Securing Fire
(First Version)1
There were people living here on the earth. Coyote, birds, or hawks
were all people. There was no fire. The only ones who had fire would
not give it away. The others, many people, were without fire.
Martens, living in the tops of tall pine trees, were the only ones
who had fire but they would not give any of it away. Those who were
living below them consulted as to how they should get fire. They
decided to play hide the ball and sent out invitations for everybody
to come to the game. They gathered under the trees and shouted to
the martens to come down and bring some fire. They said they were
going to play hide the ball. They came down bringing the fire with
them. They put wood on the fire at the camping place and stood
around it in four lines so that there was no way anyone could run
off with the fire. None of the people who didn't have fire were in
the center of the circle.
Coyote, who was lying down some way off, said he would get the fire
and run off with it. They were playing and having a good time. Those
who owned the fire were winning. They began to dance. Coyote had a
torch prepared by tying bark under his tail. He got up and came to
those who were dancing. "Have a good time, my cousins," he said. "My
foot pains me. 'Dance for me. Separate and let me through to the
fire." They were dancing and having a good time. When it was nearly
daylight, Coyote said, he was going to dance. He told the others to
dance vigorously, bending their knees. He urged them to do this
repeatedly. Finally, he danced and switched his tail into the fire.
They called to him that his tail was likely to catch on fire. He
assured them that it would not burn.
Then day broke. He stuck his tail in the fire again and it took
fire. "Your tail is burning, cousin," they called to him. He jumped
over the four lines of dancers who were in circles around the fire,
and ran off. The people, who were stingy of their fire, ran after
him. Coyote became winded and could hardly run. The people who were
chasing him caught him. Coyote passed the fire to Night Hawk who
jumped on it and went with it. Those who were stingy of their fire
tore Coyote's mouth. Night Hawk kept flying and jumping. Those who
had the fire nearly caught him for he was exhausted. When those who
were running after him caught him, he gave the fire to Road-runner
who ran away with it. They tore Night Hawk's mouth open.
Road-runner ran on carrying the fire. Those who were
pursuing him nearly overtook him. He was exhausted. When they caught
him, he gave the fire to Buzzard who flew away with it. Those who
were trying to recover their fire chased him until he was worn out.
He gave the fire to Humming Bird. When they caught Buzzard they
pulled the hair on his head out.
They saw the smoke of a fire arising in the distance from the top of
a mountain. It was Humming Bird who had set the fire. There was a
fire too on the top of another mountain which stood far away on the
opposite side. A little way from that there was fire on another
mountain. Everywhere, fires were burning. It was Humming Bird who
had accomplished all this. Those who had owned the fire turned back
saying it was now impossible to recover their fire.
The people who had been without fire were now all supplied with it.
They were happy about it and expressed their thanks to Coyote.
Securing Fire
(Second Version)2
They say long ago there was no fire. The people ate
their food uncooked. There were only two men who had fire. They
could see it in the tops of a very tall pine tree which stood there.
Coyote proposed that a large company of people be invited to come
together for a dance. He also suggested that a letter be sent to
those who had fire asking them to bring some as they wished to
gamble with the guessing game.
Coyote told his companions to tie dry grass around his tail. When it
was daybreak Coyote danced by himself. "I will dance over the fire,"
he said. "Your tail is afire," they called to him. "Why do you say
my tail is burning?" he asked. "Your tail is burning," they called
to him again. He went around the fire four times and then jumped
over them. He ran away with the fire. Those who owned the fire ran
after him and put out what fire they found. They caught Coyote after
he had run a long distance and pulled out his nose so it is long and
spread his mouth apart so it is wide.
Then another man was running away beyond with the fire. It was Night
Hawk. They caught him after a long chase. They pushed the crown of
his head down hard and spread his mouth open.
Another person was running with the fire. It was Turkey Buzzard.
They caught him a long distance away and pulled the hair out of his
head. He had given the fire to Humming Bird. A large mountain was
standing in the distance. Fire was coming out from the top of this
mountain. The people had been without fire but came to have plenty
of it because of Coyote. The fire went inside of the trees and
became plentiful.
