The Path on the Rainbow: Songs of the Pima

The Path on the Rainbow, edited by George W. Cronyn, [1918], at sacred-texts.com

PIMA RITUAL SONG CYCLE

THE FLOOD

(Chanted by the People)
Dazzling power has Elder Brother,
Mastering the winds with song.
Swiftly now we come together,
Singing to gain control.

Weep, my unfortunate people!
    All this you will see take place.
Weep, my unfortunate people!
    For the waters will overwhelm the land.
Weep, my unhappy relatives!
    You will learn all.
Weep, my unfortunate relatives!
    You will learn all.
The waters will overwhelm the mountains.

Black house! Black house! Hold me safely in;
Black house! Black house! Hold me safely in,
As I journey to and fro, to and fro.

Running water, running water, herein resounding,
As on the clouds I am carried to the sky,
Running water, running water, herein roaring,
As on the clouds I am carried to the sky.

Here I come forth! Here I come forth!
    With magic powers I emerge.
Here I come forth! Here I come forth!
    With magic powers I emerge.
I stand alone! Alone!
    Who will accompany me?
My staff and my crystal
    They shall bide with me.

The waters dissolve the land.
The waters dissolve the land.
The mighty magician tests his strength.
The waters dissolve the mountain.
The waters dissolve the mountain.
Nasi foresees what is coming.

On the Crooked mountain I am standing,
Trying to disperse the waters.
On the Crooked mountain I am standing,
Trying to disperse the waters.

On the Crooked mountain top I'm standing,
Trying to disperse the waters.
On the Crooked mountain top I'm standing, -
Trying to disperse the waters.

Powerless! Powerless!
Powerless is my magic crystal!
Powerless! Powerless!
I shall become as stone.

Earth Doctor escaped destruction by shutting himself in his reed staff
Elder Brother was saved in his olla.
After the waters rolled back
Elder Brother was first to appear and so became ruler of the world.
Now Earth Doctor created all things anew.

CREATION SONGS BY EARTH DOCTOR

Earth Magician makes the mountains.
    Heed what he has to say!
He it is that makes the mesas.
    Heed what he has to say.
Earth Magician shapes this world;
    Earth Magician makes its mountains;
Makes all larger, larger, larger.

I have made the Sun!
    I have made the Sun!
Hurling it high
    In the four directions.
To the East I threw it
    To run its appointed course.

I have made the Moon!
    I have made the Moon!
Hurling it high
    In the four directions.
To the East I threw it
    To run its appointed course.

I have made the Stars!
I have made the Stars!
Above the earth I threw them.
All things above I've made
And placed them to illumine.

WARS OF THE PEOPLE

AFTER A TIME ELDER BROTHER WENT WITH THE PEOPLE TO SLAY HÂ-ÂK, THE FEMALE MONSTER

Dazzling power has Elder Brother,
    Mastering the winds with song.
Swiftly now we come together,
    Singing to secure control.
Kovakova, kovakova,
    Kovakova, kovakova.
Singing on the summit
    Of great Mo-hatûk mountain,
Anayokuna, anayokuna, hayokuna.
Sacred pipe of Tcu-unarsat,
    Sleep-inducing sacred pipe,
Anayokuna, anayokuna, hayokuna.
    Hâ-âk flees from her pursuers,
But her spring and mortar stay.
Throw a great stone!
Throw a great stone!
    The blue owl is brightest,
Throw a great stone!
    The blue owl is brightest,
Throw a great stone.

We go; we go; we go; we go.
Happy, we leave our homes.
We go; happily we go.
We run; we run; we run; we run.
Happy, we leave our land.
With pleasure hence we hasten.

THUS SANG THE PEOPLE AS THEY CAME UP OUT OF THE EARTH, WHITHER THEY FLED DURING THE FLOOD:

Together we emerge with our rattles;
Together we emerge with our rattles,
Bright-hued feathers in our headdresses.

