outlines of zuni Creation Myths 8

outlines of zuni Creation Myths 8

THE GENESIS OF MEN AND THE CREATURES.

 

From the lying together of these twain upon the great world-waters, so

vitalizing, terrestrial life was conceived; whence began all beings

of earth, men and the creatures, in the Four-fold womb of the World

(Áwiten Téhu‘hlnakwi).

 

Thereupon the Earth-mother repulsed the Sky-father, growing big and

sinking deep into the embrace of the waters below, thus separating from

the Sky-father in the embrace of the waters above. As a woman forebodes

evil for her first-born ere born, even so did the Earth-mother

forebode, long withholding from birth her myriad progeny and meantime

seeking counsel with the Sky-father. "How," said they to one another,

"shall our children, when brought forth, know one place from another,

even by the white light of the Sun-father?"

 

Now like all the surpassing beings (_píkwaiyin áhâi_) the Earth-mother

and the Sky-father were _‘hlímna_ (changeable), even as smoke in the

wind; transmutable at thought, manifesting themselves in any form at

will, like as dancers may by mask-making.

 

Thus, as a man and woman, spake they, one to the other. "Behold!" said

the Earth-mother as a great terraced bowl appeared at hand and within

it water, "this is as upon me the homes of my tiny children shall be.

On the rim of each world-country they wander in, terraced mountains

shall stand, making in one region many, whereby country shall be known

from country, and within each, place from place. Behold, again!" said

she as she spat on the water and rapidly smote and stirred it with

her fingers. Foam formed, gathering about the terraced rim, mounting

higher and higher. "Yea," said she, "and from my bosom they shall draw

nourishment, for in such as this shall they find the substance of life

whence we were ourselves sustained, for see!" Then with her warm breath

she blew across the terraces; white flecks of the foam broke away, and,

floating over above the water, were shattered by the cold breath of

the Sky-father attending, and forthwith shed downward abundantly fine

mist and spray! "Even so, shall white clouds float up from the great

waters at the borders of the world, and clustering about the mountain

terraces of the horizons be borne aloft and abroad by the breaths of

the surpassing of soul-beings, and of the children, and shall hardened

and broken be by thy cold, shedding downward, in rain-spray, the water

of life, even into the hollow places of my lap! For therein chiefly

shall nestle our children mankind and creature-kind, for warmth in thy

coldness."

 

Lo! even the trees on high mountains near the clouds and the Sky-father

crouch low toward the Earth-mother for warmth and protection! Warm is

the Earth-mother, cold the Sky-father, even as woman is the warm, man

the cold being!

 

"Even so!" said the Sky-father; "Yet not alone shalt _thou_ helpful be

unto our children, for behold!" and he spread his hand abroad with the

palm downward and into all the wrinkles and crevices thereof he set

the semblance of shining yellow corn-grains; in the dark of the early

world-dawn they gleamed like sparks of fire, and moved as his hand was

moved over the bowl, shining up from and also moving in the depths of

the water therein. "See!" said he, pointing to the seven grains clasped

by his thumb and four fingers, "by such shall our children be guided;

for behold, when the Sun-father is not nigh, and thy terraces are as

the dark itself (being all hidden therein), then shall our children be

guided by lights--like to these lights of all the six regions turning

round the midmost one--as in and around the midmost place, where these

our children shall abide, lie all the other regions of space! Yea! and

even as these grains gleam up from the water, so shall seed-grains

like to them, yet numberless, spring up from thy bosom when touched

by my waters, to nourish our children." Thus and in other ways many

devised they for their offspring.

 

 

THE GESTATION OF MEN AND THE CREATURES.

 

Anon in the nethermost of the four cave-wombs of the world, the seed

of men and the creatures took form and increased; even as within eggs

in warm places worms speedily appear, which growing, presently burst

their shells and become as may happen, birds, tadpoles or serpents, so

did men and all creatures grow manifoldly and multiply in many kinds.

Thus the lowermost womb or cave-world, which was Ánosin téhuli (the

womb of sooty depth or of growth-generation, because it was the place

of first formation and black as a chimney at night time, foul too, as

the internals of the belly), thus did it become overfilled with being.

Everywhere were unfinished creatures, crawling like reptiles one over

another in filth and black darkness, crowding thickly together and

treading each other, one spitting on another or doing other indecency,

insomuch that loud became their murmurings and lamentations, until many

among them sought to escape, growing wiser and more manlike.

