another HOPI story

an older American Indian woman posing on the beach .
Copyright : Chris Fourie

How The Yellow Corn-Ear Maiden Became A Bull-Snake.

Two maidens, friends, fall in love with young man, which leads to quarrels between them. Yellow Corn-Ear maiden has supernatural powers. They go to spring, and on return she suggests, after resting, they shall play. Friend is to go down hill and Yellow Corn-Ear is to throw little colored wheel she has at her and friend is to throw it back again. Yellow Corn-Ear throws wheel, and when friend catches it, it is so heavy it throws her down. When she rises she has turned to coyote. Yellow Corn-Ear laughs at her and returns to village.


Coyote maiden tries to carry jug and cannot. She waits, crying, until evening, and then tries to enter village, but dogs drive her away. She goes westward, and being hungry, goes to temporary shelter of people in field and eats two roasted corn-ears she finds. She again tries to enter village, but is driven away She then goes westward again and arrives at hut of two Qö'qöqlöm Katcinas, They are away hunting, and she remains there all day. In evening they return, and one prepares to kill coyote, when other suggests they shall capture him alive and take him home to grandmother, Spider Woman.


On entering hut they hear coyote sob, and see tears trickling down his eyes. They feed him, and loading meat, skins, and coyote on their backs, they return to their home. Spider Woman is pleased with present, but looking closely at it she says it is no coyote, and inquires where they found it. She sends one for some tomóala and other for juniper branches. When former returns she pours water into vessel and puts hook from tomóala pods into neck and another into back of coyote, which she places into water, covered with cloth. She twists and turns by hooks and then pulls off skin of coyote. She finds maiden in vessel, with clothes on and hair in curls. When juniper comes, she bathes maiden and then gives her corn to grind. Spider Woman tells maiden her mother is homesick after her. She then calls for Katcinas, and tells them maiden's story.


Maiden is dressed up, and after Spider Woman has instructed her as to prayer-offerings for Katcinas and how to get even with Yellow Corn-Ear, she goes to village with Katcinas. Katcinas dance and sing. Parents hear they have brought daughter, but at first refuse to believe news. They go for her, but mána remains with Katcinas until father brings offerings. Maiden returns home, and next day she goes to grind corn and sings about her adventures. Yellow Corn-Ear maiden hears and visits her. She is treated cordially, and they grind corn together as formerly. In evening they go to spring for water. Yellow Corn-Ear maiden notices that friend uses peculiar little vessel (given her by Spider Woman), and that water running into jug shows different colors of rainbow. Friend drinks and says water tastes good. She hands jug to Yellow Corn-Ear maiden, who drinks and turns into bull-snake. Friend tells her to remain so, takes jug, and returns to village, Bull-snake maiden later on goes to village and is killed by her parents, who do not know her. Her soul goes to Skeleton House, and ever since sorcerers occasionally leave their graves in form of bull-snakes.

Traditions of the Hopi, by H.R. Voth. Field Columbian Museum Publication 96, Anthropological Series Vol VIII. Chicago. [1905] and is now in the public domain

an older American NDN woman on the beach posing.