85. THE SQUIRREL AND THE CHIPMUNK. 1

The Traditions of the Hopi, by H.R. Voth, [1905], at sacred-texts.com

p. 221

A long time ago the Squirrel and the Chipmunk lived near the Nose Gulch (Pongóyakvöcö), the Squirrel living on the north side and the Chipmunk on the south side. The two were good friends and often visited each other. Near by were some peach orchards, where a certain old man owned a number of trees, There the two would go every day and eat peaches. The Chipmunk relished the peaches, while the Squirrel preferred the kernels from the stone. The Chipmunk would climb the trees, break open the peaches, and eating the flesh of the peaches, throw down the seeds to the Squirrel; or the Chipmunk would also throw down peaches, which the Squirrel would put in its mouth and carry to a certain place on the rock, where the two afterwards would feast on them.

They were careful that the owner of the peach orchard would not find them there, because they knew that the latter made very desperate efforts, to capture and kill them. One time the Squirrel said to the Chipmunk: "We ought to have a little dance some time. When you go ho-.me you try to make a song and then come and sing it to me. and then when we go to eat peaches again we shall have a little dance there and sing the little song." So the Chipmunk went home and thought over the matter and tried very hard to compose a song. Finally he concluded to make a song about his friend, the Squirrel, and when he was done he went over and sang it to the Squirrel. The latter at first was not very much pleased and said: "Why you have song-tied me, you have made a song about me." "Yes," the Chipmunk said, "I did not know what to sing, and as we always go and eat peaches together and have such a good time there and then lie down on the rock together, I thought I would compose a song about that." This satisfied the Squirrel. They then practiced the song together, which was as follows:

Lakana, lakana!
Squirrel, squirrel!
Oyu nalaa,
Satisfied alone.
Oatu owaka
(The) rock on top
Pushickatcii--
Lying stretched out;
Hinahina, hinahina.

p. 222

You have spoken correctly, the Squirrel said, "we are living in plenty.'' Hereupon they went to the peach orchard again to eat peaches but found the old man in the orchard, so they waited a little while until he had done his work and had gone to sleep under one of the trees. They then carried a great many peaches as usual, to the place on the rock where they generally feasted, and after they had filled themselves they had a little dance, singing their song. They stood on their hind legs holding their front paws upward. The old man awoke from the noise of the singing, and when he saw, them he at once knew that they were the culprits who destroyed and carried away his peaches, so he ran towards them, saying: "Aha, why are you making noise? I have found you. You are naughty, and I am going to kill you," and saying this he tried to climb the rock upon which they were. They jumped down, however, and both rushed into the house of the Squirrel at the foot of the rock. The old man followed them and when he saw where they had gone, he waited. The two were very happy and laughed at their pursuer. The Chipmunk looked up and said: ''Aha, there he is watching us. I am going to get out, pass him, and run to my house. He cannot catch me." "All right," the Squirrel said, "try it." So the Chipmunk, rushed out. The man ran after it furiously, trying to kill it, and had almost overtaken it when the Chipmunk had reached its house and rushed into it,

After that the two did not fear the old man and continued to live off his peach orchard, being careful, however, that he did not catch them. And so ever since the Squirrel and Chipmunk are not very much afraid of the Hopi and destroy and eat their peaches, Had the old man at that time killed the two, such would not be the case now.

Footnotes

221:1 Told by Qowáwaima (Oraíbi).