.

For eight years after the fight (years referring to periods of time) the people were very happy and all things flourished, but the ninth year was very bad, the whole earth being filled with water. The water did not fall in rain, but came in as rivers between the mesas, and continued flowing from all sides until the people and all animals fled to the mesa. The waters continued to rise until nearly level with the mesa top, and SÛs´sistinnako cried, “Where shall my people go? Where is the road to the north, he looking to the north, the road to the west, he facing the west, the road to the south, he turning south, the road to the east, he facing east? Alas, I see the waters are everywhere.” And all of his theurgists sang four days and nights before their altars and made many offerings, but still the waters continued to rise as before. SÛs´sistinnako said to the sun: “My son, you will ascend and pass over the world above; your course will be from the north to the south, and you will return and tell me what you think of it.” On his return the sun said, “Mother, I did as you bade me, and I did not like the road.” Again he told him to ascend and pass over the world from the west to the east, and on his return SÛs´sistinnako inquired how he liked that road. “It may be good for some, mother, but I did not like it.” “You will again ascend and pass over the straight road from east to west,” and upon the sun’s return the father inquired what he thought of that road. His reply was, “I am much contented; I like the road much.” Then SÛs´sistinnako said, “My son, you will ascend each day and pass over the world from east to west.” Upon each day’s journey the sun stops midway from the east to the center of the world to eat his breakfast, in the center to eat his dinner, and midway the center to the west to eat his supper, he never failing to take his three meals daily, stopping at these particular points to obtain them.

The sun wears a shirt of dressed deerskin, and leggings of the same, reaching to his thighs; the shirt and leggings are fringed; his moccasins are also of deerskin and embroidered in yellow, red, and turkis beads; he wears a kilt of deerskin, the kilt having a snake painted upon it; he carries a bow and arrows, the quiver being of cougar skin, hanging over his shoulder, and he holds his bow in his left hand and an arrow in his right; he still wears the mask which protects him from view of the people of the earth. An eagle plume with a parrot plume on either side, ornaments the top of the mask, and an eagle plume is on either side of the mask and one is at the bottom; the hair around the head and face is red like fire, and when it moves and shakes the people can not look closely at the mask; it is not intended that they should observe closely and thereby know that instead of seeing the sun they see only his mask; the heavy line encircling the mask is yellow, and indicates rain. (Fig. 14.)

The moon came to the upper world with the sun and he also wears a mask.

Each night the sun passes by the house of SÛs´sistinnako, who asks him: “How are my children above, how many have died to-day, and how many have been born to-day?” He lingers with him only long enough to answer his questions. He then passes on to his house in the east.

SÛs´sistinnako placed a huge reed upon the mesa top and said: “My people will pass up through this to the world above.” Ût´set led the way, carrying a sack containing many of the star people; she was followed by all the theurgists, who carried their precious articles in sacred blankets, on their backs; then followed the laity and all animals, snakes and birds; the turkey was far behind, and the foam of the waters rose and reached the tip ends of his feathers, and to this day they bear the mark of the waters. Upon reaching the top of the reed, the solid earth barred their exit, and Ût´set called ?Si´ka (the locust), saying, “Man, come here.” The locust hastened to her, and she told him that the earth prevented their exodus. “You know best how to pass through the earth; go and make a door for us.” “Very well, mother,” he replied, “I will, and I think I can make a way.” He began working with his feet, and after a time he passed through the earth, entering another world. As soon as he saw the world, he returned to Ût´set saying, “It is good above.” Ût´set then called the Tuo´ pi (badger), and said to him, “Make a door for us; the ?Si´ka has made one, but it is very small.” “Very well, mother; I will,” replied the badger; and after much work he passed into the world above, and returning said, “Mother, I have opened the way.” Ût´set is appealed to, to the present time, as father and mother, for she acts directly for SÛs´sistinnako, the creator. The badger said, “Mother, father, the world above is good.” Ût´set then called the deer, saying to him, “You go first, and if you pass through all right, if you can get your head through, others may pass.” The deer after ascending returned saying, “Father, it is all right; I passed without trouble.” She then called the elk, and told him if he could get his head through the door, all could pass. He returned, saying, “Father, it is good; I passed without trouble.” She then had the buffalo try and he returned, saying, “Father, mother, the door is good; I passed without trouble.”

Ût´set then called the I-shits (ScarabÆus) and gave him the sack of stars, telling him to pass out first with the sack. The little animal did not know what the sack contained, but he grew very tired carrying it, and he wondered what could be in the sack. After entering the new world he was very tired, and laying the sack down he thought he would peep into it and see its contents. He cut only a tiny hole, but immediately the stars began flying out and filling the heavens everywhere. The little animal was too tired to return to Ût´set, who, however, soon joined him, followed by all her people, who came in the order above mentioned. After the turkey passed out the door was firmly closed with a great rock so that the waters below could not follow them. When Ût´set looked for her sack she was astonished to find it nearly empty and she could not tell where the contents had gone; the little animal sat by, very scared, and sad, and Ût´set was angry with him and said, “You are very bad and disobedient and from this time forth you shall be blind,” (and this is the reason the scarabÆus has no eyes, so the old ones say). The little fellow, however, had saved a few of the stars by grabbing the sack and holding it fast; these Ût´set distributed in the heavens. In one group she placed seven stars (the great bear), in another three (part of Orion,) into another group she placed the Pleiades, and throwing the others far off into the heavens, exclaimed, “All is well!”

The cloud, lightning, thunder, and rainbow peoples followed the Sia into the upper world, making their homes in springs similar to those they had occupied in the lower world; these springs are also at the cardinal points, zenith and nadir, and are in the hearts of mountains with trees upon their summits. All of the people of TÍnia, however, did not leave the lower world; only a portion were sent by SÛs´sistinnako to labor for the people of the upper world. The cloud people are so numerous that, though the demands of the people of the earth are great, there are always many passing about over TÍnia for pleasure; these people ride on wheels, small wheels being used by the children and larger ones by the elders. In speaking of these wheels the Sia add: “The Americans have stolen the secret of the wheels (referring to bicycles) from the cloud people.”

The cloud people are careful to keep behind their masks, which assume different forms according to the number of people and the work being done; for instance, Hen´nati are white floating clouds behind which the people pass about for pleasure. He´Äsh are clouds like the plains, and behind these, the cloud people are laboring to water the earth. The water is brought from the springs at the base of the mountains in gourd jugs and vases, by the men, women, and children, who ascend from these springs to the base of the tree and thence through the heart or trunk to the top of the tree which reaches to Ti´nia; they then pass on to the designated point to be sprinkled. Though the lightning, thunder and rainbow peoples of the six cardinal points[5] have each their priestly rulers and theurgists of their cult societies, these are subordinate to the priest of the cloud people, the cloud people of each cardinal point having their separate religious and civil organizations. Again these rulers are subordinate to Ho´chÄnni, arch ruler of the cloud people of the world, the cloud people hold ceremonials similar to the Sia; and the figures of the slat altars of the Sia are supposed to be arranged just as the cloud people sit in their ceremonies, the figures of the altars representing members of the cult societies of the cloud and lightning peoples. The Sia in performing their rites assume relatively similar positions back of the altars.

When a priest of the cloud people wishes assistance from the thunder and lightning peoples he commands their ti´Ämonis to notify the theurgists to see that the labor is performed, he placing his cloud people under the direction of certain of his theurgists, keeping a general supervision himself over all. The people of Ti´nia are compensated by those of Ha´arts for their services. These offerings are placed at shrines, of which there are many, no longer left in view but buried from sight. Cigarettes are made of delicate reeds and filled with down from humming birds and others, minute quantities of precious beads and corn pollen, and are offered to the priestly rulers and theurgists of Ti´nia.

The lightning people shoot their arrows to make it rain the harder, the smaller flashes coming from the bows of the children. The thunder people have human forms, with wings of knives, and by flapping these wings they make a great noise, thus frightening the cloud and lightning peoples into working the harder. The rainbow people were created to work in Ti´nia to make it more beautiful for the people of Ha´arts to look upon; not only the elders making the beautiful bows, but the children assisting in this work. The Sia have no idea how or of what the bows are made. They do, however, know that the war heroes traveled upon these bows.

The Sia entered this world in the far north, and the opening through which they emerged is known as ShÍ-pa-po. They gathered into camps, for they had no houses, but they soon moved on a short distance and built a village. Their only food was seeds of certain grasses, and Ût´set desiring that her children should have other food made fields north, west, south, and east of the village and planted bits of her heart, and corn was evolved (though Ût´set had always known the name of corn, corn itself was not known until it originated in these fields), and Ût´set declared: “This corn is my heart and it shall be to my people as milk from my breasts.”

After the Sia had remained at this village a year (referring to a time period) they desired to pass on to the center of the earth, but the earth was very moist and Ût´set was puzzled to know how to harden it.

She commanded the presence of the cougar, and asked him if he had any medicine to harden the road that they might pass over it. The cougar replied, “I will try, mother;” but after going a short distance over the road, he sank to his shoulders in the wet earth, and he returned much afraid, and told Ût´set that he could go no farther. She then sent for the bear and asked him what he could do; and he, like the cougar, made an attempt to harden the earth; he had passed but a short distance when he too sank to his shoulders, and being afraid to go farther returned, saying, “I can do nothing.” The badger then made the attempt, with the same result; then the shrew (Sorex) and afterward the wolf, but they also failed. Then Ût´set returned to the lower world and asked SÛs´sistinnako what she could do to harden the earth so that her people might travel over it. SÛs´sistinnako inquired, “Have you no medicine to make the earth firm? Have you asked the cougar and the bear, the wolf, the badger and the shrew to use their medicines to harden the earth?” And she replied, “I have tried all these.” Then, said SÛs´sistinnako, “Others will understand;” and he told Ût´set to have a woman of the Ka´pina (spider) society to use her medicine for this purpose. Upon the return of Ût´set to the upper world, she commanded the presence of a female member of this society. Upon the arrival of this woman Ût´set said, “My mother, SÛs´sistinnako, tells me the Ka´pina society understands the secret of how to make the earth strong.” The woman replied, “I do not know how to make the earth firm.” Three times Ût´set questioned the woman regarding the hardening of the earth, and each time the woman replied, “I do not know.” The fourth time the question was put the woman said, “Well, I guess I know; I will try;” and she called together the members of the society of the Ka´pina and said to them, “Our mother, SÛs´sistinnako bids us work for her and harden the earth so that the people may pass over it.” The woman first made a road of fine cotton which she produced from her body (it will be remembered that the Ka´pina society was composed of the spider people), suspending it a few feet above the earth, and told the people they could now move on; but when they saw the road it looked so fragile that they were afraid to trust themselves upon it. Then Ût´set said: “I wish a man and not a woman of the Ka´pina to work for me.” A male member of the society then appeared and threw out the serpent (a fetich of latticed wood so put together that it can be expanded and contracted); and when it was extended it reached to the middle of the earth. He first threw it to the south, then to the east, then to the west. The Na´pakatsa (a fetich composed of slender sticks radiating from a center held together by a fine web of cotton; eagle down is attached to the cotton; when opened it is in the form of an umbrella, and when closed it has also the same form minus the handle) was then thrown upon the ground and stamped upon (the original Na´pakatsa was composed of cotton from the spider’s body); it was placed first to the south, then east, west and north. The people being in the far north, the Na´pakatsa was deposited close to their backs.

