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
History
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
With his substance of flesh (_yépnane_) outdrawn from the surface
of his person, the Sun-father formed the seed-stuff of twain
worlds, impregnating therewith the great waters, and lo! in the
heat of his light these waters of the sea grew green and scums
(_k’yanashótsiyallawe_) rose upon them, waxing wide and weighty
until, behold! they became Áwitelin Tsíta, the "Four-fold Containing
Mother-earth," and Ápoyan Tä´chu, the "All-covering Father-sky."
THE GENESIS OF MEN AND THE CREATURES.
From the lying together of these twain upon the great world-waters, so
vitalizing, terrestrial life was conceived; whence began all beings
of earth, men and the creatures, in the Four-fold womb of the World
(Áwiten Téhu‘hlnakwi).
Thereupon the Earth-mother repulsed the Sky-father, growing big and
sinking deep into the embrace of the waters below, thus separating from
the Sky-father in the embrace of the waters above. As a woman forebodes
evil for her first-born ere born, even so did the Earth-mother
forebode, long withholding from birth her myriad progeny and meantime
seeking counsel with the Sky-father. "How," said they to one another,
"shall our children, when brought forth, know one place from another,
even by the white light of the Sun-father?"
Now like all the surpassing beings (_píkwaiyin áhâi_) the Earth-mother
and the Sky-father were _‘hlímna_ (changeable), even as smoke in the
wind; transmutable at thought, manifesting themselves in any form at
will, like as dancers may by mask-making.
Thus, as a man and woman, spake they, one to the other. "Behold!" said
the Earth-mother as a great terraced bowl appeared at hand and within
it water, "this is as upon me the homes of my tiny children shall be.
On the rim of each world-country they wander in, terraced mountains
shall stand, making in one region many, whereby country shall be known
from country, and within each, place from place. Behold, again!" said
she as she spat on the water and rapidly smote and stirred it with
her fingers. Foam formed, gathering about the terraced rim, mounting
higher and higher. "Yea," said she, "and from my bosom they shall draw
nourishment, for in such as this shall they find the substance of life
whence we were ourselves sustained, for see!" Then with her warm breath
she blew across the terraces; white flecks of the foam broke away, and,
floating over above the water, were shattered by the cold breath of
the Sky-father attending, and forthwith shed downward abundantly fine
mist and spray! "Even so, shall white clouds float up from the great
waters at the borders of the world, and clustering about the mountain
terraces of the horizons be borne aloft and abroad by the breaths of
the surpassing of soul-beings, and of the children, and shall hardened
and broken be by thy cold, shedding downward, in rain-spray, the water
of life, even into the hollow places of my lap! For therein chiefly
shall nestle our children mankind and creature-kind, for warmth in thy
coldness."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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