228 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. VIII. 



89. THE BADGER AND THE SMALL GRAY MICE.* 



Long ago the Badger and the Small Gray Mice (Tuc^n homihtci) 

 were Hopi, but they were very bad and hence became these two 

 animals. They were both doctors. The Badger doctor cured people 

 mostly by herbs, of which he made decoctions and lotions, etc. The 

 Mice effected their cures by singing, rattling, rubbing, and by kneading 

 the bodies, scraping the skins, and by other means of sorcery. 

 These two were rivals, and the Badger doubted whether his rival, the 

 Mouse, really knew anything about diseases and medicine, so he 

 decided to try him. One time he fasted for four days and four nights, 

 and when he had become very weak he sent for his rival, the Mouse. 

 The latter brought with him a rattle, a buckskin, in which he had 

 some medicines wrapped up, and also a small medicine bowl. In the 

 latter he made a mixture containing different medicines. This he 

 placed beside the couch where the Old Man Badger was lying and 

 then sang the following song, accompanying it with his rattle : 



Hininiya, hininiya! 



Uma wurz, Tusan-Homihtci, 



You, of course, a small gray mouse, 



Honan Wunhtakat 



Badger Old Man, 



Tucan-Homihtci tuhikunagwyat 



The Tucan Mouse a medicine man heart 



Aaahiin nawotniqo. 



(That) something (in order) to find out, 



Naloshtalat aonachoongkwainiita. 



Four days (you) fasted. 



Aayoooo, ayoayo. 



Aayoooo, ayoayo, ayayo. 



After he was through singing he told his rival, the Old Man 

 Badger, that he should eat well and then he would get well, and then 

 laughingly left. The Old Man Badger was astonished and said to 

 hir^self: "I did not know that he could look inside of me. He is 

 certainly a great doctor." Hereupon he ordered something to eat 

 and got well. 



1 Told by Lomdvantiwa (Shupaiilavi). 



