🧚 The Man Who Married the Moon

AMONG the principal heroes of the Tée-wahn folk-lore, I hear of none more frequently in the winter story-tellings to which my aboriginal neighbors admit me, than the mighty Nah-chu-rú-chu.1 To this day his name, which means “The Bluish Light of Dawn,” is deeply revered by the quaint people who claim him as one of their forefathers.2 He had no parents, for he was created by the Trues themselves, and by them was given such extraordinary powers as were second only to their own.3 His wonderful feats and startling adventures--as still related by the believing Isleteños--would fill a volume.4 One of these fanciful myths has interested me particularly, not only for its important bearing on certain ethnological matters, but for its intrinsic qualities as well.5 It is a thoroughly characteristic leaf from the legendary lore of the Southwest.6

Long before the first Spaniards came to New Mexico (and _that_ was three hundred and fifty years ago) Isleta stood where it stands to-day--on a lava ridge that defies the gnawing current of the Rio Grande.7 [31] In those far days, Nah-chu-rú-chu dwelt in Isleta, and was a leader of his people.8 A weaver by trade,[32] his rude loom hung from the dark rafters of his room; and in it he wove the strong black _mantas_ which are the dress of Pueblo women to this day.9

[31] Bandelier has published a contrary opinion, to which I do not think he would now cling.10 The folk-lore and the very name of the town fully prove to me that its site has not changed in historic times.11

[32] In the ancient days, weaving was practised only by the men, among the Pueblos.12 This old usage is now reversed, and it is the women who weave, except in the pueblos of Moqui.13

Besides being very wise in medicine, Nah-chu-rú-chu was young, and tall, and strong, and handsome; and all the girls of the village thought it a shame that he did not care to take a wife.14 For him the shyest dimples played, for him the whitest teeth flashed out, as the owners passed him in the plaza; but he had no eyes for them.15 Then, in the naïve custom of the Tée-wahn, bashful fingers worked wondrous fringed shirts of buckskin, or gay awl-sheaths, which found their way to his house by unknown messengers--each as much as to say, “She who made this is yours, if you will have her.”16 But Nah-chu-rú-chu paid no more attention to the gifts than to the smiles, and just kept weaving and weaving such _mantas_ as were never seen in the land of the Tée-wahn before or since.17

The most persistent of his admirers were two sisters who were called _Ee-eh-chóo-ri-ch’áhm-nin_--the Yellow-Corn-Maidens.18 They were both young and pretty, but they “had the evil road”--which is the Indian way of saying that they were possessed of a magic power which they always used for ill.19 When all the other girls gave up, discouraged at Nah-chu-rú-chu’s indifference, the Yellow-Corn-Maidens kept coming day after day, trying to attract him.20 At last the matter became such a nuisance to Nah-chu-rú-chu that he hired the deep-voiced town-crier to go through all the streets and announce that in four days Nah-chu-rú-chu would choose a wife.21

For dippers, to take water from the big earthen _tinajas_, the Tée-wahn used then, as they use to-day, queer little ladle-shaped _omates_ made of a gourd; but Nah-chu-rú-chu, being a great medicine-man and very rich, had a dipper of pure pearl, shaped like the gourds, but wonderfully precious.22

“On the fourth day,” proclaimed the crier, “Nah-chu-rú-chu will hang his pearl _omate_ at his door, where every girl who will may throw a handful of corn-meal at it.23 And she whose meal is so well ground that it sticks to the _omate_, she shall be the wife of Nah-chu-rú-chu!”24

When this strange news came rolling down the still evening air, there was a great scampering of little moccasined feet.25 The girls ran out from hundreds of gray adobe houses to catch every word; and when the crier had passed on, they ran back into the store-rooms and began to ransack the corn-bins for the biggest, evenest, and most perfect ears.26 Shelling the choicest, each took her few handfuls of kernels to the sloping _metate_,[33] and with the _mano_, or hand-stone, scrubbed the grist up and down, and up and down, till the hard corn was a soft, blue meal.27 All the next day, and the next, and the next, they ground it over and over again, until it grew finer than ever flour was before; and every girl felt sure that her meal would stick to the _omate_ of the handsome young weaver.28 The Yellow-Corn-Maidens worked hardest of all; day and night for four days they ground and ground, with all the magic spells they knew.29

