(Chanted by the People) Dazzling power has Elder Brother, Mastering the winds with song. Swiftly now we come together, Singing to gain control.
II
EARTH DOCTOR PROPHESIED THE FLOOD, CAUSED BY ELDER BROTHER:
Weep, my unfortunate people! All this you will see take place. Weep, my unfortunate people! For the waters will overwhelm the land. Weep, my unhappy relatives! You will learn all. Weep, my unfortunate relatives! You will learn all. The waters will overwhelm the mountains.
III
ELDER BROTHER FROM HIS OLLA SONG:
Black house! Black house! Hold me safely in; Black house! Black house! Hold me safely in, As I journey to and fro, to and fro.
Running water, running water, herein resounding, As on the clouds I am carried to the sky, Running water, running water, herein roaring, As on the clouds I am carried to the sky.
EMERGING SAFELY FROM THE OLLA HE SANG:
Here I come forth! Here I come forth! With magic powers I emerge. Here I come forth! Here I come forth! With magic powers I emerge. I stand alone! Alone! Who will accompany me? My staff and my crystal They shall bide with me.
IV
HOW SOUTH DOCTOR FORETOLD THE DESTRUCTION OF EARTH AND ALL ITS CREATURES:
The waters dissolve the land. The waters dissolve the land. The mighty magician tests his strength. The waters dissolve the mountain. The waters dissolve the mountain. Nasi foresees what is coming.
V
EARTH DOCTOR BEHELD THE RISING WATERS:
Haiya! Haiya! Flood! Flood! Hai-iya! See the doom awaiting them!
Haiya! Haiya! Flood! Flood! Hai-iya! Here are my doomed people before me.
VI
SOUTH DOCTOR RAISED THE MOUNTAINS:
On the Crooked mountain I am standing, Trying to disperse the waters. On the Crooked mountain I am standing, Trying to disperse the waters.
AND MARKED THE LIMITS OF THE FLOOD:
On the Crooked mountain top I'm standing, Trying to disperse the waters. On the Crooked mountain top I'm standing, - Trying to disperse the waters.
BUT HE COULD DO NO MORE:
Powerless! Powerless! Powerless is my magic crystal! Powerless! Powerless! I shall become as stone.
Earth Doctor escaped destruction by shutting himself in his reed staff Elder Brother was saved in his olla. After the waters rolled back Elder Brother was first to appear and so became ruler of the world. Now Earth Doctor created all things anew.
Earth Magician shapes this world. Behold what he can do! Round and smooth he molds it. Behold what he can do!
II
Earth Magician makes the mountains. Heed what he has to say! He it is that makes the mesas. Heed what he has to say. Earth Magician shapes this world; Earth Magician makes its mountains; Makes all larger, larger, larger.
III
Into the earth the Magician glances; Into its mountains he may see.
IV
I have made the Sun! I have made the Sun! Hurling it high In the four directions. To the East I threw it To run its appointed course.
V
I have made the Moon! I have made the Moon! Hurling it high In the four directions. To the East I threw it To run its appointed course.
I have made the Stars! I have made the Stars! Above the earth I threw them. All things above I've made And placed them to illumine.
WARS OF THE PEOPLE
I
AFTER A TIME ELDER BROTHER WENT WITH THE PEOPLE TO SLAY HÂ-ÂK, THE FEMALE MONSTER
Dazzling power has Elder Brother, Mastering the winds with song. Swiftly now we come together, Singing to secure control. Kovakova, kovakova, Kovakova, kovakova. Singing on the summit Of great Mo-hatûk mountain, Anayokuna, anayokuna, hayokuna. Sacred pipe of Tcu-unarsat, Sleep-inducing sacred pipe, Anayokuna, anayokuna, hayokuna. Hâ-âk flees from her pursuers, But her spring and mortar stay. Throw a great stone! Throw a great stone! The blue owl is brightest, Throw a great stone! The blue owl is brightest, Throw a great stone.