The Winning Of Daylight (First
Version)3
It was dark everywhere for Owl wanted darkness and
did not wish that there should be daylight. Bear also wanted
darkness; these two were agreed about it. The people were
considering what should be. "Why should it always be night? We shall
never be able to see anything," they said. " We will make a dance,
against those who are stingy of darkness." All the people who lived
on the earth agreed to do this. They came where those were who
wanted darkness. Bringing some wood, they said,
"Let us have a good time, dancing." The others agreed to this and a
fire was built in an open plain where they danced. Those who would
not give up the daylight were sitting there. Coyote said, "Come let
us have a good time dancing." They began to dance. Coyote said, "Let
daylight come quickly." Owl sang, "Let there not be daylight."
Coyote danced around singing his song. Owl got sleepy and went to
sleep. Bear, too, went to sleep. The people who objected to daylight
went to sleep. Then Coyote won the daylight. The people who lived on
the earth said, "Thanks, my cousin." Owl said he would live under
the rocks in the deep canyons and flew into one. Bear said he would
go to a large and distant mountain and live in a hollow Douglas
spruce where it is dark.
Coyote won the daylight and now we have it. The people were happy.
The Winning Of Daylight (Second
Version)4
They say long ago there was nothing in the sky. It
was night all the time and people traveled by the aid of fire
carried in their hands.
Coyote called the people all together saying he wished to talk to
them. There were two old men who did not want it to be light. They
were saying it should be night all the time. These were Xastin Bear
and Xastin5 Owl who were saying this.
Coyote told his followers to sing Let there be daylight," as they
danced. They danced and day began break. Bear took up his moccasins
and in his hurry put the left one on his right foot. He ran away to
a big mountain. Owl split his foot into four parts and ran in where
two canyons come together.
They won daylight and it was light everywhere. It had been night.
Origin Of The Clans6
The people of the earth were all living at one
place. They started away and came where a tree projected into the
water of a stream. "Half of the people will live here and will be
called Tsįtenange," he said.
Those designated remained there and the others moved on.
They cameo a canyon across which mescal stood. "Half
of the people will live here '.and will be called, Nada 'biłnadit'in,"
he said. Those stopped there and the others went on.
They went a long way and came to a box canyon where the cliffs came
together. A row of red willows ran to the cliff. "Half of the people
will live here and will be called K'aitsehit'i'n," he said. Part of
the people settled there and the others went on.
They went on to a place where there was a big dry wash of white
sand. "Part of the people will live here and will be called
Saidesgain," he said. Those remained there and the others went on.
They came where the mesquite was thick. "Part of the
people will live here and will be called Iyaxadjin," he said. Those
remained there and the others went on.
They came where a row of willows made a red stripe on the landscape.
" Half of the people will live here and will be called K'aintc'in,"
he said. Some of them remained there and the others moved on.
They came where there was a box canyon. " Part of the people will
live here and will be called Tseyin," he said.
The others went on from there to a place that was brown with
cottonwoods above which they climbed up. "Half of you will live here
and will be called T'isseban," he said. Those settled there and the
others went on.
They came where two shallow valleys came together. "Part of the
people will remain here. You will be called Xagostele," he said.
The others went on until they came where two valleys came together.
"Half of the people will live here and will be called
Łedilgojn."
The others moved on to a place that was white with the flowers of
reeds. " Some of the people will live here. You will be named
Łokadigain," he said.
They went on from there and came where willows crossed a broad
valley. "Some of you will live here. You will be called
K'ailnagoteln," he said.
They came where Black River flows. "Part of the people will live
here. You will be called Todiłxile,"
he said.
They went on and came where mountains stand, one behind the other.
"These, a part of the people shall live here. Your name will be Dziłłike'-sillan."
The others moved on to a place where trees stand on a projecting
rock. "These, a part of the people, will live here and be named
Tsjtsexesk'idn," he said. Part of the company remained there.
The others went on until they came to a plain, yellow with flowers.
" These people will live here," he said. They settled there. "You
will be called Beilts'on," he said.
The others moved on to a place called Xak'aiye. "Part of the people
will live here," he said. A division of them settled there. "You
will be named Xak'aiye," he said.
