Native American Legends
A raid on the Hopi Villages
A Hopi Legend
Halíksai! At the old ruin on top of the hill (about seven
miles north-east of Oraíbi) used to live some people. Across
the valley on another mesa was also a village. The inhabitants of
these two villages used to live farther north-east. They were harassed
and warred upon by the Utes (Útsiâ), for which reason
they moved to the two places already mentioned. For about five years
they were left in peace in those villages after they had settled
there. But in the sixth year their enemies found them again, and
one evening they were seen approaching the village and were camping
at the mesa somewhat eastward. The chiefs said to their young men:
"It seems that somebody is camping there. You run there in
the evening and find out who they are."
So some of the young men ran there, and sneaking close to the camp
found out that, sure enough, they were their old enemies. When the
inhabitants of the villages heard that, they were busy all night
making bows and arrows and preparing for a fight. Very early in
the morning the inhabitants of the village on the west side of the
valley all moved over to a small village on the east side of the
valley, that was situated on the extreme edge of the mesa. Here
they thought they could defend themselves better, as it would be
very difficult for their enemies to get up to their village.
When the sun rose the enemies approached the village on the west
side of the valley, rushed up the hill and went through the village,
but did not find any one, all having fled. But they soon discovered
their tracks and followed them. They were on horseback, but when
they arrived at the place where these people had assembled they
could not get up to the village, and many of them were shot and
killed by the people in the village. But finally, towards evening,
some of them going around the mesa succeeded in getting into the
village from the south side, where they captured some of the women
and maidens, rushed off with them, mounted their ponies, and escaped.
The warriors of the village, though they followed them, could not
overtake them, as they were afoot. The people who had thus been
attacked said that they would not stay at their villages, as they
would certainly be attacked again by their enemies. So they dressed
up and packed up all their things, and forming into line, went to
Oraíbi, the chief going at the head of the line. They were
admitted to the village and are still living there. In that battle
not many of them had been killed, as they were well defended from
their assailants, and the latter, after having taken some women
and children, escaped.
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