Laguna, New Mexico - Schat-chen; History, Traditions and Naratives [sic] of the Queres Indi (part 4 of 4)

As the coyote went on his journey, singing, he came suddenly to a small pond. There was a flock of ducks upon the pond ; and, seeing the coyote, they flew up with a great clamor and quacking. The noise frightened the coyote so badly he forgot the song he had learned. As soon as he recovered from his fright he began to sing, but when he had sung "Mo-ki mo-ki mo-ki," he could get no further. Try as he would he could not recollect the remainder of the song. Finally he decided to go back to the horn toad and have him sing the song again. Accordingly he retraced his steps to the place where he had left the horn toad. The skin of the toad still sat by the rock, and the horn toad looked out from his hiding p]ace at the coyo'te.

Four times the coyote repeated the request, but still the skin sat immoveable and mute. At the fourth request, the coyote snapped up the skin of the horn toad and swallowed it. The sharp flint within cut his throat and stomach, and he fell down and died.

Sh-Ah-Cock And Miochin Oe The Battle Of The Seasons

The Queres Indian traditions unlike those of most every other people, very rarely refer to their exploits in war and one not acquainted with them would, of course, naturally expect the reverse. This alegorical yarn of the battle of the seasons is their nearest attempt to portray a battle scene. True, they tell of various encounters with enemies, but the account is very meager. One reason is, that the Queres Indians are not a war like people, and another thing, to the old men and old women, who, as a general thing tell these stories most, the recounting of battle scenes is not very agreeable.

You have noticed that some of the traditions refer to the White Village of the north and others to the White Village of the southeast and others to the White Village furtherest southeast; showing that the migration was by stages to the northwest, to a certain point and from there, towards the south.

In the Kush-kut-ret-u-nah-tit (white village of the north) was once a ruler by the name of Hut-cha-mun Kiuk (the broken prayer stick), one of whose daughters, Ko-chin-ne-na-ko, became the bride of Sh-ah-cock (the spirit of winter), a person of very violent temper. He always manifested his presence by blizzards of snow and sleet or by freezing cold, and on account of his alliance with the ruler's daughter, he was most of the time in the vicinity of Kush-kutret, and as these manifestations continued from month to month and year to year, the people of Kush-kutret found that their crops would not mature, and finally they were compelled to subsist on the leaves of the cactus.

On one occasion Ko-chin-ne-na-ko had wandered a long way from home in search of the cactus and had gathered quite a bundle and was preparing to carry home by singeing off the thorns, when on looking up she found herself confronted by a very bold but handsome young man. His attire attracted her gaze at once. He wore a shirt of yellow woven from the silks of the corn, a belt made from the broad green blades of the same plant, a tall pointed hat made from the same kind of material and from the top of which waved a yellow corn tassel. He wore green leggings woven from kow-e-nuh, the green stringy moss that forms in springs and ponds. His moccasins were beautifully embroidered with flowers and butterflies. In his hand he carried an ear of green corn.

His whole appearance proclaimed him a stranger and as Ko-chin-ne-na-ko gazed in wonder, he spoke to her in a very pleasing voice asking her what she was doing. She told him that on account of the cold and drouth the people of Kush-kutret were forced to eat the leaves of the cactus to keep from starving.

' ' Here, ' ' said the young man, handing her the ear of green corn. ' ' Eat this and I will go and bring more that you may take home with you."

He left her and soon disappeared going towards the south. In a short time he returned bringing with him a big load of green corn. Ko-chin-ne-na-ko asked him where he had gathered the corn and if it grew near by. "No," he replied, "it is from my home far away in the south, where the corn grows and the flowers bloom all the year round. Would you not like to accompany me back to my country." Ko-chin-ne-na-ko replied that his home must be very beautiful, but that she could not go with him because she was the wife of )Sh-ah-cock. And then she told him of her alliance with the spirit of winter, and admitted that her husband was very cold and disagreeable and that she did not love him. The strange young man urged her to go with him to the warm land of the south, saying that he didn't fear Sh-as-cock. But Ko-chin-nena-ko would not consent. So the stranger directed her to return to her home with the corn he had brought and cautioned her not to throw any of the husks out of the door. Upon leaving he said to her, "you must meet me

Ko-chin-ne-na-ko had not proceeded far on her homeward way ere she met her sisters who, having become uneasy because of her long absence, had come in search of her. They were greatly surprised at seeing her with an armful of corn instead of cactus. Ko-chin-ne-na-ko told them the whole story of how she had obtained it, and thereby only added wonderment to their surprise. They helped her to carry the corn home; and there she had again to tell her story to her father and mother.

When she had described the stranger even from his peaked hat to his butterfly moccasins, and had told them that she was to meet him again on the day following, Hutchamun Kiuk, the father, exclaimed:

The next day Ko-chin-ne-na-ko went again to the spot wehre she had met Mi-o-chin, for it was indeed Mio-chin, tlxe spirit of summer. He was already there, awaiting her coming. With him he had brought a huge bundle of corn.