 

 

THE FORTHCOMING FROM EARTH OF THE FOREMOST OF MEN.

 

Then came among men and the beings, it is said, the wisest of wise

men and the foremost, the all-sacred master, Póshaiyaŋk‘ya, he who

appeared in the waters below, even as did the Sun-father in the wastes

above, and who arose from the nethermost sea, and pitying men still,

won upward, gaining by virtue of his (innate) wisdom-knowledge issuance

from that first world-womb through ways so dark and narrow that those

who, seeing somewhat, crowded after, could not follow, so eager were

they and so mightily did they strive with one another! Alone, then, he

fared upward from one womb (cave) to another out into the great breadth

of daylight. There, the earth lay, like a vast island in the midst of

the great waters, wet and unstable. And alone fared he forth dayward,

seeking the Sun-father and supplicating him to deliver mankind and the

creatures there below.

 

 

THE BIRTH FROM THE SEA OF THE TWAIN DELIVERERS OF MEN.

 

Then did the Sun-father take counsel within himself, and casting

his glance downward espied, on the great waters, a Foam-cap near to

the Earth-mother. With his beam he impregnated and with his heat

incubated the Foam-cap, whereupon she gave birth to Úanam Achi Píahkoa,

the Beloved Twain who descended; first, Úanam Éhkona, the Beloved

Preceder, then Úanam Yáluna, the Beloved Follower, Twin brothers of

Light, yet Elder and Younger, the Right and the Left, like to question

and answer in deciding and doing. To them the Sun-father imparted,

still retaining, control-thought and his own knowledge-wisdom, even

as to the offspring of wise parents their knowingness is imparted and

as to his right hand and his left hand a skillful man gives craft

freely surrendering not his knowledge. He gave them, of himself and

their mother the Foam-cap, the great cloud-bow, and for arrows the

thunderbolts of the four quarters (twain to either), and for buckler

the fog-making shield, which (spun of the floating clouds and spray

and woven, as of cotton we spin and weave) supports as on wind, yet

hides (as a shadow hides) its bearer, defending also. And of men and

all creatures he gave them the fathership and dominion, also as a man

gives over the control of his work to the management of his hands.

Well instructed of the Sun-father, they lifted the Sky-father with

their great cloud-bow into the vault of the high zenith, that the

earth might become warm and thus fitter for their children, men and

the creatures. Then along the trail of the sun-seeking Póshaiyaŋk‘ya,

they sped backward swiftly on their floating fog-shield, westward to

the Mountain of Generation. With their magic knives of the thunderbolt

they spread open the uncleft depths of the mountain, and still on their

cloud-shield--even as a spider in her web descendeth--so descended they

unerringly, into the dark of the under-world. There they abode with men

and the creatures, attending them, coming to know them, and becoming

known of them as masters and fathers, thus seeking the ways for leading

them forth.

 

 

THE BIRTH AND DELIVERY OF MEN AND THE CREATURES.

 

Now there were growing things in the depths, like grasses and crawling

vines. So now the Beloved Twain breathed on the stems of these grasses

(growing tall, as grass is wont to do toward the light, under the

opening they had cleft and whereby they had descended), causing them

to increase vastly and rapidly by grasping and walking round and round

them, twisting them upward until lo! they reach forth even into the

light. And where successively they grasped the stems ridges were formed

and thumb-marks whence sprang branching leaf-stems. Therewith the two

formed a great ladder whereon men and the creatures might ascend to

the second cave-floor, and thus not be violently ejected in after-time

by the throes of the Earth-mother, and thereby be made demoniac and

deformed.

 

Up this ladder, into the second cave-world, men and the beings crowded,

following closely the Two Little but Mighty Ones. Yet many fell back

and, lost in the darkness, peopled the under-world, whence they were

delivered in after-time amid terrible earth shakings, becoming the

monsters and fearfully strange beings of olden time. Lo! in this

second womb it was dark as is the night of a stormy season, but

larger of space and higher than had been the first, because it was

nearer the navel of the Earth-mother, hence named K’ólin tehuli (the

Umbilical-womb, or the Place of Gestation). Here again men and the

beings increased and the clamor of their complainings grew loud and

beseeching. Again the Two, augmenting the growth of the great ladder,

guided them upward, this time not all at once, but in successive

bands to become in time the fathers of the six kinds of men (the

yellow, the tawny gray, the red, the white, the mingled, and the black

races), and with them the gods and creatures of them all. Yet this

time also, as before, multitudes were lost or left behind. The third

great cave-world, whereunto men and the creatures had now ascended,

being larger than the second and higher, was lighter, like a valley in

starlight, and named Áwisho tehuli--the Vaginal-womb, or the Place of

Sex-generation or Gestation. For here the various peoples and beings

began to multiply apart in kind one from another; and as the nations

and tribes of men and the creatures thus waxed numerous as before,

here, too, it became overfilled. As before, generations of nations now

were led out successively (yet many lost, also as hitherto) into the

next and last world-cave, Tépahaian tehuli, the Ultimate-uncoverable,

or the Womb of Parturition.

