Native american stories
section one

The Birth from the Sea of the Two Deliverers
Zuni

   Then did the Sun-father take counsel within himself, and casting his glance downward saw on the great waters a Foam-cap near to the Earth-mother. With his beam he impregnated and with his heat he incubated the Foam-cap, whereupon she gave birth to Úanam Achi Píahkoa, the Beloved Two who descended; first, Úanam Éhkona, the Beloved Preceder, then Úanam Yáluna, the Beloved Follower, Twin brothers of Light, yet Elder and Younger, the Right and the Left, like to question and answer in deciding and doing. To them the Sun-father imparted control-thought and his own knowledge-wisdom even as to the offspring of wise parents their knowingness is imparted and as to his right hand and his left hand a skillful man gives craft freely yet does not surrender his knowledge. He gave them, of himself and their mother the Foam-cap, the great cloud-bow, and for arrows the thunderbolts of the four quarters (two to each one), and for protection the fog-making shield, which, spun of the floating clouds and spray and woven, as of cotton we spin and weave, supports as on wind, yet hides, as a shadow hides, its bearer, defending also. And of men and all creatures he gave them the fathership and dominion, also as a man gives over the control of his work to the management of his servants. Well instructed of the Sun-father, they lifted the Sky-father with their great cloud-bow into the vault of the high zenith, that the earth might become warm and thus fitter for their children, men and the creatures. Then along the trail of the sun-seeking Póshaiyank'ya, they sped backward swiftly on their floating fog-shield, westward to the Mountain of Generation. With their magic knives of the thunderbolt they spread open the uncleft depths of the mountain, and still on their cloudshield—even as a spider in her web descends—so they unerringly descended into the dark of the under-world. There they lived with men and the creatures, attending them, coming to know them, and becoming known of them as masters and fathers, thus seeking the ways for leading them forth.


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