Navaho Legends

by Unknown

Si sĭzíni In me it stands, beyastíʻyi with me it talks, bayántsĭn. for it I am ashamed.

275. BEGINNING OF ORIGIN LEGEND.

Toʻbĭlhaskĭ′digi Water with Hill Central in haádze to the east lakaígo white taʻĭ′ndĭlto; up rose; tsin day dzilínla they thought it tsĭ′ni. they say. Sadaádze To the south dotlĭ′zgo blue taʻĭ′ndilto; up rose; tábĭtsin still their day ĭndzĭlté they went around tsĭ′ni. they say. Inádze To the west lĭtsógo yellow taʻĭ′ndilto; up rose; ininála evening always áʻle it showed tsĭ′ni. they say. Akógo Then náhokosdze to the north dĭlyĭ′lgo dark taʻĭ′ndilto; up rose; akógo then dazĭntsá they lay down dádzĭlkos they slept tsĭ′ni. they say.

Toʻbĭlhaskĭ′di Water with Hill Central toʻaltsáhazlin; water flowed from in different directions; haádze to the east la one ilín, flowed, sadaágo at the south la one ilín, flowed, la one inádze to the west ilín flowed tsĭ′ni. they say. Haádze To the east ilínigi where it flowed ban its border kéhodzĭti; place where they dwelt; sadaádze to the south ĕltóʻ; also; inádze to the west ĕltóʻ also ban its border kéhodzĭti place where they dwelt tsĭ′ni. they say.

Haádze To the east Tan Corn holgé; a place called; sadaádze to the south Nahodoóla Nahodoóla holgé; a place called; inádze to the west Lókatsosakád Reed Great Standing holgé. a place called. Haádze To the east Ăsalái Pot One holgé; a place called; sadaádze to the south Toʻhádzĭtĭl Water They Come for Often holgé; a place called; inádze to the west Dsĭllĭtsíbehogán Mountain Red Made of House holgé. a place called. Haádze To the east Léyahogan Earth under House holgé; a place called; sadaádze to the south Tsĭltsĭ′ntha Aromatic Sumac among holgé; a place called; inádze to the west Tseʻlĭtsíbehogán Rock Red Made of House holgé. a place called.

Holatsí Ants Dĭlyĭ′le Dark kéhati lived ĭnté. there. Holatsí Ants Lĭtsí Red kéhati lived ĭnté. there. Tanĭlaí Dragon-flies kéhati lived ĭnté. there. Tsaltsá (Yellow beetles) kéhati lived ĭnté. there. Woĭntlĭ′zi Beetles (?) hard kéhati lived ĭnté. there. Tseʻyoáli Stone carriers (beetles) kéhati lived ĭnté. there. Kĭnlĭ′zĭn Bugs black (beetles) kéhati lived ĭnté. there. Maitsán Coyote-dung (beetles) kéhati lived ĭnté. there. Andĭ′ta Besides Tsápani Bats kéhati lived ĭnté. there. Totsóʻ (White-faced beetles) kéhati lived ĭnté. there. Wonĭstsídi Locusts kéhati lived ĭnté. there. Wonĭstsídi Locusts Kaí White kéhati lived ĭnté. there. Nakidátago Twelve dĭnéʻ people aísi these dezdél. started (in life).

Haádze To the east hahóse extended toʻsĭgĭ′n ocean tsĭ′ni; they say; Sadaádze to the south toʻsĭgĭ′n ocean tsĭ′ni; they say; inádze to the west toʻsĭgĭ′n ocean tsĭ′ni; they say; náhokosdze to the north toʻsĭgĭ′n ocean tsĭ′ni. they say. Haádze To the east toʻsĭgĭ′n ocean bígi within Tiéholtsodi Tiéholtsodi sitín lay tsĭ′ni. they say. Natáni Chief ĭnlíngo; he was; hanantáï Chief of the people tsĭ′ni. they say. Sadaádze To the south toʻsĭgĭ′n ocean bígi within Thaltláhale Blue Heron sitín lay tsĭ′ni. they say. Natáni Chief ĭnlin′go; he was; hanantáï chief of the people tsĭ′ni. they say. Inádze To the west toʻsĭgĭ′n ocean bígi within Tsal Frog sitín lay tsĭ′ni. they say. Natáni Chief ĭnlíngo; he was; hanantáï chief of the people tsĭ′ni. they say. Náhokosdze To the north toʻsĭgĭ′n ocean bígi within Idníʻdsĭlkai Thunder Mountain White sitín lay tsĭ′ni; they say; hanantáï chief of the people tsĭ′ni. they say.

