“My name is Gose ‘flicker.’ I eat with my long bill. I fly with my wings which are red underneath. My legs are blue and the borders of my eyes are pinkish. My voice is loud and when I sing all the people hear me. They like my voice. This is my nature,” he said they say.

Jicarilla Apache Texts, by Pliny Earle Goddard; New York: Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, Vol. VIII; (1911) and is now in the public domain.

Sun lived at Hī’tsiriha, three miles up from P‘ā’wi. There was a small hill there of red earth. The people went out to hunt, but did not stay long. Sunset came quickly, the day was short. It was a great trouble. Everyone was in trouble. “What shall we do about it? If the sun came up far off to the east and not right here near us, it would be all right.” But the sun was in the center of the world, and that was the cause of the trouble.

The people all got together and talked it over. They asked Cottontail Rabbit and Blue Squirrel. “We have got to move

the sun.” Rabbit said, “Yes, we’ll do it.” The, people asked, “How?” Rabbit said, “We’ll carry it on our backs. When I’m tired, Squirrel can take it.” “Where will you put it?” “We’ll put it over the mountains far off to the east.” They started to carry it, carried it off to the east. When they got tired, they changed off. They carried the sun far, far away, to where he now comes up.

Yana Texts, by Edward Sapir. University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 1-235 [1910] and is now in the public domain

Fisher was a small animal but a great hunter. Hunting was difficult in those days because it was always winter. “Come with me.” he told his friends, “We will go where the Earth is closest to Skyland. The Skyland is always warm and we will bring some of the warmth down to Earth.” The Otter, Linx and Wolverine traveled with Fisher up the mountains, closer and closer to Skyland. When they were very close Fisher said “We must jump up and break through to the land above the sky.” The Otter jumped up and bumped his head on the sky. He fell on his back and slid all the way down the mountain. Linx jumped up and bumped so hard it knocked him unconscious. Wolverine jumped up and bumped hard against the sky. He jumped again and again until the sky cracked a little. He jumped again and broke through. Fisher jumped through after him. They found Skyland to be a beautiful place, full of warmth and plants and flowers. They found cages full of birds which they released. The birds flew through the crack in the sky to the world below. The warmth of Skyland began to flow to the Earth and melt the snow. The Sky-People came out of the lodges and said “Thieves! They are taking our warm weather!”

Wolverine escaped back through the crack but Fisher started working to make the crack bigger. He knew that if it were too small the Sky-People might be able to patch it. The Sky-People began chasing him and shooting arrows.

Athough he was powerful, they eventually hit a fatal spot. The great Gitchee Manitou took pity on poor Fisher because he had tried to help his friends.

He healed him and placed him in the sky (Big Dipper). Each autumn as Fisher is falling towards Earth the Sky-People try to patch the crack and Winter comes. Then in spring Fisher climbs back high in the sky and reopens the crack and Summer comes.

THERE lived in the land of the Yaqui an Indian called Teta Hiapsi and he was very industrious. He enjoyed building good things. For this reason, he talked one day with a large group of Yaquis to see if they would work for him if he paid them a fair salary. In those days, there were no dollars, or half-dollars. Instead, the Yaquis used for money some silver discs, lacking any stamp, discs about four inches in diameter and an inch thick. They called them te’okita, which means pure silver. They also used similar discs of gold which they called sawai tomi, which is the same as saying yellow money.

All of the Indians wanted to work with Teta Hiapsi, so he put them to work cutting sticks and branches to make a serco, or fence. This serco was twenty-four kilometers in circumference and in its center, a little creek ran all the time. In this corral there were lions, bears, tigers, and snakes of many sizes. In fact, Teta Hiapsi’s serco surrounded an immense forest containing in it a number of water-holes.

Thus Teta Hiapsi considered himself very rich indeed. Also he had a cave, quite wide and deep, full of te’okita and sawai tomi. From it he paid his workers every Saturday.

One Saturday arrived and he paid all of his workers except one Yaqui whose name was Takochai. To Takochai he said, “You didn’t get any money. So you may do anything you want to me to get even.” Teta Hiapsi was a very curious man. He enjoyed jokes and pranks, and he knew that Takochai was a clever trickster. He knew that something would happen.

Well, Takochai went away to think of something to do to Teta Hiapsi to get even.

To a little stream which lies west of Cumuripa among some low hills, to a little valley fertile and picturesque, Takochai took his bow and arrows. In this place he met a big Indian. This Indian was so strong that to amuse himself he walked along tearing up mesquite trees by the roots as if they were onions. He would give one jerk and the tree with all its root would come up and he would toss it off into the distance. He did the same with sahuaros. This Yaqui was very strong.

