56 MYTHOLOGY OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. 
When the dawn came into the sky Ta-vwots’ arose and stood on the 
brink overhanging the abyss from which the Sun was about torise. The 
instant it appeared he hurled his pa-rim/’-o-kwi, and, striking it full in the 
face, shattered it into innumerable fragments, and these fragments were 
scattered over all the world and kindled a great conflagration. Ta-vwots! 
ran and crept under the yu/-i-nwmp to obtain protection. At last the fire 
waxed very hot over all the world, and soon Ya-vwots’ began to suffer 
and tried to run away, but as he ran his toes were burned off, and then 
slowly, inch by inch, his legs, and then his body, so that he walked on 
his hands, and these were burned, and he walked on the stumps of his 
arms, and these were burned, until there was nothing left but his head. 
And now, having no other means of progression, his head rolled along 
the ground until his eyes, which were much swollen, burst by striking 
against a rock, and the tears gushed out in a great flood which spread 
out over all the land and extinguished the conflagration. 
The Uinta Utes add something more to this story, namely, that the 
flood from his eyes bore out new seeds, which were scattered over all the 
world. The Ute name for seed is the same as for eye. 
Those animals which are considered as the descendants of Ta-vwots! 
are characterized by a brown patch back of the neck and shoulders, 
which is attributed to the singeing received by him in the great fire. 
The following apothegms are derived from this story: 
“You are buried in the hole which you dug for yourself.” 
“When you go to war every one you meet is an enemy; kiil all.” 
“You were caught with your own chaff.” 
“Don’t get so anxious that you kill yourself.” 
“You are bottled in your own jugs.” 
“He is dead in his own den.” 
“That is a blow of your own seeking.” 