WHEN THEY HAD SLAIN HÂ-ÂK THEY WENT AGAINST THEIR ENEMIES, SINGING:
We go; we go; we go; we go. Happy, we leave our homes. We go; happily we go. We run; we run; we run; we run. Happy, we leave our land. With pleasure hence we hasten.
III
THUS SANG THE PEOPLE AS THEY CAME UP OUT OF THE EARTH, WHITHER THEY FLED DURING THE FLOOD:
Together we emerge with our rattles; Together we emerge with our rattles, Bright-hued feathers in our headdresses.
With our nyñnyirsa we went down, With our nyñnyirsa we went down; Wearing Yoku feathers in our headdresses.
This is the White Land, we arrive singing, Headdresses waving in the breeze. We have come! We have come! The land trembles with our dancing and singing.
We run, we run, we run, we run, Happy we leave our land; With pleasure hence we hasten.
On these Black mountains all are singing, Headdresses waving, headdresses waving.
We all rejoice! We all rejoice! Singing, dancing, the mountains trembling.
IV
WHEN THEY ATTACKED THE MEN OF MORNING-BLUE THEY SANG:
Yonder stands the doomed habitation. About the pueblo runs its frightened chieftain In yellow garment with hand-print decoration.
V
AT GILA CROSSING ELDER BROTHER SANG:
I am the magician who with the sacred pipe Of Tcu-unarsat increase my magic power. I am the magician of the downy feathers. With the soothing sacred pipe. I bring sleep upon my enemy.
VI
THEY WENT AGAINST THE ENEMY NEAR TEMPE, SINGING:
Look for him! Look for him! Poor distracted enemy; take him! Poor fear-stricken enemy; take him!
WHEN HE CLIMBED THE CLIFF TO ATTACK EAGLE, ELDER BROTHER SANG:
Up the cliff, steep and smooth, Up the cliff, steep and smooth, Up the cliff, steep and smooth, Climbs Elder Brother With his shining power. Up the cliff, steep and smooth, Up the cliff, steep and smooth, He climbs step by step.
VIII
THERE HE CONCEALED HIMSELF AS A FLY, SINGING:
Himovali! Die fly! Himovali! Die fly! I shall sleep! I shall sleep! Himovali! Let die! I am drowsy. I will sleep! Buzz-z.
IX
WHEN EAGLE RETURNED HIS WIFE PUT HIM TO SLEEP WITH THIS SONG:
Haya yakahai yahai mo! Haya yakahai mo! I am sleepy, I am sleepy. Haya yakahai yahai mo! I am sleepy.
THEN THE ELDER BROTHER SLEW THE EAGLE AND RETURNING IN TRIUMPH, ELDER BROTHER CELEBRATED HIS PROWESS:
Child of the Raven! Child of the Raven! You of the dazzling power. See my magic power shining like the mirage.
HUNTING SONGS
I
At the time of the White Dawn; At the time of the White Dawn, I arose and went away. At Blue Nightfall I went away.
I ate the thornapple leaves And the leaves made me dizzy. I drank thornapple flowers And the drink made me stagger. The hunter, Bow-remaining, He overtook and killed me, Cut and threw my horns away. The hunter, Reed-remaining, He overtook and killed me, Cut and threw my feet away.
Now the flies become crazy And they drop with flapping wings. The drunken butterflies sit With opening and shutting wings.
Young Hare Magician running Brings black-tailed deer venison. And young Badger Magician Brings the feet of black-tailed deer.
Had I neither winds or clouds? In the east the Yellow Ikol, In the west the Yellow Ikol Called me. I had no winds or clouds.
BASKET-BEATING SONGS
I
As the Sun sinks to the westward We begin singing the Eagle songs. The home of the Magician rises, Standing before me in the land. We begin singing the Eagle songs.
Earth Magician now comes hither; Earth Magician now comes hither. From the depths the songs are rising, And by him are here established. As now the land is prosperous; As now the land is prosperous Elder Brother comes from the East; He comes here as a child might, The land prospers with his coming.
It was in the western mountains That White-Eater Woman dwelt. It was in the western mountains That White-Eater Woman dwelt.
