lo Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. VIII. 



3. COMING OF THE HOPI FROM THE UNDER-WORLD.' 



A long time ago the people were living below. There were a great 

 many of them, but they were often quarreling with one another. Some 

 of them were very much depraved. They abused the women and 

 the maidens, and that led to very many contentions. So the chiefs, 

 who were worried and angry over this, had a council and concluded 

 that they would try to find another place to live. So they first sent 

 out a bird named M6tsni, to find a place of exit from this world. He 

 flew up high but was too weak and returned without having been suc- 

 cessful. They then sent the Mocking-bird (Ydhpa). He was strong 

 and flew up very high and found a place of exit. Returning, he re- 

 ported this to the chiefs. 



In the meanwhile the chiefs had caused a great flood. Many 

 Bdlolookongwuus" came out of the ground with the water, and a great 

 portion of the people were destroyed. When the Mocking-bird had 

 made his report to the chiefs the latter said : "All right, that is good. 

 We are going away from here. ' ' They then announced through the 

 crier that in four days. they would leave, and that the women should 

 prepare some food, and after they had eaten on the fourth day they 

 would all assemble at the place right under the opening which the 

 Mocking-bird had found. This was done. 



The chiefs then planted a pine-tree (calavi), sang around it, and 

 by their singing made it to grow very fast. It grew up to the opening 

 which the Yahpa had found, and when the chiefs tried and shook it, 

 they found that it was fairly strong, but not strong enough for many 

 people to climb up on, especially its branches, which were very thin. 

 So they planted another kind of pine (16oq6), sang around it, and made 

 it also to grow up fast. This tree and its branches was much stronger 

 than the other, but while the first one had grown through the open- 

 ing, this one did not reach it entirely, its uppermost branches and 

 twigs spreading out sideways before they reached the opening. Here- 

 upon they planted in the same manner a reed (bd,kavi), which proved 

 to be strong, and also grew through the opening like the calavi. 

 Finally they planted a sunflower (ahkawu), and as it was moist where 

 they planted it, it also grew up very fast and to a great size, its 

 leaves also being very large; but the sunflower did not reach the 

 opening. Its very large disk protruded downward before it reached 

 the opening. The sunflower was covered with little thorns all over. 

 Now they were done with this. 



' Told by Lomdvantiwa (Shupaulavi). 

 * Great water serpents. 