They moved on to a place where a walnut tree stood. "These people, a
half, shall live here," he said. They made their homes there. "You
will be called Tciłniyenadn'aye,"
he said.
The others went on a short distance where there was a mountain
covered with beautiful shrubs as with grass. "These, half of the
people will live here," he said. They settled there. "You will be
called Tc'ildadił'oge," he said.
They went on until they came where there was a stripe of red paint
on the face of a rock. "Half of the people will live here," he said.
They settled there. "You will be called Dectc'in," he told them.
They went on until they came where cottonwood trees
were standing. "Some of the people will live here," he said. "You
will be called T'iskadn."
They went on from there to a place where pines stood in a line. "
Half of the people will live here," he said. "Your name shall be
Ndiltci'ednt'i'n."
They went on until they came where there was a gap in the ridge.
"Half of the people will live here," he said. "You will be called
Nogodejgijn."
They came to Red Rock which stood up. " Some of the people will live
here. Your name will be Tsexatc'in," he told them.
They went on and came where there were round white hills. " Some
people will live here," he said. They settled there. "You will be
called Ya'gohigain."
They went on and came where wormwood was growing in a broad valley.
"Some of the people will live here," he said. "You will be called
Iya'aiye."
They went on where there was a cottonwood grove. " Some of you will
live here," he said. They settled there. "You will be called
T'ishiyosikadn," he told them.
They went on to a place where black rocks projected. " Some of you
will live here," he said to them. People settled there. "You will be
called Tsetsitxesdjine," he told them.
They went on to a place where everyone takes a bath. " Some of you
will live here," he told them. Part of the people settled there.
"You will be called Tanasgizn," he told them.
Then the others went on to a place where the ground is yellow. "
Some of you will live here," he said. "You will be named
Idagexagots'ogn."
Then the others went on. They came where it was dark colored with
manzanita. " Some of the people will live here," he said. They
settled there. "You will be called Inostcoodjin," he told them.
They went on to a place where there were rough stone points. " Some
of you will live here," he told them. Some of them settled there.
"You will be called Sagone," he said to them.
They went on to a place where there was a wash filled with sand. "
Some of the people will live here," he said. Half of the people
settled there. " You will be called Saiedigain," he told them.
They went on where stones were piled in a round heap. " Some of the
people will live here," he said. "You will be called Tsesnniln."
They went on to a narrow ridge. " Some of the people will live
here," he said. Some of them settled there. "You will be called
Na'doxots'osn," he told them.
They went on to a place called adobe flat. "Part of the people will
live here," he said. They settled there. "You will be named
Bissaxe," he told them.
Then they went on to a place where gourds were growing. "Some of you
will live here," he said to them. They settled there. "You will be
named Nadilkalsikadn," he told them.
They went where reeds came together in white masses. "Half of the
people will live here," he told them. They settled there. "You will
be called Ł'okadadesgain," he
told them.
These are the people who live on the earth.
1 Told by Antonio. An origin of fire by stealing it
from those who were hoarding it is very widespread. Prof. Boas cites
many examples from the Northwest Coast. A California version is
available from the Maidu (Dixon, 66). In the Southwest the form of
the story varies considerably. Among the Jicarilla, see Russell,
(a), 262; Goddard, (a), 280. Compare a similar story in Pima,
Russell, (b), 216. A Plains account is found in Lowie, 244.
2 Told by Dananełdel, a
San Carlos, in 1905.
3 Told by Antonio
4 Told by Dananełdel,
a San Carlos, in 1905.
5 Major Bourke says the Apache give this title,
equivalent to Mr. or Seņor, to Bear and Owl because they are feared
and must be spoken of respectfully.
6 Persistent direct questioning failed to reveal the
presence of clans among the San Carlos Apache. This account of their
origin was voluntarily given as a text in the absence of the
interpreter. In only a few instances was the informant able to give
a location for the described locality. The account appears to be a
myth explaining the names of the clans by inventing a local setting
that justifies each particular name. Compare the much longer and
detailed Navajo account, Matthews, 135.
San
Carlos Apache Mythology
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Myths And Tales From The San Carlos Apache, 1918
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