[33] The slab of lava which still serves as a hand-mill in Pueblo houses.30

ON THE “METATE.”]31

Now, in those far-off days the Moon had not gone up into the sky to live, but was a maiden of Shee-eh-whíb-bak.32 And a very beautiful girl she was, though blind of one eye.33 She had long admired Nah-chu-rú-chu, but was always too maidenly to try to attract his attention as other girls had done; and at the time when the crier made his proclamation, she happened to be away at her father’s ranch.34 It was only upon the fourth day that she returned to town, and in a few moments the girls were to go with their meal to test it upon the magic dipper.35 The two Yellow-Corn-Maidens were just coming from their house as she passed, and told her of what was to be done.36 They were very confident of success, and told the Moon-girl only to pain her; and laughed derisively as she went running to her home.37

By this time a long file of girls was coming to Nah-chu-rú-chu’s house, outside whose door hung the pearl _omate_.38 Each girl carried in her left hand a little jar of meal; and as they passed the door one by one, each took from the jar a handful and threw it against the magic dipper.39 But each time the meal dropped to the ground, and left the pure pearl undimmed and radiant as ever.40

At last came the Yellow-Corn-Maidens, who had waited to watch the failure of the others.41 As they came where they could see Nah-chu-rú-chu sitting at his loom, they called: “Ah!42 Here we have the meal that will stick!” and each threw a handful at the _omate_.43 But it did not stick at all; and still from his seat Nah-chu-rú-chu could see, in that mirror-like surface, all that went on outside.44

The Yellow-Corn-Maidens were very angry, and instead of passing on as the others had done, they stood there and kept throwing and throwing at the _omate_, which smiled back at them with undiminished luster.45

Just then, last of all, came the Moon, with a single handful of meal which she had hastily ground.46 The two sisters were in a fine rage by this time, and mocked her, saying:47

“Hoh!48 _P’áh-hlee-oh_,[34] you poor thing, we are very sorry for you!49 Here we have been grinding our meal four days and still it will not stick, and you we did not tell till to-day.50 How, then, can you ever hope to win Nah-chu-rú-chu?51 Pooh, you silly little thing!”52

[34] Tée-wahn name of the moon; literally, “Water-Maiden.”53

But the Moon paid no attention whatever to their taunts.54 Drawing back her little dimpled hand, she threw the meal gently against the pearl _omate_, and so fine was it ground that every tiniest bit of it clung to the polished shell, and not a particle fell to the ground.55

PEARL “OMATE.”]56

When Nah-chu-rú-chu saw that, he rose up quickly from his loom and came and took the Moon by the hand, saying, “You are she who shall be my wife.57 You shall never want for anything, since I have very much.”58 And he gave her many beautiful _mantas_, and cotton wraps, and fat boots of buckskin that wrap round and round, that she might dress as the wife of a rich chief.59 But the Yellow-Corn-Maidens, who had seen it all, went away vowing vengeance on the Moon.60

Nah-chu-rú-chu and his sweet Moon-wife were very happy together.61 There was no other such housekeeper in all the pueblo as she, and no other hunter brought home so much buffalo-meat from the vast plains to the east, nor so many antelopes, and black-tailed deer, and jack-rabbits from the Manzanos as did Nah-chu-rú-chu.62 But he constantly was saying to her:63

“Moon-wife, beware of the Yellow-Corn-Maidens, for they have the evil road and will try to do you harm, but you must always refuse to do whatever they propose.”64 And always the young wife promised.65

One day the Yellow-Corn-Maidens came to the house and said:66

“Friend Nah-chu-rú-chu, we are going to the _llano_[35] to gather _amole_.67 [36] Will you not let your wife go with us?”68

[35] Plain.69

[36] The soapy root of the palmilla, used for washing.70

“Oh, yes, she may go,” said Nah-chu-rú-chu; but taking her aside, he said, “Now be sure that you refuse whatever they may propose.”71

The Moon promised, and started away with the Yellow-Corn-Maidens.72

In those days there was only a thick forest of cottonwoods where are now the smiling vineyards, and gardens, and orchards of Isleta, and to reach the _llano_ the three women had to go through this forest.73 In the very center of it they came to a deep _pozo_--a square well, with steps at one side leading down to the water’s edge.74

“Ay!” said the Yellow-Corn-Maidens, “how hot and thirsty is our walk!75 Come, let us get a drink of water.”76

But the Moon, remembering her husband’s words, said politely that she did not wish to drink.77 They urged in vain, but at last, looking down into the _pozo_, called:78

“Oh, Moon-friend!79 Come and look in this still water, and see how pretty you are!”80