English Translation
6. The Creation
Lawrence Mithlo
Now he had killed all of those different ones on earth who killed with their eyes.
Now he was to create human beings.
He made two mud [figures] just like men.
He also made two just like women.
He made all of them capable of speech.1
Then, [to one] man and woman:
"You two will be called Indians."he said [to them].
"You others, you two will be called white men."he said to them.
Then he set down [several things] for them.
Child of the Water is to choose for the Indians [and] Killer of Enemies is to choose for the white men;2
He put down a gun and a bow and arrow for them.
Then Child of the Water [and] Killer of Enemies, quarrelled with each other.
"You choose first."they said to each other.
A little later Child of the Water chose the bow and arrow for the Indians.
"The making of these is understood."he said.
Then Killer of Enemies picked up the gun that remained without saying anything.
And then he put down two mountains for them.
On one of them there was a heavy growth of vegetation.
The Indians' food -- wild growing things, deer, wild turkeys -- all of these were on it.
The other mountain that lay there had nothing on it.
Because it lay absolutely barren,
Child of the Water chose [the former mountain].
Then Killer of Enemies chose for the white man that mountain which [Child of theWater] had left.
And that mountain which had nothing on it spread apart.
From inside it, horses, the very best mules, cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens -- all of these came out.
In that way he gave [things] to White Men and the Indian.
So the Indian live on those wild growing things.
"All varieties of deer, turkeys, [and] the things that are wild will they live on."he said.3
"The White Men, working, will live on cultivated plants."he said.
Then he spoke thus to the white man:
"Very far apart -- on the other side of this ocean -- you will live from one another.he said to them.
Whenever you see one another, you will fight -- Indian with white man."
Ethnological Notes
Morris Opler
6.1
The creation of human beings from mud is not a common element of Chiricahua mythology. Most informants cannot give any account of the creation of man.
6.2
See note 1.3.
6.3
The speaker here is Child of the Water.