--- title: The Ants That Pushed on the Sky — The man who married the moon, and other Pueblo I… · full text with trees · page 2 description: The Ants That Pushed on the Sky, «The man who married the moon, and other Pueblo Indian folk-stories» by Charles Fletcher Lummis: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: A VERY ancient and characteristic story about the origin of Isleta is based on the h --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/24/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [The man who married the moon, and othe…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/) / The Ants That Pushed on the Sky # The Ants That Pushed on the Sky · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/24/) **2** KAHP-TOO-ÓO-YOO.\][83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") “No,” groaned Kahp-too-óo-yoo; “I am here because of the jealousy of him who was as my brother, with whom I shared my food and labor, whose home was my home, and my home his.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") He is the cause, for he was jealous and bewitched me hither.[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") And now I am dying of famine.”[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") “If that is so,” said the Little Black Ant, “I will be the one to help you”; and he ran down to the world as fast as he could.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") When he got there he sent out the crier to summon all his nation, and also that of the \_In-toon\_, the Big Red Ants.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon all the armies of the Little Black Ants and the Big Red Ants met at the foot of the pine, and held a council.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") They smoked the \_weer\_ and deliberated what should be done.[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") “You Big Red Ants are stronger than we who are small,” said the War-Captain of the Little Black Ants, “and for that you ought to take the top of the tree to work.”[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") “\_Een-dah\![92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") \_” (No) said the War-Captain of the Big Red Ants.[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") “If you think we are the stronger, give us the bottom, where we can work more, and you go to the top.”[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") So it was agreed, and the captains made their armies ready.[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") But first the Little Black Ants got the cup of an acorn, and mixed in it corn-meal and water and honey, and carried it up the tree.[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") They were so many that they covered its trunk all the way to the sky.[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") When Kahp-too-óo-yoo saw, his heart was heavy, and he thought: “But what good will that very little do me, for I am dying of hunger and thirst?”[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") “Nay, friend,” answered the Captain of the Little Black Ants, who knew his thought.[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") “A person should not think so.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") This little is enough, and there will be some left.”[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") And it was so; for when Kahp-too-óo-yoo had eaten all he could, the acorn-cup was still nearly full.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the ants carried the cup to the ground and came back to him.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") “Now, friend,” said the Captain, “we will do our best.[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") But now you must shut your eyes till I say ‘\_Ahw\![105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") Kahp-too-óo-yoo shut his eyes, and the Captain sent signals down to those at the foot of the tree.[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") And the Little Black Ants above put their feet against the sky and pushed with all their might on the top of the pine; and the Big Red Ants below caught the trunk and pulled as hard as they could; and the very first tug drove the great pine a quarter of its length into the earth.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") “\_Ahw\![108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") \_” shouted the Captain of the Little Black Ants, and Kahp-too-óo-yoo opened his eyes; but he could see nothing below.[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") “Shut your eyes again,” said the Captain, giving the signal.[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") Again the Little Black Ants pushed mightily against the sky, and the Big Red Ants pulled mightily from below; and the pine was driven another fourth of its length into the earth.[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") “\_Ahw\![112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") \_” cried the Captain; and when Kahp-too-óo-yoo opened his eyes he could just see the big, brown world.[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") Again he closed his eyes.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") There was another great push and pull, and only a quarter of the pine was left above the ground.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") Now Kahp-too-óo-yoo could see, far below, the parched fields strewn with dead animals, and his own village full of dying people.[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") Again the Little Black Ants pushed and the Big Red Ants pulled, and this time the tree was driven clear out of sight, and Kahp-too-óo-yoo was left sitting on the ground.