Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-03-13
NAVAJO TRADITION.
no" AL ANIMAL LIFE WAS CON-
FINED IN A CAVERN.

f'' f"und by a Locust--The
Danger foliows-Prisoners Free atIas,
Dispute Concerning the Use Of Mich,
and Day.
ine NAVAJO Indians Of Arizona have "a
.l'''' ioii 70 the effect that while the earfb
Soulg ana destitute Of animal life
'ieae spirit created twelve peoDle--
20 iiieu anu SIX wornen-togetber with
.,"HJ species oil animals, and confined
.heni III cavern Of the San Francisco
,iiolintaih' where they lived as a great
nappy family for many years. But in
.puIse Oh time a restlessness possessed
.ne prisoners Though they had known
noehlhg oil freedom, all felt the onnree-
nioh Vi thelr narrow limits. and vaguely
yearhea Tor greater fulfIlment Of the
ofeah or reality Of living. But what
could they dor All speculated on the
s 81 10 no purpose. Daily they los
tie'i each other, little and big. clumsy and
hinble bipeds and quadrupeds. fea.bered
ana Iurred, winged and wingless timid
and bold. Every successive r,ariod ~
Time was but a repetition of the mast
OPENING THE WAY OFT.
None Of the many puzzled brains could
oler means OF breaking the monotonv
tlll happy thought struck one of the
most Insignificant Of the living mass
FOR want OF other occupation a locnst
bored hole in the wall and thereby
opened the way for the enthusiasm and
progress Of the host Of its comrades
throughout the length and breadth Of
their underground world. The Great
spirit had 50 decreed it. They were there
only for time Of incubation. AT the
destined hour, as the eaglet bursts tho
smell that imprisons it, SO the locust's tiuy
burrow should lead to the escape of ali
into the open world, where each could fol
low his inclinatioDs unhampered.
Ihe iaboring locust had but a solitary
witness. A badger watched with growing
amusement the diminutive tunnel making
His eyes sparkled with interest as the
locust labored energetically. He Law rest
ing with his head between his fore paws
III a most lazy attitude, but his face ex-
pressed animation and eagerness not much
longer to be retained. As The tail of the 10
Gust disappeared the time for exertiou had
come. To follow the locust 5 movements
further necessitated like energy. The
locusts hole was too small for the
badgers access, 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 mountain, and in the joy and
excitement Of the moment he sprang into
the ample space before him. The noun
tain side was steep, and ne "landed . in
the shallow edge of the lake in Monte
zuma valley. As he fell his fore feet
struck deep into the mire, and his progeny
even unto today have inherited black fore
paws because Of this incident of the
worlds first peoplng.
The Nayaioes 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 a tain of all sizes and species
OF animals followed in their wake as from
Noah's ark.
FRIGHTENED THIN AWAY.
As soon as all the prisoners were free.
fire and smoke began to issue from the
hole that had delivered them. This
frightened them far away into the valley,
and there they prepared to make them
selves comfortable and live as their new
advantages permitted. Food was plentiful
in vegetable forms, but some varieties
needed heat To make them good At
least the Navajoes thought so but they
had no means of kindling a fire This
difficulty was soon overcome by sending a
bat, wolf and a squirrel after the
needed element, fire. Going to hole in
the mountain. the wolf tied some pitchy
spluters TO his tail, then turned and held
it over the little volcano till it began TO
smoke and ignite The bat then famed
1t into flames with its wings and the
squirrel carried il away to the Nayajoes,
The people We're delighted at getting the
one missing essential TO a happy life in
the open world, and when, long after, a
time came when the worlds plenty had
pampered their wills and fostered their
greed and SeltishneSs 10 the point Of
proving 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 without
a live coal among their possessions. And
even today the Nayajoes gratitude to the
trio is observed as tie promise made TO
the fire getters Of the tradition.
Between the Navajoes and different ami
mails there sprang mp 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 settled at last Those that wished
to roam at night should do 50 and sleep by
day, and vice versa. The heroic badger
was among those who chose the mysteries
of the darkness or the immediate dawn
and dusk for thought and action and the
bright and sunny hours as lit 10 be slept
away in his cool underground nest. As
the sun sank in the west upon their bust
ness meeting. the owl. bat, moth, and
many other animals scattered out into the
valley borders on their foragng exploits.
while many kinds Of birds flew To roost in
the trees. Other animals lay down 10
sleep in sheltered parts Of the forest, and
the Navajoes spread their waterproof
blankets, tie trophies Of the women's in
dustry. and enjoyed their touches under
tie starry sky in peaceful dreams.-OTer-
land Monthly.