Myths and Tales from the White Mountain Apache

When they had finished the meal, the Sun said he did not know how the visitors were to return. They went where the horses stood and the Sun said, “Children, this stallion will go well in the lead. Now mount the horses.” He held the stirrup and saddle horn and told the boys to get on. They did so and rode away from the Sun's house where towards the east a post stands up with white hair18 which reaches to the ground and turns up again. The rain falls on it. They rode their horses around this post four times and came back where they were standing before, as the Sun directed them to do.

When they had finished, the Sun's wife came up to them and told her husband to count for his sons the two saddle blankets, two halters, two bridles, two ropes, and two saddles. The Sun told them to start home; that he was well acquainted with them. He charged them to take good care of the saddle blankets and directed that the gray horse should go in the lead because he knew the trail to the place midway between the earth and the sky. From that point the sorrel horse was to lead because that one knew the way from there on. When they returned where their mother lived he told them to stake the horses out for four nights. The sorrel was to be staked toward the east and the gray to the west. Having ridden the horses among the people they were to unsaddle them in some good place. A white saddle blanket was to be placed toward the east, a black one to the south, a yellow one to the west, and a blue one to the north.19 The bridles, halters, ropes, and saddles were to be brought to the camp. He charged them to keep in mind what he was telling, for he was telling them this that they might be good men. He divided his property between his boys. He told them after the horses had been running loose four days to go to them early in the morning. This might be in any good place where canyons meet, making a flat. When they came to them they were to hold out their hands, palms upward, towards the horses. They were to catch the horses while they were licking their hands. They were to consider what he told them and when they should go for the horses after four days, the four canyons coming together would be full of horses. When their horses had been caught by holding out their hands, the saddle blankets, one on the other, were to be put on them and the horses were to be saddled. They were to ride the horses all day until sunset when they were to be turned out again. Having turned them out, they were told they might go the next day to see what was happening. Having finished his speech he dismissed the boys.

They went with the Sun until they came to the top of the ridge, where they stopped. The Sun felt the horses all over. He felt of their legs, their feet, their faces, their ears, their manes, their backs, petting them. “Goodbye, my horses,” he said, “travel well for my boys down to the earth. There is food for you on the earth the same as here.” He addressed the gray horse, telling him to be the leader on the way toward the earth since he knew the way. He told the boys not to look at the horses' feet nor to look behind them, but to keep their eyes fixed on the tips of their ears.

They started; before they knew it the horses had changed places, and the sorrel was leading. They thought the earth was far off but they soon found the horses were trotting along on the earth. Now the horses were running with them toward their camp. They rode up slowly where the people were walking about. They rode to the camp side by side, and the people all ran out to look at them. Their mother was standing outside watching them and they rode up one on each side of her. “Mother, Ests'unnadlehi, unsaddle our horses,” they said to her.

The people all came up to them. The woman, laughing, ran her hand over the horses saying, “Your father gave you large horses.” When the people had all come there, the boys told them to call their mother Ests'unnadlehi. They all called her by that name. The older boy said they were to call him Naiyenezgani. The younger one said they were to call him Tobatc'istcini.20 They addressed them saying, “When we were here before you used to laugh at us because we were poor. We used to walk because we were poor. We have visited our father where he lives. The Sun's wife named our mother. Call me Naiyenezgani. That one was given the name, Tobatc'istcini. These will be our names and be careful to call them correctly. Do not come near these horses. We will stake one out here and the other one there. They will remain tied out four days. You may go.”

Before sundown on the fourth day the horses whinnied. They went to their horses and saddled them. They rode around among the camps until sundown and then rode them to a flat where four canyons came together. They hung a white saddle blanket toward the east, a black one to the south, a yellow one to the west, and a blue one to the north. Their fly told them to hang the blankets in four places, making an enclosure of them. After four days they were to come and would find conditions different. He charged the boys not to miss doing just as their father had told them. They went back to the camp carrying the saddles, bridles, halters, and ropes. After two days had passed their fly flew away. He returned, reporting that there were many horses filling the place where the four canyons came together. The next day he reported that the horses were so thick one could walk on their backs. The next day (the fourth), about sunrise, the two boys went there with their ropes in their hands. When they came to the eastern canyon it was full of white horses, the southern one was full of black horses, the western was full of yellow horses, and the northern canyon with blue (gray) horses.

They took down all the saddle blankets and piled them together. With valleys in four directions full of horses they did not know their former horses from the others. They considered how they might distinguish them. The horses were milling around near where a blanket hung. They were all mingled together with the colors mixed. The men approached the horses but they stopped before they got to them. They extended their hands with pollen on the palms and the horses whinneyed. Then two horses trotted up to them and licked the pollen from the hands of their owners who caught them while they did it.21 They led these horses back to the camp where the saddles, etc., were lying.

