Page 193 - TheHopiIndians

MESA FOLK OF HOPILAND 185

forsake your evil habits?" The Man-Eagle assented
with a fervent promise, and the Youth, rejoicing, ran
to his wife, embraced her, and set free all the captive
women wives of the Hopi and other peoples, of whom
there were many. Eagle and Hawk carried them to
the ground on their broad pinions.
Over the plains and through the mountains roamed
the Giant Elk. Many times larger was he than an
ordinary elk, and an enemy to the Hopi, whom he
slew with his great horns, laughing at their arrows
and flint knives.
No one was safe from this roaming monster, enemy
to Living beings, so the Twins set out to have a trial of
strength and skill with him. As it chanced, the Giant
Elk was lying down in a beautiful valley, under the
aspen trees of the San Francisco Mountains. Near
the house of the Youths was this valley, and as they
sought to stalk the Giant Elk the Mole met them and
said, "Do not encounter him, for he is mighty and
may kill you; wait here and I will help you."
The Mole then excavated four chambers in the earth,
one below another, and made the Twins remain in the
upper one. He dug a long tunnel and coming up
under the Elk, plucked a little soft hair from over his
heart, at which the Elk turned his head and looked
down, but the Mole said, "Be not angry, I only want
a little soft hair to make a bed for my children. ' ' So
the Elk allowed him to continue the plucking. But
the Mole took away enough fur to leave the skin quite