English Translation
38. The Old Woman's Grandson1
Duncan Belacho
Long ago, near the time when the earth had been made,
An old woman traveled about alone with her daughter's child, a boy.
And the two of them came to a town.
They were very poor.
Then this old woman went into the town.
There she washed for the white people.
She earned twenty five cents that day.
She brought the twenty five cents back [home].
Then she gave it to her grandson.
"Go to town. Buy some bread."she said to him.
Then he went there.
He went into the store.
No one was there.
But a little dog lay there.
He spoke thus to him:
"Buy me."the dog said to him.
Then the white storekeeper returned.
Then:
"I'll buy this dog from you."he said to him.
Then he gave him the twenty five cents and [the storekeeper] gave him [the dog].
He took it back home to his grandmother.
Then his grandmother spoke thus to him:
'Buy bread.' I told you.
Then, the next day, that old woman washed for the white people again.
And she brought the twenty five cents back [home].
She again gave it to her grandson.
"Buy bread."she said to him again.
Then the boy went to the store again.
The little dog:
"Buy me also."he said to him.
He bought him also.
Then:
"Now go to a certain rich white man in the big town,"he said to him.
Then that boy went to the rich white man.
And he spoke thus to him:
"What that you value has been taken away from you?the boy said.
I will bring that back to you.
Give me the ring that you are wearing."
Then this white man:
"Nothing that I value has been taken away from me."he said.
Then this boy:
"What is it that has been taken away from you?"the boy said.
Then this white man spoke thus:
"Long ago, a good boy was taken away from me; but him you cannot return to me,"this white man said.
Then the boy:
"I can certainly bring him back to you."he said.
Then the white man:
"I will give you much money. Then you bring him back to me."he said.
Then the boy:
"Give me just the ring. Then I'll bring him back to you."he said.
Then this white man:
"What can you with the ring? I will give you much money. Then you bring him back to me."
Then the boy:
"Give me the ring,"he said.
Then he gave him the ring.
And [the boy] took the ring back [home] .
Then the dog spoke to him:
"Put that ring on your pillow when you lie down tonight.he said to him.
Then: 'May I awake lying in a beautiful house. And may my grandmother awake being young again,' say to the ring.
Then it will happen just so."
The little dog spoke thus to him.
Then this boy:
"May I awake lying with the daughter of the rich man who [lives] here in the big town."he said.
Then he awoke lying with the daughter of the rich man.
Whatever he said to the ring happened so.
"May I awake rich."he said.
And it happened so.
Then this girl learned about the ring.
Then this man fell asleep.
Then this girl took the ring.
Then she put it on her pillow.
And the girl spoke thus:
"May I awake on an island lying in the ocean,"she said.
And it happened so.
Then the ring had been lost to this boy.
And this rich man found out about it.
Then:
"Where is the ring?"he said to him.
The boy:
"It has been lost to me."he said.
Then:
"Find the ring in four days."he said to him.
"If you do not find it, you will be put in an iron pot.he said to the boy.
So search for the ring four days.
If you find it, I'll do nothing to you,"
Then [the boy] said to both the little dogs:
"Look for the ring."
Then both the little dogs went to every place that the white men lived on the earth but they did not find it.
Then only one day had passed.
And this man stood in a big iron pot.
His feet were tied up in the water.
And he was pumping out the water.
And, if he does not pump out the water, he will drown.
Then [to] the little dogs:
"Go back to your grandmother.this man said.
She will make bread for you.
Then search for the ring again."
Then the dogs searched for the ring for four days.
Then, on the shore of the ocean, there were some Frog soldiers.
There the dogs asked about the ring.
Then one of them spoke thus:
"Over yonder, where no house has ever been before,this one said.
there is [now] a beautiful house."
Then [to] the Frog chief:
"Give me some soldiers.[the dog] said to him.
I'll go across with them."
Then he gave him some [soldiers].
And they surrounded the beautiful house that lay there.
Then the Mouse soldiers helped them.
This girl had locked up [the house].
Then the Frog [and] Mouse soldiers didn't know what to do.
And they tried in vain to go through the keyhole of the door.
Then the Black Ants came to them.
The Black Ants went through the keyhole of the door.
And then they opened the door.
Then the girl was asleep.
Then, under the bed, on top of it, [and] everywhere the Mice and Black Ants ran about [searching] for the ring.
Then one of the Mice spoke thus:
"Give me some chili powder."
Then he thrust his tail in it.
And he put [his tail] against her face.
Then she sneezed.
Then the ring flew out from inside her.2
And it was taken away from her.
Then the two dogs ran off with the ring.
They brought his ring back [home].
He gave it back to the rich man.
Then he turned him loose again.
In this way, he escaped.
Ethnological Notes
Morris Opler
38.1
This tale, a plain case of diffusion from Mexican sources of Western European folk-lore, is told by the Warm Springs Apache, one of the three Chiricahua bands. Before the United States reservation period was inaugurated the Warm Springs Apache were on friendly terms with nearby Mexican towns and in close contact with them.
38.2
The informant explained that it was hidden in her anus.