This is the White Land, we arrive singing,
Headdresses waving in the breeze.
We have come! We have come!
The land trembles with our dancing and singing.

Yonder stands the doomed habitation.
About the pueblo runs its frightened chieftain
In yellow garment with hand-print decoration.

I am the magician who with the sacred pipe
Of Tcu-unarsat increase my magic power.
I am the magician of the downy feathers.
With the soothing sacred pipe.
I bring sleep upon my enemy.

Up the cliff, steep and smooth,
    Up the cliff, steep and smooth,
Up the cliff, steep and smooth,
    Climbs Elder Brother
With his shining power.
    Up the cliff, steep and smooth,
Up the cliff, steep and smooth,
    He climbs step by step.

Himovali! Die fly! Himovali! Die fly!
I shall sleep! I shall sleep!
Himovali! Let die! I am drowsy.
I will sleep! Buzz-z.

THEN THE ELDER BROTHER SLEW THE EAGLE AND RETURNING IN TRIUMPH, ELDER BROTHER CELEBRATED HIS PROWESS:

HUNTING SONGS

At the time of the White Dawn;
At the time of the White Dawn,
I arose and went away.
At Blue Nightfall I went away.

I ate the thornapple leaves
    And the leaves made me dizzy.
I drank thornapple flowers
    And the drink made me stagger.
The hunter, Bow-remaining,
    He overtook and killed me,
Cut and threw my horns away.
    The hunter, Reed-remaining,
He overtook and killed me,
    Cut and threw my feet away.

Now the flies become crazy
And they drop with flapping wings.
The drunken butterflies sit
With opening and shutting wings.

Young Hare Magician running
Brings black-tailed deer venison.
And young Badger Magician
Brings the feet of black-tailed deer.

Had I neither winds or clouds?
In the east the Yellow Ikol,
In the west the Yellow Ikol
Called me. I had no winds or clouds.

BASKET-BEATING SONGS

As the Sun sinks to the westward
We begin singing the Eagle songs.
The home of the Magician rises,
Standing before me in the land.
We begin singing the Eagle songs.

Earth Magician now comes hither;
    Earth Magician now comes hither.
From the depths the songs are rising,
    And by him are here established.
As now the land is prosperous;
    As now the land is prosperous
Elder Brother comes from the East;
    He comes here as a child might,
The land prospers with his coming.

It was in the western mountains
That White-Eater Woman dwelt.
It was in the western mountains
That White-Eater Woman dwelt.

The evening glows red in the West,
And the birds here gather about me.
Now I hear the screams of the Eagle.
Haiya ha aiya haya haya ha-a!
Now I meet and see you. Haiya ha!

Roll from cliff end to cliff end,
Roll, Winds, from the steep house walls.
Thus the growing excitement
Gathers like the winds that blow
From the house of Wind Magician.

In the East, my younger brothers,
    We are preceded by the bearers
Of the sacred eagle feathers.
    In the East, my younger brothers,
We are preceded by the bearers
    Of the sacred eagle feathers

In the distant land of Eagle,
In the distant land of Eagle
Sounds the harmonious rolling
Of reverberating thunder.

Now the Swallow begins his singing;
Now the Swallow begins his singing.
And the women who are with me,
The poor women begin to sing.

The Swallows meet in the standing cliffs;
The Swallows meet in the standing cliffs.
And the rainbows arched above me,
There the blue rainbow arches meet.

Haiya! Far in the distant east
Lie the clouds hidden under the mountain.
Far in the east direction
To the hidden clouds I come running.

We are beating the basket drums:
We are beating the basket drums.
I am singing, I am listening;
From my feathers clouds are shaking.

I am circling like the Vulture,
Staying, flying near the blue.
I am circling like the Vulture,
Breathing, flying near the blue.

Now the Reddish Bat rejoices
In the songs which we are singing;
He rejoices in the eagle down
With which we ornament our headdress.

