HARRiNGioNi CHILDREN'S STORIES 359 



The Sandhill Cranes 



Once there lived a flock of Sandhill Cranes up in the clouds in 

 the sky. And they drank the water from the clouds, and also 

 built their nests upon the clouds, and lived well. Once their leader 

 said to them: "I believe we will go down to the earth. The earth 

 has many rivers in every direction. And ui the water fishes, frogs, 

 and other water animals are living. And there are also many trees 

 where we could build our nests. When we reach the earth, going to 

 where the rivers are, we can live well, eating nicely and getting 

 fat." As their leader told them thus, all of the Sandhill Cranes 

 agreed. Then they said to their leader: "All that you have said 

 about the earth seems to be very good. So we all want to go to 

 the earth." As they said thus, they all flew toward the earth. 



As they flew down from the clouds they lighted at P'oxwi'oxwol 

 Spring. And they lived, eating well, eating fishes and frogs every 

 day. But the SandhiU Cranes, as they drank so much water, soon 

 drank all of the water from the spring, together with the fishes and 

 frogs. "We will fly to another river, as this spring does not hold 

 enough water," their leader said to them. 



Then they flew to the spring at Jicarita Mountain. When they 

 arrived they lighted at the spring. At the spring they lived, catching 

 fishes, frogs, and other water animals that lived there, and drinking 

 the water of the spring. There they lived for a while, eating well 

 and drinking as much as they wanted. But they soon drank all 

 the water from the spring, together with the fishes and frogs. Then 

 their leader said to them: "Now we will fly northwest to where 

 the Taos River ' lies, for this spring does not contain enough water." 



As their leader told them thus, they flew northwest to the Taos 

 River. When they reached there they lighted near the river. And 

 they lived a while by the river, catching fishes, frogs and other 

 water animals that lived in the river, eating well and drinking much. 

 As they drank so much, in a short time drinking up all the water 

 of the Northwest River,^ together with the fishes and frogs and what- 

 ever else lived in the river, their leader said to them: "Now we will 

 fly to the river of Picurls village. There there may be more water. 

 This Taos River does not contain enough water." 



As tiieir leader told them thus, they flew to the Picurls village. 

 When they reached there they lighted by the river. And they 

 lived well for a while, catching fishes, frogs, and whatever other 

 water animals lived there in the water. But living there for a while 

 they soon drank up all the water, together with the fishes, frogs, 

 and other water annuals that lived there. "Now we will fly to 

 the Rio Grande, for this Picuris River does not contain enough 

 water, and like notliing we have drunk up all the water, fishes, frogs, 

 and other water animals." 



' Pueblo Creek. ^Another Picuris name for Pueblo Creek. 