Takochai came up to him and said, “What are you doing?”

“Oh, I’m just pulling up these little sticks,” answered the Indian, Hoso Hoseli.

“May I go along with you?” asked Takochai.

“Why yes, it would give me pleasure,” said Hoso Hoseli, and the two walked on a little distance together. It was late and they stopped to sleep under a tree.

The next day they took to the road again. They had only traveled a little distance when they met a Yaqui who was pointing an arrow at a mountain range which was so far away that it could hardly be seen.

“What are you doing?” asked Takochai.

“I wanted to kill a deer that was over there in those mountains, but you disturbed me and the deer has gone.”

“Oh, but how distant are those mountains!” exclaimed Takochai. “They are barely visible.”

“More distant deer have I killed,” responded the hunter whose name was Mekkata’obia, which means Light that Illumines the Distance. Takochai invited Mekkata’obia to come along with him and Hoso Hoseli, and the three adventurers went off.

They soon met a tall, thin Indian. He was standing on one foot holding a rope made of hide and tying the other leg which was doubled up. They saluted him and asked, “What are you doing, tying up your leg like that?”

He answered, “I am tying up this leg so I won’t walk so fast. With two legs I run as fast as the wind, and with one tied I can walk about as fast as a light breeze.” This Yaqui was called Yuku Beo’oti, or Lightning. Takochai and Hoso Hoseli and Mekkata’obia invited Yuku Beo’oti to accompany them, and the four went on together. They went on until it was late and they stopped to sleep.

The next day they again took to the road. After walking only a short distance they met a very short little Yaqui who wore a skin cap. One side of this cap was decorated with red feathers and the other side with green ones. When he put it on with the red feathers to the right the weather became hot, and when he put it on with the green feathers to the right it became cold. He kept making this change every minute, never stopping. This little fellow was called Tasa’a Bali, which means Cool Summer. He is called this because he made heat and cold by moving his headdress of two colors.

The four companions invited Tasa’a Bali to come along with them, and now there were five.

The next day they encountered a man on top of a little hill. He stood with his feet upon a rock and one hand against a tree. With the other hand he stopped up one of his nostrils. Through the other nostril he blew mightily, a volcano of air. The travelers came up to him and asked him what he was doing.

The man on the hill said that over on the other side of the green monte were many Yaquis milling earth and rock to take out the gold. “I make the mills run by blowing with this nostril. There are four mills for the stone and three to draw up water. When I stop blowing, those windmills stop. Right now while I am chatting, they are quiet.”

His name was Hekkateni’a.

Takochai and his companions invited this great blower to come along with them.

So the six companions all went on to the serco of Teta Hiapsi.

Takochai greeted Teta Hiapsi and said, “I have come to bet with you, Teta Hiapsi, to win from you all that you own.”

And Teta Hiapsi agreed to run a race.

Now, Teta Hiapsi had a daughter who was something of a witch woman. It was known that she knew how to fly like a bird. But Takochai was now the chief of five clever men.

Many Indians, men and women and boys, gathered to see the race between the witch and the swiftest of the companions, Yuku Beo’oti. Since Takochai had no money, he put up his life against this witch whose name was Sochik, meaning Bat.

The race was to be from ili bakam to bemela ba’am, such a great distance that a man on a good horse traveling at a run does not arrive there in one long summer day.

The people gathered and the racers were ready. Someone gave the shout to start. Sochik flew off through the air as fast as she could, and Yuku Beo’oti disappeared like the wind. He soon arrived at bemela ba’am, filled his canteen with water and started back. This was the agreement. He who should arrive there and fill his canteen and be the first back in ili bakam was to win the race.

When Yuku Beo’oti was about half way back, he lay down to sleep, putting his head on a stump.

Sochik had hardly started for bemela ba’am. When she came upon Yuku Beo’oti and saw him sleeping, she threw the water out of his canteen and went on her way toward the waterhole. Then Mekkata’obia, from the great distance saw that the water had been thrown out and he shot an arrow into the tree trunk that served Yuku Beo’oti as a pillow. Yuku Beo’oti awoke and noticed that his water had been thrown out. Taking his canteen, he ran past Sochik to the waterhole, filled it, and returned to ili bakam with the water. Thus Yuku Beo’oti won the race and Sochik lost, for she arrived very late.

“I have lost,” said Teta Hiapsi pleasantly. And he gave Takochai half of a cave full of silver and gold. “Now, in order for you to win from me all that I own, you and your men must sleep inside of that oven all night.”

