🧚 The Accursed Lake · page 2

Then the Trues bade the boy sit down, and offered him a white _manta_ (robe) for a seat; but he declined respectfully, saying that he had been taught, when in the presence of his elders, to sit on nothing save what he brought, and he sat upon his blanket and moccasins.68 When he had told his story, the Trues tried him, and gave him the sacred _weer_ to smoke--a hollow reed rammed with _pee-en-hleh_.69 [68] He smoked, and held the smoke bravely.70 But just then the Old-Woman-Mole, who had followed him underground all this way, dug a hole up to his very toes; and the smoke went down through his feet into the hole, and away back to the Old-Woman-Mole’s house, where it poured out in a great cloud.71 And not the tiniest particle escaped into the room of the Trues.72 He finished the second _weer_[69] without being sick at all; and the Trues said, “Yes, he is our son.73 But we will try him once more.”74 So they put him into the room of the East with the bear and the lion; and the savage animals came forward and breathed on him, but would not hurt him.75 Then they put him into the room of the North, with the eagle and the hawk; then into the room of the West, with the snakes; and lastly, into the room of the South, where were the Apaches and all the other human enemies of his people.76 And from each room he came forth unscratched.77

[68] The smoking of the pungent _weer_ is a very severe ordeal; and it is a disgrace to let any of the smoke escape from the mouth or nose.78

[69] Two being the usual number given a candidate for initiation into a medicine order.79

“Surely,” said the Trues, “this is our son!80 But once more we will try him.”81

They had a great pile of logs built up (“cob-house” fashion), and the space between filled with pine-knots.82 Then the Whit-lah-wíd-deh set the boy on the top of the pile and lighted it.83

But in the morning, when the guard went out, there was the boy unharmed and saying: “Tell the Trues I am cold, and would like more fire.”84

Then he was brought again before the Trues, who said: “Son, you have proved yourself a True Believer, and now you shall have what you seek.”85

So the sacred ice was given him, and he started homeward--stopping on the way only to thank the Old-Woman-Mole, to whose aid he owed his success.86

When the wicked Lake-Man saw the boy coming, he was very angry, for he had never expected him to return from that dangerous mission.87 But he deceived the boy and the woman; and in a few days made a similar excuse to send the boy to the gods of the South after more ice for his mother.88

The boy started off as bravely as before.89 When he had traveled a great way to the south, he came to a drying lake; and there, dying in the mud, was a little fish.90

“_Ah-bóo_ [poor thing], little fish,” said the boy; and picking it up, he put it in his gourd canteen of water.91 After awhile he came to a good lake; and as he sat down to eat his lunch the fish in his gourd said:92

“Friend Boy, let me swim while you eat, for I love the water.”93

So he put the fish in the lake; and when he was ready to go on, the fish came to him, and he put it back in his gourd.94 At three lakes he let the fish swim while he ate; and each time the fish came back to him.95 But beyond the third lake began a great forest which stretched clear across the world, and was so dense with thorns and brush that no man could pass it.96 But as the boy was wondering what he should do, the tiny fish changed itself into a great Fish-Animal with a very hard, strong skin,[70] and bidding the boy mount upon its back, it went plowing through the forest, breaking down big trees like stubble, and bringing him through to the other side without a scratch.97

[70] It is quite possible that this “Fish-Animal with a hard, strong skin,” living far to the south, is the alligator.98 Of course, the Pueblos never saw that strange saurian; but they probably heard of it in the earliest days from nomad tribes, and as a great scientist has pointed out, we may always depend upon it that there is a nucleus of truth in all these folk-myths.99 Such a strange animal, once heard of, would be very sure to figure in some story.100

“Now, Friend Boy,” said the Fish-Animal, “you saved my life, and I will be the one that shall help you.101 When you come to the house of the Trues, they will try you as they did in the East.102 And when you have proved yourself, the Cacique will bring you his three daughters, from whom to choose you a wife.103 The two eldest are very beautiful, and the youngest is not; but you ought to choose her, for beauty does not always reach to the heart.”104

The boy thanked his fish-friend and went on, until at last he came to the house of the Trues of the South.105 There they tried him with the _weer_ and the fire, just as the Trues of the East had done, but he proved himself a man, and they gave him the ice.106 Then the Cacique brought his three daughters, and said:107

“Son, you are now old enough to have a wife,[71] and I see that you are a true man who will dare all for his mother.108 Choose, therefore, one of my daughters.”109

[71] For it must be remembered that all these travels had taken many years.110

The boy looked at the three girls; and truly the eldest were very lovely.111 But he remembered the words of his fish friend, and said:112

“Let the youngest be my wife.”113

Then the Cacique was pleased, for he loved this daughter more than both the others.114 And the boy and the Cacique’s daughter were married and started homeward, carrying the ice and many presents.115

When they came to the great forest, there was the Fish-Animal waiting for them, and taking both on his back he carried them safely through.116 At the first lake he bade them good-by and blessed them, and they trudged on alone.117

At last they came in sight of the big lake, and over it were great clouds, with the forked lightning leaping forth.118 While they were yet far off, they could see the wicked Lake-Man sitting at the top of his ladder, watching to see if the boy would return, and even while they looked they saw the lightning of the Trues strike him and tear him to shreds.119

When they came to the lake the boy found his mother weeping for him as dead.120 And taking his wife and his mother,--but none of the things of the Lake-Man, for those were bewitched,--the boy came out upon the shore.121 There he stood and prayed to the Trues that the lake might be accurst forever; and they heard his prayer, for from that day its waters turned salt, and no living thing has drunk therefrom.122

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