Editing Diné Bahaneʼ (section)

=== The Destruction of the Monsters ===

==== The Slaying of Yéʼiitsoh, the Big Giant ====
It is said that the twin sons of Jóhonaaʼéí descended from the sky to the top of {{spell-nv|Tsoodził}}, the Blue Bead Mountain, and came down the mountain on its south slope.  They walked on to {{spell-nv|Tó Sido}}, which some call Warm Spring.<ref>Hastiin Tlo'tsi Hee (p. 83) identifies this as Navajo Springs, Arizona.</ref>  There they found {{spell-nv|Dinééh Diyiní}}, the Holy Boy, and {{spell-nv|Atʼééd Diyiní}}, Spirit Girl.  "Where are you going?" asked Holy Boy.  "We have come to find {{spell-nv|Yéʼiitsoh}}, the Big Giant," said the twins.  "He is huge, and very powerful," said Holy Boy.  "Each day he comes late in the day to {{spell-nv|Tó Sido}}, to drink from the lake."  The next day at dawn the brothers walked to {{spell-nv|Tó Sido}} and stood beside the large lake.  They took one of the chain lightning arrows their father had given them and shot it at a slab of high rock overhanging the base of Tsoodził.  The arrow struck the rock with such force that it shattered and fell where it remains today.  "With such weapons as these we cannot fail," they said.

Late in the day they heard {{spell-nv|Yéʼiitsoh}}, the Big Giant, approaching.  His footsteps shook the canyon walls. Then they saw him come to the water's edge and stoop down to drink. He drank deeply four times, until most of the water was gone from the lake. Then he saw the reflection of the twins in the water, and stood and stared at them.  {{spell-nv|"Yiiniikeetsóóko! Yiiniikeetsóóko!"}}<ref>Zolbrod (p. 397) explains that this word was reported as uttered by Yéʼiitsoh by Matthews in Navajo Legends in 1897.  He translated it as "Fee Fie Fo Fum"</ref> he shouted. The twins did not understand, but answered, {{spell-nv|"Yiiniikeetsóóko! Yiiniikeetsóóko!"}} Then {{spell-nv|Yéʼiitsoh}} paced back and forth and said, "What are the two beautiful things that I see, and how shall I kill them?"  The twins shouted back, "What beautiful Big Thing is walking about?  And how shall we kill it?"<ref>Hastiin Tlo'tsi Hee, p. 83.</ref> {{spell-nv|Níłchʼi}}, the Wind came to them and whispered in their ear that since Big Giant was their elder he should be given right of first strike, as they were destroying the child of the Sun. Then suddenly {{spell-nv|Níłchʼi}}, the Wind, called "Akóóh! Beware! Jump!" and suddenly the twins found themselves standing on the end of a rainbow, just as {{spell-nv|Yéʼiitsoh}}, the Big Giant, hurled his great black knife at them.<ref>Hastiin Tlo'tsi Hee, p. 83.  In Zolbrod's version (p. 219) the Giant hurls lightning bolts.</ref> The rainbow raised up, and the knife passed just below their feet.  {{spell-nv|Níłchʼi}}, the Wind, whispered "Keep low now!" and {{spell-nv|Yéʼiitsoh}} hurled his great blue knife.  It passed over them.  The Wind said, "Jump to the right!" and the great yellow knife of {{spell-nv|Yéʼiitsoh}} passed just to their left.  "This is his last weapon," whispered the Wind.  "Jump to the left. Now!" The twins leapt to the left, just as the white knife with many points passed to the right of them."  The twins were about to use one of their own weapons when a blinding flash of lightning came out of the sky and struck {{spell-nv|Yéʼiitsoh}} the Giant on the side of the head.  The heavens shook with the thunder, and the Giant shook but stayed on his feet.  Then the elder of the two brothers shot a chain-lightning arrow at {{spell-nv|Yéʼiitsoh}}.  The Giant dropped to his knee, but stood again.  The second brother then shot an arrow of sheet lightning which struck the giant in the chest.  He fell to both knees and began to fall forward, catching himself with his hands.  Then the first brother shot a deadly sunbeam arrow and hit the Giant in the head.  {{spell-nv|Yéʼiitsoh}} fell face down on the ground.  Blood flowed in great streams from the Giant's mouth, and {{spell-nv|Níłchʼi}}, the Wind said, "Stop the blood before it reaches the water! It will become alive!"  The twins ran to block the flow of blood and it remains on the ground today near the spring at the foot of {{spell-nv|Tsoodził}}, the Blue Bead Mountain.<ref>Hastiin Tlo'tsi Hee, pp. 83–84, referring to the lava flow SW of the San Mateo Mountains</ref>