The earth now being firm so that the people could travel, Ût´set selected for the ti´Ämoni who was to take her place with the people and lead them to the center of the earth, a man of the corn clan, saying to him, “I, Ût´set, will soon leave you; I will return to the home whence I came. You will be to my people as myself; you will pass with them over the straight road. I will remain in my house below and will hear all that you say to me. I give to you all my wisdom, my thoughts, my heart, and all. I fill your head with my mind.” She then gave to her newly appointed representative a crooked staff as insignia of his office, saying, “It is as myself; keep it always.” “Thank you, mother,” he replied, and all the people clasped the staff and drew a breath from it. “I give to you all the precious things which I brought to this world [Ût´set having brought these things in a sacred blanket on her back]. Be sure to follow the one straight road for all years and for all time to come. You will be known as Ti´Ämoni [meaning the arch-ruler]. I bid you listen to all things good, and work for all things good, and turn from all things bad.” He replied: “It is well, mother; I will do as you say.” She then instructed this ruler to make the Ï´Ärriko[6] (Pl. ix) which was to represent herself that they might have herself always with them and know her always. Again Ût´set said: “When you wish for anything make hÄ´chamoni and plant them, and they will bear your messages to your mother in the world below.”

Before Ût´set left this world she selected six Sia women, sending one to the north, one to the west, one to the south, one to the east, one to the zenith, and one to the nadir, to make their homes at these points for all time to come, that they might be near the cloud rulers of the cardinal points and intercede for the people of Ha´arts; and Ût´set enjoined her people to remember to ask these women, in times of need, to appeal to the cloud people for them.

The Sia alone followed the command of Ût´set and took the straight road, while all other pueblos advanced by various routes to the center of the earth. After Ût´set’s departure the Sia traveled some distance and built a village of beautiful white stone, where they lived four years (years referring to time periods). The Sia declare that their stay at the white house was of long duration. Here parents suffered great distress at the hand of the tÍÄmoni, who, objecting to the increase of his people, for a time caused all children to be put to death. The Sia had scarcely recovered from this calamity when a serious difficulty arose between the men and women. Many women sat grinding meal and singing; they had worked hard all day, and at sundown, when the men returned to the houses, the women began abusing them, saying: “You are no good; you do not care to work; you wish to be with women all the time. If you would allow four days to pass between, the women would care more for you.” The men replied: “You women care to be with us all day and all night; if you women could have the men only every four days you would be very unhappy.” The women retorted: “It is you men who would be unhappy if you could be with the women only every four days.”

And the men and women grew very angry with one another. The men cried: “Were it ten days, twenty days, thirty days, we could remain apart from you and not be unhappy.” The women replied: “We think not, but we women would be very contented to remain away from you men for sixty days.” And the men said: “We men would be happy to remain apart from you women for five moons.” The women, growing more excited, cried: “You do not speak the truth; we women would be contented to be separated from you ten moons.” The men retorted: “We men could remain away from you women twenty moons and be very happy.” “You do not speak the truth,” said the women, “for you wish to be with us all the time, day and night.”

Three days they quarreled and on the fourth day the women separated from the men, going on one side of the pueblo, the men and boys gathering on the other side. All the women went into one chÍ-ta, the men into another. The women had a great talk and the men held a council. The men and women were very angry with one another.

The tÍÄmoni, who presided over the council, said: “I think if you and the women live apart you will each be contented.” And on the following morning he had all the men and male children who were not being nourished by their mothers cross the great river which ran by the village, the women remaining in the village. The men departed at sunrise, and the women were delighted. They said: “We can do all the work; we understand the men’s work and we can work like them.” The men said to each, other: “We can do the things the women did for us.” As they left the village the men called to the women: “We leave you to yourselves, perhaps for one year, perhaps for two, and perhaps longer. For one year you may be happy to be apart from us. Perhaps we will be happy to be separated from you; perhaps not; we can not tell. We men are more amorous than you.”

Some time was required for the men to cross the river, as it was very wide. The tÍÄmoni led the men and remained with them. The women were compelled by the tÍÄmoni to send their male infants over the river as soon as they ceased nourishing them. For ten moons the men and women were very happy. The men hunted a great deal and had much game for food, but the women had no animal food. At the expiration of the ten moons some of the women were sad away from the men. The men grew stout and the women very thin. As the second year passed more of the women wanted the men, but the men were perfectly satisfied away from the women. After three years the women more and more wished for the men, but the men were but slightly desirous of the women. When the fourth year was half gone the women called to the tÍÄmoni, saying: “We want the men to come to us.” The female children had grown up like reeds; they had no flesh on them. The morning after the women begged the tÍÄmoni for the return of the men they recrossed the river to live again with the women, and in four days after their return the women had recovered their flesh.

Children were born to the women while they were separated from the men, and when born they were entirely unlike the Sia, and were a different people. The mothers, seeing their children were not like themselves, did not care for them and drove them from their homes. These unnatural children matured in a short time, becoming the skÓyo (giant cannibals). As soon as they were grown they began eating the Sia. They caught the children just as the coyote catches his prey. They made large fires between great rocks, and throwing the children in, roasted them alive, and afterward ate them. When parents went to the woods to look for their lost children, they too were caught by the giants and roasted. No one ever returned to the village to tell the tale. The Sia were not only devoured by the skÓyo, but by those animals who quarreled with their people at the time of the rupture between the Sia men and women, the angry animals joining the skÓyo in their attacks upon the Sia.

Although the children were destroyed whenever they ventured from their homes the vigilance of some of the parents saved the race, and in spite of the numerous deaths the people increased, and they built many houses. Four years (referring to periods of time) the SkÓyo and animals captured and ate the Sia whenever they left their villages, but the Sia were not always to suffer this great evil.

The sun father determined to relieve the people of their trouble and so he became the father of twin boys.

Ko´chinako, a virgin (the yellow woman of the north), when journeying to visit the center of the earth, lay down to rest. She was embraced by the Sun, and from this embrace she became pregnant. In four days she gave evident signs of her condition, and in eight days it was still more perceptible, and in twelve days she gave birth to male twins. During her condition of gestation her mother, the spider woman, was very angry, and insisted upon knowing the father of the child, but the daughter could not tell her; and when the mother asked when she became pregnant, she could not reply to the question, and the mother said: “I do not care to see the child when it is born; I wish to be far away.” And as soon as the daughter complained of approaching labor the mother left, but her heart softened toward her child and she soon returned. In four days from the birth of the boys they were able to walk. When twins are born, the first-born is called Kat´saya and the second Kat´che.

Ko´chinako named her first-born Ma´-a-se-we and the second U´-yuuyewe. These children grew rapidly in intelligence, but they always remained small in stature. One day they inquired of their mother, “Where is our father?” The mother replied, “He is far away; ask no more questions.” But again they asked, “Where is our father?” And they received the same reply from the mother. The third time they asked, and a fourth time, when the mother said, “Poor children, your father lives far away to the east.” They declared they would go to him, but she insisted they could not; that to reach him they would have to go to the center of a great river. The boys were so earnest in their entreaties to be allowed to visit their father, that the mother finally consented. Their grandmother (the spider woman) made them each a bow and arrows, and the boys started off on their journey, traveling along way. Upon reaching the river they were puzzled to know how to enter their father’s house. While they stood thinking, their grandmother (the spider woman) appeared and said, “I will make a bridge for you.” She spun a web back and forth, but when the bridge was completed the boys feared to cross it; it appeared so frail. Then the grandmother tested the bridge to show them it was safe. They, being now satisfied, crossed the bridge and descended to the center of the river, and there found their father’s house. The wife of their father inquired of the boys, “Who are you, and where did you come from?” “We come to find our father.” The woman then asked, “Who is your father?” and they answered, “The Sun is our father;” and the wife was angry and said, “You tell an untruth.” She gave them a bowl of food, which was, however, only the scraps left by her children.

In a little while the Sun returned home. His wife was very indignant; “I thought you traveled only for the world, but these children say you are their father.” The Sun replied, “They are my children, because all people are my children under my arm.” This satisfied the wife, even though the children appealed directly to the Sun as father. When he saw the boys were eating scraps, he took the bowl, threw out the contents, and had his wife give them proper food. He then called one of his men who labored for him, and said, “Build me a large fire in the house,” designating a sweat-house, “lined with turkis, and heat it with hot rocks,” the rocks being also turkis. He sent the children into this house and had the door closed upon them. The Sun then ordered water poured upon the hot rocks through an opening in the roof, but the children cooled the sweat-house by spitting out tiny shells from their mouths.

