Native American Legends
Salt Woman is refused food
A Cochiti Legend
Old Salt Woman had a grandson, and they were very poor. They came
to Cochiti and went from house to house, but people turned them
away. They were all busy cooking for a feast. At that time they
used no salt.
When Salt Woman and her grandson had been to all the houses, they
came to a place outside the pueblo where lots of children were playing.
All the children came to see the magic crystal Salt Woman had in
her hand. She led them to a pinon tree and told them each to take
hold of a branch of the tree and swing themselves.
Using her magic crystal, she turned them into chaparral jays who
live in pinon trees. "When we were in the pueblo, nobody would
invite us to stay," Salt Woman said. "From now on you
will be chaparral jays."
Salt Woman and her grandson went south and came to Santa Domingo,
where they were well treated and fed. After they had eaten and were
leaving, Salt Woman said, "I am very thankful for being given
food to eat," and she left them some of her flesh. The people
of the house ate it with their bread and meat. It tasted good -
salty.
"At Cochiti," Salt Woman told them, "they treated
me badly, and when I left, I took all the children outside the pueblo
and changed them into chaparral jays roosting in a pinon tree. But
to you I am grateful. Therefore remember that if I am in your food,
it will always taste better.
I will go southeast and stay there, and if any of you want more
of my flesh you will find it at that place. And when you come to
gather, let there be no laughing, no singing, nothing of that kind.
Be quiet and clean."
So she left Santa Domingo and went to Salt Lake, where we get salt
today.
Native American Legends
Back to Top
Other Native American Legends
|
Native American Legends A-B