The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-05-17
A NAVAJO TRADITION.
How All Animal Life Was Once Confined
in a Cavern, and How 1t Secured
Release.

The Navajo Indians of Arizona, saws
Dagmar Mariager in the Overland
| Honttiy, have q tradition to the effect
that, while the earth was young and
destitute of animal life, the Great
Spirit created y people-six men and
six women-together with many
species Of animals, and confined them
in a cavern of the San Francisco noun
tain, where they lived as a great,
happy family for many years. But in
course of time a restlessness possessed
the prisoners; though they had known
nothing of freedom, all felt the op-
preston Of their narrow limits. and
vaguely yearned for a greater fulfill
ment of the dream. or reality, of liv-
ing. But what could they do? All
speculated on the situation to no pur-
pose. Daily they io5tled each other,
little and tig, clumsy and Iimble,
bipeds and quadrupeds, feathered and
furred, winged aud wingless, timid
and bold. Every successive period of
time was but repetition of the past.
None of the many puzzled brains could
offer means of breaking the monot-
ony, till happy thought struck one
of the most insignificant of the living
mass. For want of other occupation
locust bored a hole in the wall and
thereby opened the way for the enthu-
siasm and progress of the host of its
comrades throughout the length and
breadth of their underground world.
The Great Spirit had so decreed it.
They were there only for time of in
cubation. At the destined hour, as
the eaget bursts the shell that impris-
ons it, so the lOcust's tiny burrow
should lead to the escape Of all into
the open world, where each could fol-
low his inclinations unhampered.
The laboring locust has but a soli-
tary witness. a badger watched with
growing amusement the diminutive
tunnel-making. His eyes sparkled
with interest as the locust labored en-
ergetcally. He lay with his head
resting between his forepaws in a
most lazy attitude, but bis face ex-
pressed an eagerness not much long,
CT to be restrained. As the tail of the
locust disappeared the time for ex-
ertion had come. To follow the To-
Gusts movements further necessitated
like energy. The locust's hole was too
small for the badgers exit, so he
started a tunnel-making of his own.
BY the time he reached the locust he
was in no mood TO give up the chase,
so he passed on, scratching his way
through the solid earth until he broke
through the outer crust of the mount
ain, and in the joy ana excitement of
the moment he sprang into the ample
space before HIM. The mountain side
was steep, and he LANDED" in the
shallow edge of the lake in Monte
yuma valley. As he fell his fore feet
struck deep into the black mire, and
his progeny even unto to-day have in
herited black fore paws, because of
this incident of the worlds first peo-
ping
The Navajoes within the cavern,
noting the departure of the badger,
began a prospect. Finding the hole
large enough for exit they crept out,
one after the other. and train of all
sizes and species of animals followed
in their wake, as from Noah's ark.
As soon as all the prisoners were
free, fire and smoke began to issue
from the hole that had delivered them.
This frighte ned them far away into
the valley, and there they prepared to
make themselves comfortable and live
as their new advantages permitted.
Food was plentiful III vegetable forms,
but some varieties needed heat to make
them good. At least the Navaioes
thought so. But they had no means
OF kindling fire. This difficulty was
soon overcome by sending bat, a
wolf, and squirrel after the needed
element, fire. Going to the hole in the
mountain the wolf tied some pitchy
splinters to his tail, tuen turned and
held it over the little volcano until it
began to smoke and ignite. The bat
then famed it into flames with its
wings, and the squirrel carried it away
to the Navajoes. The people were de-
lighted at getting the one missing es-
sential to happy life in the open
world; and when, long after, time
came when the worlds plenty had
pampered their wills and fostercd their
greed and selfshness to the point of
preying upon their fellow creatures
for food, they still had the honor TO
vow never to eat wolf or squirrel flesh.
Neither would they move camp with
out a live coal among their posses
sions. And even to-day the Navajo $
gratitude to the trio is observed as the
promise made to the tire-getters of the
tradition.
Between the NavaioeS and different
animals there sprang up n dispute
over the Great Spirits intended use
for night and day. All agreed that
one should be spent in sleep and one
in action, but which should serve the
one and which the other? 1t was set
tied at last. Those that wished to
| roam at night should do so and sleep
by day, and vice versa. The heroic
badger was among those who chose
! the mysteries of the darkness, or the
! intermediate dawn and dusk, for
| thought aud action, and the bright
and sunny hours as fit to be slept away
in his cool underground nest. As the
sun sank in the west upon their busi-
ness meeting, the owl, bat, moth, and
many other animals scattered out into
| the valley borders on their fOraging Q
exploits, while many kinds of birds
| flew TO roost in the trees. Other ami
mails lay down to sleep in sheltered
parts of the forest, and the Navajoes
| spread their waterproof blankets, the
trophies of the women's industry. and
enjoyed their couches under the starry
sky in peaceful dreams.
|