ORIGIN OF FIRE.
At that early day the trees could talk, but the people could not burn them, as they were without fire. Fire was at
length obtained through the instrumentality of the Fox. One day Fox went to visit the geese, tetl, whose cry he
wished to learn. They promised to teach him, but it would be necessary for him to accompany them in their flights, in
order to receive instruction. They gave him wings with which to fly, but cautioned him not to open his eyes while using
them. When the geese rose in flight Fox flew with them. As darkness came on, they passed over the inclosure where the
fire-fllies, ko-na-tcic'-æ, lived. Some gleams from their flickering fires penetrated the eyelids of Fox, causing him to
open his eyes. His wings at once failed to support him, and he fell within the walls of the corral in which were pitched the
tents of the fireflies. Two flies went to see the fallen Fox, who gave each a necklace of juniper berries, kotl'-te-i-tsæ,
to induce them to tell him where he could pass the wall which surrounded them. The fireflies showed Fox a cedar tree
which would bend down at command and assist any one to pass over the wall. In the evening Fox went to the spring
where fireflies obtained water, and found colored earths suitable for paint, with which he gave himself a coat of white.
Returning to camp, he told the fireflies that they ought to have a feast; they should dance and make merry, and he would
give them a new musical instrument.
They agreed to his proposal, and gathered wood for a great camp-fire, which they ignited by their own glow, Before the
ceremonies began, Fox tied shreds of cedar bark to his tail, and then made a drum, the first ever constructed, which he
beat for some time. Tired of beating the drum, he gave it to one of the fireflies and moved nearer the fire, into which he
thrust his tail, in opposition to the advice of those about him, who said it would surely burn. " I am a medicine-man," said
Fox, "and my tail will not burn." However, he kept a close watch upon it, and when the bark was burning well he said, "It
is too warm for me here; stand aside and let me go where it is cooler." Fox ran away with tail blazing, followed by the
fireflies, who cried, " Stop, you do not know the road; come back." Straight to the cedar-tree Fox ran, and called, "Bend
down to me, my tree, bend down." The tree lifted him out of the inclosure, and on he ran, still pursued by the fireflies. As
he passed along, the brush and wood on either side was ignited by the sparks which fell from the burning cedar, and fire
was widely spread over the earth. Fox became fatigued from running, and gave the firebrand to the hawk, i-tsatl'-tsu-i,
which carried it on, and finally delivered it to the brown crane, tsi-nes-tso'-i. This bird flew far southward, but not
so far but that one tree was not reached, and it will not burn to this day. (No name for such a tree among the Jicarilla
Apaches.) The fireflies pursued Fox to his burrow and informed him that, as punishment for having stolen fire from them
and spread it abroad over the land, he should never be permitted to use it himself.
