Zuñi Fetiches | Page 4

knife
(Sá-wa-ni-k'ia ä[']-tchi-ë-ne). The shield (Pí-al-lan-ne) was a mere
network of sacred cords (Pí-tsau-pi-wi,=cotton) on a hoop of wood, and
to the center of this net-shield was attached the magic knife.

These children cut the face of the world with their magic knife, and
were borne down upon their shield into the caverns in which all men
dwelt. There, as the leaders of men, they lived with their children,
mankind.
They listened to the supplications of the priests. They built a ladder to
the roof of the first cave and widened with their flint knife and shield
the aperture through which they had entered. Then they led men forth
into the second cavern, which was larger and not quite so dark.
Ere long men multiplied and bemoaned their condition as before. Again
they besought their priests, whose supplications were once more
listened to by the divine children. As before, they led all mankind into
the third world. Here it was still larger and like twilight, for the light of
the Sun himself sifted down through the opening. To these poor
creatures (children) of the dark the opening itself seemed a blazing sun.
But as time went on men multiplied even as they had before, and at last,
as at first, bemoaned their condition. Again the two children listened to
their supplications, and it was then that the children of men first saw
the light of their father, the Sun.
The world had been covered with water. It was damp and unstable.
Earthquakes disturbed its surface. Strange beings rose up through it,
monsters and animals of prey. As upon an island in the middle of a
great water, the children of men were led forth into the light of their
father, the Sun. It blinded and heated them so that they cried to one
another in anguish, and fell down, and covered their eyes with their
bare hands and arms, for men were black then, like the caves they came
from, and naked, save for a covering at the loins of rush, like yucca
fiber, and sandals of the same, and their eyes, like the owl's, were
unused to the daylight.
Eastward the two children began to lead them, toward the Home of the
Sun-father.
Now, it happened that the two children, saw that the earth must be
dried and hardened, for wherever the foot touched the soil water

gathered--as may be seen even in the rocks to-day--and the monsters
which rose forth from the deep devoured the children of men.
Therefore they consulted together and sought the advice of their creator,
the Sun-father. By his directions, they placed their magic shield upon
the wet earth. They drew four lines a step apart upon the soft sands.
Then the older brother said to the younger, "Wilt thou, or shall I, take
the lead?"
"I will take the lead," said the younger.
"Stand thou upon the last line," said the older.
And when they had laid upon the magic shield the rainbow, and across
it the arrows of lightning, toward all the quarters of the world, the
younger brother took his station facing toward the right. The older
brother took his station facing toward the left. When all was ready, both
braced themselves to run. The older brother drew his arrow to the head,
let fly, and struck the rainbow and the lightning arrows midway, where
they crossed. Instantly, thlu-tchu! shot the arrows of lightning in every
direction, and fire rolled over the face of the earth, and the two gods
followed the courses of their arrows of lightning.
Now that the surface of the earth was hardened, even the animals of
prey, powerful and like the fathers (gods) themselves, would have
devoured the children of men; and the Two thought it was not well that
they should all be permitted to live, "for," said they, "alike will the
children of men and the children of the animals of prey multiply
themselves. The animals of prey are provided with talons and teeth;
men are but poor, the finished beings of earth, therefore the weaker."
Whenever they came across the pathway of one of these animals, were
he great mountain lion or but a mere mole, they struck him with the fire
of lightning which they carried in their magic shield. Thlu! and
instantly he was shriveled and burnt into stone.
Then said they to the animals that they had thus changed to stone, "That
ye may not be evil unto men, but that ye may be a great good unto them,
have we changed you into rode everlasting. By the magic breath of prey,

by the heart that shall endure forever within you, shall ye be made to
serve instead of to devour mankind."
Thus was the surface of the earth hardened and scorched and