Page:The Pima Indians.pdf/228

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RUSSELL]
MYTHS
223
Kovakova, kovakova,
Kovakova, kovakova.
Singing on the summit
Of great Mo’hatûk mountain,
Anayokuna, anayokuna, hayokuna.
Sacred pipe of Tcu-unarsat,
Sleep-inducing sacred pipe,
Anayokuna, anayokuna, hayokuna.
Hâ-âk flees from her pursuers,
But her spring and mortar stay.
Throw a great stone!
Throw a great stone![1]
The blue owl is brightest,
Throw a great stone!
The blue owl is brightest,
Throw a great stone.

When he kiJled Hâ-âk a great feast was made, just as when Eagle was killed, and to this day the cave remains there where Hâ-âk was killed, and 2 or 3 miles distant is a stone inclosure, Hâ-âk moakkût, Place where Hâ-âk was killed. The people formerly placed offerings within the inclosure to bring them good luck.

Another version of the same story states that Vaktcuktcĭthâp, the mosquito hawk, wished to marry the virgin at Casa Blanca, who had many suitors. He went to the Sun, who gave him a many-colored ball, which he took to the woman Pia Kŏnĭkam Of’(i). When near her he kicked it as the Pimas do the kicking ball, so that it rolled near her. She placed it in the fold of her blanket and became pregnant.

After Hâ-âk was killed the people were invited to come and partake of the feast which had been cooked there. One old woman and her two grandsons were not invited to come. When the feast was over she told her grandsons to go and see if they could find any of Hâ-âk's blood, and if so to bring it to her. After the boys had brought the few drops of blood which they found among the rocks she put it into a dish and told them to look at it after four days. When they did so they found two eggs in the dish. On reporting this to their grandmother she told them to look again after four more days. When they looked they saw two little birds, at which their grandmother told them to look again at the end of four days. When they came to look they found two very beautiful birds. After four days the people came and tried to destroy the grandmother and the boys in order to get the birds. The old woman told her grandsons that after another four days the people would come and take their birds away. So they must take them at night to a distant land and set them free there. She said that when they returned they would find her dead, as the people would have killed her.


  1. The stone referred to is the one thrown against the cave walls by Hâ-âk when she was entrapped. In proof of the story we may see the stone there to the present day.