When they led these two horses all the others followed. Their fly told them all about the two horses, what they had done, and that they had made many horses for them. Four days from now it would come about that the broad earth would be covered with horses. Their fly flew to the Sun's camp and the Sun instructed him. “Drive the horses over this way and put a halter on top of that mountain; put a rope on the top of this mountain to the south; put a halter on the top of the mountain to the west; and put a rope on the mountain to the north. Your father says this,” the fly told them.

The older of the brothers told the people that they should ride the horses and not think they were wild. “Catch any of them and saddle them. When you have ridden your horses, then do not go near them for four days. Keep away from the horses which are inside where the halters and ropes are lying. Turn the horses loose in the space enclosed by the ropes and the halter. If they see you they may stampede. These horses will be of great value to you.”

The brothers rode the two horses and the others all followed. When the two horses whinneyed, the others all answered. They took off the ropes and went back to camp. They asked their mother to put up two posts and to put a smooth pole across their tops. She was asked to put the saddles on this pole with their horns toward the east.22 The bridles were to be hung on the saddle horns and the saddle blankets spread over the saddles. They asked her to think about the saddles where they were lying during the night.

She kept her mind on the saddles during the night and in the early morning she went out to them. There were four saddles on the pole where there had been only two. She still kept her mind on the saddles and the next morning there were six lying there. “My child,” she said, “you spoke the truth. I kept my mind on the saddles and six are now lying there.” Tobatc'istcini said, “Very well, keep thinking about them all night and go to them early in the morning.” When she went out, there were eight saddles on the pole.

Naiyenezgani said he was going yonder and would be back by sunset. He went to the mountain top where the halter lay. The Sun was standing there. “It must be my father,” he said. “I did not know you. I am glad you came down to me.” “Well, my son,” the Sun replied, “let us go around the horses.” “What time will it be when we get around them?” the son asked. Leaving the place where the halters were lying they went where the ropes were. The space was level full of horses. “Fine, my son,” the Sun said to Naiyenezgani, “with ropes and halters you made a fence so the horses cannot get out. You have this broad world for a corral.”

They went on and came where the halters were piled up. “These halters will round up the wild horses for you and you will put them on their heads.” They went on and came where the rope hung. “These ropes will drive the horses together for you. They will drive the wild horses close to camp for you.” They started back and came where Naiyenezgani had met the Sun. “I have done everything for you,” the Sun said. “Now I am going back and leave you. You too will go home. Tomorrow it will be finished. You will give your people two horses apiece. Give each of them one stallion and one mare. Distribute them from noon until sunset. These horses are mares and stallions in equal numbers. Tonight two saddles are to be placed on the pole you put up. You shall keep three saddles and give away seven. When you give away the horses give away seven saddles. Now my son, we separate. Shake hands. Others will do as we do.” They said njo to each other and separated. It was not long before he was back and stood there as the sun set. He was happy and laughing. “Where have you been, my son?” his mother asked. “You must have been in a good place or you would not be laughing.” “What did you say, mother?” he replied. “I am happy; when I came over there where the halter lay I met my father. I walked with him all day. As we walked around the horses he told me about everything. I am happy.”

He said that none of them should go out tomorrow, but that he himself would go out early. When he went out there in front of the yellow saddle lay a white saddle. Behind that was a blue one. Between them was a yellow saddle. The pole was full. There were ten saddles in a row. “I told you to put up a long pole, and you put up a short one,” he said to his mother. “You said dig one hole here and another there, my son,” she replied. “Just these may well be our saddles,” he said. He called Tobatc'istcini, saying they would go to catch the horses. “You go to the rope over there. I, too, will go to the other rope. Hurry, we will catch the horses,” he said to him. He ran where one rope was, and the other one went where the other rope was. When they came to the two ropes, they circled around, driving the horses all towards each other. They could not find their own horses, the Sun's horses. They went into the enclosure and walked around. Even when they went around that way they could not find the horses. They looked for them again, going around among the other horses, but they could not find them. The horses touched each other, they were so thick.

Then Tobatc'istcini said, “Naiyenezgani, why do you act so? Is your mind gone? You say you met your father yesterday and that you spent the day going around the horses. He took them out of the herd, and away from you.”