[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") He hastily made a bow and arrows and soon killed a fat deer, which he brought and divided among the Little Black Ants and the Big Red Ants, thanking them for their kindness.[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he made all his clothing to be new, for he had been four years a prisoner in the bewitched tree, and was all in rags.[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") Making for himself a flute from the bark of a young tree, he played upon it as he strode homeward and sang:[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Kahp-too-óo-yoo tú-mah-quee, Nah-chóor kwé-shay-tin, Nah-shúr kwé-shay-tin; Kahp-too-óo-yoo tú-mah-quee\![121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") (Kahp-too-óo-yoo has come to life again, Is back to his home coming, Blowing the yellow and the blue; Kahp-too-óo-yoo has come to life again!)[122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") As he walked and sang, the forgotten clouds came over him, and the soft rain began to fall, and all was green and good.[123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") But only so far as his voice reached came the rain; and beyond all was still death and drought.[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") When he came to the end of the wet, he played and sang again; and again the rain fell as far as his voice was heard.[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") This time the Fool-Boy, who was wandering outside the dying village, saw the far storm and heard the singing.[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") He ran to tell Kahp-too-óo-yoo’s parents; but nobody would believe a Foolish, and they sent him away.[127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") When the Fool-Boy went out again, the rain fell on him and gave him strength, and he came running a second time to tell.[128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the sisters came out of the house and saw the rain and heard the song; and they cried for joy, and told their parents to rise and meet him.[129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") But the poor old people were dying of weakness, and could not rise; and the sisters went alone.[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") When they met him they fell on their knees, weeping; but Kahp-too-óo-yoo lifted them up and blessed them, gave an ear of blue corn to Blue-Corn-Maiden, and to Yellow-Corn-Maiden an ear of yellow corn, and brought them home.[131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") As he sang again, the rain fell in the village; and when it touched the pinched faces of the dead they sat up and opened their mouths to catch it.[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") And the dying crawled out to drink, and were strong again; and the withered fields grew green and glad.[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") When they came to the house, Kahp-too-óo-yoo blessed his parents, and then said:[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") “Little sisters, give us to eat.”[135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") But they answered, “How?[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") For you have been gone these four years, and there was none to give us rain.[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") We planted, but nothing came, and to-day we ate the last grain.”[138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") “Nay, little sisters,” he said.[139](../../139/ "tree and pragmatics") “A person should not think so.[140](../../140/ "tree and pragmatics") Look now in the store-rooms, if there be not something there.”[141](../../141/ "tree and pragmatics") “But we have looked and looked, and turned over everything to try to find one grain.”[142](../../142/ "tree and pragmatics") “Yet look once more,” he said; and when they opened the door, lo! there was the store-room piled to the roof with corn, and another room was full of wheat.[143](../../143/ "tree and pragmatics") Then they cried for joy, and began to roast the blue ears, for they were dying of hunger.[144](../../144/ "tree and pragmatics") At the sweet smell of the roasting corn came the starving neighbors, crowding at the door, and crying:[145](../../145/ "tree and pragmatics") “O Kahp-too-óo-yoo\![146](../../146/ "tree and pragmatics") Give us to taste one grain of corn, and then we will go home and die.”[147](../../147/ "tree and pragmatics") But Kahp-too-óo-yoo handed to each an ear, and said:[148](../../148/ "tree and pragmatics") “Fathers, brothers, go now to your own houses, for there you will find corn as much as here.”[149](../../149/ "tree and pragmatics") And when they went, it was so.[150](../../150/ "tree and pragmatics") All began to roast corn and to eat; and the dead in the houses awoke and were strong again, and all the Village sang and danced.[151](../../151/ "tree and pragmatics") From that time there was plenty of rain, for he who had the power of the clouds was at home again.[152](../../152/ "tree and pragmatics") In the spring the people planted, and in the fall the crops were so great that all the town could not hold them; so that which was left they brought to Shee-eh-whíb-bak (Isleta), where we enjoy it to this day.[153](../../153/ "tree and pragmatics") As for the false friend, he died of shame in his house, not daring to come out; and no one wept for him.[154](../../154/ "tree and pragmatics") XXIII[155](../../155/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/24/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/24/) - next →: [The Man Who Wouldn’t Keep Sunday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/25/) - ↑ back to [The man who married the moon, and other Pueblo Indian folk-stories](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/)