When the Sun ordered the door of the sweat-house opened he was surprised to find the children still alive. He then had them cast into another house, which was very large and filled with elk, deer, antelope, and buffalo; he peeped through an opening in the wall and saw the boys riding on the backs of the elk and deer apparently very happy and contented. He then had them placed in a house filled with bear, cougar, and rattlesnakes, and he peeped in and saw the children riding on the backs of the bear and cougar and they were happy and not afraid, and he said, “Surely they are my children,” and he opened the doors and let them out, and asked, “My children, what do you wish of me?” “Nothing, father,” they replied, “We came only to find our father.” He gave to each of them a bow and arrows, and to each three sticks (the rabbit stick), which he told them not to use until they reached home for if they threw one, intending it only to go a little way it would go very far. When they had proceeded on their journey but a short distance Ma´asewe said to U´yuuyewe, “Let us try our sticks and see how far they will go;” but U´yuuyewe refused, saying, “No; our father told us not to use them until our return home.” Ma´asewe continued to plead with his younger brother, but he was wise and would not yield. Finally Ma´asewe threw one of his, and it was going a great distance off, but he stopped it by throwing shells from his mouth.

The mother and grandmother were delighted to see the boys again, and happy for all to be under one roof, but the boys, particularly Ma´asewe, were soon anxious to travel. They wished to try the bows their father had given them, and after they had been home four days they started on a hunt. The mother said to the boys: “Children, I do not wish you to go far; listen attentively to what I have to say. Away to the east is a lake where many skoyo and their animal companions live and when the sun is over the middle of the world these people go to the lake to get water. They are very bad people and you must not go near the lake.” Ma´asewe replied, “Very well, mother; I do not care to go that way and I will look about near home.” But when the boys had gone a little distance Ma´asewe said to his younger brother, “Let us go to the lake that mother talked of.” U´yuuyewe replied: “I do not care to go there, because our mother told us not to go that way;” but Ma´asewe importuned his younger brother to go, and U´yuuyewe replied, “Very well.” They then followed the road indicated by their mother until the lake was discovered.

It was now about the middle of the day, and Ma´asewe said “There are no people here, none at all; I guess mother told us a story;” but in a little while he saw a great wolf approach the lake; then they saw him enter the lake; he was thirsty, and drank; both boys saw him at the bottom of the lake and they exclaimed: “See! he looks pretty in the bottom of the lake.” Ma´asewe said: “I guess he will drink all the water; see, the water grows less and less.” And when all the water was gone there was no wolf in the bottom of the lake and then the boys discovered the wolf on a low mesa, it having been only his reflection they had seen in the lake. The boys aimed their arrows at him, but they did not hit him and the wolf threw a large stick at them, but they bowed their heads and it passed over them. Ma´asewe said to U´yuuyewe: “I guess these people are those of whom mother spoke; see,” said he, “this stick is the same as those given us by our father.” The boys carried their rabbit sticks of great size and Ma´asewe aimed one of his at the wolf, who wore a shirt of stone which could be penetrated only at certain points. The wolf again threw a stick, but the boys jumped high from the ground and the stick passed under them. Ma´asewe said to U´yuuyewe, “Now, younger brother, you try.” U´yuuyewe had not used his arrows or sticks up to this time. He replied, “All right,” and throwing one of his sticks he struck the wolf in the side, and the protective shirt was destroyed for the moment. Then Ma´asewe threw a stick, but the shirt of stone again appeared protecting the wolf. U´yuuyewe, throwing a second stick killed the wolf. Then Ma´asewe said, “Younger brother, the wolf is destroyed; let us return; but we will first secure his heart;” and with a stone knife he cut the wolf down the breast in a straight line, and took out the heart, which he preserved, saying: “Now we will return to our home.”

Upon their reaching home, their mother inquired: “Where have you been, where have you been?” “We have been to the lake,” said the boys. “My boys, you are fooling me.” “No, we are speaking the truth.” “Why did you go there?” Ma´asewe replied, “We wished very much to see the lake.” The mother asked: “Did you not see any Sko´yo?” “Yes,” said Ma´asewe, “we saw one; at least we saw a great wolf;” and the mother cried, “Oh, my boys, you are not good boys to go there.” Then Ma´asewe told his mother that they had killed the wolf. At first, she refused to believe him; but when Ma´asewe declared he spoke the truth, the mother took the boys to her breast and said: “It is well, my children.” In a short time the boys started out on another tour. Before leaving home, they inquired of their mother where good wood for arrow shafts could be procured. “Far off to the north in a canyon is good wood for shafts, but a bad man sits in the road near by; this path is very narrow, and when one passes by he is kicked into the canyon by this bad man, and killed.” Ma´asewe declared to his mother he did not care to go there, but he was not far from her eyes before he prevailed upon U´yuuyewe to accompany him to this canyon, saying: “Let us go where we can find the best wood.”

It required some persuasion from Ma´asewe, as U´yuuyewe at first declared he would not disobey his mother. They traveled a long way ere reaching the bad old man, the cougar, but when they saw him they approached very cautiously, and Ma´asewe asked him if he could tell him “where to find good wood for arrow shafts.” “Yes, I know,” replied the cougar; “down there is much,” pointing to the canyon below. Ma´asewe inquired, “How can I reach the canyon?” The cougar said, “Pass by me; this is the best way.” Ma´asewe declared he must not walk before his elders, but the cougar insisted that the boys should pass in front of him. They were, however, determined to pass behind. Finally the cougar said, “All right.” Ma´asewe asked him to rise while they passed, but he only bent a little forward; then Ma´asewe said, “Lean a little farther forward, the path is narrow;” and the cougar bent his body a little more, when Ma´asewe placed his hands on the cougar’s shoulders, pressing him forward, saying, “Oh! the way is so narrow; lean just a little more; see, I can not pass.” U´yuuyewe, who was close to Ma´asewe, put both his hands on the cougar’s right shoulder, while his brother placed his on the left, they saying to him, “Just a little farther forward,” and, with their combined effort, they threw him to the canyon below, Ma´asewe crying out, “This is the way you have served others.” The cougar was killed by the fall.

The boys then descended into the canyon and gathered a quantity of wood for their arrow shafts. When their mother saw the wood she cried, “You naughty boys! where have you been?” They replied, “We have killed the cougar.” The mother refused to believe them, but Ma´asewe declared they spoke the truth. She then embraced her children with pride and joy.

Two days the boys were busy making shafts, to which they attached their arrows. Then Ma´asewe desired plumes for the shafts. “Mother,” said he, “do you know where we can find eagle plumes?” “Yes, I know where they are to be found. Away on the brink of a canyon in the west there are many plumes, but there is a very bad man there.” Ma´asewe said, “Well, I do not care to go there. We will look elsewhere for plumes.” But he had scarcely left the house when he urged U´yuuyewe to accompany him to the brink of the canyon. “No,” said U´yuuyewe, “I do not care to go there. Besides the bad man mother spoke of, there are many other bears;” but Ma´asewe finally persuaded U´yuuyewe to accompany him.

After a time Ma´asewe cried: “See, there is the house; younger brother, you remain a little way back of me, and when the bear passes by you aim your arrow at him.” Ma´asewe approached the house, and when the bear discovered the boy he started after him. Just as the bear was passing U´yuuyewe he shot him through the heart. Ma´asewe drew his knife down the breast of the bear, and took out his heart, cutting it into pieces, preserving the bits. “Now,” said Ma´asewe, “let us hasten and secure the plumes.”

They found many beautiful feathers. Then, returning to the bear, they flayed him, preserving the lower skin of the legs with the claws, separate from the remainder of the skin. They filled the body with grass and tied a rope around the neck and body, and Ma´asewe led the way, holding one end of the rope, he drawing the bear and U´yuuyewe holding the other end of the rope to steady the animal. As they approached their home they cried, “Mother, mother, see!” Their mother, hearing the cry, called, “What is it my children?” as she advanced to meet them, but when she discovered the bear she returned quickly to the house, exclaiming: “Let the bear go; do not bring him here; why do you bring the bad bear here?” The boys, following their mother, said, “Mother, the bear is dead.”

The boys remained at home two days completing their arrows. Then Ma´asewe said to his mother, “Mother, we wish to hunt for deer. Our arrows are good and we must have meat.” “That is good, my children, but listen. Away to the south lives an eagle in a high rock. She has two children. The father also lives there, and these parents are very large, and they eat all the little ones they find.” Ma´asewe replied, “We will not go there.” But he was no sooner out of his mother’s sight than he declared they must go to the home of the eagle. After they had proceeded a little way they saw a deer, and Ma´asewe drew his bow and shot him through the heart. They cut the deer down the breast, drew the intestines, and, after cleansing them from blood, the boys wrapped them around their necks, arms, and breast, over their right shoulders, and around their waists. “Now,” said Ma´asewe, “we can approach the house of the eagle.” When the boys drew near the eagles flew to the earth. One eagle, catching Ma´asewe and flying far above the house, dropped him on a sharp stone ledge in front of his house. The stone was sharp, like the blade of a knife, and it broke the intestines of the deer, which protected him from the rock, and the blood fell like rain. Ma´asewe lay still and the eagle thought he was dead. The mate then descended and caught Û´yuuyewe and, flying above her house, dropped him also upon the rock. He, too, lay perfectly still, and the eagles thought he was dead. “Now,” said the eagles, “our children will be happy and contented, for they have abundance of meat.” In a little while these birds started off on a long journey.

The young ones, having been informed by their parents that they were well provided with food, which would be found in front of their door when hungry, went out for the meat. Ma´asewe and Û´yuuyewe astonished them by speaking to them. They asked, “When will your mother return?” The children replied, “Our mother will return in the forenoon.” “When your mother returns will she come to this house?” “No,” replied the young eagles, “she will go to the one above and come here later.” “When will your father arrive?” “He will come a little later.” “Will he come here?” they asked. “No; he will go to the house above.” Ma´asewe then destroyed the young eagles. After killing them he dropped them to the earth below. Upon the return of the mother she stood upon the rock above, and Ma´asewe aimed his arrow at her and shot her through the heart, and she fell to the earth dead; and later, when the father returned, he met with the same fate.

Now, the boys had destroyed the bad eagles of the world. Then Ma´asewe said, “Younger brother, how will we get down from here? The road to the earth is very long,” and, looking up, he said, “The road to the rock above is also very long.” Presently Ma´asewe saw a little KÉ-ow-uch, or ground squirrel (Tamias striatus), and he called to him, saying, “My little brother, we can not get down from here. If you will help us we will pay you; we will give you beautiful eagle plumes.”

