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Source: Pliny E. Goddard, Jicarilla
Apache Texts, Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural
History, Vol. VIII
In the beginning, the people were coming up.
He made a mountain that continued to increase in height. Then he caused
reeds to stand vertically in the center.
The people were gathered about the mountain,
watching. When the reeds were approaching the sky, four girls went up the
mountain and twisted them.
They went down and left them in this
condition. The people tried in vain to make the reeds grow. "Go up and see
what has happened to them," he told someone. This person, on ascending the
mountain, found the reeds were twisted and that those who had done it had
gone down.
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The messenger, when he came down, said, "The
reeds are twisted."
Then four ladders were made and placed in position: one black, one blue,
one yellow, and one variegated. Then whirlwind went to the world above and
looked. When he came back he reported that there was much water
there.
After a time, the one in charge, told Beaver to go and see how conditions
were. When Beaver got to the upper world, he found the water receding and
commenced piling dirt in front of it to retain it. When Beaver did
not return, Badger was told to go after him and see what had happened.
He found Beaver building a dam in front of the water. "When the
people come up and the children are dying of thirst, they will drink
this," said Beaver in explanation of his conduct. Badger went into the
mud (producing certain markings). The two went down and reported that the
land was already exposed.
The people prepared to ascend. The black ladder was placed in position and
the people went up by means of it until it was worn out.
The blue ladder was next put in place. When it was worn out the yellow
ladder was put up. By the time it was worn out nearly all the people had
gone up. Last of all, the variegated ladder was placed in position. When
the last of the people had gone up it, too, was worn out.
There remained behind a feeble old woman and an old man. The people went
away and left them sitting there. "Take us out," one of them called after
them. The people stopped and looked back at the couple but did not take
them out. Then
one of them said, "You will come back here to me." 1
Then the people moved away towards the east along four parallel trails
under four chiefs. Those who went by the first road had fighting. Those
going along the second road were fortunate and came back without having
had a fight. The people who had gone by the third road, having had a
fight, returned.
The fourth man came back without having had any trouble. The leadership of
the chief of the first band was unfortunate, that of the second band
fortunate, that of the third band
unfortunate, and that of the fourth band fortunate. They moved back to
their own country near Taos.
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