The evening glows red in the West, And the birds here gather about me. Now I hear the screams of the Eagle. Haiya ha aiya haya haya ha-a! Now I meet and see you. Haiya ha!
II
Roll from cliff end to cliff end, Roll, Winds, from the steep house walls. Thus the growing excitement Gathers like the winds that blow From the house of Wind Magician.
In the East, my younger brothers, We are preceded by the bearers Of the sacred eagle feathers. In the East, my younger brothers, We are preceded by the bearers Of the sacred eagle feathers
In the distant land of Eagle, In the distant land of Eagle Sounds the harmonious rolling Of reverberating thunder.
Now the Swallow begins his singing; Now the Swallow begins his singing. And the women who are with me, The poor women begin to sing.
The Swallows meet in the standing cliffs; The Swallows meet in the standing cliffs. And the rainbows arched above me, There the blue rainbow arches meet.
The Black Swallows running hither; The Black Swallows running hither,
Running hither come to lead me, Lead me there, lead me there.
Haiya! Far in the distant east Lie the clouds hidden under the mountain. Far in the east direction To the hidden clouds I come running.
We are beating the basket drums: We are beating the basket drums. I am singing, I am listening; From my feathers clouds are shaking.
I am circling like the Vulture, Staying, flying near the blue. I am circling like the Vulture, Breathing, flying near the blue.
Now the Reddish Bat rejoices In the songs which we are singing; He rejoices in the eagle down With which we ornament our headdress.
I ran into the swamp confused; There I heard the Tadpoles singing. I ran into the swamp confused, Where the bark-clothed Tadpoles sang.
In the West the Dragonfly wanders, Skimming the surface of the pools, Touching only with his tail. He skims With flapping and rustling wings.
Thence I run as the darkness gathers, Wearing cactus flowers in my hair. Thence I run as the darkness gathers, In fluttering darkness to the singing place.
To collect hair trophies with their power. Hivayomi has taken a captive, And the magic of his bow dies with him.
PUBERTY SONG
Come, hurry forth, hurry forth. Already the echoing sounds Of darkness are heard around.
The Virgin is not sleepy, She is wakeful through the night.
The Saguaro lies there broken; And my fallen feathers rise O’er the top of Table Mountain.
The boy stirred the rumbling stones; The woman heard and could not sleep. And my toe nails are broken.
The branches of darkness fell, Cutting my feathers as I passed.
SONG OF THE MAGIC OF DAWN
On the top of Móhatûk There are many clouds standing. On the top of Móhatûk Many fog clouds are rising. The bitter wind blows on us; The bitter wind blows on us, As we sing with many bows.
Though I am a Navitco, I hear you talk about me. I thrust my head through the sky And with it I run away.
Cut sticks, cut sticks, cut sticks straight.
FETISH SONG
We commence the fetish song; We commence the fetish song. It is difficult but I try; The night grows very noisy.
The fetish song arises; The fetish song arises. To it the crazed women run; To it the crazed women run.
Pity me! Oh, pity me! And strip away my disease; Now strip away my disease; Clear it away by singing. I'm going to the singing; I'm going to the singing. It is leading to the mountain, Running to Sievat mountain.
LIGHTNING SONG
See the destructive lightning Going to kill the distant tree. It is going, my younger brother, To split the distant tree.
Evening now is falling; Evening now is falling, And demons appeared running To strip and expose my soul.
In a Santa Rita cave; In a Santa Rita cave, As I entered in the cave, I saw the breath of demons.
Here demon boys came running; Here demon boys came running, Grasping my hair they carried me, Brought me to a distant land.
RAIN SONGS
I
Hi-ihiya naiho-o! Let us begin our song, Let us begin, rejoicing. Hitciya yahina-a. Let us begin our song, let us begin rejoicing, Singing of the large corn. Hitciya yahina-a. Singing of the small corn. Hitciya yahina-a.
