Sacred Texts Native American Southwest Index Previous Next
In the beginning the people stopped at Frijoles, and settled at White House and at the village of the Stone Lions. An old man and an old woman had four sons. The eldest son carried the grinding stone. The next son carried the carrying basket on his back. The third and fourth sons walked beside their father and mother and supported them so that they should not fall. When they came to White House the eldest son said to them, "My father and mother and younger brothers, stay here and I will go hunting." He made a bow and arrows and said, "Be careful not to let the fire go out while I am away. But if it does, my brothers will look for flints and strike fire from those." The mother knelt down to the grinding stone and ground as well as she could for she was old and slow. In the afternoon the eldest son came home carrying a deer. His father and mother were very happy.
The next day the eldest son said to his father and mother, "Tomorrow morning I am going to the Village of the Stone Lions to see if I can get a girl to marry me. I will bring her back to White House." He said to his mother, "You are old and not able to work any more and you need some one to help you with the grinding. If I find her I will bring her back." The boy went to the Village of the Stone Lions and stayed for two days. He found a girl and he said to her, "Are you willing to come to my village and marry me? My mother and father are very old and I have three brothers." The
girl said, "Yes; I shall be glad to go with you to your village and marry you. First you must tell my mother and father what it is that you want." "I will go and ask them." He said to the girl's parents, "Your daughter is willing to go with me and live in my village." They answered, "Yes, it is as she says. She may go with you if she is willing." The girl's father said to the boy, "Bring your father and mother to this village so that we may know who they are." "My father and mother are too old, they can not walk so far." The boy took the girl home to his village. She took wafer bread with her to give to his mother and father.
They came into White House and the people watched them. The boy was a poor boy but the girl was very beautiful. He said to the girl, "Here is our home. Wait here a moment and I will go in and tell them." His mother and father were sitting side by side at the, fireplace. He said, "Where are my brothers?" They answered, "They went out to gather the fruit of the giant cactus. They will be back soon." "Mother and father, I am bringing a girl home." "Where is she?" "She is waiting outside. I will get her." He went out and brought her in. His father and mother were. glad to see her and she gave them the paper bread she had brought. His mother began to prepare food. She cooked venison and gave them the fruit of the giant cactus. The brothers came home. They were glad to see the girl and they made bows and arrows to go hunting every day. After that they were great hunters and never came home without bringing a deer.
One day the three boys said to their mother and father, "Tomorrow we are going to the girl's village. We will go hunting for the mother and father of the girl." The girl said to her husband, "Go down and tell my mother and father that my brothers-in-law are hunting for them and they must wait for them for the evening meal." In the afternoon the three brothers came back bringing two deer and they took them to the mother and father of the girl. They carried the two deer to the hatchway and the parents of the girl were glad. They received the two deer and placed them in the center of the floor. They sprinkled prayer meal. They set out the food and ate. When they had finished the brothers prepared to return to their own home. The mother of the girl gave each of them a. load of wafer bread and she said, "To-morrow I will make the feast. Bring your father and mother to share it with us." Next day the brothers brought their mother and father to the Village of the Stone Lions. They feasted and they did not let the old people go back to White House any more. They lived all together in the same house as long as they lived.
86:10 Informant 2. Notes, p. 236.