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The Killing of the Eagles, Chiricahua Apache Text

excerpted from Chiricahua Apache Texts, with Ethnological Notes

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4. The Killing of the Eagles as told by Lawrence Mithlo

4.1.

Then he removed all of the intestines of this Bull he had killed.

4.2.

Then, [to] his mother, the White Painted Woman, he spoke thus [to her]:

4.3.

Then, now, to the plain;

4.4.

Then, [the Eagle], from over there at the rock that extends to the sky on which he lies with his children looking in every direction-- where he sits searching for something to come out somewhere--saw him.

4.5.

Then he threw him over to where his children were sitting.

4.6.

Then his children began to eat.

4.7.

They called over there to where their father was sitting:

4.8.

Then their father spoke thus to them:

4.9.

Then Child of the Water took out a stone axe which lay in his pocket.

4.10.

Then Child of the Water asked that one who was born last:

4.11.

Then that little one spoke thus to him:

4.12.

4.13.

"Over there, at that point of rock, he usually sits."

4.14.

Then now, he lay in wait for [Eagle] at the place where [the little one] had told him he usually sat.

4.15.

Then he questioned the little one again.

4.16.

"When the female rain

4.17.

4.18.

"Over there, at that point of rock, she usually sits."

4.19.

Then he lay in wait there for her also.

4.20.

Then that little one, the one he had spared, he spoke thus to him:

4.21.

So then he started to carry [Child of the Water] down again.

4.22.

Then he was pulling out [the Eagles'] feathers.

4.23.

Then he returned to his mother again.

4.24.

And his mother was very happy about it.

Linguistic Notes by Harry Hoijer

Ethnological Notes Morris Opler

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Ethnological Notes Morris Opler

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Ethnological Note 1
That is, he went out where Eagle could see him.

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Ethnological Note 2
While more than one explanation has been obtained, most informants say that male rain is a heavy shower accompanied by thunder, and female rain is a lighter shower without thunder.

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Ethnological Note 3
While more than one explanation has been obtained, most informants say that male rain is a heavy shower accompanied by thunder, and female rain is a lighter shower without thunder.