I ran into the swamp confused;
There I heard the Tadpoles singing.
I ran into the swamp confused,
Where the bark-clothed Tadpoles sang.

In the West the Dragonfly wanders,
Skimming the surface of the pools,
Touching only with his tail. He skims
With flapping and rustling wings.

Thence I run as the darkness gathers,
Wearing cactus flowers in my hair.
Thence I run as the darkness gathers,
In fluttering darkness to the singing place.

SONG OF THE RACE

Many people have gathered together,
I am ready to start in the race,
And the Swallow with beating wings
Cools me in readiness for the word.

Far in the west stands the Black mountain
Around which our racers ran at noon.
Who is this man running with me,
The shadow of whose hands I see?

SONG OF STRANGENESS

Singing to the gods in supplication;
Singing to the gods in supplication,
Thus my magic power is uplifted.
My power is uplifted as I sing.

Harlots hither running come;
Harlots hither running come,
Holding blue flowers as they run.
Talking in whispers they file along.

Along the crooked trail I'm going,
Along the crooked trail going west.
To the land of rainbows I'm going,
Swinging my arms as I journey on.

NAME-SONG

The ceremonial reeds are lifted;
The ceremonial reeds are lifted.
Ma-akahi has killed an Apache,
And we meet together here in war paint

PUBERTY SONG

SONG OF THE MAGIC OF DAWN

On the top of Móhatûk
    There are many clouds standing.
On the top of Móhatûk
    Many fog clouds are rising.
The bitter wind blows on us;
    The bitter wind blows on us,
As we sing with many bows.

FETISH SONG

Pity me! Oh, pity me!
    And strip away my disease;
Now strip away my disease;
    Clear it away by singing.
I'm going to the singing;
    I'm going to the singing.
It is leading to the mountain,
    Running to Sievat mountain.

LIGHTNING SONG

The lightning like reddish snakes
Tries to lash and shiver the trees.
The lightning tries to strike them,
But it fails and they still stand.

Through the roaring darkness I run,
Carrying my poor younger brother;
From the top of the sky the lightning
Shoots, and strikes nearby.

HORNED TOAD SONG

The East Land seems very pleasant.
I go toward it and I see
How pleasant it seems to be.
I go toward the Pleasant Land.

GILA MONSTER SONG

Pitiable harlot though I am,
My heart glows with the singing
While the evening yet is young.
My heart glows with the singing.

Where the two stones were standing,
Black Wind roared in fearful blasts,
Driving the birds before him
Fluttering back and forth.

On the summit of white Ngiwolik
There the green frogs are singing.
Lying near the blue storm clouds
There many frogs are singing.

BLACK LIZARD SONG

We first sing at the Magician's;
We first sing at the Magician's,
The round disk of the Sun arose,
Accompanied with its rays.

Harlots came running in a group;
Harlots came running in a group.
Harlots came with hikimoli,
Flower crowns upon their heads.

Black Lizard found the trail where
Elder Brother had been running,
And he came out from the clouds
With water upon his arms.

Darkness settles on the summit
Of the great Stony Mountain.
There circling round it settles
On the great Stony Mountain.

The ruddy beams like spider threads
Across the sky came streaming.
The reddish snakes like spider's web
To the opposite side came flaming.

BLACK-TAILED DEER SONG

Down from the houses of magic;
Down from the houses of magic,
Blow the winds and from my antlers,
And my ears they stronger gather.

Over there I ran trembling;
Over there I ran trembling,
For bows and arrows pursued me.
Many bows were on my trail.

What horse is trying to catch me?
What horse is trying to catch me?
The horse with the star forehead
Now slowly gains upon me.

We are sitting here together;
We are sitting here together,.
Singing the song of the east,
Singing the song of the west.

RATTLESNAKE SONG

It was near Kâ-matûk mountain
That this Rattlesnake came forth;
And he saw the low clouds lying
Near the summit of the mountain.

