Page:The Pima Indians.pdf/216

] When he finally emerged from the olla he sang:

The young man went to the place where he had left the child and found that its tears were welling up in a great torrent that cut a gorge before it. He bent over the child to take it up, but at that moment they both became birds and flew above the earth over which the floods were spreading. It is said that five birds in all were saved from all those that had been previously known. These were Kolivĭtcûkam, Hikĭvĭk (flicker), Vĭpisimal, Kisŏpĭ, and Nyĭ (vulture). They clung by their beaks to the sky to keep themselves above the waters, but the tail of the flicker was washed by the waves, and that is why it is stiff to this day. Finally, as they were threatened with destruction, the god Vikârskam took pity on them and gave them power to make "nests of down" from their own breasts which floated on the surface of the waters and so enabled them to survive the flood. If anyone harms the little Vĭpisimal to this day the flood may come again. Accidental injuries to the bird must be atoned for; if it be killed, its tail feathers must be kept for a time to avert disaster; if it is found lying dead, it must be buried and appropriate gifts must be placed upon its grave.

When the child had been taken from them, South Doctor called the people to him and announced that a flood was coming to destroy the earth and all things thereon. Then he sang:

Some of the people came to him and were saved from the flood by passing through to the other side of the earth by means of the hole which he had made with his cane. He told the others to go with him to Earth Doctor and hear what he might say to them. Earth Doctor told them that they were too late in coming, that he had already sent all that he could save to the other side of the earth. However, there was yet hope for them if they would climb to the summit of the Crooked mountain. He gave power to South Doctor and directed him to aid the people to the extent of his ability, so the