Tígi In this itégo way hazágo they quarrelled kédahatsitigo; around where they lived; ĕ′hyidelnago with one another ahádaztĭlge they committed adultery tsĭ′ni. they say. Ĕ′hyidelnago With one another estsáni women altsan several tatsĭkíd committed crime tsĭ′ni. they say. Yúwe To banish it tséhalni they failed tsĭ′ni. they say. Tiéholtsodi Tiéholtsodi haádze to the east “Hatégola “In what way doléla? shall we act? Hwehéya Their land holdáʻodakaʻla.” the place they dislike.” Sadaádze To the south Thaltláhale Blue Heron halní spoke to them tsĭ′ni. they say. Inádze To the west “Kạt “Now si I (say) dokoné not here kehadzitídolel,” shall they dwell,” Tsal Frog hatsí he said Natáni Chief ĭnlĭ′ni, he was, hatsí he said tsĭ′ni. they say. Náhokosdze To the north Idníʻdsĭlkai Thunder Mountain White “Taʻkadáʻ “Quickly hádzeta elsewhere dahízdĭnolidi” they must depart” tsĭ′ni. they say.

Haádze To the east Tiéholtsodi Tiéholtsodi ahánadazdeyago when again they committed adultery alkinatsidzé among themselves again fought tohatsí nothing he said tsĭ′ni. they say. Sadaádze To the south Thaltláhale Blue Heron tatohanantsída again said nothing to them tsĭ′ni. they say. Inádze To the west Tsal Frog natáni chief ĭnlĭnéni he formerly was tatohanantsída again said nothing to them tsĭ′ni. they say. Náhokosdze To the north Idníʻdsĭlkai Thunder Mountain White tatohanantsída again said nothing to them tsĭ′ni. they say. Tóbĭltahozondala Not with pleasant ways, one tsĭ′ni. they say.

Tin Four naikálago again ends of nights takonáhotsa again the same happened tsĭ′ni. they say. Sadaádze To the south kéhodzĭtini the dwellers takonátsidza did the same again tsĭ′ni; they say; kinatsidzé again they fought tsĭ′ni. they say. Haádze To the east la one estsánigo woman la one dĭnégo man yahatsaáz tried to enter two together ĭnté; there; tsehodĭnĕltsa, they were driven tsĭ′ni. they say. Sadaádze To the south Thaltláhale Blue Heron sitínedze to where he lay yahanátsataz again they tried to enter two together ĭnté; there; tsenáhodĭnĕltsa again they were driven out tsĭ′ni. they say. Inádze To the west Tsal Frog natáni chief ĭnlĭ′nedze to where he was yahanátsataz again they tried to enter two together ĭnté; there; tsenáhodĭnĕltsa again they were driven out tsĭ′ni. they say. Náhokosdze To the north tsĕnáhodĭnĕltsa again they were driven out. “Tóta “Not níʻyila. one of you. Dainokáʻ Keep on going hádzeta,” elsewhere,” hoʻdoní thus he spoke tsĭ′ni. they say. Andĭ′ta Besides aibĭtlé the same night Nahodoóla Nahodoóla baĭ′ndadzitigo they discussed it iská′ the end of the night tatoastetsáda they did not decide tsĭ′ni. they say. Naʻdéyayilkágo After dawn Tiéholtsodi Tiéholtsodi hayálti began to talk tsĭ′ni. they say. “Todadotsáda “You pay no attention tsĭníʻyitsinyasti all I said to you hádis anywhere tadidotsíl you will disobey; níʻyilaʻ all of you hádzeta elsewhere tanelída; must go; koné here tóta not tiʻ this ni earth dasakádgi upon stand in kạt now tóta;” not;” hodoní thus he said tsĭ′ni. they say.