The Butterflies are singing;
The Butterflies are singing,
As I go past the foundations
Below, of the ancient house.

BEAVER SONG

I see that you go slowly;
I see that you go slowly.
Strong as the Sun among the trees,
You leave your mark upon them.

Younger brother, I am Beaver,
I am the quick-eared Beaver
That gnaws the trees of the forest,
’Tis I who overthrow them.

OWL SONG

Toward great Kâ-matûk mountain
I go to join the singing,
During the glow of evening.
I meet all the singers there.

Small Owl resembles Tcokot;
The winds rise from Owl's feathers.
With their ashy tips he starts them.
Small Owl is like the Large Owl.

Owl makes me drink the reddish water;
Rapidly intoxicated
I try to walk straight toward the east,
And find my footsteps staggering.

QUAIL SONG

The Gray quails were bunched together
Coyote ran to look upon them.
The Blue quails were bunched together;
Coyote looked sidewise at them.

MOUSE SONG

Our land was unfortunate;
The floods came rolling westward,
Then they came flowing westward,
And I cried out much afraid.

BEAR SONG

I am the Black Bear. Around me
You see the light clouds extending.
I am the Black Bear. Around me
You see the light dew falling.

I drink the reddish liquor
Which kills the spirit in me.
I drink the reddish liquor
Which kills the spirit in me.

Now the singing has commenced,
Now the singing has commenced.
I go with my younger brother;
I know the songs we're singing.

ROADRUNNER SONG

Roadrunner with the bushy head
Is always crying, poi! poi!
As he runs around the house.
Poi! poi! around the house.

Here is the lonely Roadrunner;
Here is the lonely Roadrunner.
He eats lizards in the morning;
He eats solitary lizards.

Here is the red-eyed Roadrunner;
Here is the red-eyed Roadrunner,
Who runs about the mistletoe.
This is the red-eyed Roadrunner.

Over yonder in the mesquite
Stands the Hawk's nest with its branches
Which rise like kiâhâ frame sticks,
Over yonder in the mesquite.

DOG SONG

The songs commence at nightfall,
And the winds blow toward the north.
The winds are blowing strongly,
Blowing my tail toward the north.

See the small dogs come running;
See the poor dogs come running.
See the horsemen coming after;
See the horsemen come laughing.

HARE SONG

With headdress of owl feathers;
With headdress of owl feathers,
He comes to my far country;
He comes bringing hence his bow.

The Gray Mouse came at nightfall;
The Gray Mouse came at nightfall,
Came running in the darkness;
Came breathing in the darkness.

GOPHER SONG

In the reddish glow of nightfall,
In the reddish glow of nightfall
I return to my burrow,
About which the flowers bloom.

With the four eagle feathers,
With the four eagle feathers
I stir the air. When I turn
My magic power is crossed.

And I make hills of soft earth;
And I make hills of soft earth.
My breath withers all before it;
My breath withers all before it.

COYOTE SONG

BADGER SONG

There came a Gray Owl at sunset
There came a Gray Owl at sunset
Hooting softly around me,
He brought terror to my heart.

The land lay quietly sleeping;
The land lay quietly sleeping.
My young stretch, crying, haya!
Pity them digging in the dust.

The land is parched and burning,
The land is parched and burning.
Going and looking about me
I see a narrow strip of green.

The shadow of Crooked mountain,
The curved and pointed shadow.
’Twas there that I heard the singing;
Heard the songs that harmed my heart.

The light glow of evening;
The light glow of evening
Comes as the quails fly slowly,
And it settles on the young.

BUTTERFLY SONG

The Butterfly song we now commence;
The Butterfly song we now commence,
Dancing on sides to and fro
Until the dust arises.

The Butterfly Bird, the Butterfly Bird
Commences to sing his many songs.
I run to where the dust arises,
Close to the walls of the house.