The oven was big and square. It was used to cook large animals in. There were no windows in it. It was on top of four big flat stones.

Takochai looked at the oven and said, “Very well, we shall all sleep there. And tomorrow you must give me all of. your money and your well and your animals.”

Takochai and his five companions entered the oven, and Teta Hiapsi, with the help of other Indians, covered it. They put firewood below and above and lit the fire and it burned all night.

When the men inside began to feel the heat, Tasa’a Bali put his cap on with the green side to the right and they felt no more heat.

Dawn came and Teta Hiapsi thought that they must be well cooked. But when he opened the door they all stepped out, alive and shivering from cold.

Thus Teta Hiapsi had to give all of the gold and silver in his cave to Takochai. The companions made a huge purse of many skins. In it they put the money and Hoso Hoseli tossed it up on his shoulders as if it were nothing. He was very strong, Hoso Hoseli, that man who pulls up mesquite trees.

“Now, let us go,” said Takochai to his companions. “We will come back for the rest later.” And they marched away in triumph.

Teta Hiapsi then gathered together some six hundred Yaquis to follow and kill Takochai and his men. But Mekkata’obia, who could see far, discovered them. The friends stopped at the foot of a little hill above a large plain.

When the Yaquis of Teta Hiapsi came across the plain, Takochai ordered Hekkateni’a, he of the great wind, to blow at them. Hekkateni’a covered one nostril and blew so strongly that the Yaquis were blown high into the air, very high. Then he stopped blowing and the Yaquis fell to the earth like stones. Here ends this tale.

Yaqui Myths and Legends, by Ruth Warner Giddings; Illustrated by Laurie Cook; University of Arizona Press, Tucson, AZ (Univ. Ariz. Anthropological Paper No. 2) [1959] [1959, Copyright not registered or renewed] and is now in the public domain.

Long ago Fisher-Man lived with his elder brothers in a sweat-house, they say. Now he said to the Cottontail people, “Ye must remain at home, ye must stay here! I shall go away. Ye must stay close, must not go about. Thither, in that direction, I shall go in the morning.” Then he went.

Now, all those people, those boys, staid there. He had explained to them when he would return. “So many times dawning, at the sixth dawning I (shall) have returned,” said he, “if other people do not choke me on the road. Do ye stay there close (at home).” So they staid.

In the morning one of them crawled out when it was dawning. After he had sat a while, standing up, (he went and) sat on the edge of the smoke-hole. Now opposite, they say, that Wood-Rat lived in a sweat-house with his grandmother. From thence Wood-Rat crawled out. “How are you?” said he, said Wood-Rat.

“Ugly Wood-Rat-Man, defecating on his grandmother’s blanket, stinking, defecating all over the house, urinating all about, dirty-acting Wood-Rat!” said (Cottontail). “His house stinks,” he said. Then Wood-Rat-Man said, “Ham, ham! My grandmother, bring out my net! He calls me very bad names.” Then she brought it out.

Then, having walked over, he stretched it across the door of the house. Then he stamped on the house (Cottontail’s). He kept stamping, and then one (of the Cottontails) jumped out; and just as he did so, he was caught in the net. After a while, after he had gotten into (the net), Wood-Rat carried him across. And carrying him home, when he had carried him in, his grandmother skinned (the Cottontail) and cooked him; and, roasting him, they both had breakfast.

Next morning, crawling out, Wood-Rat said, “Halloo!” Then one (of the Cottontails) stuck his head out. “Dirty, ugly Wood-Rat, defecating on his grandmother, urinating about, making things dirty, Wood-Rat, who stays where he has made it stink!” said he. Then he jumped in again.

Then, “Ham, ham!” said (Wood-Rat). “He speaks evilly of me! My grandmother, hand out my net!” Thereupon he went over, and having gone over, and stretched the net in the doorway, he stamped, kept stamping, (on the roof). Then one (of the Cottontails) rushed out, and so was caught in the net. Meanwhile, having got him into the net, Wood-Rat carried him off. He carried him over to his grandmother; and, having given him to her, she skinned him, and they both had breakfast.

Next morning, again, Wood-Rat crawled out. Then. he said, “Siī!” Then one (of the Cottontails) stuck his head out repeatedly. “Bad Wood-Rat, defecating on his grandmother’s blanket, one who does dirty things, urinating all about the house, Wood-Rat, who does dirty things that make things stink!” he said. Then Wood-Rat said, “Ham, ham, ham! He calls me very bad names. Hurry and give me my net, my grandmother!” Then she gave it to him.

