--- title: The First of the Rattlesnakes — The man who married the moon, and other Pueblo I… · full text with trees description: The First of the Rattlesnakes, «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: “NOW there is a tail to you, _compadre_ [friend],” said old Desiderio, nodding at Patr --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/8/) [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 First of the Rattlesnakes # The First of the Rattlesnakes The First of the Rattlesnakes of «The man who married the moon, and other Pueblo Indian folk-stories» by Charles Fletcher Lummis: the whole text, 130 sentences and 2357 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. “NOW there is a tail to you, \_compadre\_ \[friend\],” said old Desiderio, nodding at Patricio\[18\] after we had sat awhile in silence around the crackling fire.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") \[18\] Pronounced Pah-trée-see-oh.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") Patricio had a broad strip of rawhide across his knee, and was scraping the hair from it with a dull knife.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") It was high time to be thinking of new soles, for already there was a wee hole in the bottom of each of his moccasins; and as for Benito, his shy little grandson, \_his\_ toes were all abroad.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") But shrilly as the cold night-wind outside hinted the wisdom of speedy cobbling, Patricio had no wish to acquire that burro’s tail, so, laying the rawhide and knife upon the floor beside him, he deliberately rolled a modest pinch of the aromatic \_koo-ah-rée\_ in a corn-husk, lighted it at the coals, and drew Benito’s tousled head to his side.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") “You have heard,” he said, with a slow puff, “about Nah-chu-rú-chu, the mighty medicine-man who lived here in Isleta in the times of the ancients?”[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") “\_Ah-h\![7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") \_” (Yes) cried all the boys.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") “You have promised to tell us how he married the moon!”[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") “Another time I will do so.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") But now I shall tell you something that was before that--for Nah-chu-rú-chu had many strange adventures before he married Páh-hlee-oh, the Moon-Mother.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") Do you know why the rattlesnake--which is the king of all snakes and alone has the power of death in his mouth--always shakes his \_guaje\_\[19\] before he bites?”[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") \[19\] The Pueblo sacred rattle.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") “\_Een-dah\![14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") \_” chorused Ramón and Benito, and Fat Juan, and Tomás,\[20\] very eagerly; for they were particularly fond of hearing about the exploits of the greatest of Tée-wahn medicine-men.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") \[20\] Pronounced Rah-móhn, Bay-née-toh, Whahn, Toh-máhs.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") “Listen, then, and you shall hear.”[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") In those days Nah-chu-rú-chu had a friend who lived in a pueblo nearer the foot of the Eagle-Feather Mountain than this, in the Place of the Red Earth, where still are its ruins; and the two young men went often to the mountain together to bring wood and to hunt.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Now, Nah-chu-rú-chu had a white heart, and never thought ill; but the friend had the evil road and became jealous, for Nah-chu-rú-chu was a better hunter.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") But he said nothing, and made as if he still loved Nah-chu-rú-chu truly.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") One day the friend came over from his village and said:[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") “Friend Nah-chu-rú-chu, let us go to-morrow for wood and to have a hunt.”[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") “It is well,” replied Nah-chu-rú-chu.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") Next morning he started very early and came to the village of his friend; and together they went to the mountain.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") When they had gathered much wood, and lashed it in bundles for carrying, they started off in opposite directions to hunt.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") In a short time each returned with a fine fat deer.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") “But why should we hasten to go home, friend Nah-chu-rú-chu?” said the friend.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") “It is still early, and we have much time.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") Come, let us stop here and amuse ourselves with a game.”[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") “It is well, friend,” answered Nah-chu-rú-chu; “but what game shall we play?[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") For we have neither \_pa-toles\_, nor hoops, nor any other game here.”[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") “See! we will roll the \_mah-khúr\_,\[21\] for while I was waiting for you I made one that we might play”--and the false friend drew from beneath his blanket a pretty painted hoop; but really he had made it at home, and had brought it hidden, on purpose to do harm to Nah-chu-rú-chu.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") \[21\] The game of \_mah-khúr\_, which the Pueblos learned from the Apaches many centuries ago, is a very simple one, but is a favorite with all witches as a snare for those whom they would injure.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") A small hoop of willow is painted gaily, and has ornamental buckskin thongs stretched across it from side to side, spoke-fashion.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") The challenger to a game rolls the hoop rapidly past the challenged, who must throw a lance through between the spokes before it ceases to roll.