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The Killing of the Monsters, Mescalero Apache Text

excerpted from Chiricahua Apache Texts, with Ethnological Notes

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8. The Killing of the Monsters as told by Horace Torres

8.1.

When the earth had been made,

8.2.

A cloud moved down.

8.3.

Then she reared him under the fire.

8.4.

8.5.

"I long so for a child that I often make the excrement of a child."

8.6.

Giant knew that she was rearing a little one.

8.7.

Killer of Enemies became able to walk about.

8.8.

Giant came to her again.

8.9.

"I often make a child's tracks,"

8.10.

8.11.

Then she did it for him.

8.12.

Then Giant spoke thus:

8.13.

Then Killer of Enemies became older.

8.14.

Killer of Enemies spoke thus.

8.15.

Then White Painted Woman spoke thus to him.

8.16.

"I say that I am also dangerous."

8.17.

Then he started off hunting.

8.18.

Giant came to him.

8.19.

He took the meat that was cooked away from him.

8.20.

"Let!s shoot at each other,"

8.21.

8.22.

"You shoot at me first,"

8.23.

8.24.

Then a pine tree was [Giant's] arrow.

8.25.

Then [Killer of Enemies] also shot at him.

8.26.

Then he shot at [Killer of Enemies] again.

8.27.

He then shot at [Giant] again.

8.28.

He shot at Killer of Enemies again.

8.29.

Then he again shot at him.

8.30.

Then he shot at Killer of Enemies again.

8.31.

He shot again at him also.

8.32.

Then Killer of Enemies returned to his home.

8.33.

"My son, people say that he is a dangerous being."

8.34.

"I too am dangerous,"

8.35.

[Buffalo] lay in the middle of a plain.

8.36.

Then [Killer of Enemies] crept up to him behind a bush.

8.37.

"Why are you weeping?"

8.38.

"Buffalo does not permit people to live. I want to kill him."

8.39.

"I'll dig four [tunnels] to him over there.

8.40.

Then [Gopher] pulled out [Buffalo's fur.

8.41.

"I am plucking out some fur.

8.42.

Then [Buffalo] lay down in exactly the same place.

8.43.

Gopher returned to [Killer of Enemies].

8.44.

Then he was carrying his arrows.

8.45.

The Buffalo bellowed.

8.46.

Then he took out the Buffalo's intestines.

8.47.

Then he returned to his home.

8.48.

"My son, people say that he is dangerous."

8.49.

In the morning he started off to [Eagle].

8.50.

The Eagle's home was on a Red Mountain Peak.

8.51.

8.52.

Then [Killer of Enemies] stood up before the children.

8.53.

"Who of the four of you can fly down?"

8.54.

8.55.

There were four children.

8.56.

He spoke to the only one that remained.

8.57.

"When the water begins to fall, he will perch over there."

8.58.

Then he lay in wait for [Eagle] with the stone club.

8.59.

8.60.

"In the evening when the water falls."

8.61.

"Where does she usually alight?"

8.62.

"She usually alights over there."

8.63.

Then he lay in wait for her under [her perch].

8.64.

Then he sat on that little one.

8.65.

They flew out all over, all these birds on the suface of the earth.

8.66.

Then Killer of Enemies returned to his home.

8.67.

"My son, people say that he is dangerous,"

8.68.

[Owl's] home was in a hole in a rock.

8.69.

"Why are you weeping?"

8.70.

"I weep for the life of that Owl over there,"

8.71.

8.72.

[Killer of Enemies] lay under him.

8.73.

[Lizard] ran with [Killer of Enemies] again.

8.74.

[Then Killer of Enemies] rushed up the ladder after him.

8.75.

Inside, [Owl] was sitting with his children.

8.76.

"I'll prepare my own food,"

8.77.

[Killer of Enemies] seized it.

8.78.

Then he returned to his home.

8.79.

"My son, people say that he is dangerous. "

8.80.

"I too am dangerous,"

8.81.

She made arrows for him:

8.82.

Antelope lay in the center of a plain where no one could get to him.

8.83.

He [then] shot the blue arrow to the south.

8.84.

The Antelope had become very tired.

8.85.

[Killer of Enemies] went over there to [Antelope's] home.

8.86.

Then [Killer of Enemies] seized him around the neck.

8.87.

Then the Antelope spoke thus.

8.88.

8.89.

He had killed all of those who did not permit people to live.

Linguistic Notes by Harry Hoijer

Ethnological Notes Morris Opler

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"I am plucking out some fur.

(8.41)[41]

"Nghaaí naahishndíísh. Shizháańne shaadaasdlí."

biłch'indíná'a.

"I am plucking out some fur. My children are cold."

he said to him.

[_]

(8.41) Linguistic Notes

shaadaasdlí 'they are cold'. shaa- ? plus the 3rd person distrib. of -d-dlí 'to be cold' [si- perf. neut.]. Does shaa- mean 'because of me' and the whole phrase 'they are cold because of me' or, more freely, 'I have let them become cold'?