 

Here it was light like the dawning, and men began to perceive and to

learn variously according to their natures, wherefore the Twain taught

them to seek first of all our Sun-father, who would, they said, reveal

to them wisdom and knowledge of the ways of life--wherein also they

were instructing them as we do little children. Yet like the other

cave-worlds, this too became, after long time, filled with progeny;

and finally, at periods, the Two led forth the nations of men and the

kinds of being, into this great upper world, which is called Ték’ohaian

úlahnane, or the World of Disseminated Light and Knowledge or Seeing.

 

 

THE CONDITION OF MEN WHEN FIRST INTO THE WORLD OF DAYLIGHT BORN.

 

Eight years made the span of four days and four nights when the world

was new. It was while yet such days and nights continued that men

were led forth, first in the night, that it might be well. For even

when they saw the great star (_móyächun ‘hlána_), which since then is

spoken of as the lying star (_mókwanosona_), they thought it the Sun

himself, so burned it their eyeballs! Men and the creatures were nearer

alike then than now: black were our fathers the late born of creation,

like the caves from which they came forth; cold and scaly their skins

like those of mud-creatures; goggled their eyes like those of an owl;

membranous their ears like those of cave-bats; webbed their feet like

those of walkers in wet and soft places; and according as they were

elder or younger, they had tails, longer or shorter. They crouched

when they walked, often indeed, crawling along the ground like toads,

lizards and newts; like infants who still fear to walk straight, they

crouched, as before-time they had in their cave-worlds, that they might

not stumble and fall, or come to hurt in the uncertain light thereof.

And when the morning star rose they blinked excessively as they beheld

its brightness and cried out with many mouth-motionings that surely

now the Father was coming; but it was only the elder of the Bright

Ones, gone before with elder nations and with his shield of flame,

heralding from afar (as we herald with wet shell scales or crystals)

the approach of the Sun-father! And when, low down in the east the

Sun-father himself appeared, what though shrouded in the midst of the

great world waters, they were so blinded and heated by his light and

glory that they cried out to one another in anguish and fell down

wallowing and covering their eyes with their bare hands and arms. Yet

ever anew they looked afresh to the light and anew struggled toward the

sun as moths and other night creatures seek the light of a camp fire;

yea, and what though burned, seek ever anew that light!

 

Thus ere long they became used to the light, and to this high world

they had entered. Wherefore, when they arose and no longer walked

bended, lo! it was then that they first looked full upon one another

and in horror of their filthier parts, strove to hide these, even from

one another, with girdles of bark and rushes; and when by thus walking

only upon their hinder feet the same became bruised and sore, they

sought to protect them with plaited soles (sandals) of yucca fiber.

 

 

THE ORIGIN OF PRIESTS AND OF KNOWLEDGE.

 

It was thus, by much devising of ways, that men began to grow knowing

in many things, and were instructed by what they saw, and so became

wiser and better able to receive the words and gifts of their fathers

and elder brothers, the gods, Twain and others, and priests. For

already masters-to-be were amongst them. Even in the dark of the

under-worlds such had come to be; as had, indeed, the various kinds

of creatures-to-be, so these. And according to their natures they had

found and cherished things, and had been granted gifts by the gods; but

as yet they knew not the meaning of their own powers and possessions,

even as children know not the meanings and right uses of the precious

or needful things given them; nay nor yet the functions of their very

parts! Now in the light of the Sun-father, persons became known from

persons, and these things from other things; and thus the people came

to know their many fathers among men, to know them by themselves or by

the possessions they had.

 

Now the first and most perfect of all these fathers among men after

Póshaiyaŋk‘ya was Yanáuluha, who brought up from the under-world

water of the inner ocean, and seeds of life-production and growing

things; in gourds he brought these up, and also things containing the

"of-doing-powers."