The squirrel planted a piÑon nut directly below the boys, and in a short time—almost immediately—for the squirrel knew much of medicine, a tall tree was the result. “Now,” said the squirrel, “you have a good road. This is all right; see?” And the little animal ran up the tree and then down again, when the boys followed him.

Upon their return home their mother inquired, “Where have you been?” and when they told her they had visited the house of the eagle she said, “You have been very foolish.” At first she disbelieved their statement that they had destroyed the eagles; but they finally convinced her and she embraced her boys with pride. The grandmother was also highly pleased.

The boys remained at home only two days, Ma´asewe being impatient to be gone, and he said to his brother, “Let us go travel again.” The home of the boys was near the center of the earth, Ko´chinako remaining here for a time after their birth. When the mother found they were going to travel and hunt again, she begged of them not to go far, for there were still bad people about, and Ma´asewe promised that they would keep near their home. They had gone but a short distance when they saw a woman (a sko´yo) approaching, carrying a large pack which was secured to her back by strings passing around her arms near the shoulder. Ma´asewe whispered to his brother: “See! there comes a sko´yo.” The boys stood side by side, when she approached and said, “What are you children doing here?” Ma´asewe replied, “We are just looking about; nothing more.” The sko´yo passing her hands over the boys said, “What pretty boys! What pretty children! Come with me to my house.” “All right, we will go,” Ma´asewe being the spokesman. “Get into the pack on my back and I will carry you.” When the boys were tucked away the sko´yo started for her home.

After a time she came to a broad, level, grassy country and Ma´asewe called: “Woman! do not go far in this country where there are no trees, for the sun is hot and when there is no shade I get very sick in my head. See, woman,” he continued, “there in the mountains are trees and the best road is there.” The sko´yo called out, “All right,” and started toward the mountains. She came to a point where she must stoop to pass under drooping limbs upon which rested branches, which had fallen from other trees. Ma´asewe whispered to Ûyuuyewe, “When she stoops to pass under we will catch hold of the tree and hang there until she is gone.” The boys caught on to the fallen timber which rested across the branches of the tree, and the sko´yo traveled on unconscious of their escape. When she had gone some distance she wondered that she heard not a sound and she called, “Children!” and no answer; and again she called, “Children,” and receiving no answer she cried, “Do not go to sleep,” and she continued to call, “Do not go to sleep.” Hearing not a word from the boys she shook the pack in order to awaken them, as she thought they were sleeping soundly. This bringing no reply she placed the pack upon the ground and to her surprise the boys were not there. “The bad boys! the bad boys!” she cried, as she retraced her steps to look for them. “Where can they be? where can they be?”

When she discovered them hanging from a tree she called, “You bad boys! why are you there?” Ma´asewe said, “No! woman; we are not bad. We only wished to stop here and see this timber; it is very beautiful.” She compelled them to get into the pack and again started off, saying to the children, “You must not go to sleep.” The journey was long ere the house of the sko´yo was reached. She said, “I am glad to be home again,” and she placed the pack on the floor, telling the boys to get out. “My children, I am very tired and hungry. Run out and get me some wood for fire.” Ma´asewe whispered to his younger brother, “Let us go for the wood.”

In a little while the boys returned with loads of wood on their backs. Pointing to a small conical house near by, she said, “Children, carry the wood there,” and the sko´yo built a fire in the house and called the boys to look at it saying, “Children, come here and see the fire; it is good and warm.” Ma´asewe whispered to his younger brother, “What does the woman want?” Upon their approach the sko´yo said, “See! I have made a great fire and it is good and warm; look in;” and as the children passed in front of her she pushed them into the house and closed the door. She wished to cook the boys for her supper, and she smacked her lips with satisfaction in anticipation of the feast in store for her. But she was to be disappointed, as the boys threw shells from their mouths which instantly protected them from the heat.

After closing the door on the boys the woman went into her house and bathed all over in a very large bowl of yucca suds, washing her head first, and taking a seat she said to herself, “All is well. I am most contented and happy.” The boys were also contented. The woman, thinking it was about time her supper was cooked, removed the stone which she had placed in the doorway and secured with plaster. The boys had secreted themselves in one side of the house, where they kept quiet. What she supposed to be their flesh was i´isa (excrement) which the boys had deposited there. The woman removed this with great care and began eating it. (This woman had no husband and lived alone.) She said to herself, “This is delicious food and cooked so well,” and again and again she remarked to herself the delicious flavor of the flesh of the boys. Finally Ma´asewe cried, “You are not eating our flesh but our i´isa,” and she looked around but could see no one. Then U´yuuyewe called, “You are eating our i´isa,” and again she listened and looked about, but could see no one. The boys continued to call to her, but it was sometime before she discovered them sitting in the far end of the room. “What bad boys you are,” she cried, “I thought I was eating your flesh.” The woman hastened out of the house and tickling her throat with her finger vomited up the offal.

She again sent the boys for wood, telling them to bring much, and they returned with large loads on their backs, and she sent them a second time and they returned with another quantity. Then she again built a fire in the small house and left it, and the two boys exclaimed, “What a great fire!” and Ma´asewe called to the woman, “Come here and see this fire; see what a hothouse; I guess this time my brother and I will die;” and the woman stooped to look at the fire, and Ma´asewe said to her, “Look away in there. See, we will surely die this time. Look! there is the hottest point!” he standing behind the woman and pointing over her shoulder, the woman bending her head still lower to see the better, said, “Yes; the fire is best off there.” “Yes,” said Ma´asewe, “it is very hot there;” and the Sko´yo was filled with interest, and looked intently into the house. The boys, finally, inducing her to stoop very low so that her face was near the doorway, pushed her into the hot bed of coals, and she was burned to death.

The boys rejoiced, and Ma´asewe said, “Now that the woman is dead, let us go to her house.” They found the house very large, with many rooms and doors. In the middle of the floor there was a small circular door which Ma´asewe raised, and looking in, discovered that below it was very dark. Pointing downward, he said, “Though I can not see, I guess this is the most beautiful room. I think I will go below; perhaps we will find many good things.” As soon as he entered the door he disappeared from sight and vanished from hearing. U´yuuyewe, receiving no reply to his calls, said to himself, “Ma´asewe has found many beautiful things below, and he will not answer me; I will go and see for myself.” After entering the door, he knew nothing until he found himself by the side of his elder brother, and, passing through the doorway, the boys tumbled over and over into a lower world.

When Ma´asewe reached this new world he was unconscious from the fall, but after a time he revived sufficiently to sit up, when he beheld U´yuuyewe tumbling down, and he fell by the side of Ma´asewe, who was almost dead, and Ma´asewe said, “Younger brother, why did you follow me?” After a while U´yuuyewe was able to sit up and Ma´asewe remarked: “Younger brother, I think we are in another world. I do not know where we are, and I do not know what hour it is. I guess it is about the middle of the day. What do you think?” U´yuuyewe replied, “You know best, elder brother; whatever you think is right,” and Ma´asewe said, “All right. Let us go now over the road to the house where the sun enters in the evening, for I think this is the world where our father, the sun, returns at night.”

A little after the middle of the day Ma´asewe was walking ahead of U´yuuyewe, who was following close behind, and he said to his younger brother as he listened to some noise, “I believe we are coming to a village.” When they drew a little nearer they heard a drum, and supposed a feast was going on in the plaza, and in a little while they came in sight of the village and saw that there was a great feast there. All the people were gathered in the plaza. The chi´ta was a little way from the village and there was no one in it, as the boys discovered when they approached it, and they ascended the ladder. Ma´asewe said, “This is the chi´ta. Let us enter.” The mode of entering shows this chi´ta to have been built above ground. Upon invading the chi´ta they found it very large and very pretty, and there were many fine bows and arrows hanging on the walls. They took the bows and examining them said to one another, “What fine bows and arrows! They are all fine. Look,” and they were eager to possess them. Ma´asewe proposed that they should each take a bow and arrows and hurry away, saying: “All the people are in the plaza looking at the dance, and no one will see us;” and they hastened from the chi´ta with their treasures. Ma´asewe said, “Younger brother, let us return over the road whence we came.”

But a short time elapsed when a man had occasion to visit the chi´ta, and he at once discovered footprints, and entering, found that bows and arrows had been stolen; hurrying to the plaza he informed the people of the theft, saying, “Two men have entered the chi´ta. I saw their footprints,” and the people cried out, “Let us follow them,” and ran over the road which the boys had taken. The boys had nearly reached the point where they had lighted when they entered this lower world when the people were close upon them.

The little fellows had to run hard, but they held fast to their bows and arrows, and just as they stepped upon the spot where they had fallen when they descended, their pursuers being close upon them, a whirlwind carried them up and through the door and back into the house of the sko´yo. Ma´asewe said, “Younger brother, let us hurry to our mother. She must be sad. What do you think she imagines has become of us?” U´yuuyewe replied, “I guess she thinks we have been killed.” The boys started for their home. When they were still far from their house Ma´asewe asked, “Younger brother, where do you think these bows and arrows were made?” Holding them up before his eyes as he spoke, he said, “I think they are very fine.” U´yuuyewe remarked, “Yes, they are fine.”

Ma´asewe then shot one of the arrows a great distance and it made much noise, and it was very beautiful and red. U´yuuyewe also shot one of his. “Younger brother,” said Ma´asewe, “these are fine arrows, but they have gone a great way.” When they were near their mother’s house, they again used their bows and were so delighted with the light made by the arrows that each shot another and another. The mother and grandmother, hearing the noise, ran out of their house, and became much alarmed when they looked to Ti´nia and saw the flashes of light and then they both fell as dead. Previous to this time the lightning arrows were not known on this earth, as the lightning people had not, to the present time, let any of their arrows fall to the earth. When the mother was restored she was very angry, and inquired of the boys where they had found such arrows, and why they had brought them home. “Oh, mother,” cried the boys, “they are so beautiful, and we like them very much.”

