The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-12-14
Indian
Lodge Tales
By
Ford c. Frick
THE NAVAJO LEGEND OF
CREATION

THE Indian tribes of the great
= mountain region left no written his
tory of their goings and comings But
their life was rich in legend and tra-
diti0n-stories handed down from gen.
eration to generation until they came
to be part of that great mass Of ma
terial which, for lack Of better name,
We must call aboriginal literature.
These ancient warriors knew moth
ing Of reading and writing. But they
were philosophers In their way, even
as they were students Of nature and
keen observers of everything about
them. Like children they we're Curl
ous-and lacking fact they wove their
own theories concerning the life they
lived and the environment which they
knew.
Today the Indian rapidly is disap-
pearing Swept away from his nat
raj haunts by the white mnn. he re-
mains mere remnant OF the great
race which once knew no superior In
lll the great region. But the legends
still live; monuments TO the philoso-
phies Of the tribesmen who gave them
birth.
OF all the Indian legends now ex-
lstent, none Is more Interesting than
the Navajo legend Of creation. Here
1t Is as told the writer by Navajo Bill,
who In turn had II from the Navajo
chieftains whom he knew fifty years
ago when first he visited the reserva-
ton which has since been his home.
In the dim and distant ages when
time was young the Navajos lived In
4 world of darkness, deep under
| ground. Then there was Nc sunlight
to bring warmth and JOY no bright
rays Of sunshine to make the corn
grow or the fruit ripen. There was no
night and no day, for all was darkness
and even the beasts and the birds were
unable to see their way about; but
could only wander in darkness, know
ing not whittier they went or how they
came.
In those days the Navajos were un-
happy, but they knew not how or
where to turn to become happy. But
one day warrior, more bold than the
others, set out on journey to find
new home for himself and his people.
Long he urged the other chieftains to.
accompany him-but they were afraid
80 finally he went out alone and unac--
| companied.
For many days he wandered In the
darkness, stumbling over htli and dale.
through water and over high places
until he was nearly exhausted. But
still he kept on, and finally ne looked
up, and there, far above him, was a
hole. and through tie hole faint light
was shining and single star looked
down upon him in all Its yadiance-
And the warrior was much pleased.
So, with the light Of the single star
to guide him, he gathered together
many trees. And he killed a'deer and
with the skin of the deer he bound
the trees together until he had made
climbing the ladder, he finally reached
the ceiling Of darkness and through the
hole lie looked into a new world.
When he had rested, he climbed
through the hole and into n new world
"a world Of silver light and shadow
where all was not darkness, but where
he was able to see objects about him.
In this world there WIS moon, and
stars to light the way-and there was
no darkness, but silver light from
the stars and the moon that made
world of twilight and evening. But
the warrior was much plessed-for he
had never known greater light than.
this. So he rested and fensted and
slept for many days untii he became
lonely and bethought himself Of his
tribesmen who had remained behind
So he gathered together a great bun
die of mo0nbeams and, with these on
on his back to light the way, he de-
scended again into the world of dark
ness. and with a light heart went in
search of his tribesmen.
When he had returned again his
tribesmen gave him great welcome,
for they thought him lost, and they
made him chief of the tribe. and when
he had told them his story, appointed
him a guide to lead them 10 the new
world where there was moon and stars
and light and happiness. H t
When. by and by. the tribe had
reached the ladder, they climbed into
the new world one by one, until they
we're all there-w arriors and squaws
and children; and an the beasts and
the birds, too, they lifted np with
them into the new world; and they
were very happy.
The name Of the new world they
called "Kaleiae," and to the warrior
who had led them there they gave the
name of ''Chis-Chil-E-Go." -
So 1t was that the Navajos. who
we're our forefHthers, came out Of the
world of darkness into the world Of
twilight.