 

 

THE ORIGIN OF THE RAVEN AND THE MACAW, TOTEMS OF WINTER AND SUMMER.

 

He who was named Yanáuluha carried ever in his hand a staff which now

in the daylight appeared plumed and covered with feathers of beautiful

colors--yellow, blue-green, and red, white, black, and varied. Attached

to it were shells and other potent contents of the under-world. When

the people saw all these things and the beautiful baton, and heard the

song-like tinkle of the sacred shells, they stretched forth their hands

like little children and cried out, asking many questions.

 

Yanáuluha, and other priests (_shiwanáteuna_) having been made wise by

teaching of the masters of life (god-beings) with self-magic-knowing

(_yam tsépan ánikwanan_), replied: "It is a staff of extension,

wherewith to test the hearts and understandings of children." Then he

balanced it in his hand and struck with it a hard place and blew upon

it. Amid the plumes appeared four round things, seeds of moving beings,

mere eggs were they, two blue like the sky or turkis; two dun-red like

the flesh of the Earth-mother.

 

Again the people cried out with wonder and ecstasy, and again asked

they questions, many.

 

"These be," said he who was named Yanáuluha, "the seed of living

things; both the cherishers and annoyancers, of summer time; choose

ye without greed which ye will have for to follow! For from one twain

shall issue beings of beautiful plumage, colored like the verdure

and fruitage of summer; and whither they fly and ye follow, shall be

everlastingly manifest summer, and without toil, the pain whereof ye

ken not, fields full fertile of food shall flourish there. And from the

other twain shall issue beings evil, uncolored, black, piebald with

white; and whither these two shall fly and ye follow, shall strive

winter with summer; fields furnished only by labor such as ye wot not

of shall ye find there, and contended for between their offspring and

yours shall be the food-fruits thereof."

 

"The blue! the blue!" cried the people, and those who were most hasty

and strongest strove for the blue eggs, leaving the other eggs for

those who had waited. "See," said they as they carried them with much

gentleness and laid them, as one would the new-born, in soft sand on

the sunny side of a cliff, watching them day by day, "precious of color

are these; surely then, of precious things they must be the seed!"

And "Yea verily!" said they when the eggs cracked and worms issued,

presently becoming birds with open eyes and with pinfeathers under

their skins, "Verily we chose with understanding, for see! yellow

and blue, red and green are their dresses, even seen through their

skins!" So they fed the pair freely of the food that men favor--thus

alas! cherishing their appetites for food of all kinds! But when their

feathers appeared they were _black_ with white bandings; for ravens

were they! And they flew away mocking our fathers and croaking coarse

laughs!

 

And the other eggs held by those who had waited and by their father

Yanáuluha, became gorgeous macaws and were wafted by him with a toss

of his wand to the far southward summer-land. As father, yet child of

the macaw, he chose as the symbol and name of himself and as father of

these his more deliberate children--those who had waited--the macaw and

the kindred of the macaw, the Múla-kwe; whilst those who had chosen the

ravens became the Raven-people, or the Kâ´kâ-kwe.

 

Thus first was our nation divided into the People of Winter and the

People of Summer. Of the Winter those who chose the raven, who were

many and strong; and of the Summer those who cherished the macaw, who

were fewer and less lusty, yet of prudent understanding because more

deliberate. Hence, Yanáuluha their father, being wise, saw readily

the light and ways of the Sun-father, and being made partaker of his

breath, thus became among men as the Sun-father is among the little

moons of the sky; and speaker to and of the Sun-father himself, keeper

and dispenser of precious things and commandments, Pékwi Shíwani

Éhkona (and Earliest Priest of the Sun). He and his sisters became

also the seed of all priests who pertain to the Midmost clan-line of

the priest-fathers of the people themselves "masters of the house of

houses." By him also, and his seed, were established and made good the

priests-keepers of things.

 

 

THE ORIGIN AND NAMING OF TOTEM-CLANS AND CREATURE KINDS, AND THE

DIVISION AND NAMING OF SPACES AND THINGS.

 

The Twain Beloved and priest fathers gathered in council for the naming

and selection of man-groups and creature-kinds (_tánawe_), spaces, and

things. Thus determined they that the creatures and things of summer

and the southern space pertained to the Southern people, or Children of

the Producing Earth-mother; and those of winter and northern space, to

the Winter people, or Children of the Forcing or Quickening Sky-father.