The boys remained at home three days, and on the fourth day they saw many he’[Ä]sh (clouds, like the plains) coming and bringing the arrows the boys had shot toward Ti´nia, and when the cloud people were over the house of the boys they began watering the earth; it rained very hard, and presently the arrows began falling. Ma´asewe cried with delight, “See, younger brother, the lightning people have brought our arrows back to us, let us go and gather them.” The cloud people worked two days sending rain and then returned to their home.

Ma´asewe said to his mother, “We will go now and pass about the country.” She begged of them not to go any great distance. “In the west,” said she, “there is a very bad antelope. He will eat you.” Ma´asewe promised the mother that they would not go far, but when at a short distance from home he said to his younger brother, “Why does not mother wish us to go there?” pointing to the west. “Let us go.” U´yuuyewe replied, “No, mother does not wish it.” He was finally persuaded by Ma´asewe, and when near the house of the antelope the boys discovered him. There was neither grass nor vegetation, but only a sandy plain without trees or stones. “I guess he is one of the people who, mother said, would eat us.” U´yuuyewe replied, “I guess so.” Then Ma´asewe said, “Let us go a little nearer, younger brother.” “You know what is best,” replied U´yuuyewe, “I will do whatever you say, but I think that if you go nearer he will run off.” They counciled for a time and while they were talking the little Chi´na (mole) came up out of his house and said, “Boys, come down into my house.” “No,” said they, “we wish to kill the antelope,” and Ma´asewe added, “I think you know all about him.” “Yes,” said the mole, “I have been near him and passed around him.” Then Ma´asewe requested him to go into his house and prepare a road for them that the antelope might not discover their approach. And the mole made an underground road to the point where the antelope stood (the antelope facing west) and bored a wee hole in the earth over this tunnel, and peeping through he looked directly upon the heart of the antelope; he could see its pulsations. “Ah, that is good, I think,” he exclaimed, and returning, he hastened to inform the boys. “Now, all is well,” said the mole; “you can enter my house and approach the antelope.” When they reached the tiny opening in the earth Ma´asewe looked up and said, “See, younger brother, there is the heart of the antelope directly above us; I will shoot first;” and pointing his arrow to the heart of the antelope and drawing his bow strongly he pierced the heart, the shaft being buried almost to its end in the body. “We have killed the antelope,” cried Ma´asewe, “now let us return quickly over the underground road.” While the boys were still in this tunnel, the antelope, who was not killed immediately by the shot, was mad with rage and he ran first to the west to look for his enemy, but he could see no one; then he ran to the south and found no one; then he turned to the east with the same result, and then to the north and saw no one, and he returned to the spot where he had been shot, and looking to the earth discovered the diminutive opening. “Ah,” said he, “I think there is some one below who tried to kill me.” By this time the boys were quite a distance from the hole through which the arrow had passed. The antelope thrust his left horn into the opening and tore up the earth as he ran along above the tunnel. It was like inserting a knife under a piece of hide; but he had advanced only a short distance when he fell dead. The youths then came up from the house of the mole and cried out, “See! the antelope is dead.”

Ma´asewe said, “Younger brother! let us go and get the flesh of the antelope.” U´yuuyewe remarked, “perhaps he is not yet dead.” The mole said, “you boys wait here; I will go and see if he still lives,” and after examining and passing around him, he found that the body was quite cold, and returning to the boys said, “Yes, boys, the antelope is dead.” “Perhaps you do not speak the truth,” said Ma´asewe, but the mole repeated “The antelope is dead.” Ma´asewe insisted, however, that the mole should again examine him and the little animal made a second visit. This time he dipped his hands into the heart’s blood of the animal and rubbed it all over his face, head, body, arms, and legs, for Ma´asewe had accused him of lying and he wished this time to carry proof of the death of the antelope; and returning to the boys he cried, “See, boys, I am covered with the blood, and I did not lie.” Then Ma´asewe proposed that the three should go together; and when they reached the antelope, Ma´asewe cut the breast with his stone knife, passing the knife from the throat downwards. The boys then flayed the antelope; Ma´asewe cut the heart and the flesh into bits, throwing the pieces to the north, west, south, and east, declaring that hereafter the antelope should not be an enemy to his people, saying, “His flesh shall furnish food for my people.” Addressing the antelope he commanded, “From this time forth you will eat only vegetation and not flesh, for my people are to have your flesh for food.” He then said to the mole, “The intestines of the antelope will be food for you,” and the mole was much pleased, and promptly replied, “Thank you; thank you, boys.”

The boys now returned to their home and their mother, who, on meeting them, inquired, “Where have you been? You have been gone a long time; I thought you were dead; where have you been?” Ma´asewe answered, “We have been to the house of the antelope who eats people.” The mother said, “You are very disobedient boys.” Ma´asewe continued, “We have killed the antelope, and now all the giants who devoured our people are destroyed, and all the people of the villages will be happy, and the times will be good.”

After Ma´asewe and U´yuuyewe had destroyed the giant enemies of the world the people were happy and were not afraid to travel about; even the little children could go anywhere over the earth, and there was continual feasting and rejoicing among all the villages.

The Oraibi held a great feast (at that time the Oraibi did not live in their present pueblo); Ma´asewe and U´yuuyewe desired to attend the feast, and telling their mother of their wish, she consented to their going. When they were near the village of the Oraibi they discovered the home of the bee, and Ma´asewe said, “See, brother, the house of the bee; let us go in; I guess there is much honey.” They found a large comb full of honey, and Ma´asewe proposed to his brother that they cover their whole bodies with the honey, so that the Oraibi would not know them and would take them for poor, dirty boys; “for, as we now are, all the world knows us, and to-day let us be unknown.” “All right!” said U´yuuyewe, and they smeared themselves with honey. “Now,” said the boys, “we are ready for the feast. It will be good, for the Oraibi are very good people.” Upon visiting the plaza they found a large gathering, and the housetops were crowded with those looking at the dance. The boys, who approached the plaza from a narrow street in the village, stood for a time at the entrance. Ma´asewe remarked, “I guess all the people are looking at us and thinking we are very poor boys; see how they pass back and forth and do not speak to us;” but after awhile he said, “We are a little hungry; let us walk around and see where we can find something to eat.” They looked in all the houses facing upon the plaza and saw feasting within, but no one invited them to enter and eat, and though they inspected every house in the village, they were invited into but one. At this house the woman said, “Boys, come in and eat; I guess you are hungry.” After the repast they thanked her, saying, “It was very good.” Then Ma´asewe said, “You, woman, and you, man,” addressing her husband, “you and all your family are good. We have eaten at your house; we give you many thanks; and now listen to what I have to say. I wish you and all of your children to go off a distance to another house; to a house which stands alone; the round house off from the village. All of you stay there for awhile.” The boys then left. After they had gone the woman drank from the bowl which they had used, and, smacking her lips, said to her husband, “There is something very sweet in this bowl.” Then all the children drank from it, and they found the water sweet, and the woman said, “Let us do the will of these boys; let us go to the house;” and, the husband consenting, they, with their children, went to the round house and remained for a time.

Ma´asewe and U´yuuyewe lingered near the village, and the people were dancing in the plaza and feasting in their houses, when suddenly they were all transformed into stone. Those who were dancing, and those who sat feasting, and mothers nourishing infants, all were alike petrified; and the beings, leaving these bodies, immediately ascended, and at once became the piÑonero (Canada jay). The boys, returning to their home, said, “Mother, we wish food; we are hungry.” Their mother inquired, “Why are you hungry; did you not get enough at the feast?” “No; we are very hungry and wish something to eat.” The mother again asked if it was not a good feast. “Yes,” said Ma´asewe, “but we are hungry.” The mother, suspecting something wrong, remarked, “I am afraid you have been bad boys; I fear you destroyed that village before you left.” Ma´asewe answered “No.” Four times the mother expressed her fears of their having destroyed the village. Ma´asewe then confessed, “Yes; we did destroy the village. When we went to the feast at Oraibi we were all day with hungry stomachs, and we were not asked to eat anywhere except in one house.” And when the mother heard this she was angry, and Ma´asewe continued, “And this is the reason that I destroyed the villlage[P1: Printer’s error],” and the mother cried, “It is good! I am glad you destroyed the people, for they were mean and bad.”

When the boys had been home but two days their hearts told them that there was to be a great dance of the Ka´?suna at a village located at a ruin some 18 miles north of the present pueblo of Sia. The Ti´Ämoni of this village had, through his officials, invited all the people of all the villages near and far to come to the great dance. Ma´asewe said to his mother and grandmother (the spider woman), “We are going to the village to see the dance of the Ka´?suna.” They replied, “We do not care much to have you go, because you, Ma´asewe and U´yuuyewe, are both disobedient boys. When you go off to the villages you do bad things. At Oraibi you converted the people into stone, and perhaps you will behave at this village as you did at Oraibi.” Ma´asewe replied, “No, mother, no! We go only to see the Ka´?suna, and we wish to go, for we know it is to be a great dance; we wish very much to see it, and will not do as we did at Oraibi.” Finally, the mother and grandmother said, “If you are satisfied to go and behave like good boys we will consent.” It was a long way off, and the boys carried their bows and arrows that their father, the sun, had given them. They had proceeded but a short distance from their home, when the sun told them each to get on an arrow, and the father drew his bow, shooting both arrows simultaneously, the arrows striking the earth near where the dance was to occur. The boys alighted from their arrows and walked to the village. Every one wondered how they could have reached the village in so short a time. The boys stopped at the door of a house and, looking in, saw many people eating. They stood there awhile but were not asked in, and they passed on from door to door, as they had done at Oraibi, and no one invited them to eat. It was a very large village, and the boys walked about all day, and they were very angry. Discovering a house a little apart from the village, Ma´asewe said, “Let us go there,” pointing to the house; “perhaps there we may get food,” and upon reaching the door they were greeted by the man, woman, and children of the house, and were invited to eat. The boys were, as before, disguised with the honey spread over their bodies. After the meal Ma´asewe, addressing the man and woman, said: “You and your children are the first and only ones to invite us to enter a house and eat, and we are happy, and we give you thanks. We have been in this village all day and, until now, have had nothing to eat. I guess the people do not care to have us eat with them. Why did your ti´Ämoni invite people from all villages to come here? He was certainly not pleased to see us. You (addressing the man and woman) and your children must leave this village and go a little way off. It will be well for you to do so.”

