🧚 The Ants That Pushed on the Sky

A VERY ancient and characteristic story about the origin of Isleta is based on the historic fact that part of its founders came from east of the Manzano Mountains, from one of the prehistoric pueblos whose ruins are now barely visible in those broad plains.1

Once upon a time there lived in one of those villages (so runs the story) a young Indian named Kahp-too-óo-yoo, the Corn-stalk Young Man.2 He was not only a famous hunter and a brave warrior against the raiding Comanches, but a great wizard; and to him the Trues had given the power of the clouds.3 When Kahp-too-óo-yoo willed it, the glad rains fell, and made the dry fields laugh in green; and without him no one could bring water from the sky.4 His father was Old-Black-Cane, his mother was Corn-Woman, and his two sisters were Yellow-Corn-Maiden, and Blue-Corn-Maiden.5

Kahp-too-óo-yoo had a friend, a young man of about the same age.6 But, as is often true, the friend was of a false heart, and was really a witch, though Kahp-too-óo-yoo never dreamed of such a thing.7

The two young men used to go together to the mountains to get wood, and always carried their bows and arrows, to kill deer and antelopes, or whatever game they might find.8

One day the false friend came to Kahp-too-óo-yoo, and said:9

“Friend, let us go to-morrow for wood, and to hunt.”10

They agreed that so they would do.11 Next day they started before sunrise, and came presently to the spot where they gathered wood.12 Just there they started a herd of deer.13 Kahp-too-óo-yoo followed part of the herd, which fled to the northwest, and the friend pursued those that went southwest.14 After a long, hard chase, Kahp-too-óo-yoo killed a deer with his swift arrows, and brought it on his strong back to the place where they had separated.15 Presently came the friend, very hot and tired, and with empty hands; and seeing the deer, he was pinched with jealousy.16

“Come, friend,” said Kahp-too-óo-yoo.17 “It is well for brothers to share with brothers.18 Take of this deer and cook and eat; and carry a part to your house, as if you had killed it yourself.”19

“Thank you,” answered the other coldly, as one who will not; but he did not accept.20

When they had gathered each a load of wood, and lashed it with rawhide thongs in bundles upon their shoulders, they trudged home--Kahp-too-óo-yoo carrying the deer on top of his wood.21 His sisters received him with joy, praising him as a hunter; and the friend went away to his house, with a heavy face.22

Several different days when they went to the mountain together, the very same thing came to pass.23 Kahp-too-óo-yoo killed each time a deer; and each time the friend came home with nothing, refusing all offers to share as brothers.24 And he grew more jealous and more sullen every day.25

At last he came again to invite Kahp-too-óo-yoo to go; but this time it was with an evil purpose that he asked.26 Then again the same things happened.27 Again the unsuccessful friend refused to take a share of Kahp-too-óo-yoo’s deer; and when he had sat long without a word, he said:28

“Friend Kahp-too-óo-yoo, now I will prove you if you are truly my friend, for I do not think it.”29

“Surely,” said Kahp-too-óo-yoo, “if there is any way to prove myself, I will do it gladly, for truly I am your friend.”30

“Then come, and we will play a game together, and with that I will prove you.”31

“It is well!32 But what game shall we play, for here we have nothing?”33

Near them stood a broken pine-tree, with one great arm from its twisted body.34 And looking at it, the false friend said:35

“I see nothing but to play the _gallo_ race; and because we have no horses[81] we will ride this arm of the pine-tree--first I will ride, and then you.”36

[81] This mention of the horse is, of course, modern.37 I think it is an interpolation.38 The rest of the story bears traces of great antiquity.39

So he climbed the pine-tree, and sat astride the limb as upon a horse, and rode, reaching over to the ground as if to pick up the chicken.40 [82]41

[82] In imitation of one of the most popular and exciting sports of the Southwestern Indians and Mexicans.42

“Now you,” he said, coming down; and Kahp-too-óo-yoo climbed the tree and rode on the swinging branch.43 But the false friend bewitched the pine, and suddenly it grew in a moment to the very sky, carrying Kahp-too-óo-yoo.44

“We do this to one another,” taunted the false friend, as the tree shot up; and taking the wood, and the deer which Kahp-too-óo-yoo had killed, he went to the village.45 There the sisters met him, and asked:46

“Where is our brother?”47

“Truly I know not, for he went northwest and I southwest; and though I waited long at the meeting-place, he did not come.48 Probably he will soon return.49 But take of this deer which I killed, for sisters should share the labors of brothers.”50

But the girls would take no meat, and went home sorrowful.51

Time went on, and still there was no Kahp-too-óo-yoo.52 His sisters and his old parents wept always, and all the village was sad.53 And soon the crops grew yellow in the fields, and the springs failed, and the animals walked like weary shadows; for Kahp-too-óo-yoo, he who had the power of the clouds, was gone, and there was no rain.54 And then perished all that is green; the animals fell in the brown fields; and the gaunt people who sat to warm themselves in the sun began to die there where they sat. At last the poor old man said to his daughters:55

“Little daughters, prepare food, for again we will go to look for your brother.”56

The girls made cakes of the blue corn-meal for the journey; and on the fourth day they started.57 Old-Black-Cane hobbled to the south, his wife to the east, the elder girl to the north, and the younger to the west.58

For a great distance they traveled; and at last Blue-Corn-Maiden, who was in the north, heard a far, faint song.59 It was so little that she thought it must be imaginary; but she stopped to listen, and softly, softly it came again:60

_Tó-ai-fóo-ni-hlóo-hlim, Eng-k’hai k’háhm; Eé-eh-bóori-kóon-hlee-oh, Ing-k’hai k’háhm.61 Ah-ee-ái, ah-hee-ái, Aim!62

(Old-Black-Cane My father is called; Corn-Woman My mother is called.63 _Ah-ee-ái, ah-hee-ái, Aim!64

When she heard this, Blue-Corn-Maiden ran until she came to her sister, and cried:65

“Sister!66 Sister!67 I think I hear our brother somewhere in captivity.68 Listen!”69

Trembling, they listened; and again the song came floating to them, so soft, so sad that they wept--as to this day their people weep when a white-haired old man, filled with the memories of Kahp-too-óo-yoo, sings that plaintive melody.70

“Surely it is our brother!” they cried; and off they went running to find their parents.71 And when all listened together, again they heard the song.72

“Oh, my son!” cried the poor old woman, “in what captivity do you find yourself?73 True it is that your father is Old-Black-Cane, and I, your mother, am called Corn-Woman.74 But why do you sing thus?”75

Then all four of them began to follow the song, and at last they came to the foot of the sky-reaching pine; but they could see nothing of Kahp-too-óo-yoo, nor could their cries reach him.76 There, on the ground, were his bow and arrows, with strings and feathers eaten away by time; and there was his pack of wood, tied with the rawhide thong, ready to be taken home.77 But after they had searched everywhere, they could not find Kahp-too-óo-yoo; and finally they went home heavy at heart.78

At last it happened that P’ah-whá-yoo-óo-deh, the Little Black Ant, took a journey and went up the bewitched pine, even to its top in the sky.79 When he found Kahp-too-óo-yoo there a prisoner, the Little Black Ant was astonished, and said:80

“Great _Kah-báy-deh_ [Man of Power], how comes it that you are up here in such a condition, while your people at home are suffering and dying for rain, and few are left to meet you if you return?81 Are you here of your free will?”82