400 THE MOUNTAIN CHANT. 
find a place where you may ascend.” He went around as he was bid- 
den and saw the cleft in the rock, but it was too narrow for him to 
climb in it. Then the sheep blew into the cleft and it spread out so wide 
that he entered it easily and clambered to the summit. Here he found 
the sheep standing in four tracks, marked or sunken in the rock, one 
hoof in each track, and under the center of his body was a smallhole in 
the rock. Into this hole the sheep bade him enter; but he replied that 
the hole was too small. Then the sheep blew on the hole andit spread 
so wide open that both the man and the sheep entered easily and de- 
scended into the heart of the rock. Here there were again four apart- 
ments; two of them were blue and two were black ; rainbows extended 
in all directions through them. In the fourth room, which was black, 
the sheep left the Navajo to rest, and departed. Soon the fugitive 
heard, as on the previous day, when he lay hidden in the cave, of Qas- 
tceélei, the voices of the angry Ute calling and haranguing all around 
the rock, and he continued to hear them for a very long time. Soon 
after the clamor ceased the sheep returned to him to notify him thathis 
enemies had withdrawn and that he could set out on his journey again 
without fear. 
36. He journeyed homeward all the night, and when daylight began 
to appear he found himself on the banks of the stream where the Ute 
slept the night before they reached their tents, when they bore him 
home a captive. Here again he heard in the distance the voices of his 
pursuers and he hastened his steps. Presently he met a little old man 
sitting on the ground and cleaning cactus fruit. The old man had a 
sharp nose, little bright eyes, and a small moustache growing on each 
side of his upper lip. At once the Navajo recognized him as the Bush- 
rat (Neotoma mexicana). The latter asked the traveler where he came 
from. ‘Ob, Iam just roaming around here,” was the answer. But the 
rat, not satisfied, repeated his question three times, in a manner which 
gave the Navajo to understand that his answer was not credited. So 
at last he answered truthfully that he was a Navajo who had been capt- 
ured by the Ute, and that he was fleeing homeward from his captors, 
who were at that moment close behind him in pursuit. ‘It is well,” 
said the rat, “that you have told me this, for I think I can save you. 
On yonder hillside there is a flat rock, and round about it are piled 
many little sticks and stones. It is my home, and I will’ guide you 
thither.” Heled the Indian to the rock and, showing him a small hole 
under it, bade him stoop low and place his head near the hole. As the 
Nayajo obeyed the rat blew a strong breath on the hole, which at once 
opened wide enough to let the visitorin. The rat followed immediately 
behind him as he entered. Inside of the den there were an old woman, 
two young men, and two young women. ‘These constituted the family 
of the Bush-rat, who left the den as soon as the stranger was safely 
housed. Soon the voices of the pursuing Ute were again heard around 
the rock and at the mouth of the den, and the Navajo sat a long time 

4 