And this family had no sooner obeyed the commands of the boys than the people of the village were converted into stone, just as they were passing about, the Ka´?suna as they stood in line of the dance, some of them with their hands raised. It was never known what became of the beings of the Ka´?suna. Ma´asewe then said: “Younger brother, now what do you think?” U´yuuyewe replied, “I do not think at all; you know.” “Yes,” said Ma´asewe, “and I think perhaps I will not return to my house, the house of my mother and grandmother. I think we will not return there; we have converted the people of two villages into stone, and I guess our mother will be very unhappy.” And again Ma´asewe said: “What do you think?” and U´yuuyewe replied, “I do not think at all; you, Ma´asewe, you think well.” Then Ma´asewe said, “All right; I think now I should like to go to see our father.” “Well,” said U´yuuyewe, “let us go to him.”

There was a great rainbow (Kash´-ti-arts) in ti´nia; the feet of the bow were on the earth and the head touched the heavens. “Let us be off,” said the boys. They stepped upon the rainbow, and in a short space of time the boys reached their father, the sun, who was in mid-heavens. The bow traveled fast. The sun saw the boys approaching on the bow and knew them to be his children. He always kept watch over them, and when they drew near the father said, “My children, I am very happy to see you. You have destroyed all the giants of the earth who ate my people, and I am contented that they are no more; and it was well you converted the people of the two villages into stone. They were not good people.” Then Ma´asewe said: “Father, listen to me while I speak. We wish you to tell us where to go.” “Yes,” said the father, “I will; I know where it is best for you to make your home. Now, all the people of the earth are good and will be good from this time forth (referring to the destruction of the Sia by the cannibals). I think it will be well for you to make your home there high above the earth,” pointing to the Sandia mountain, “and not return to the people of the earth.” “All right, my father,” replied Ma´asewe; “we are contented and happy to do as you say.”

Before leaving their people Ma´asewe organized the cult societies of the upper world. These tiny heroes then made their home in the Sandia mountain, where they have since remained, traveling, as before, on the rainbow.

The diminutive footprints of these boys are to be seen at the entrance of their house (the crater of the mountain) by the good of heart, but such privilege is afforded only to the ti´Ämoni and certain theurgists, they alone having perfect hearts; and they claim that on looking through the door down into the house they have seen melons, corn, and other things which had been freshly gathered.

After the expiration of four years the ti´Ämoni desired to travel on toward the center of the earth, but before they had gone far they found, to their dismay, that the waters began to rise as in the lower world, and the whole earth became one vast river. The waters reached nearly to the edge of the mesa, which they ascended for safety. The ti´Ämoni made many offerings of plumes and other precious articles to propitiate the flood, but this did not stay the angry waters, and so he dressed a youth and maiden in their best blankets, and adorned them with many precious beeds and cast them from the mesa top; and immediately the waters began to recede. When the earth was again visible it was very soft, so that when the animals went from the mesa they would sink to their shoulders. The earth was angry. The ti´Ämoni called the Ka´pina Society together and said, “I think you know how to make the earth solid, so we can pass over it,” and the theurgist of that order replied, “I think I know.” The same means was used as on the previous occasion to harden the earth. The theurgist of the Ka´pina returning said, “Father, I have been working all over the earth and it is now hardened.” “That is well,” said the ti´Ämoni, “I am content. In four days we will travel toward the center of the earth.”

During the journey of the Sia from the white-house in the north they built many villages. Those villages were close together, as the Sia did not wish to travel far at any one time. Finally, having concluded they had about reached the center of the earth, they determined to build a permanent home. The ti´Ämoni, desiring that it should be an exact model of their house of white stone in the north, held a council, that he might gain information regarding the construction, etc., of the white village. “I wish,” said the ti´Ämoni, “to build a village here, after our white-house of the north, but I can not remember clearly the construction of the house,” and no one could be found in the group to give a detailed account of the plan. The council was held during the night, and the ti´Ämoni said, “To-morrow I shall have some one return to the white-house, and carefully examine it. I think the Si´sika (swallow) is a good man; he has a good head; and I think I will send him to the white-house,” and calling the Si´sika he said: “Listen attentively; I wish you to go and study the structure of the white-house in the north; learn all about it, and bring me all the details of the buildings; how one house joins another.” The Si´sika replied, “Very well, father; I will go early in the morning.” Though the distance was great, the Si´sika visited the white-house, and returned to the ti´Ämoni a little after the sun had eaten (noon). “Father,” said the Si´sika, “I have examined the white-house in the north carefully, flying all over it and about it. I examined it well and can tell you all about it.” The ti´Ämoni was pleased, for he had thought much concerning the white house, which was very beautiful.

Lines indicate houses.

1. Street.
2. Plaza.
3. Plaza.
4. Doorway of the north wind.
5. The great chita.
6. Cougar, mother of the north village.

He at once ordered all hands to work, great labor being required in the construction of the village after the plan laid down by the Si´sika. Upon the completion of this village, the ti´Ämoni named it KÓasaia. It is located at the ruin some 2½ miles north of the present site of Sia. (Fig. 15.) It is an accurate copy of a plan drawn by the theurgist who first related the cosmogony to the writer.

The theurgist explained that the cougar could not leave her post at the white stone village of the north; therefore, the lynx was selected as her representative at this village. And no such opening as shown in d existed in the duplicated village, as the doorway of the north wind was ever in the north village. And the ti´Ämoni, with all his people, entered the large chita and held services of thanksgiving. Great was the rejoicing upon the completion of the village, and the people planted corn and soon had fine fields.

The Sia occupied this village at the time of their visit from Po´shaiyÄnne, the quasi messiah, after he had attained his greatness, and when he made a tour of the pueblos before going into Mexico.

Po´shaiyÄnne was born of a virgin at the pueblo of Pecos, New Mexico, who became pregnant from eating two piÑon nuts. The writer learned through Dr. Shields, of Archuleta, New Mexico, that the Jemez Indians have a similar legend. When want and starvation drove the Pecos Indians from their pueblo they sought refuge with the Jemez. Philologists claim that the languages of the Pecos and Jemez belong to the same stock. The woman was very much chagrined at the birth of her child, and when he was very young she cast him off and closed her doors upon him. He obtained food and shelter as best he could; of clothing he had none but the rags cast off by others. While still a little boy he would follow the ti´Ämoni and theurgists into the chita and sit apart by the ladder, and listen to their wise talk, and when they wished a light for their cigarettes Po´shaiyÄnne would pass a brand from one to another. But no one ever spoke to him or thanked him, but he continued to follow the wise men into the chita and to light their cigarettes. Even when he reached years when other youths were invited to sit with the ti´Ämoni and theurgists and learn of them, he was never spoken to or invited to leave his seat by the entrance.

Upon arriving at the state of manhood he, as usual, sat in the chita and passed the light to those present. Great was the surprise when it was discovered that a string of the rarest turkis encircled his right wrist. After he had lighted each cigarette and had returned to his seat by the entrance, the ti´Ämoni called one of his men to him and said, “What is it I see upon the wrist of the boy Po´shaiyÄnne; it looks like the richest turkis, but surely it can not be. Go and examine it.” The man did as he was bid, and, returning, told the ti´Ämoni that it was indeed as he had supposed. The ti´Ämoni requested the man to say to the youth that he wished to know where he obtained the turkis and that he desired to buy the bracelet of him. When the man repeated the message, Po´shaiyÄnne said, “I can not tell him how it came upon my wrist, and I do not wish to sell it.” The reply being delivered to the ti´Ämoni, he said to his messenger, “Return to the youth and tell him I have a fine house in the north. It and all its contents shall be his in exchange for the bracelet.” The people present, hearing the words of the ti´Ämoni, regretted that he offered his house and all therein for the bracelet, but they did not say anything as they thought he knew best. The message being delivered to Po´shaiyÄnne, he said, “Very well, I will give the bracelet for the house and all it contains.” The ti´Ämoni then called Po´shaiyÄnne to him and examined the bracelet, and his heart was glad because he was to have the jewels. He then begged Po´shaiyÄnne to be seated, saying, “We will play the game Wash´kasi.”[7]

In playing the favorite game of Wash´kasi (Fig. 16), forty pebbles form a square, ten pebbles on a side, with a flat stone in the center of the square. Four flat sticks, painted black on one side and unpainted on the other, are held vertically and dropped upon the stone. The ti´Ämoni threw first. Two black and two unpainted sides faced up. Two of the painted sides being up entitled the player to move two stones to the right. Po´shaiyÄnne then threw, turning up the four painted sides. This entitled him to move ten to the left. The ti´Ämoni threw and three painted sides faced up. This entitled him to move three stones to the right. Again Po´shaiyÄnne threw and all the colored sides faced up, entitling him to move ten more. The next throw of the ti´Ämoni showed two colored sides and he moved two more. Po´shaiyÄnne threw again, all the colored sides being up; then he moved ten. The ti´Ämoni then threw and all four unpainted sides turned up; this entitled him to move six. Po´shaiyÄnne threw and again all the painted sides were up, entitling him to move ten, which brought him to the starting point, and won him the game.

