Outlines of Zuñi Creation Myths: Thirteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1891-1892, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1896, pages 321-448Cushing, Frank Hamilton
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Outlines of Zuñi Creation Myths: Thirteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1891-1892, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1896, pages 321-448
Cushing, Frank Hamilton
Zuni mythology
And when the dancers paused, the gods turned to K‘yäk´lu and said: "Lo!
we begin, given thou be ready."
And K‘yäk´lu said: "It is well; I am ready; yea, even my heart
listeneth," and in cadence to their speech following, he moved the Duck
with her tinkling, talking shells, as a master of song moves his baton,
or a dancer his rattle, and in solemn, ceaseless tone, as in singing
yet with speech more steady, the gods, one by one, told to K‘yäk´lu
the things each best knew, whereof he so wondrously speaks when come
amongst us for the welfare of our little children, bringing them the
sacred breath of the Kâ´kâ itself, and to their elders these same
speeches of the gods.
When, after long time, they had done, they further charged him with a
message of comfort to the mourning mothers, and with commandments and
instructions to men and the beings.
Then they brought forth the sacred cigarette, and the master
priest-gods smoked in relationship with K‘yäk´lu to all the six
regions, and, rising, he was led in turn to the portal of each chamber,
first to the northern, then to the western, southern, eastern, upper,
and lower, and he placed his fingers on the sill of each, that in
aftertimes he should know, though but dim of sight, or in the dark, the
places of worship (which men built then but poorly) from others, and in
such alone, and to chosen few who hold the rites of the Kâ´kâ, should
therein tell and do the customs and words of the gods and tell of other
such like precious ancient things.
Then the Sálamopia lifted the ladder and guided upward K‘yäk´lu and
the Duck, showing them safely to the shore of the lake. When the old
ones (Kâ´yemäshi) heard the shells of the Duck tinkling, forth they
came, bringing their litter and singing boisterously, for much they
loved K‘yäk´lu as the light of the rising sun fell upon him, as a raven
loves bright shells or chips of glistening stone.
THE INSTRUCTION OF THE K´YEMÄSHI BY K‘YÄK´LU.
And when they had come to the side of K‘yäk´lu, instant they became
grave, for he bade them hearken to the words of the gods, and their
instructions.
"Ye shall attend me, for know that ye are to be the guardians of the
Kâ´kâ and tellers of its meanings, and givers of enjoyment to the
children of men, even as ye gave the enjoyment of comfort unto me, when
ye sought me in the plain of my sorrows. Ye shall bear me to the people
yonder, for I have tidings for them, and instructions the to which ye
shall bear witness in aftertimes when I am not by. Ye shall cherish the
Kâ´kâ; yea, and all other precious customs, for thereunto as unto life
mortal, yet unceasing, became fitted thy father, my brother younger;
and thereunto were ye born, ye and thy sister elder, man-woman of the
Kâ´kâ, as unto the councils thereof am I become slave yet master.
But my sister, thy mother, shall abide by the place she hath made,
maintaining it, as woman ever maintaineth the hearth she hath made, all
the days of men."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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