 

Of the Children of Summer, some loved and understood most the Sun,

hence became the fathers of the Sun people (Yä´tok’ya-kwe). Some

loved more the water, and became the Toad people (Ták‘ya-kwe), Turtle

people (Étâa-kwe), or Frog people (Ták‘yaiuna-kwe), who so much love

the water. Others, again loved the seeds of earth and became the

People of Seed (Tâatém‘hlanah-kwe), such as those of the First-growing

grass (Pétâa-kwe, now Aíyaho-kwe), and of the Tobacco (Ána-kwe). Yet

still others loved the warmth and became the Fire or Badger people

(Tónashi-kwe). According, then, to their natures and inclinations or

their gifts from below or of the Masters of Life, they chose or were

chosen for their totems.

 

Thus, too, it was with the People of Winter or the North. They chose,

or were chosen and named, according to their resemblances or aptitudes;

some as the Bear people (Aíŋshi-kwe), Coyote people (Súski-kwe), or

Deer people (Shóhoita-kwe); others as the Crane people (Kâ´lokta-kwe),

Turkey people (Tóna-kwe) or Grouse people (Póyi-kwe). In this wise it

came to pass that the Áshiwe were divided of old in such wise as are

their children today, into _ánotiwe_ (clans or kinties) of brothers

and sisters who may not marry one another, but from one to another of

kin. Yea, and as the Earth-mother had increased and kept within herself

all beings, cherishing them apart from their father even after they

came forth, so were these our mothers and sisters made the keepers of

the kin-names and of the seed thereof, nor may the children of each be

cherished by any others of kin.

 

Now the Beloved Foremost Ones (Úan Éhkon Áteona) of these clans were

prepared by instruction of the gods and the fathers of the house of

houses and by being breathed of them (_púak‘yanapk‘ya_), whereby

they became _áshiwani_ or priests also, but only the priests of

possession, master keepers of sacred things and mysteries (_tíkitlapon

ámosi_), each according to his nature of kinship. It was thus that

the warmth-wanting (_ték‘yä‘hlna shema_) Badger-people were given

the great shell (_tsúlikéinan ‘hlana_), the heart or navel of which

is potent or sensitive of fire, as of the earthquake and the inner

fire is the coiled navel of the Earth-mother. On the sunny sides of

hills burrow the badgers, finding and dwelling amongst the dry roots

whence is fire. Thus the "Two Badgers" were made keepers of the sacred

heart-shell (_súti k’ili achi_), makers and wardens of fire. So, too,

were the Bear, Crane, and Grouse people given the _múetone_, or the

contained seed-substance of hail, snow and new soil (for the bear

sleeps, no longer guarding when winter comes, and with the returning

crane, in the wake of the duck, comes winter in the trail of the white

growing grouse). So, to the Toad and other water people, descended to

them from Yanáuluha the _k‘yáetone_, or the contained seed-substance

of water; and to the Átâa-kwe, or All-seed-people, especially to the

First-growing-grass people and the Tobacco people, was given of him

also, the _chúetone_, or the contained seed-substance of corn grains.

 

 

THE ORIGIN OF THE COUNCILS OF SECRECY OR SACRED BROTHERHOODS.

 

Now when the foremost ones of more than one of these kin clans

possessed a contained or sacred seed-substance, they banded together,

forming a society for the better use and keeping of its medicine

and its secret (forbidden) mysteries, and for the guidance and care

thereby of their especial children. Thus, leading ones of the Bear

people, Crane people, and Grouse people became the ‘Hléetâ-kwe, or

Bearers of the Ice-wands as they are sometimes called, whose prayers

and powers bring winter, yet ward off its evils to the flesh and

fearsomeness to the soul. But at first, only four were the bands of

priest-keepers of the mysteries: Shíwana-kwe, or the Priesthood of

Priest people; Sániak‘ya-kwe, or the Priesthood of the Hunt, who were

of the Coyote, Eagle, and Deer kin, Keepers of the Seed-substance of

Game; Áchiak‘ya-kwe, or the Great Knife people, makers and defenders

of pathways for the people; and Néwe-kwe, keepers of magic medicines

and knowledge invincible of poison and other evil, whose first great

father was Paíyatuma, God of Dew and the Dawn, himself. Out of these

and of other clans were formed in later days by wisdom of the Father of

Medicines and Rites (the great Póshaiyaŋk‘ya, when he returned, all as

is told in other talk of our olden speech) all other societies, both

that of the Middle, and the Twain for each of all the other six regions