[[File:Tó Bájísh Chíní.jpg|250px|thumb|alt=Image of mask of Tó Bájísh Chíní from Matthews 1902 text|Mask representing the younger twin, known both as {{spell-nv|Naʼídígishí}}, He Who Cuts Life Out of the Enemy, and {{spell-nv|Tóbájíshchíní}}, Born of Water. Mask used in Night Chant Ceremony, recorded by Matthews in 1902]]The twins approached the body of the Giant and saw that he was dead.  The younger brother removed the Giant's scalp as proof.  Around his body lay many chips of flint from his armor.  The twins hurled the flint in each of the four directions, saying, "From now on the people of the earth shall use you."  Then the older brother said to the young brother, "I will call you {{spell-nv|Naʼídígishí}}, He Who Cuts Life Out of the Enemy."<ref>Zolbrod, p. 221.</ref>  The younger brother then said to his older brother, "And I will call you {{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}}, Monster Slayer.  It is the name by which you shall always be known."  Then the two brothers climbed back to the top of {{spell-nv|Tsoodził}}, the Blue Bead Mountain where they had landed after descending from the sky, and each sang a song in praise of their father, Jóhonaaʼéí, the Sun, as he neared the end of his journey across the sky.  Then they rested for the night.

The next morning the two brothers started for home.  Along the trail they met {{spell-nv|Haashch'ééłti'í}}, Talking God, and {{spell-nv|Tó Neinilí}}, Water Sprinkler.  "Well done, nihinálí, our grandsons," they said.  You are worthy of all that we taught you.  You have served your people well."  And the two gods each sang a song to celebrate the victory of the twins over {{spell-nv|Yéʼiitsoh}}, the Giant.  These two songs are sung today whenever a victory is celebrated.<ref>Zolbrod, p. 223</ref>  When the brothers came close to the home of Changing Woman, their mother, and First Man and First Woman, they hid their armor and weapons and the scalp of {{spell-nv|Yéʼiitsoh}} in the bushes, and then went inside.  Changing Woman rejoiced when she saw them.  "Where have you been?" she asked.  "I thought a monster had devoured you."  "We followed {{spell-nv|Atiin Diyinii}}, the Holy Trail," said the elder son, {{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}}.  "We came upon {{spell-nv|Naʼashjéʼii}}, Spider Woman, and she told us how to go to the house of {{spell-nv|Jóhonaaʼéí nihitaaʼ}}, our father the Sun.  He gave us weapons, and with them we killed {{spell-nv|Yéʼiitsoh}}, the Big Giant."  "Do not say this," said First Man.  "No one can kill {{spell-nv|Yéʼiitsoh}}."  Then the brothers led their mother and grandparents outside and showed them the scalp of Yéʼiitsoh, and they rejoiced.  Together they sang and danced to celebrate the victory.<ref>Hastiin Tlo'Tsi Hee, p. 84.</ref>

==== The Slaying of Déélgééd, the Horned Monster ====
{{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}}, the elder brother, wished to fight the other monsters, it is said.  He asked Changing Woman where the Horned Monster, {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}}, lived.  Changing Woman said, "He lives at {{spell-nv|Bikʼi Halzhin}}, at the foot of the mountains. But you have done enough, my son, and the monsters are hard to kill."  "It was also hard for you to give birth to me," said {{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}}. "Where {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}} lives it is dangerous," said Changing Woman.  "To all the ends of the earth, there is no such place as Dangerous," answered {{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}}.<ref>Hastiin Tlo'tsi Hee, p. 85</ref> The brothers together made two prayer sticks of the medicine plant {{spell-nv|[[:nv:azeeʼ łahdiltʼéii|azeeʼ łahdiltʼéii]]}}, each three finger widths long, and lay them in a turquoise dish.  Then {{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}}, Monster Slayer, said to {{spell-nv|Naʼídígishí}}, Who Cuts the Life Out of the Enemy, "My brother, I will go alone to fight {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}}.  You stay here and watch the holy medicine sticks.  If a sunbeam should light either one, you will know that I am in danger, and you must help me.  Otherwise, stay and protect the others."

