The Mountain Chant, A Navajo Ceremony: Fifth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1883-84, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1887, pages 379-468Matthews, Washington
Religion
The Mountain Chant, A Navajo Ceremony: Fifth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1883-84, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1887, pages 379-468
Matthews, Washington
Mountainway (Navajo rite); Navajo Indians -- Rites and ceremonies
38. He pursued his way in the direction indicated to him all night, and
at break of day he found himself walking between a pair of low hills of
clay which stood close together, and once more he heard behind him the
voices of his enemies and the trampling of their horses. But now his
good friend Qastcèëlçi appeared to him and said to him: “My grandchild,
are you still here? Have you come only thus far?” “I am here,” cried the
Navajo, “and oh, my grandfather, I could do no better. Look at my limbs!
See how sore and swollen they are! I am exhausted and feel that I cannot
flee much farther before my enemies.” “Go, then,” said Qastcèëlçi, “to
that hill which is the farther from us and climb to the top of it; but,
when you are taking the very last step which will place you on the
summit, shut your eyes as you make that step.” The Navajo hastened to
the hill, and, weary as he was, he soon ascended it. As he lifted his
foot to take the last step he closed his eyes, as the yay had bidden
him. When he felt his foot again on the earth he opened his eyes, and
lo! instead of having a little hill under his feet, he stood on the
summit of a great mountain peak, seamed with deep cañons, bordered with
rugged rocks, and clothed with great forests of pine and spruce; while
far away on the plain at the foot of the mountain--so far that he could
scarcely discern them--were his baffled pursuers, and beside him stood
Qastcèëlçi. The latter pointed out to him many familiar places in the
distance--the valley of the San Juan, and Dsilyi‘-qojòni (Beautiful in
the Mountains), where he and his people first lived. He rested securely
on the mountain top all day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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