Editing Diné Bahaneʼ (section)

=== The Fourth World or {{spell-nv|Niʼ Hodisxǫs}} ===
After the people had all emerged into the Fourth, or White World, they saw the water continuing to rise in the Third World beneath them. Big Water Creature pushed her head through the opening in the reed. Her curly hair floated on the water, and lightning flashed from her black horn and her yellow horn. First Man asked Big Water Creature why she had come. She said nothing. But the Coyote named First Angry came forward wearing his skin coat. He said "Perhaps it is because of this," and drew the two babies from under his coat. Turquoise Boy took a basket and filled it with turquoise. On top of the turquoise he placed the blue pollen from blue flowers and yellow pollen from the corn, and pollen from water flags, and on top of these he placed the crystal, which is river pollen.<ref>O'Bryan's 1928 transcription of Hastiin Tlo'tsi Hee, p. 10</ref>  This basket he gave to Coyote, who put it between the horns of the Big Water Creature, and on the basket he placed the two children. The Big Water Creature disappeared down into the reed, and the water with her.

They saw that they were on an island in the middle of a bubbling lake,<ref>Hastiin Tlo'tsi Hee (p. 12) associates the place of emergence with Pagosa Springs, Colorado</ref> surrounded by high cliffs.<ref>Zolbrod, p. 81</ref>  At first the people could not find a way to get across the water to the shore.  They called on Water Sprinkler to help them.  He had brought four great stones with him from the Third World.  He threw one to the east.  When it hit the cliff wall, it broke a hole through it, and water began to flow out of the lake.  He threw a stone to the south. He threw one to the west.  And to the north he threw one.  Each stone created a hole in the cliff, and the water of the lake became lower.  A lane now connected the island to the shore to the east, but it was deep with mud.  The people called on {{spell-nv|Níłchʼi Dilkǫǫh}}, Smooth Wind, to help them.  He blew steadily for a long time, and finally the people were able to leave the island.

First Man and First Woman built a hogan to live in. It was not like a hogan of today. First Man dug a shallow pit in the earth and placed poles in it.  For the main poles he used two parts of the Black Bow, {{spell-nv|Ałtį́į́ʼ Diłhił}}.  One pole he cut from the Male Reed.  One pole he cut from the Female Reed.  The structure was covered with earth and grass.  First Woman ground white corn and they powdered the poles and sprinkled corn meal inside the dwelling from East to West. First Man said, "May my home be sacred and beautiful, and may the days be beautiful and plenty." This was the first hogan-raising ceremony.<ref>This account follows Ethelou Yazzie (1971) ''Navajo History'' in associating these events with the Fourth World. Both Zolbrod (1984) and Hastiin Tlo'tsi Hee (1928) place these events in a Fifth World. Yazzie's structure avoids having to describe one world in which essentially no important events are recorded, and its sponsorship by the Navajo Curriculum Center in Chinle Arizona as an instructional text for Navajo students supports the use of this version.</ref>

==== Creation of Sun and Moon ====
Inside, First Man lay with his head to the East, and First Woman lay with her head to the West. Their thoughts mingled, and those thoughts were sacred. They began to plan for the time that was to come, and how people would live on the earth. Great Coyote-Who-Was-Formed-in-the-Water came in to help them plan. Together, they planned that there should be a sun, a moon, and day and night.  They decided to keep the other Coyote, First Angry, away from their planning, because it was he who had brought unhappiness.

First Man, First Woman, and Great-Coyote-Who-Was-Formed-in-the-Water covered the floor of the hogan with a perfect buckskin.  On the buckskin the placed a perfect round turquoise, larger than the height of a man.  Below the turquoise they placed a great perfect white shell. At that moment the Coyote {{spell-nv|Áłtsé Hashké}}, First Angry, came and asked them what they were doing.  "Nothing," they said.  "So I see," he said.  And he went away.

First Man went looking for {{spell-nv|Haashchʼééshzhiní}}, The Black Yéʼii, known as the Fire God.  First Man found him in a place where there was fire under the earth, and called to him.  He returned to the first hogan with First Man.  First Man and First Woman also summoned the other three Holy People, Water Sprinkler, House God, and Talking God.  Together, they told Turquoise Boy and White Shell Girl that they were creating the sun and the moon.  They asked Turquoise Boy if he would become the sun, and they asked White Shell Girl if she would become the moon.  Again, the Coyote named First Angry came by and asked them what they were doing.  "Nothing," they said.  "So I see," he said, and he went away.