II
Hi-ihiya naiho-o! The darkness of evening Falls as we sing before the sacred âmina. About us on all sides corn tassels are waving. Hitciya yahina! The white light of day dawn Yet finds us singing, while corn tassels are waving. Hitciya yahina-a! The darkness of evening Falls as we sing before the sacred âmina. About us on all sides corn tassels are waving. Hitciya yahina! The white light of day dawn Yet finds us singing, while the squash leaves are waving.
Hi-iya naiho-o! The earth is rumbling From the beating of our basket drums. The earth is rumbling from the beating Of our basket drums, everywhere humming. Earth is rumbling, everywhere raining.
III
Hi-ihiya naiho-o! Pluck out the feathers From the wing of the Eagle and turn them Toward the east where lie the large clouds. Hitciya yahina-a! Pluck out the soft down From the breast of the Eagle and turn it Toward the west where sail the small clouds. Hitciya yahina! Beneath the abode Of the rain gods it is thundering; Large corn is there. Hitciya yahina! Beneath the abode of the rain gods It is raining; small corn is there.
WAR SONGS
I
Over that black sandy land, Over the top came running, Over the top came running. The Apache slave was killed And his hide tanned for leather.
II
Here the warrior, Shining-row, Came and saw the night around me. Young Coyote made a shield house And he sat in it shouting, And that was pleasing to me. Young Coyote tied the darkness;
You hung the Raven trophies On a pole and danced around them.
Amid the rocks of the mountain The women tried to hide themselves; But the men ran and killed them.
CORN SONG
Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! He who sees everything Sees two stalks of corn standing; He's my younger brother. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! He who sees everything, sees the two squashes; He's my younger brother. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! On the summit of Ta-atûkah sees the corn standing; He's my younger brother. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! On the summit of Ta-atûkah sees the squash standing; He's my younger brother. Hi-ilo-o woiha!
Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! Over Ta-atûkam Rise the clouds with their loud thundering. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! Over Ta-atûkam Rise the clouds with their loud raining. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! The Bluebird is holding In his talons the clouds that are thundering. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! Yellowbird is holding In his talons the clouds that are raining.
Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! See Elder Brother Breathe out the winds that over Ta-atûkam Drive the clouds with their loud thundering. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! See Elder Brother Breathe out the winds that over Ta-atûkam The welcome storm clouds are suspending. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! In the great rain clouds Let me sing my song of rejoicing.
Among the white cactus leaves; Among the white cactus leaves, I came running to that place; I came running to that place.
SONG OF THE VISION-MAKER
The evening glow yet lingers; The evening glow yet lingers, And I sit with my gourd rattle Engaged in the sacred chant. As I wave the eagle feathers We hear the magic sounding.
Puissant Night is shaking me Just as he did at the time When I was taken up in spirit To the great Magician's house.
Yellow Bird placed his feathers Where they fell on the head of the woman; Making of her a harlot who ran about With her hands clasped before her.
Bluebird drifted at the edge of the world, Drifted along upon the blue wind. White Wind went down from his dwelling And raised dust upon the earth.
The moonshine abides in me; And soon you men and women will see The reed that I now am blowing Bring the Moon down to meet me.
Haiya! The gourd is rattling; Haiya! The gourd is rattling.
Gray Road-runner, the magician, As his young cried out with hunger, Ran about engaged in killing Millipeds that he carried home.
The Black Turtle now approaches us, Wearing and shaking his belt of night. The Black Turtle now approaches us, Wearing and shaking his belt of night.
The harlot arose and ran about, Beating her breast and the air. The harlot arose and ran about, Beating her breast and the air.
Understand, my younger brothers, That it is the Sun that gives me The trance vision that I see. The Sun gives magic power.
NOTE
"Tell me," I asked an Indian song-poet who had just taught me a song of his composing, "when you made your song, which came first, words or music?"
The Indian stared at me in puzzled surprise: "I made a song," he answered, "a song is words and music—all comes together."
Because Indian poems are therefore really songs, conceived as a very part of the iteration and intonation of music, I have endeavored in my translations to hold in minutest detail to the original rhythm and accent, believing that only thus can the Indian verse sing, through an alien tongue, in its true form.
NATALIE CURTIS Santa Fe, New Mexico, September, 1917
