Sacred Texts  Native American  Southwest  Index  Previous  Next 

POKER BOY DISAPPEARS INTO HIS SHRINE 3

The people were living at White House. Poker Boy was living among his people. He married the two daughters of the cacique. The elder had two children. One day Poker Boy asked his two wives, "Why should we not travel to the south?" The elder agreed to this. The elder child was old enough to walk; the younger was still in the cradle. When they were ready Poker Boy took his flute. As soon as he began to play the turkeys gathered around him. They started off to the south. The turkeys followed them. Poker Boy took up the baby in the cradle and with the other hand he carried his flute. They came to many pueblos, but they stopped only to rest and they went always south. The turkeys always followed the flute. They came finally to Cochiti, but they went still south. So Poker Boy and his followers and children and two wives went on down south below Cochiti. At the foot of a little bill Cinatc he left the

p. 51

last words for his people that he and the two wives and children and turkeys would leave this earth. And if the people had bad luck in hunting or in not having children, they should come to this place 17 and pray there and their prayers would be answered.


Footnotes

50:3 Informant 1. Notes, p. 217.


Next: Corncob Boy