I commence the song, I commence the song.
I heard the singing as I ran;
I heard the singing as I ran.
I join with the singing.

The Cat-tail Woman commences singing;
The Cat-tail Woman commences singing.
I join the circling dancers,
Striking my breast and singing.

I sail in the clouds to Table mountain;
I sail in the clouds to Table mountain,
And I sing with Kâ-matûk mountain
Upon which there are no clouds.

Hurry to the Dead Standing mountain;
Hurry to the Dead Standing mountain.
See there, my Younger Brother,
How the winds there run their course.

At the clearing of Ma-ayal mountain;
At the clearing of Ma-ayal mountain,
Before the house of the Magician,
There stands the woman laughing.

Here on the slopes of Crooked mountain;
Here on the slopes of Crooked mountain,
Around whose crest the foam remains,
We have run for blue water.

DEMON SONG

Singing at Kâ-matûk mountain;
Singing at Kâ-matûk mountain,
I listen to their singing;
I come running to sing with them.

Here demon boys came running;
Here demon boys came running,
Grasping my hair they carried me,
Brought me to a distant land.

RAIN SONGS

Hi-ihiya naiho-o! Let us begin our song,
Let us begin, rejoicing. Hitciya yahina-a.
Let us begin our song, let us begin rejoicing,
Singing of the large corn. Hitciya yahina-a.
Singing of the small corn. Hitciya yahina-a.

Hi-ihiya naiho-o! The darkness of evening
    Falls as we sing before the sacred âmina.
About us on all sides corn tassels are waving.
    Hitciya yahina! The white light of day dawn
Yet finds us singing, while corn tassels are waving.
    Hitciya yahina-a! The darkness of evening
Falls as we sing before the sacred âmina.
    About us on all sides corn tassels are waving.
Hitciya yahina! The white light of day dawn
    Yet finds us singing, while the squash leaves are waving.

Hi-iya naiho-o! The earth is rumbling
From the beating of our basket drums.
The earth is rumbling from the beating
Of our basket drums, everywhere humming.
Earth is rumbling, everywhere raining.

Hi-ihiya naiho-o! Pluck out the feathers
    From the wing of the Eagle and turn them
Toward the east where lie the large clouds.
    Hitciya yahina-a! Pluck out the soft down
From the breast of the Eagle and turn it
    Toward the west where sail the small clouds.
Hitciya yahina! Beneath the abode
    Of the rain gods it is thundering;
Large corn is there. Hitciya yahina!
    Beneath the abode of the rain gods
It is raining; small corn is there.

WAR SONGS

Over that black sandy land,
Over the top came running,
Over the top came running.
The Apache slave was killed
And his hide tanned for leather.

Here the warrior, Shining-row,
    Came and saw the night around me.
Young Coyote made a shield house
    And he sat in it shouting,
And that was pleasing to me.
    Young Coyote tied the darkness;

The cigarettes were passed around,
Four times when he led me there.
The Hawk on Mahyal mountain
Stood with me beating his wings.

They are shouting, they are shouting,
Around the hill of Atci.
The poor people there are shouting
As the news of battle comes.

CORN SONG

Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! He who sees everything
    Sees two stalks of corn standing;
He's my younger brother. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a!
    He who sees everything, sees the two squashes;
He's my younger brother. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a!
    On the summit of Ta-atûkah sees the corn standing;
He's my younger brother. Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a!
    On the summit of Ta-atûkah sees the squash standing;
He's my younger brother. Hi-ilo-o woiha!

Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! Over Ta-atûkam
    Rise the clouds with their loud thundering.
Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! Over Ta-atûkam
    Rise the clouds with their loud raining.
Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! The Bluebird is holding
    In his talons the clouds that are thundering.
Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! Yellowbird is holding
    In his talons the clouds that are raining.

Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! See Elder Brother
    Breathe out the winds that over Ta-atûkam
Drive the clouds with their loud thundering.
Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! See Elder Brother
    Breathe out the winds that over Ta-atûkam
    The welcome storm clouds are suspending.
Hi-ilo-o ya-a-a! In the great rain clouds
    Let me sing my song of rejoicing.

MAGICIAN SONG

At early dawn I entered,
Entered in the white light of day
And my heart flamed with power
As I entered the magic house.

Elder Brother first came forth;
Elder Brother first came forth,
And with his shining power
Governed over all the land.

With a Black Snake I tie them;
With a Black Snake I tie them,
The houses with a Black Snake,
The houses with a Black Snake.

With a White Snake I tie them;
With a White Snake I tie them,
The houses with a White Snake,
The houses with a White Snake.

NAVITCO SONG

And the stone wall arose there,
And the stone wall arose there.
When the gourd seed was planted
It made its way through to grow.

WIND SONG

Wind's house now is thundering;
Wind's house now is thundering.
I go roaring o’er the land,
The land covered with thunder.

The Black Snake Wind came to me;
The Black Snake Wind came to me,
Came and wrapped itself about,
Came here running with its song.

Swiftly with a cup of water
I came running to make you drink.
I make you drink the water
And turn dizzily around.

Among the white cactus leaves;
Among the white cactus leaves,
I came running to that place;
I came running to that place.

SONG OF THE VISION-MAKER

The evening glow yet lingers;
    The evening glow yet lingers,
And I sit with my gourd rattle
    Engaged in the sacred chant.
As I wave the eagle feathers
    We hear the magic sounding.

Puissant Night is shaking me
Just as he did at the time
When I was taken up in spirit
To the great Magician's house.

Yellow Bird placed his feathers
Where they fell on the head of the woman;
Making of her a harlot who ran about
With her hands clasped before her.

Bluebird drifted at the edge of the world,
Drifted along upon the blue wind.
White Wind went down from his dwelling
And raised dust upon the earth.

The moonshine abides in me;
And soon you men and women will see
The reed that I now am blowing
Bring the Moon down to meet me.

It is evening, it is evening.
And four times at evening
Calls the white-headed Swallow
As he plucks out his feathers.

Elder Brother cuts his reed,
Yonder before me now he throws it,
Stepping upon it so that the
Clouds repeat the sound.

Gray Coyote is a dirty meddler,
He wears a belt of snake skin.
Gray Coyote is a dirty meddler,
He wears a belt of snake skin.

Blue Frog-women met and carried me
To the cloud land in the East.
Blue Frog-women met and carried me
To where the clouds are standing.

Gray Coyote stood in the forest,
From his shoulders he plucked feathers
That gave me shining power,
Plucked wing feathers bearing power.

I entered Yâinupanu mountain
And saw Elder Brother's land
Marked off with its square corners,
Marked as in a rectangle.

Yellow Bird carries me to the caves,
To the distant caves of the mountain,
And we hear the sound of his footsteps
As he moves upon his way.

Gray Road-runner, the magician,
As his young cried out with hunger,
Ran about engaged in killing
Millipeds that he carried home.

The Black Turtle now approaches us,
Wearing and shaking his belt of night.
The Black Turtle now approaches us,
Wearing and shaking his belt of night.

The harlot arose and ran about,
Beating her breast and the air.
The harlot arose and ran about,
Beating her breast and the air.

Understand, my younger brothers,
That it is the Sun that gives me
The trance vision that I see.
The Sun gives magic power.

NOTE

"Tell me," I asked an Indian song-poet who had just taught me a song of his composing, "when you made your song, which came first, words or music?"

The Indian stared at me in puzzled surprise: "I made a song," he answered, "a song is words and music—all comes together."

Because Indian poems are therefore really songs, conceived as a very part of the iteration and intonation of music, I have endeavored in my translations to hold in minutest detail to the original rhythm and accent, believing that only thus can the Indian verse sing, through an alien tongue, in its true form.