Ko-chin-ne-na-ko pressed upon him the invitation of her parents to accompany her home, so together they carried the corn to Kush Kut-ret. When it had been distributed there was sufficient to feed all the people of the city. Amid great rejoicing and thanksgiving, Mi-o-chin was welcomed at the Hotchin's (ruler's) house.

In the evening, as was his custom, Sh-ah-cock, the Spirit of the Winter, returned to his home. He came in a blinding storm of snow and hail and sleet, for he was in boisterous mood. On approaching the city, he felt within his very bones that Mi-o-chin was there, so he called in a loud and blustering voice :

"Ha! Mi-o-chin, are you here?" For answer, Mi-o-chin advanced to meet him. Then Sh-ah-cock, beholding him, called again: "Ha! Mi-o-chin, I will destroy you." ' ' Ha ! Sh-ah-cock, I will destroy you, ' ' replied Mi-ochin, still advancing.

Sh-ah-cock paused, irresolute. He was covered from head to foot with frost (skah.) Icycles (ya-pet-tu-ne) draped him round. The fierce, cold wind proceeded from his nostrils.

^Ls Mi-o-chin drew near, the wintry wind changed to a warm summer breeze. The frost and icycles melted and displayed beneath them, the dry, bleached bulrushes (ska-ra ska-ru-ka) in which Sh-ah-cock was clad.

"I will not fight you now, for we cannot try our powers. We will make ready, and in four days from this time, we will meet here and fight for the supremacy. The victor shall claim Ko-chin-ne-na-ko for his wife."

With this, iSh-ah-cock withdrew in a rage. The wind again roared and shook the very houses ; but the people were warm within them, for Mi-o-chin was with them.

The next day Mi-o-chin left Kush Kutret for his home in the south. Arriving there, he began to make his preparations to meet Sh-ah-cock in battle.

First he sent an eagle as a messenger to his friend, Ya-chun-ne-ne-moot (kind of shaley rock that becomes very hot in the fire), who lived in the west, requesting him to come and help to battle with Sh-ah-cock. Then he called together the birds and the four legged animalsall those that live in sunny climes. For his advance guard and shield he selected the bat (pickikke), as its tough skin would best resist the sleet and hail that Sh-ahcock would hurl at him.

Meantime Sh-ah-cock had gone to Ms home in the north to make his preparations for battle. To his aid he called all the winter birds and all of the four legged animals of the wintry climates. For his advance guard and shield he selected the Shro-ak-ah, (a magpie).

When these formidable forces had been mustered by the rivals, they advanced, Mi-o-chin from the south and Sh-ah-cock from the north, in battle array.

Ya-chum-ne-ne-moot kindled his fires and piled great heaps of risinous fuel upon them until volumes of steam and smoke ascended, forming enormous clouds that hurried forward toward Kush Kut-ret and the battle ground. Upon these clouds rode Mi-o-chin, the Spirit of Summer, and his vast army. All the animals of the army, encountering the smoke from Ya-chun-ne-ne-moot's fires, were colored by the smoke, so that, from that day, the animals from the south have been black or brown in color.

Sh-ah-cock and his army came out of the north in a howling blizzard and borne forward on black storm clouds driven by a freezing wintry wind. As he came on, the lakes and rivers over which he passed were frozen and the air, was filled with blinding sleet.

When the combatants drew near to Kush Kut-ret, they advanced with fearful rapidity. Their arrival upon the field was marked by fierce and terrific strife.

Plashes of lightning darted from Mi-o-chin 's clouds. Striking the animals of Sha-ah-cock, they singed the hair upon them, and turned it white, so that, from that day, the animals from the north have worn a covering of white or have white markings upon them.

From the south, the black clouds still rolled upward, the thunder spoke again and again. Clouds of smoke and vapor rushed onward, melting the snow and ice weapons of >Sh-ah-cock and compelling him, at length, to retire from the field. Mi-o-chin, assured of victory.

This being granted on the part of Mi-o-chin, the rivals met at Kush Kut-ret to arrange the terms of the treaty. Sh-ah-cock acknowledged himself defeated. He consented to give up Ko-chin-ne-ne-ko to Mi-o-chin. This concession was received with rejoicing by Ko-chin-ne-nako and all the people of Kush Kut-ret.

It was then agreed between the late combatants that, for all time thereafter, Mi-o-chin was to rule at Kush Kut-ret during one-half of the year, and Sh-ahcock was to rule during the remaining half, and that neither should molest the other.

Months Of The Year

January - Me-yo sitch ta-watch. (Me-yo, a little lizzard; sitch, cut off; ta-watch, moon.) The month when the little lizzard 's tail freezes off.

August - Ya-mon - (Beard of "the corn). September - Ki-nut - (Corn when it is in the milk). October - Ki-ti-stchi-ta-ta - (Corn fully matured). November - Hai-a-tssi - (Fall of the year). December - Sin-ni-kok - (Middle of the winter).