The Sia: (1894 N 11 / 1889-1890 (pages 3-158))Stevenson, Matilda Coxe
History
The Sia: (1894 N 11 / 1889-1890 (pages 3-158))
Stevenson, Matilda Coxe
Zia Indians
The following morning Po´shaiyänne took his seat at the usual place,
but the ti´ämoni said to him: “Come and sit among us; you are now more
than an ordinary man, for you have two houses that belonged to the
ti´ämoni,” but Po´shaiyänne refused and proceeded to light the stick
to pass around for the lighting of the cigarettes. When he extended
his hand to touch the stick to the cigarettes it was discovered that
he wore a most beautiful bracelet, which was red, but not coral. The
ti´ämoni again sent an emissary to negotiate for the bracelet, offering
Po´shaiyänne his house in the south in exchange for the red bracelet.
Po´shaiyänne consented and again a game was played. Four circular
sticks some 8 inches long, with hollow ends, were stood in line and a
blanket thrown over them; the ti´ämoni then put a round pebble into the
end of one, and removing the blanket asked Po´shaiyänne to choose the
stick containing the pebble. “No, my father,” said Po´shaiyänne, “you
first. What am I that I should choose before you?” but the ti´ämoni
replied, “I placed the stone; I know where it is.” Then Po´shaiyänne
selected a stick and raising it the pebble was visible. Po´shaiyänne
then threw the blanket over the sticks and placed the stone in one of
them, after which the ti´ämoni selected a stick and raised it, but
no stone was visible. This was repeated four times. Each time the
ti´ämoni failed and Po´shaiyänne succeeded, and again the house in the
south went to Po´shaiyänne.
The next day when all had assembled in the chita and Po´shaiyänne
advanced to light the cigarettes a bracelet of rare black stone beads
was noticed on his wrist. This made the ti´ämoni’s heart beat with envy
and he determined to have the bracelet though he must part with his
house in the east; and he offered it in exchange for the bracelet, and
Po´shaiyänne accepted the offer. The ti´ämoni then made four little
mounds of sand and throwing a blanket over them placed in one a small
round stone. Then raising the blanket he requested Po´shaiyänne to
select the mound in which he had placed the stone. Po´shaiyänne said:
“My father, what am I that I should choose before you?” The ti´ämoni
replied, “I placed the stone and know where it is.” Then Po´shaiyänne
selected a mound, and the one of his selection contained the stone.
The placing of the stone was repeated four times, and each time the
ti´ämoni failed, and Po´shaiyänne was successful; and the hearts of all
the people were sad when they knew that this house was gone, but they
said nothing, for they believed their ti´ämoni knew best. The ti´ämoni
said: “We will now go to our homes and sleep, and on the morrow, when
we have eaten, we will assemble here.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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