Page:Memoirs of the American Folk-Lore Society V.djvu/197

Rh First Song, "A beautiful tree they fell for me."

Second Song, "A beautiful tree they prepare for me."

Third Song, "A beautiful tree they finish for me."

Fourth Song, "A beautiful tree they carry with me."

Fifth Song, "A beautiful tree they launch with me."233

481. When they threw the log on the surface of the water it floated around in different directions, but would not go down stream, so the gods consulted together to determine what they should do. They covered the log first with black mist and then with black cloud. Some of the gods standing on the banks punched the log with their plumed wands, when it approached the shore or began to whirl round, and they kept this up till it got into a straight course, with its head pointed down stream, and floated on. When the gods were punching the log to get it into the current, the Navaho sang a song, the principal words of which were:—

1. "A beautiful tree, they push with me."

When the log was about to go down the stream, he sang:—

2. "A beautiful tree is about to float along with me," and when the log got into the current and went down, he sang:—

3. "A beautiful tree floats along with me."264

482. All went well till they approached a pueblo called Kĭ'ndotlĭs, or Blue House,208 when two of the Kisáni, who were going to hunt eaglets, saw the log floating by, though they could not see the gods that guided its course. Wood was scarce around Blue House. When the men saw the log they said, "There floats a big tree. It would furnish us fuel for many days if we could get it. We must try to bring it to the shore." The two men ran back to the pueblo and announced that a great log was coming down the river. A number of people turned out to seize it. Most of them ran down the stream to a shallow place where they could all wade in, to await the arrival of the log, while a few went up along the bank to herald its approach. When it came to the shallow place they tried to break off branches, but failed. They tied ropes to the branches, and tried to pull it ashore; but the log, hurried on by the current, carried the crowd with it. But the next time the log got to a shallow place the Kisáni got it stranded, and sent back to the pueblo for axes, intending to cut off branches and make the log light. When the gods saw the people coming with axes they said: "Something must be done." They sent down a great shower of rain, but the Kisáni held on to the log. They sent hail, with hailstones as big as two fists; but still the Kisáni held on. They sent lightning to the right—the people to the left held on. They sent lightning to the left—the people to the right held on. They sent lightning in all