Editing Diné Bahaneʼ (section)

==== 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>