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") INTO A POOR COYOTE!”\][36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") “Now go down there and catch it when I roll it,” said he; and Nah-chu-rú-chu did so.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") But as he caught the hoop when it came rolling, he was no longer Nah-chu-rú-chu the brave hunter, but a poor Coyote with great tears rolling down his nose\![38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") “Hu!” said the false friend, tauntingly, “we do this to each other\![39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") So now you have all the plains to wander over, to the north, and west, and south; but you can never go to the east.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") And if you are not lucky, the dogs will tear you; but if you are lucky, they may have pity on you.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") So now good-by, for this is the last I shall ever see of you.”[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the false friend went away, laughing, to his village; and the poor Coyote wandered aimlessly, weeping to think that he had been betrayed by the one he had loved and trusted as a brother.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") For four days he prowled about the outskirts of Isleta, looking wistfully at his home.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") The fierce dogs ran out to tear him; but when they came near they only sniffed at him, and went away without hurting him.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") He could find nothing to eat save dry bones, and old thongs or soles of moccasins.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") On the fourth day he turned westward, and wandered until he came to Mesita.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") \[22\] There was no town of the Lagunas there then, and only a shepherd’s hut and corral, in which were an old Quères Indian and his grandson, tending their goats.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") \[22\] An outlying colony of Laguna, forty miles from Isleta.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") Next morning when the grandson went out very early to let the goats from the corral, he saw a Coyote run out from among the goats.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") It went off a little way, and then sat down and watched him.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy counted the goats, and none were missing, and he thought it strange.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") But he said nothing to his grandfather.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") For three more mornings the very same thing happened; and on the fourth morning the boy told his grandfather.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") The old man came out, and set the dogs after the Coyote, which was sitting a little way off; but when they came near they would not touch him.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") “I suspect there is something wrong here,” said the old shepherd; and he called: “Coyote, are you coyote-true, or are you people?”[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") But the Coyote could not answer; and the old man called again: “Coyote, are you people?”[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") At that the Coyote nodded his head, “Yes.”[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") “If that is so, come here and be not afraid of us; for we will be the ones to help you out of this trouble.”[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") So the Coyote came to them and licked their hands, and they gave it food--for it was dying of hunger.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") When it was fed, the old man said:[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") “Now, son, you are going out with the goats along the creek, and there you will see some willows.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") With your mind look at two willows, and mark them; and to-morrow morning you must go and bring one of them.”[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy went away tending the goats, and the Coyote stayed with the old man.[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") Next morning, when they awoke very early, they saw all the earth wrapped in a white \_manta\_.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") \[23\][66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") \[23\] This figure is always used by the Pueblos in speaking of snow in connection with sacred things.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") “Now, son,” said the old man, “you must wear only your moccasins and breech-clout, and go like a man to the two willows you marked yesterday.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") To one of them you must pray; and then cut the other and bring it to me.”[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") The boy did so and came back with the willow stick.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") The old man prayed, and made a \_mah-khúr\_ hoop; and bidding the Coyote stand a little way off and stick his head through the hoop before it should stop rolling, rolled it toward him.[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") The Coyote waited till the hoop came very close, and gave a great jump and put his head through it before it could stop.[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") And lo! there stood Nah-chu-rú-chu, young and handsome as ever; but his beautiful suit of fringed buckskin was all in rags.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") For four days he stayed there and was cleansed with the cleansing of the medicine-man; and then the old shepherd said to him:[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") “Now, friend Nah-chu-rú-chu, there is a road.[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") \[24\] But take with you this \_faja\_,\[25\] for though your power is great, you have submitted to this evil.[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") When you get home, he who did this to you will be first to know, and he will come pretending to be your friend, as if he had done nothing; and he will ask you to go hunting again.