"In One Of Its Ends There Was A Small Circular Aperture, Through Which He
Thrust His Wand, And Pushed Away From The Rocks Which Were Encountered.
The
spray splashed through the opening, and this he caught in his basin when he
wished to drink or to mix his kwip-do-si, and he was also provided with a
plug to close the hole when he neared the roaring waters.
He floated over
smooth waters and swift-rushing torrents, plunged down cataracts, and for
many days spun through wild whirlpools, where black rocks protruded their
heads like angry bears.
"When the box finally stopped Tiyo drew the plug, and looking out saw on
one side a muddy bank, and on the other nothing but water; so he pushed out
the end, and taking his paho mantle in his hand passed to the dry land. He
had gone but a little way when he heard the sound of 'hist! hist!' coming
from the ground, and when this had been repeated four times, he descried a
small round hole near his feet, and this was the house of Spider-Woman.*
'Um-pi-tuh,' said the voice ('you have arrived,' - the ordinary Hopi
greeting). 'My heart is glad; I have long been expecting you; come down
into my house.' 'How can I,' said Tiyo, 'when it will scarce admit the
point of my toe?' She said, 'Try,' and when he laid his foot upon the hole,
it widened out larger than his body, and he passed down into a roomy kiva."
* Spider-Woman is an important figure in Hopi mythology. She it is who
weaves the clouds so that rain may come. Hence in many Hopi ceremonies,
where rain is prayed for, she is especially propitiated.
The legend then goes on to describe how Tiyo is taken and guided by the
Spider-Woman to various places, where he learned all about the ceremonies
that the Hopis now perform at their Snake Dance to produce rain. He met the
Sun and the Great Snake (Go-to-ya), and Mu-i-yin-wuh (a divinity of the
underworld who makes all the germs of life), and each taught him something
he needed to learn. Finally, after many wonderful adventures, he was lifted
out of the underworld as he sat in a ho-a-pah, a kind of wicker pannier,
with two beautiful maidens of the snake kiva, by Spider-Woman, who carried
him over the country and deposited him at his home. He married one of the
maidens and thus founded the Snake Clan, and his brother married the other
and founded the Snake-Antelope Clan. These two clans each year perform the
ceremonies that produce rain in the desert land, where still live the
descendants of Tiyo and his brother.
Wallapai Legend of the Canyon. The Wallapais say that it was one of their
cultus-heroes, Pack-i-tha-a-wi, who made the Grand Canyon. There had been a
big flood, and the earth was covered with water.
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