At dawn {{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}} set out to find {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}}, the Horned Monster.  He came to a broad plain at the foot of the mountains, and saw {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}} lying at rest. It had hair like a moose and a great pair of horns. While {{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}}, Monster Slayer stood watching, Gopher, {{spell-nv|Naʼazísí}} came up to him. "I wonder what you are doing here," he said. "There is someone here I seek," said Monster Slayer.  "Do you not fear {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}}, the Horned Monster who feeds on your kind?" asked Gopher. "Now that you mention it, it is he I seek," said Monster Slayer. "I wish to kill him."  "I can help you with that," said Gopher, "but I want a piece of his hide."  "You shall have it," said {{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}}.  Then Gopher dug a tunnel right up to {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}}.  He returned and said, "I have tunneled right up to where he lies.  And from that spot I have tunneled to the East, the South, the West, and the North.  You can travel beneath him and shoot an arrow straight up into his heart."  {{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}}, Monster Slayer, could not enter the tunnel because it was too small.  "Raise your right leg," said Gopher.  While Monster Slayer raised his leg, Gopher blew into her tunnel four times, and each time it became larger.  Then {{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}}, Monster Slayer entered the tunnel and crawled to where {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}} lay above the opening.  He shot a chain-lightning arrow straight up into {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}}.  The monster roared and tore at the earth with his horns. Monster Slayer hid in the tunnel to the east. {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}} tore at the earth around the tunnel.  Before he could reach him, Monster Slayer ran into the tunnel to the south. Déélgééd began to tear the earth at that spot with his horns, and Monster Slayer ran into the tunnel to the west.  {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}} dug into the earth at that spot, but Monster Slayer had run into the tunnel to the north. {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}} began to dig to the north, but he was now weak. He fell and lay down.  {{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}}, Monster Slayer crept back up the full length of the tunnel, to where Gopher had started it, and climbed out.  There, a little old man dressed in tight leggings and a thin shirt wearing a cap with a feather approached him.  This was {{spell-nv|Hazéítsoh}}, the Ground Squirrel.  "{{spell-nv|Yáʼátʼééh shínaaí}}," said Ground Squirrel.  "What brings you to this place?" "I am looking at something," said {{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}}, Monster Slayer.  "I wonder what you are looking at," said Ground Squirrel. "I am looking at {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}}," said Monster Slayer.  "I wonder if I need fear him."  "I will go over there and see if he is dead," said Ground Squirrel.  "If he no longer breathes I will climb up on his horns and dance and sing.  If he is dead, I want some of his blood to decorate my face." "Truly, little brother," answered Monster Slayer, "you shall have it."  Ground Squirrel went to {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}}, saw that he was dead, and put some of his blood on his face and danced and sang. The face of every ground squirrel bears red streaks to this day.  And so it is that there has always been good will between Earth Surface People and the ground squirrels.  Gopher came and removed some of {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}}'s skin and put it on his own back.  So it is that the back of gophers is thickly covered to this day, and there has been harmony between Earth Surface People and gophers to this day.  And Gopher gave part of the monster's bowel and lung to Monster Slayer to take back as proof that {{spell-nv|Déélgééd}} was slain.

{{spell-nv|Naayééʼ Neizghání}}, Monster Slayer, returned to his home and showed the lung and bowel of Déélgééd to Changing Woman and First Woman.  They danced and chanted in victory.  Now two of the monsters were dead.  The plan of the Holy People was being fulfilled.<ref>Zolbrod, pp. 224–231; Hastiin Tlo'tsi Hee, pp. 84–87.</ref>