[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") So you must go; and when you come to the mountain, with this \_faja\_ you shall repay him.”[78](78/ "tree and pragmatics") \[24\] That is, you can go home.[79](79/ "tree and pragmatics") \[25\] A fine woven belt, with figures in red and green.[80](80/ "tree and pragmatics") Nah-chu-rú-chu thanked the kind old shepherd, and started home.[81](81/ "tree and pragmatics") But when he came to the Bad Hill and looked down into the valley of the Rio Grande, his heart sank.[82](82/ "tree and pragmatics") All the grass and fields and trees were dry and dead--for Nah-chu-rú-chu was the medicine-man who controlled the clouds, so no rain could fall when he was gone; and the eight days he had been a Coyote were in truth eight years.[83](83/ "tree and pragmatics") The river was dry, and the springs; and many of the people were dead from thirst, and the rest were dying.[84](84/ "tree and pragmatics") But as Nah-chu-rú-chu came down the hill, it began to rain again, and all the people were glad.[85](85/ "tree and pragmatics") When he came into the pueblo, all the famishing people came out to welcome him.[86](86/ "tree and pragmatics") And soon came the false friend, making as if he had never bewitched him nor had known whither he disappeared.[87](87/ "tree and pragmatics") In a few days the false friend came again to propose a hunt; and next morning they went to the mountain together.[88](88/ "tree and pragmatics") Nah-chu-rú-chu had the pretty \_faja\_ wound around his waist; and when the wind blew his blanket aside, the other saw it.[89](89/ "tree and pragmatics") “Ay\![90](90/ "tree and pragmatics") What a pretty \_faja\_!” cried the false friend.[91](91/ "tree and pragmatics") “Give it to me, friend Nah-chu-rú-chu.”[92](92/ "tree and pragmatics") “\_Een-dah\![93](93/ "tree and pragmatics") \_” (No) said Nah-chu-rú-chu.[94](94/ "tree and pragmatics") But the false friend begged so hard that at last he said:[95](95/ "tree and pragmatics") “Then I will roll it to you; and if you can catch it before it unwinds, you may have it.”[96](96/ "tree and pragmatics") So he wound it up,\[26\] and holding by one end gave it a push so that it ran away from him, unrolling as it went.[97](97/ "tree and pragmatics") The false friend jumped for it, but it was unrolled before he caught it.[98](98/ "tree and pragmatics") \[26\] Like a roll of tape.[99](99/ "tree and pragmatics") “\_Een-dah\![100](100/ "tree and pragmatics") \_” said Nah-chu-rú-chu, pulling it back.[101](101/ "tree and pragmatics") “If you do not care enough for it to be spryer than that, you cannot have it.”[102](102/ "tree and pragmatics") YOUNG MAN INTO A GREAT RATTLESNAKE.”\][103](103/ "tree and pragmatics") The false friend begged for another trial; so Nah-chu-rú-chu rolled it again.[104](104/ "tree and pragmatics") This time the false friend caught it before it was unrolled; and lo! instead of a tall young man, there lay a great rattlesnake with tears rolling from his lidless eyes\![105](105/ "tree and pragmatics") “We, too, do this to each other!” said Nah-chu-rú-chu.[106](106/ "tree and pragmatics") He took from his medicine-pouch a pinch of the sacred meal and laid it on the snake’s flat head for its food; and then a pinch of the corn-pollen to tame it.[107](107/ "tree and pragmatics") \[27\] And the snake ran out its red forked tongue, and licked them.[108](108/ "tree and pragmatics") \[27\] This same spell is still used here by the \_Hee-but-hái\_, or snake-charmers.[109](109/ "tree and pragmatics") “Now,” said Nah-chu-rú-chu, “this mountain and all rocky places shall be your home.[110](110/ "tree and pragmatics") But you can never again do to another harm, without warning, as you did to me.[111](111/ "tree and pragmatics") For see, there is a \_guaje\_\[28\] in your tail, and whenever you would do any one an injury, you must warn them beforehand with your rattle.”[112](112/ "tree and pragmatics") \[28\] Pronounced Gwáh-heh.[113](113/ "tree and pragmatics") “And is that the reason why Ch’ah-rah-ráh-deh always rattles to give warning before he bites?” asked Fat Juan, who is now quite as often called Juan Biscocho (John Biscuit), since I photographed him one day crawling out of the big adobe bake-oven where he had been hiding.[114](114/ "tree and pragmatics") “That is the very reason.[115](115/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Nah-chu-rú-chu left his false friend, from whom all the rattlesnakes are descended, and came back to his village.[116](116/ "tree and pragmatics") From that time all went well with Isleta, for Nah-chu-rú-chu was at home again to attend to the clouds.[117](117/ "tree and pragmatics") There was plenty of rain, and the river began to run again, and the springs flowed.[118](118/ "tree and pragmatics") The people plowed and planted again, as they had not been able to do for several years, and all their work prospered.[119](119/ "tree and pragmatics") As for the people who lived in the Place of the Red Earth, they all moved down here,\[29\] because the Apaches were very bad; and here their descendants live to this day.”[120](120/ "tree and pragmatics") \[29\] It is a proved fact that there was such a migration.[121](121/ "tree and pragmatics") “Is that so?” sighed all the boys in chorus, sorry that the story was so soon done.[122](122/ "tree and pragmatics") “That is so,” replied old Patricio.[123](123/ "tree and pragmatics") “And now, \_compadre\_ Antonio, there is a tail to you.”[124](124/ "tree and pragmatics") “Well, then, I will tell a story which they showed me in Taos\[30\] last year,” said the old man.[125](125/ "tree and pragmatics") \[30\] The most northern of the Pueblo cities.[126](126/ "tree and pragmatics") Its people are also Tée-wahn.[127](127/ "tree and pragmatics") “Ah-h!” said the boys.[128](128/ "tree and pragmatics") “It is about the Coyote and the Woodpecker.”[129](129/ "tree and pragmatics") VII[130](130/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [The Coyote and the Bear\[17\]](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/7/) - next →: [The Coyote and the Woodpecker](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/9/) - ↑ back to [The man who married the moon, and other Pueblo Indian folk-stories](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg77804/)