Having gone over, he stretched it in the doorway, and then stamped on the house, kept stamping. By and by one rushed out, and was caught in the net. Then, having got him into the net, he carried him over. Meanwhile only one (Cottontail) was left, (who) had crawled over behind the fireplace. Now, Wood-Rat, having carried (the one he had caught) over, they skinned him, roasted him, and had their breakfast.

Next morning, again, (Wood-Rat) crawled out. “Sh!” he said. But no one stuck out his head. Then said he, “There are none left. I have killed them all.” Next morning, again, (Wood-Rat) stuck his head out. “Hiī,” he said. Again no one looked out. “Well, my grandmother, I think I have killed them all,” he said. “I did not see any, none crawled out.” Then he remained there. Next day again he looked out. “Sī!” he said, but nobody looked out. “I guess I have killed them all,” he said.

That night, as it grew dark, Fisher-Man returned. He crawled in, and then (found) all had gone. Then one crawled out toward him from behind the fire, and said, “Wood-Rat chased us; and when he stamped on the house, (the others) ran out, and then he killed them,” he said. “He continued doing this until he killed them all. I alone, not jumping out, (but) hiding and not moving, have kept alive.” Then Fisher-Man said, “Hō!”

In the morning Fisher went after him (Wood-Rat). Crossing over, he reached (the house), and, having crawled in, he killed both, grandmother and grandson. Then he spoke. “Now you are Wood-Rat-Man! Not bothering people, you shall live and run about where rocks lie all around, doing no harm to people,” said he. “And mortal men shall say of you, ‘Long ago Wood-Rat was a bad man.’ So mortal men (will) tell of you.” Then he went over, and, having returned to his house, remained there.

In the morning, having fixed his bow, and having taken three quivers full of arrows, he went off. He went towards the east, and kept going, kept going. His brothers staid under a bush. Then, after he had gone some ways, he hung up one quiver of arrows, and went on. He kept going, kept going, and then a little ways off he hung up another quiver of arrows. He went on, kept going, and again a short ways off he came to a valley, a large valley.

When he had looked down into it here and there, (he saw) there were brown bears feeding, and grizzly bears also feeding, it is said. One was feeding there in the very middle (of the valley). And it was a white bear, it is said, a silver-tip. So he (Fisher), having crept down into (the valley), ready to shoot, shot him.

Then from there (the bear) ran after him, jumped at him, trying to catch him. And he (Fisher) ran up out of the valley. Meanwhile he kept shooting, and still continued to run up out of the valley, the bear jumping at him to seize him. He kept shooting; he shot dodging from side to side, he shot whatever he had (?).

Meanwhile (the bear) jumped at him to seize him in his mouth. He (Fisher) kept running away and when all his arrows were shot, he reached the place where he had left the arrows, and, taking them down, he ran on up. He kept on shooting, and still (the bear) jumped at him to seize him in his mouth. Again it seems as if he came a little closer. He (Fisher) ran, dodging all the time, dodged as he ran. And meanwhile he shot. Only half his arrows were left, he had almost shot them all away.

Meanwhile he ran on, he dodged, he shot. And, so doing, he shot all his arrows. And all being gone, he ran to the place where he had hung tip his arrows, and, having taken them down, he shot. The bear jumped to seize him in his arms, (but,) dodging as he ran, (Fisher) kept shooting. So continually shooting, (the bear) coming running up pretty close, he shot, dodging as he ran. And, so doing, he ran round and about the place where he had made his brothers stay. Meanwhile (the bear) still ran after him. And while he was doing thus, he (Fisher) killed him.

Then he spoke. “You shall be bad. You shall not trouble mortal men when they see you,” he said, speaking after he had killed him. “You shall not hunt to seize mortal men coming into the middle of this world. That, mortal men in story-telling, (shall say) of you. Then, ‘Silver-Tip in the olden time killed people, (was) a killer, they say. Killing them, he was sent away from this world, they say. And then, they say, there were no Silver-Tips.’ That (is what) mortal men (will) be saying of you,” he said.

Then he said, “Well, my brother! You must live on, staying in this sort of a place, staying squatting down under bushes. I shall be a traveller in this world in all countries; but you will be one who shall stay travelling about in this country only, going about only in this country,” said he, speaking. Then he went on. “Well,” said he, “I am going,” said he. “Stay there!” said he, and he went off. And when he looked back, the ears (of the Cottontail) were shimmering (quivering?). So he went off, after looking back. That is all, it is said.

Maidu Texts, by Roland B. Dixon; Publications of the American Ethnological Society, Volume IV; Late E. J. Brill Publishers and Printers, Leyden, [1912] and is now in the public domain.