The following morning, after the ti´Ämoni had eaten, they went into the chita as usual; Po´shaiyÄnne, following, took his seat near the entrance, with a blanket wrapped around him. When he approached the ti´Ämoni to hold the lighted stick to his cigarette, the ti´Ämoni’s astonishment was great to find a second bracelet, of ko-ha-qua,[8] upon the wrist of Po´shaiyÄnne. Each bead was large and beautiful. The ti´Ämoni urged Po´shaiyÄnne not to return to his seat by the ladder, but to sit with them; but he declined, and then a messenger was sent to examine the bracelet, and the man’s report excited a great desire in the ti´Ämoni to secure to himself this second bracelet, and his house in the west, with all that it contained, was offered in exchange for the bracelet. This house was even finer than the one in the north. Po´shaiyÄnne replied that if the ti´Ämoni wished the bracelet, he would exchange it for the house in the west. Then he was invited to be seated near the ti´Ämoni, who placed between them a large bowl containing six 2-inch cubes, which were highly polished and painted on one side. The ti´Ämoni said to Po´shaiyÄnne, “Hold the bowl with each hand, and toss up the six cubes. When three painted sides are up the game is won; with only two painted sides up the game is lost. Six painted sides up is equivalent to a march in euchre.” Po´shaiyÄnne replied, “You first, not I. You are the ti´Ämoni; I am no one.” “No,” said the ti´Ämoni, “you play first;” but Po´shaiyÄnne refused, and the ti´Ämoni tossed up the blocks. Only two painted sides were up; Po´shaiyÄnne, then taking the bowl, tossed the blocks, and all the painted sides turned up. Again the ti´Ämoni tried his hand, and three painted sides faced up; then Po´shaiyÄnne threw and the six painted sides were up. The ti´Ämoni again threw, turning up two painted sides only; then Po´shaiyÄnne threw, with his previous success. The ti´Ämoni threw, and again two painted sides were up. Po´shaiyÄnne threw, and six painted sides faced up as before, and so a second house went to him. The ti´Ämoni said, “We will go to our homes and sleep, and return to the chita in the morning, after we have eaten.”

The following morning Po´shaiyÄnne took his seat at the usual place, but the ti´Ämoni said to him: “Come and sit among us; you are now more than an ordinary man, for you have two houses that belonged to the ti´Ämoni,” but Po´shaiyÄnne refused and proceeded to light the stick to pass around for the lighting of the cigarettes. When he extended his hand to touch the stick to the cigarettes it was discovered that he wore a most beautiful bracelet, which was red, but not coral. The ti´Ämoni again sent an emissary to negotiate for the bracelet, offering Po´shaiyÄnne his house in the south in exchange for the red bracelet. Po´shaiyÄnne consented and again a game was played. Four circular sticks some 8 inches long, with hollow ends, were stood in line and a blanket thrown over them; the ti´Ämoni then put a round pebble into the end of one, and removing the blanket asked Po´shaiyÄnne to choose the stick containing the pebble. “No, my father,” said Po´shaiyÄnne, “you first. What am I that I should choose before you?” but the ti´Ämoni replied, “I placed the stone; I know where it is.” Then Po´shaiyÄnne selected a stick and raising it the pebble was visible. Po´shaiyÄnne then threw the blanket over the sticks and placed the stone in one of them, after which the ti´Ämoni selected a stick and raised it, but no stone was visible. This was repeated four times. Each time the ti´Ämoni failed and Po´shaiyÄnne succeeded, and again the house in the south went to Po´shaiyÄnne.

The next day when all had assembled in the chita and Po´shaiyÄnne advanced to light the cigarettes a bracelet of rare black stone beads was noticed on his wrist. This made the ti´Ämoni’s heart beat with envy and he determined to have the bracelet though he must part with his house in the east; and he offered it in exchange for the bracelet, and Po´shaiyÄnne accepted the offer. The ti´Ämoni then made four little mounds of sand and throwing a blanket over them placed in one a small round stone. Then raising the blanket he requested Po´shaiyÄnne to select the mound in which he had placed the stone. Po´shaiyÄnne said: “My father, what am I that I should choose before you?” The ti´Ämoni replied, “I placed the stone and know where it is.” Then Po´shaiyÄnne selected a mound, and the one of his selection contained the stone. The placing of the stone was repeated four times, and each time the ti´Ämoni failed, and Po´shaiyÄnne was successful; and the hearts of all the people were sad when they knew that this house was gone, but they said nothing, for they believed their ti´Ämoni knew best. The ti´Ämoni said: “We will now go to our homes and sleep, and on the morrow, when we have eaten, we will assemble here.”

In the morning Po´shaiyÄnne took his accustomed place, entering after the others. Upon his offering the lighted stick for the cigarettes the people were struck with amazement, for on the wrist of Po´shaiyÄnne was another bracelet of turkis of marvelous beauty, and when the ti´Ämoni discovered it his heart grew hungry for it and he sent one of his men to offer his house of the zenith. Po´shaiyÄnne replied that he would give the bracelet for the house. This house contained many precious things. The ti´Ämoni requested Po´shaiyÄnne to come and sit by him; and they played the game Wash´kasi and, as before, Po´shaiyÄnne was successful and the house of the zenith fell to him.

The following morning, when the people had assembled in the chita and as Po´shaiyÄnne passed the stick to light the cigarettes, the ti´Ämoni and all the people saw upon his wrist another bracelet of large white beads. They were not like the heart of a shell, but white and translucent. The ti´Ämoni could not resist the wish to have this rare string of beads, and he sent one of his men to offer his house of the nadir for it. When Po´shaiyÄnne agreed to the exchange, all the people were sad, that the ti´Ämoni should part with his house, but they said nothing and the ti´Ämoni was too much pleased with the beautiful treasure to be regretful. He had Po´shaiyÄnne come and sit by him and again play the game with the six blocks in the large bowl. The game was played with success on the part of Po´shaiyÄnne and he became the owner of the sixth house.

On the following day when all were gathered in the chita the ti´Ämoni said to Po´shaiyÄnne: “Come and sit with us; surely you are now equal with me, and you are rich indeed, for you have all my houses,” but he refused, only passing among theurgists and people to offer the lighted stick for the cigarettes. When he extended his hand a bracelet was discovered more beautiful than any of the others. It was pink and the stones were very large. The ti´Ämoni upon seeing it cried, “Alas! alas! This is more beautiful and precious than all the others, but all my houses and treasures are gone. I have nothing left but my people; my old men and old women; young men and maidens and little ones.” Addressing the people, he said: “My children, what would you think of your ti´Ämoni should he wish to give you to this youth for the beautiful beads?” They replied, “You are our father and ruler; you are wise and know all things that are best for us;” but their hearts were heavy and sad, and the ti´Ämoni hesitated, for his heart was touched with the thought of giving up his people whom he loved; but the more he thought of the bracelet the greater became his desire to secure it, and he appealed a second time to his people and they answered: “You know best, our father,” and the people were very sad, but the heart of the ti´Ämoni though touched was eager to possess the bracelet. He sent one of his men to offer in exchange for the bracelet all his people, and Po´shaiyÄnne replied that he would give the bracelet for the people. Then the ti´Ämoni called the youth to him, and they repeated the game of the four sticks, hollowed at the ends. Po´shaiyÄnne was successful, and the ti´Ämoni said: “Take all my people; they are yours; my heart is sad to give them up, and you must be a good father to them. Take all the things I have, I am no longer of any consequence.” “No,” said Po´shaiyÄnne; “I will not, for should I do so I would lose my power over game.” The two remained in the chita and talked for a long time, the ti´Ämoni addressing Po´shaiyÄnne as father and Po´shaiyÄnne calling the ti´Ämoni father.

After a time Po´shaiyÄnne determined to visit all the pueblos, and then go into Mexico.

He was recognized by the Sia at once upon his arrival, for they had known of him and sung of him, and they looked for him. He entered the chita in company with the ti´Ämoni (the one appointed by Ût´set) and the theurgists. It was not until Po´shaiyÄnne’s visit to the Sia that they possessed the power to capture game. The men were often sent out by the ti´Ämoni to look for game, but always returned without it, saying they could see the animals and many tracks but could catch none; and their ruler would reply: “Alas! my children, you go for the deer and return without any;” and thus they hunted all over the earth but without success.

After Po´shaiyÄnne’s talk with the ti´Ämoni, and learning his wish for game, he said: “Father, what have you for me to do?” And the ti´Ämoni replied: “My children have looked everywhere for deer, and they can find none; they see many tracks, but they can not catch the deer.” “Well,” replied Po´shaiyÄnne, “I will go and look for game.” He visited a high mountain in the west, from whose summit he could see all over the earth, and looking to the north, he saw on the top of a great mountain a white deer. The deer was passing toward the south, and he said to himself, “Why can not the Sia catch deer?” And looking to the west, he saw a yellow antelope on the summit of a high mountain. He, too, was passing to the south, and Po´shaiyÄnne said to himself, “Why can they not catch antelope?” And he looked to the south, and saw on the great mountain of the south a sheep, which was also passing to the south, and he looked to the east, and there, on a high peak, he saw the buffalo, who was passing to the south; and then, looking all over the earth, he saw that it was covered with rabbits, rats, and all kinds of small animals, and that the air was filled with birds of every description. Then, returning to the ti´Ämoni, he said: “My mother, my father, why do your children say they can catch no game? When I first looked to the mountain of the north I saw the deer, and to the west I saw the antelope, and to the south the mountain sheep, and to the east the buffalo, and the earth and air were filled with animals and birds.” The ti´Ämoni inquired how he could see all over the earth. He doubted Po´shaiyÄnne’s word. Then Po´shaiyÄnne said: “In four days I will go and catch deer for you.” “Well,” said the ti´Ämoni, “when you bring the deer I will believe. Until then I must think, perhaps, you do not speak the truth.”

For three days the men were busy making bows and arrows, and during these days they observed a strict fast and practiced continency. On the fourth morning at sunrise Po´shaiyÄnne, accompanied by Ma´asewe and Úyuuyewe, who came to the earth to greet Po´shaiyÄnne, and the men of the village, started on the hunt. They ate before leaving the village, and after the meal Po´shaiyÄnne asked: “Are you all ready for the hunt?” And they replied: “Yes; we are ready.” Po´shaiyÄnne, Ma´asewe, and Úyuuyewe started in advance of the others, and when some distance ahead Po´shaiyÄnne made a fire and sprinkled meal to the north, the west, the south, and the east, that the deer might come to him over the roads of meal. He then made a circle of meal, leaving an opening through which the game and hunters might pass, and when this was done all of the men of the village formed into a group a short distance from Po´shaiyÄnne, who then played on his flute, and, holding it upward, he played first to the north, then west, then south, and then east. The deer came over the four roads to him and entered the great circle of meal. Ma´asewe and Úyuuyewe called to all the people to come and kill the deer. It was now before the middle of the day. There were many deer in the circle, and as the people approached they said one to another: “Perhaps the deer are large; perhaps they are small.”

(The deer found by the Sia in this world are quite different from those in the lower world. Those in the lower world did not come to this world; they are called sits´tÄ-Ñe, water deer. These deer lived in the water, but they grazed over the mountains. They were very large, with great antlers. The deer in this world are much smaller and have smaller antlers.)