Naiyenezgani caught a black stallion and the other brother a sorrel gelding. When they led them to the camp their mother asked Tobatc'istcini why he had caught a sorrel and told him to turn him loose and catch a white gelding. She said the gray and sorrel horses were made for them and that they were well trained the day before. She told them to hurry and drive the horses in. Tobatc'istcini rode the sorrel horse back and unsaddled it. He then caught a white horse and drove the gray horses back to the camp.23

“Let us go,” he said to his brother. They mounted the horses and rode along. Their mother spoke to them, “My boys, take off that yellow saddle and put on a white one.” When they came riding back where their mother was, a horse whinneyed. It sounded like the voice of the gray stallion that used to be his horse. Another horse whinneyed in this direction and the voice was like that of the sorrel mare. They knew their horses when they whinneyed and one said to the other, “Brother, those are our horses whinneying but we cannot do anything about it.”24 “Let us hurry,” the other said. They rode toward the herd of horses but the horses started to run and the herd broke up. While they were looking they ran where their horses whinneyed. Their fly told them that the horses had already run into the enclosure and that the four doors were shut. They heard them whinneying far away. Their fly said the horses were already in their stable, but they still whinneyed. They drove the other horses near the camp. The older brother told the people to form in a line around the horses. He said they were going to stake out horses for them. The people replied that they had no ropes, that only the two brothers had them. They asked the brothers to make ropes for them. They were told to wait while they returned where the horses used to be. They told them that they would have ropes the next day. The brothers went in different directions, calling to each other. They met and sent their fly to the Sun because the people were without ropes. He told his brother to go back where he had been staying. He directed him also to take the bridle off and to leave the rope as it was, tied to the saddle. “When the Sun is in the middle of the sky we will drive the horses back. Although it is late the Sun will be in the same place.25 He (the Sun) may give us something,” he said.

The fly returned and reported: “Your horse was standing behind him. He sat watching where the stallions were fighting each other. He kept looking at them and then he went a little way.”

The Sun's disk was yellow as at sunset. He looked down four times. The yellow beams struck under his raised knees. From the other side they also streamed toward him. Nothing happened, and he got up and went to his horse. When he put his foot in the stirrup and mounted, ropes were tied in four places to the saddle strings where there had been no ropes before. Both saddles were that way. They both mounted together and their horses pawed the ground and snorted. He rode back to the camp, loping, and the other horses strung out behind him. The other brother was running his horse on the other side. They stopped near the camp. The horses were all lined up facing him. He called to the one on horseback, “Come here.” He rode up to him and he asked how many ropes there were. The other replied he did not know for he had not counted them, and inquired of the other how many ropes he had. The first speaker replied that he did not know. Then the younger brother said the other should catch the horses for them and lead them out while he remained on his horse where he was. The other brother then rode among the horses and caught a mare. He led the horse out and gave the rope to one of the men. He rode back among the horses and caught a stallion. When he had caught six horses, the ropes were all gone. He beckoned with his hand and his brother rode up to him. “Had you only six ropes?” he asked. “Yes, I only had six and I have caught six horses. Now, take your turn and I will remain here on horseback.” The second brother caught the horses and reported that he had chosen the better horses. The horses were all good but some of them looked to be small.

They told the people there were only seven saddles and that so many of the men might have saddles, but that the others must ride around bareback for the present. He told them that some time they might have saddles because the Sun knew of their need and he himself knew it. He instructed them to tie out their horses close by. He said if they heard the horses nickering they would know that the stallions were covering the mares. They would also know the colts when they were foaled. If they turned their horses loose they might not know them. The ropes he said would guard their horses for them. They would now drive back the other horses while those who had received horses staked theirs out.

He drove the horses away and hung his bridle up. The other one he laid in another direction. He took the saddle and everything else back to the camp. They came back to the camp in the middle of the night but they did not know it was night because the Sun had not moved.

When two days had passed two men came. There were many horses where they had passed. They reported that something was running around the other side of this large mountain. They did not know what it was, nor to whom it belonged. They wondered what was meant and sent their fly to find out. He flew away and came back almost immediately. He said it was true. On the ridge beyond the mountain he saw horse tracks and a trail with dust as fine as flour.

One of the brothers asked his mother to cook for the men quickly. It was while they were eating that the fly reported. “Fly back there,” he directed him. He told the visitors to remain, for they were no doubt tired. They went back where the bridle was lying. They took off the rope and hung it toward the east. They spoke to the bridle asking that the horses, wherever they went, should come back together during the night.

The visitors were as the two brothers had been. They had no eyelashes or eyebrows. Their ears were round and their heads were smooth. There were webs between their fingers and toes. When they were asked whence they came they replied that they had assumed there were people living somewhere. Their own people had been killed off by something until only the two were left. They saved themselves at night by digging a trench and covering it with a large rock. When they started away, one of the brothers asked where they were going. They replied that they did not know where they were going but preferred not to stay where they were. They said they did not like to be with many peoples. They preferred staying there with their present hosts. Naiyenezgani asked them to tell their story during the night.

When night came, he called four men to come and listen to what the visitors were about to tell. He asked each of the four men to question the guests. “What is the country called where you live and what kind of thing is killing your people?” he asked. “Tell us about it.”

