Sacred Texts Native American Southwest Index Previous Next
Woodrat and Mouse challenged each other. Each said to the other that her stores of grain were the larger. Mouse said, "Oh, I am very rich. I have lots of men working for me. I have flour and wheat and corn and meat." "So have I," said the Woodrat. "I have all sorts of things in my house, and I have a very soft bed. I have piñons and corn and cedar berries and ha'sitcu ('bigger; what bears eat; juniper')." Mouse said, "It will be my turn first. I shall go to your house and see all the food you have there." She was to come at night. The Woodrat was waiting for her. "As you come along," said Woodrat, "and get near my house, you'll see a big pile of wood. I'm never without wood." Night came. Mouse ran as fast as she could. She went up the hill and there she saw a great pile of wood. "Maybe this is where she lives. For she said at her house a great deal of wood was piled up." She went in and there was Woodrat. "Hello." "Hello. Did you find my wood pile?" "Yes, I found it." They told her to sit down, and Woodrat Man went to get tobacco for her to smoke. When she had smoked Woodrat Woman said, "Are you through smoking?" "Yes." "Then come through all my rooms and see all the stores I have." She went in. Woodrat had lots of things that grow in the mountains, piñons, walnuts, cedar berries, juniper berries, and two kinds of cactus. They went through all the rooms. They were laughing and having a good time. Mouse said, "My, but you are, a rich rat." Rat said, "Come in here; this is where I sleep." There was a high bed piled soft as could be. "You are very rich. To-morrow you shall come to my house. Come in the middle of night, for in the house there stays a very cruel lion. He is a savage animal. As you get to the door you'll find a crack; peep in, and if the light is out, come right through. But if there is still a light the lion will catch you."
The Woodrat went in on tiptoe. She got to the house and she whispered, "Hello." "Hello," said Mouse. In the other room where the lion was it was light yet. They peeped through a door
at it. Mouse started to show everything in the house, a great sack of flour, corn, wheat, meat. Woodrat said, "Yes, you are much richer than I am." They peeped through the door at the people. "Look in at those men. They are the ones who work for me. They are sleeping now." Just then the cat came in. The mouse jumped into her hole, but the big Woodrat ran round and round the house and jumped up on the wall and jumped down again. The cat ate her up.
155:3 Informant 2. Notes, p. 243.