d made.
The rush of the waters had changed the once smooth, level plain into
series of mountains, hills, rivers, and valleys, so that Stenatlihan
hardly knew where they were when she opened the _tus_ and came out. Tazhi,
the Turkey, and Gage, the Crow, were the first to make a tour of the land.
At the base of the hill they descended into a small muddy alkaline creek,
in which the Turkey got the tips of his tail-feathers whitened, and they
have been white ever since. On return they reported that all looked
beautiful as far as they had travelled. Stenatlihan then sent Agocho to
make a complete circuit and let her know how things appeared on all sides.
He came back much elated, for he had seen trees, grass, mountains, and
beautiful lakes and rivers in every direction.
Directing the others to remain where she left them, Stenatlihan summoned
Hadintin Skhin, Hadintin Naln, Ndidilhkizn, and Agocho, and took them up
in a cloud, in which they drifted until they met Kuterastan and his band
of workers, who had completed the sky during the time of the flood. The
two clouds floated to the top of the hill on which stood the _tus_. All
descended to the valley below, where Stenatlihan marshalled them into
line, that Kuterastan might talk to them. He briefly told them that he was
going to leave them and wished each one to do his part toward making the
world perfect and happy. "You, Ndisagochan, shall have charge of the
clouds and the water. You, Yadilhkih Skhin, I leave in charge of the sky.
Nigostu{~COMBINING BREVE~}n Nali{~COMBINING BREVE~}n, you are to look after the crops of our people; and you,
Hadintin Skhin, must care for their health and guide them." He then called
Stenatlihan to him and placed her in charge of all.
The people stood in line facing their god, with hands extended as if in
supplication. Kuterastan and Stenatlihan stood facing each other. Each
rubbed their thighs with their hands, then cast their hands downward, and
there arose between them a great pile of wood. Stenatlihan knelt and
slipped a hand under it, and as she did so Kuterastan passed his hand over
the top. Great white billowy clouds of smoke at once issued forth, rising
straight skyward. Into these Kuterastan disappeared. All the other gods
and goddesses soon followed, leaving the twenty-eight whom Kuterastan had
made to build the sky to remain upon the earth and people it. Chuganaai
went east to travel with the sun; Stenatlihan departed westward to make
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