The circle was entered at the southeast, Ma´asewe passing around the circle to the left was followed by half of the people, Úyuuyewe passing to the right around the circle, preceded the remainder. As soon as they had all entered Po´shaiyÄnne closed the opening; he did not go into the circle but stood by the entrance. The deer were gradually gathered into a close group and were then shot with arrows. When all the deer had been killed they were flayed, and the flesh and skins carried to the village. As they passed from the circle Po´shaiyÄnne said, “Now carry your meat home. Give your largest deer to the ti´Ämoni and the smaller ones to the people of your houses.” After the Sia had started for their village Po´shaiyÄnne destroyed the circle of meal and then returned to the ti´Ämoni, who said: “You, indeed, spoke the truth, for my people have brought many deer, and I am much pleased. On the morrow we will kill rabbits.” The ti´Ämoni informed the coyote of his wish for the rabbits, and in the morning a large fire was made, and the coyote spoke to the fire, saying: “We desire many rabbits but we do not wish to go far.” He then threw meal to the cardinal points, zenith, and nadir, and prayed that the sun father would cause the small and large rabbits to gather together that they might not have to go a great distance to find them, for as he, the father, wished, so it would be, and Ma´asewe and the coyote sat down while the people gathered around the fire and passed their rabbit sticks through the flames. Then Ma´asewe directed them to start on the hunt. They formed into an extensive circle surrounding the rabbits, and a great number were secured. Some were killed by being struck immediately over their hearts. It was very late when the people returned to the village laden with rabbits.

The ti´Ämoni said: “Day after to-morrow we will have a feast.” Po´shaiyÄnne agreeing, said: “It is well, father.” All the women worked hard for the feast. Half of their number worked for the ti´Ämoni and half for Po´shaiyÄnne. The ti´Ämoni going alone to the house of Po´shaiyÄnne, said: “Listen: to-morrow you will have the great feast at your house.” Po´shaiyÄnne replied: “No, father; you are the elder, and you must have it at your house.” The ti´Ämoni answered: “Very well, my house is good and large; I will have it there.”

In the morning, when the sun was still new, the ti´Ämoni had the feast spread—bowls of mush, bread, and meat; and he said to Po´shaiyÄnne, who was present: “Father, if you have food bring it to my house and we will have our feast together.” Po´shaiyÄnne replied: “It is well, father;” and, to the astonishment of all, Po´shaiyÄnne’s food immediately appeared. It was spread on tables;[9] the bowls holding the food being very beautiful, such as had never before been seen. The ti´Ämoni told Ma´asewe to bid the people come to the feast; and all, including the most aged men and women and youngest children, were present. Upon entering the house they were surprised with the things

they saw on Po´shaiyÄnne’s table, and all who could went to his table in preference to sitting before the ti´Ämoni’s. Even the water upon Po´shaiyÄnne’s table was far better than that furnished by the ti´Ämoni; and those who drank of this water and ate Po´shaiyÄnne’s food immediately became changed, their skins becoming whiter than before; but all could not eat from Po´shaiyÄnne’s board and many had to take the food of the ti´Ämoni, and they remained in appearance as before.

After this feast, Po´shaiyÄnne visited all the pueblos and then passed on to Chihuahua in Mexico. Before Po´shaiyÄnne left the Sia, he said to them: “I leave you, but another day I will return to you, for this village is mine for all time, and I will return first to this village.” To the ti´Ämoni he said: “Father, you are a ti´Ämoni, and I also am one; we are as brothers. All the people, the men, the women, and the children are mine, and they are yours; and I will return to them again. Watch for me. I will return;” and he added, “In a short time another people will come; but before that time, such time as you may choose, I wish you to leave this village, for my heart is here and it is not well for another people to come here; therefore depart from this village before they come near.”

Upon entering the plaza in Chihuahua Po´shaiyÄnne met the great chief, who invited him to his home, where he became acquainted with his daughter. She was very beautiful, and Po´shaiyÄnne told the chief that he was much pleased with his daughter and wished to make her his wife. The chief replied: “If you desire to marry my daughter and she wishes to marry you, it is well.” Upon the father questioning the daughter the girl replied in the affirmative. Then the father and mother talked much to the daughter and said: “To-morrow you will be married.” The chief sent one of his officials to let it be known to all the people that Po´shaiyÄnne and his daughter were to be united in marriage in the morning, and many assembled, and there was a great feast in the house of the chief. Many men were pleased with the chief’s daughter, and looked with envy upon Po´shaiyÄnne; and they talked together of killing him, and finally warriors came to the house of Po´shaiyÄnne and carried him off to their camp and pierced his heart with a spear, and his enemies were contented, but the wife and her father were sad. The day after Po´shaiyÄnne’s death he returned to his wife’s home, and when he was seen alive those who had tried to destroy him were not only angry but much alarmed; and again he was captured, and they bound gold and silver to his feet, that after casting him into the lake his body should not rise; but a white fluffy feather of the eagle fell to him, and as he touched the feather the feather rose, and Po´shaiyÄnne with it, and he lived again, and he still lives, and some time he will come to us. So say the Sia. Po´shaiyÄnne’s name is held in the greatest reverence; in fact, he is regarded as their culture hero[10], and he is appealed to in daily prayers, and the people have no doubt of his return. They say: “He may come to-day, to-morrow, or perhaps not in our lifetime.”

Soon after Po´shaiyÄnne’s departure from Sia the ti´Ämoni decided to leave his present village, though it pained him much to give up his beautiful house. And they moved and built the present pueblo of Sia, which village was very extensive. The ti´Ämoni had first a square of stone laid, which is to be seen at the present day, emblematic of the heart of the village (for a heart must be, before a thing can exist). After the building of this village the aged ti´Ämoni continued to live many years, and at his death he was buried in the ground, in a reclining position. His head was covered with raw cotton, with an eagle plume attached; his face was painted with corn pollen, and cotton was placed at the soles of his feet and laid over the heart. A bowl of food was deposited in the grave, and many hÄ´chamoni were planted over the road to the north, the one which is traveled after death. A bowl of food was also placed on the road. All night they sang and prayed in the house of the departed ti´Ämoni, and early in the morning all those who sung were bathed in suds of yucca made of cold water.

There are two rudely carved stone animals at the ruined village supposed to have been visited by Po´shaiyÄnne. These the Sia always speak of as the cougar, but they say, “In reality they are not the cougar, but the lynx, for the cougar remained at the white-house in the north.”

This cosmogony exhibits a chapter of the Sia philosophy, and though this philosophy is fraught with absurdities and contradictions, as is the case with all aboriginal reasoning, it scintillates with poetic conceptions. They continue:

“The hour is too solemn for spoken words; a new life is to be given to us.”

Theirs is not a religion mainly of propitiation, but rather of supplication for favors and payment for the same, and to do the will of and thereby please the beings to whom they pray. It is the paramount occupation of their life; all other desirable things come through its practice. It is the foundation of their moral and social laws. Children are taught from infancy that in order to please the pantheon of their mythical beings they must speak with one tongue as straight as the line of prayer over which these beings pass to enter the images of themselves.

It will be understood from the cosmogony that the Sia did not derive their clan names from animal ancestors, nor do they believe that their people evolved from animals, other than the Sia themselves. The ZuÑi hold a similar belief. The ZuÑi’s reference to the tortoise and other animals as ancestors is explained in the “Religious Life of the ZuÑi Child.”[11]

I am of opinion that closer investigation of the North American Indian will reveal that the belief in the descent of a people from beasts, plants, or heavenly bodies is not common, though their mythological heroes were frequently the offspring of the union of some mortal with the sun or other object of reverence. There is no mystery in such unions in the philosophy of the Indian, for, as not only animate but inanimate objects and the elements are endowed with personality, such beings are not only brothers to one another, but hold the same kinship to the Sia, from the fact, according to their philosophy, that all are living beings and, therefore, all are brothers. This is as clearly defined in the Indian mind as our recognition of the African as a brother man.

The spider is an important actor in Sia, ZuÑi, and Tusayan mythology. Sia cosmogony tells us the spider was the primus, the creator of all. SÛs´sistinnako is referred to as a man, or, more properly, a being possessing all power; and as SÛs´sistinnako created first man and then other beings to serve his first creation, these beings, although endowed with attributes superior to man in order to serve him, can hardly be termed gods, but rather agents to execute the will of SÛs´sistinnako in serving the people of his first creation.

SÛs´sistinnako must be supplicated through the mediator Ûtset, who is present at such times in the fetich I´Ärriko. Ko´shairi and Quer´rÄnna appear for the sun and moon. The war heroes and the warriors of the six mountains of the world, the women of the cardinal points, and animals, insects, and birds holding the secrets of medicine, are present, when invoked, in images of themselves. The Sia can not be said to practice ancestor worship. While the road to Shipapo (entrance to the lower world) is crowded with spirits of peoples returning to the lower world, and spirits of unborn infants coming from the lower world, the Sia do not believe in the return of ancestors when once they have entered Shipapo. While many of the kokko (personated by persons wearing masks) are the immediate ancestors of the ZuÑi, the Ka´?suna of the Sia, also personated by men and women wearing masks, are altogether a distinct creation, and can not be considered to bear any relation to ancestor worship.

The Sia, however, have something as appalling to them as the return of the dead, in their belief in witchcraft, those possessing this craft being able to assume the form of dogs and other beasts; and they are ever on the alert when traveling about on dark nights, especially if the traveler is a man of wealth, as witches are always envious of the financial success of others. They create disease by casting into the body snakes, worms, stones, bits of fabric, etc. Hair must be burned that it may not be found by wizards or witches, who, combining it with other things, would cast it into the person from whose head it was cut, causing illness and perhaps death. There is, however, a panacea for such afflictions in the esoteric power of the theurgists of the secret cult societies. A man was relieved of pain in the chest by a snake being drawn from the body by an eminent theurgist during the stay of the writer at Sia. Such is the effect of faith cure in Sia that, though the man was actually suffering from a severe cold, his improvement dated from the hour the snake was supposed to have been extracted.