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The Killing of the Bull, Chiricahua Apache Text

excerpted from Chiricahua Apache Texts, with Ethnological Notes

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3. The Killing of the Bull as told by Lawrence Mithlo

3.1.

Now the Bull who killed with his eyes, he who did not permit people to live, existed.

3.2.

Then Child of the Water spoke thus to his mother:

3.3.

That Bull lay where one could not approach him [unseen] from any direction.

3.4.

[Child of the Water] stopped, facing him from a hiding place.

3.5.

Then, suddenly, a Gopher came to him.

3.6.

Then Child of the Water spoke thus:

3.7.

Then the Gopher spoke thus to Child of the Water:

3.8.

3.9.

Then Child of the Water:

3.10.

Then he entered the topmost tunnel.

3.11.

The Bull was plowing the tunnels up with his horns.

3.12.

Then he had also killed this one who would not permit people to live.

3.13.

Then Child of the Water returned to his mother.

3.14.

Then White Painted Woman, feeling very happy [and] saying,

Linguistic Notes by Harry Hoijer

Ethnological Notes Morris Opler

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Ethnological Notes Morris Opler

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Ethnological Note 1
Gopher also bares the heart of the monster by pleading that he needs fur for the nest of his children. When he gains permission to take some fur, he selects it from the region over the heart. (See Mescalero text 8)