f Ahsonnutli they did not know
her as their mother, but supposed her to be their aunt. Frequently they
inquired of her where they could find their father. She always told them
to stop their inquiries, for they had no father. Finally they said to
her, "We know we have a father and we intend to go and look for him."
She again denied that they had a father, but they were determined and
they journeyed far to the east and came to the house of the sun. The
house was of white shell, and the wife of the sun (Yolaikaiason) was
also of white shell. The wife inquired of the youths where they were
from, and, said she, "What do you want here?" They replied, "We came to
hunt our father." When the sun returned to his home in the evening he
discovered the youths as soon as he entered his house and he asked,
"Where are those two boys from?" The wife replied, "You say you never do
anything wrong when you travel; these two boys call you father and I
know they are your children." The wife was very angry. The sun sent the
boys off a distance and threw a great roll of black clouds at them
intending to kill them, but they were not injured, and they returned to
the house. He then pushed them against a sharp stone knife, but they
slipped by uninjured. Four times they were thrust against the knife, but
without injury. The sun finding his attempts unsuccessful said, "It is
so, you are my sons." The sun then ordered Hasjelti and Toneennili
(these two were special attendants upon the sun) to build a sweat house
and put the boys in, that they might die from the heat. Toneennili made
an excavation inside of the sweat house, put the boys into the hole, and
placed a rock over the hole and built a fire over the rock. When the
rock became very hot the sun ordered Toneennili to sprinkle it four
times with water, being careful to keep the entrance to the sweat house
closely covered. After a time he uncovered the entrance and removing the
rock the sun commanded the boys to come out. He did not expect to be
obeyed, as he thought and hoped the boys were dead, but they came out
unharmed. The sun then said, "You are indeed my own children; I have
tried in vain to destroy you." The boys wished to return to the woman
whom they supposed to be their aunt. Before departing the sun asked them
what they wished; they said, "We want bows and arrows, knives, and good
leggings. There are people around the world eating our people (the
Navajo). Some of these people are great