--- title: The War-dance of the Mice — The man who married the moon, and other Pueblo I… · full text with trees description: The War-dance of the Mice, «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: TO-NIGHT it is withered Diego[15] who begins with his story, in the musical but strange Té --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/5/) [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 War-dance of the Mice # The War-dance of the Mice The War-dance of the Mice of «The man who married the moon, and other Pueblo Indian folk-stories» by Charles Fletcher Lummis: the whole text, 36 sentences and 572 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. TO-NIGHT it is withered Diego\[15\] who begins with his story, in the musical but strange Tée-wahn tongue, of “Shée-choon t’o-ah-fuar.”[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") Serious as that looks, it means only “the war-dance of the Mice.”[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") \[15\] Pronounced Dee-áy-go.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") Once upon a time there was war between the people of Isleta and the Mice.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") There was a great battle, in which the Tée-wahn killed many Mice and took their scalps.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the Tée-wahn returned to their village, and the warriors went into the \_estufa\_ (sacred council-chamber) to prepare themselves by fasting for the great scalp-dance in twelve days.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") While the warriors were sitting inside, the Mice came secretly by night to attack the town, and their spies crept up to the \_estufa\_.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") When all the Tée-wahn warriors had fallen asleep, the Mice came stealing down the big ladder into the room, and creeping from sleeper to sleeper, they gnawed every bowstring and cut the feathers from the arrows and the strap of every sling.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") When this was done, the Mice raised a terrible war-whoop and rushed upon the warriors, brandishing their spears.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") The Tée-wahn woke and caught up their bows and arrows, but only to find them useless.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") So the warriors could do nothing but run from their tiny foes, and up the ladder to the roof they rushed pell-mell and thence fled to their homes, leaving the Mice victorious.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") The rest of the town made such fun of the warriors that they refused to return to the fight; and the elated Mice held a public dance in front of the \_estufa\_.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") A brave sight it was, the army of these little people, singing and dancing and waving their spears.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") They were dressed in red blankets, with leather leggings glistening with silver buttons from top to bottom, and gay moccasins.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Each had two eagle feathers tied to the top of his spear--the token of victory.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") And as they danced and marched and counter-marched, they sang exultingly:[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Shée-oh-pah ch’-ót-im\![17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Neh-máh-hlee-oh ch’-ot-im\![18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Hló-tu feé-ny p’-óh-teh\![19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") over and over again--which means[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") Quick we cut the bowstring\![21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") Quick we cut the sling-strap\![22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") We shaved the arrow-feathers off\![23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") For four days they danced and sang, and on the night of the fourth day danced all night around a big bonfire.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") The next morning they marched away.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") That was the time when the Mice conquered men; and that is the reason why we have never been able to drive the Mice out of our homes to this day.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") “Is \_that\_ the reason?” ask all the boys, who have been listening with big black eyes intent.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") “That is the very reason,” says withered Diego.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") “Now, \_compadre\_ Antonio, there is a tail to you.”[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") Antonio, thus called upon, cannot refuse.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") Indian etiquette is very strict upon this point--as well as upon all others.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") So he fishes in his memory for a story, while the boys turn expectant faces toward him.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") He is not nearly so wrinkled as Diego, but he is very, very old, and his voice is a little tremulous at first.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") Wrapping his blanket about him, he begins:[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") Then I will tell you why the Coyote and the Blackbirds are enemies--for once they were very good friends in the old days.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") IV[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [The Coyote and the Crows](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/4/) - next →: [The Coyote and the Blackbirds](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/6/) - ↑ back to [The man who married the moon, and other Pueblo Indian folk-stories](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/)