“The place where we live is called danagogai, plain. Something has been killing our kinsfolk. It has been killing people everywhere on the earth. We do not know what to do,” one of them replied. Naiyenezgani told another of the men to question them. He asked if it were really true that they had been living in that place, saying he did not believe what the other had said. One of the guests replied that it was true. He said they did not know how to tell untruths and that it was not right to do so. “While we are here in camp it will kill someone.” He added, “I have finished.” The second questioner said, “Why did you tell us this? We are uneasy about it.” They replied that they were afraid of it and therefore came there where they intended to live with them.

Naiyenezgani called upon a third man to question them. “Why did you leave a trail for them?” he inquired. “When your kinsfolk were all killed, why did you come to us leaving a trail?” The same man spoke again. He directed that the next day a sweatbath should be prepared that they should take a bath with the two visitors.

“You said the horses had gone far away. I presume they have already come together again,” he said. “These some-kind-of-things you said were going away we call horses. That is all I have to say.” “These two will speak to you,” one of the company said.

“I cannot promise that I will kill that thing which has been killing your people. Hurry to build the sweatlodge he mentioned,” Tobatc'istcini said. “Make the sweatbath: we are going for the horses,” he added.

During the night the horses had come together. One bridle was lying at the east and the other at the west. They told the horses they must all stay there together. When the brothers returned the sweatlodge was built and the stones were on the fire. Tobatc'istcini directed that the men should stand in line while four of them should go into the bath four times. He said that when they had come out the fourth time the visitors would be like themselves. “You built this sweatbath, but it belongs to the Sun,” he told them. When he (Naiyenezgani) went in with them the fourth time he asked them where the thing was living which was killing them. The visitors replied that he lived down this way, pointing toward the west. “The one that has killed all of our people has something long for a weapon,” he added. Naiyenezgani said, “Well, he has been killing you.” When they came out the fourth time they all looked alike. They ate and after the meal the brothers told them all to remain there while they went to yonder white mountain ridge to look beyond. He looked at the Sun.

They landed far away on the mountain ridge.26 Beyond that mountain they went to another. There was a plain on which a mountain was standing. They landed next on that mountain. Tobatc'istcini said, “Brother, is the dangerous thing feared by you? If you are afraid, I am afraid. If you are not afraid neither am I afraid. You are the elder, I am the younger.”

A man was walking in a valley without brush. He was the one who kills people. They sent their fly to look over the body of their enemy, to examine his ears, his eyes, and his mouth. The fly flew to the man and alighted on his ear. When he alighted on his nose the man said, “It is not just you. You smell like a man.”

The fly reported that they could not come up to the man, for while he walked in one direction he could see behind because he had eyes in the back of his head. He had no eyes in front. “He has something long in his hand with which he kills people. When I sat on his nose he told me I smelled like people,” the fly reported. “He is the same sort of a person that you are.” The fly told them to go around to a certain gap in the ridge, where the monster was accustomed to pass, and stand side by side. He promised to let them know when the enemy approached. When the monster walked along, the fly came back where the brothers were standing side by side and said, “He is coming up here very close. If he stops here you must cut his head off. Now, you shoot him,” he said. “If he sees anyone he makes a sweep with his long weapon and kills the person even a long way off.”

The man came close to them and stopped. One of them shot him and the other cut his head off. He stood just as he was before. They shot again and cut his head off again. The head fell but came back on again. One of them shot at him the third time and the other cut his neck off again. Then one of them ran around in front of him and shot him in the heart. This time his flesh flew apart and was scattered over considerable space. The flesh was quivering. That which they killed was called Naiye'. “That is why he named you Naiyenezgani,”27 their fly said. “Because you and Tobatc'istcini both will kill dangerous beings your father named you that.” “You did this in his presence. He was looking at you and prevented the monster's making any move against you. He gave you the weapons with which you killed him. He did it for the good of mankind. Turn the head over and look at its face,” their fly told them. They turned him over and looked at his face. His face was like anyone's but he also had eyes in the back of his head.28 No one could attack him from in front, and he had eyes to see behind himself also. His knife was sharp and the handle was good. “Let us take the knife to convince the people. If we do not have the knife, they will not believe us if we claim we have killed the Naiye' which used to kill people,” one of them said.

On their return they landed on the white mountain ridge and returned to the camp. When they had returned, Naiyenezgani directed that all the people, including the children, should come together. He asked his mother, because the people were assembling, to spread down a buckskin and to place on it the arrows, his own weapon, and that of the slain Naiye'. He asked the people to gather around it. He called the two visitors, asking them to come to a designated spot. He told his brother to stand in a certain position and said that he himself would stand in another place. He said that he would address the people and told his brother to do the same. “I am telling you this because you are seeing what you have not seen before. You see today what our father gave us. Now you speak to them,” he said to his brother.