With the Arapaho, as with many other tribes, the moon is masculine, and the sun is feminine. In mythology the two are brother and sister. There are various myths to account for the spots on the moon’s surface, some discerning in them a large frog, while to others they bear a likeness to a kettle hung over the fire. The Arapaho name for the moon, bi′gushish, means literally “night sun,” the sun itself being called hishinishish, “day sun.” A similar nomenclature exists among most other tribes.
67. Ni′nä′nina′ti′naku′ni′na na′ga′qu′
A′näni′sa′na, a′näni′sa′na,
Ni′nä′nina′ti′naku′ni′na na′ga′qu′,
Ni′nä′nina′ti′naku′ni′na na′ga′qu′;
Ti′naha′thihu′ nä′nisa′na,
Ti′naha′thihu′ nä′nisa′na,
Häthi′na He′sûna′nĭn,