Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

Rock Monster Eagle and Monster Slayer

After killing Yé'iitsoh the twins were eager to continue their mission to rid the world of the monsters that were decimating the People. The next day they left to kill the Horned Monster [Déélgééd] who lived in the Jemez Mountains. As a by-product of this second success, chipmunk acquired his stripes when he was striped by the blood of the dead monster.

Their third challenge was to kill the Rock Monster Eagle [Tsé nináhálééh] who would swoop down and carry the People off to feed the nestlings on top of Shiprock [Tsé Bit'a'í]. As the sun was coming up, Monster Slayer [Naayéé neizghání] ran along the top of the Continental Divide with the colon of Horned Monster [Déélgééd], filled with blood, around his neck and the small intestines folded over his shoulders. He was seen by the Rock Monster Eagle [Tsé nináhálééh] who began flying toward him. He sang out, saying that he was Monster Slayer [Naayéé neizghání] and was coming to kill the monster.

As the Rock Monster Eagle [Tsé nináhálééh] flew over and past him, Wind's Child [nich'i biyázhí] whispered in his ear to allow the monster to pick him up. Monster Slayer [Naayéé neizghání] was carried to the top of Tsé Bit'a'í and thrown against the sharp rock which was black with the blood of the People. Monster Slayer [Naayéé neizghání] used his flint club to deflect his path and to avoid harm. He used some of the blood with which he had filled the intestines that he carried around his neck to create the appearance of great bleeding. The two children of the Monster rushed out from their cave to get their food. Their father flew off to find another victim. Monster Slayer [Naayéé neizghání] arose and asked the two children of Rock Monster Eagle [Tsé nináhálééh] what time their father usually returned. They replied that he returned at exactly noon and that male rain began over at Mountain-which-lies-elevated (the Lukachukai Mountains) (to the west) at about that time. He then asked when their mother would return. They said that she would return when the Sun [Jóhonaa'éí] began to drop a little and female rain began at Beautiful Mountain. Monster Slayer [Naayéé neizghání] then built a lookout on the east side of Tsé Bit'a'í from the rock there. Exactly at noon a dark cloud appeared at Mountain-which-lies-elevated (the Lukachukai Mountains) from which zig-zag lightning could be seen. Soon the Rock Monster Eagle [Tsé nináhálééh] appeared with a young Diné man and threw him to the rock where he lay motionless.

Back to Native American Indian Stories Page
Back to Main Page

Email: countryquilts14@msn.com