First Man, First Woman, Great Coyote, and the Holy People planned that there would be 12 months.  With each month, the moon would pass from dark to light, and the sun would move to a different path in the sky.  White Shell Girl was given a whistle made from the Female Reed, with 12 holes in it.  Each time she completed her cycle she would blow on the whistle, and a new month would begin. The first month was named {{spell-nv|Ghąąjįʼ}}, Back-to-Back, or Parting of the Seasons.  Today it is called October.  The second month was named {{spell-nv|Níłchʼitsʼósí}}, Time of Slender Winds. The third month was {{spell-nv|Níłchʼitsoh}}, Great Wind. It is the time to begin to tell the sacred stories.  The fourth month, January, was {{spell-nv|Yas Niłtʼees}}, Crusted Snow.  This is the month of many ceremonies, and the time for sacred stories.  February, the fifth month, is {{spell-nv|Atsá Biyáázh}}, Baby Eagle.  After this month, sacred stories must not be told to the young people. The sixth month, {{spell-nv|Wóózhchʼį́į́d}}, is the month of Sudden Spring Storms. Ceremonies are held to bless the fields before seeds are planted. The seventh month was {{spell-nv|Tʼą́ą́chil}}, Little Leaves. May, {{spell-nv|Tʼą́ą́tsoh}}, was the eighth month. Finally they planned {{spell-nv|Yaʼiishjááshchilí}}, When-Few-Seeds-Ripen, {{spell-nv|Jáátsoh}}, Great Seed Ripening, {{spell-nv|Biniʼantʼą́ą́tsʼózí}}, Little Ripening, and finally September, {{spell-nv|Biniʼantʼą́ą́tsoh}}, Harvest Time, when foods are stored for the winter.

Again, the Coyote named First Angry came by and asked what they were doing.  "Nothing," they said.  "So I see," he said, and he went away.

Fire God, the Black Yéʼii, used his fire to heat the turquoise on the buckskin until it became red hot.  Then they asked Turquoise Boy to enter the glowing turquoise.  "If I do that, I must be paid with the lives of the people of the earth, all the human beings, the animals which have four legs, the birds and insects of the air, the fishes and all the people under the water."  And then the White Shell Girl repeated the same thing.  First Woman, First Man, Great Coyote, and the Holy People all agreed.  Then Turquoise Boy entered the glowing Turquoise.  First Man used his crystal to heat the White Shell, and White Shell Girl entered the White Shell.  Four circles were made around the inside of the hogan to complete the ceremony.  In this way, Turquoise Boy became the sun, {{spell-nv|Jóhonaaʼéí}}, The One Who Rules the Day.  And White Shell Girl became the moon, {{spell-nv|Tłʼéhonaaʼéí}}, The One Who Rules the Night.  {{spell-nv|Níłchʼi Haʼaʼaahdę́ęʼgo}}, the East Wind, asked to carry the newly formed sun to his land so that it could begin its journey there.<ref>O'Bryan's 1928 transcription of Hastiin Tlo'tsi Hee, pp. 19–20; Zolbrod, p. 91.</ref>

The Coyote named First Angry appeared again.  He said, "I know you have been planning great things.  I demand to know why I was not included in the planning."  First Man and First Woman said nothing.  Coyote said, "You believe that I spoiled your living in the lower worlds, but it is not true. Now I will spoil your plans. The path of the sun and the path of the moon will not return to their beginning after 12 months.  The twelve months of the sun will be 13 months of the moon. Sometimes frost will come early, and sometimes it will remain late.  Sometimes the rains will not come, and you will have to summon the baby of the Big Water Creature to bring water." And he left them.

==== The Coming of Death ====
Late in the first day, when {{spell-nv|Jóhonaaʼéí}} was finishing his first journey across the sky, one of the hermaphrodite twins, {{spell-nv|Nádleeh}}, stopped breathing.  Afraid, the people left her alone.  In the morning, the Coyote named First Angry and the people went to find the twin, but {{spell-nv|Nádleeh}} was gone.  One man looked down the reed into the Third World, and there he saw {{spell-nv|Nádleeh}} sitting by the side of the river combing her hair.  He called to his friend, and he looked and also saw her.  The people asked Coyote what to do.  He took a black rock, {{spell-nv|tadzootsé}}, and threw it into {{spell-nv|Tódiłhił}}, the Black Water Lake.  He said that if the rock came up and floated, the spirit of the dead person would return to the Fourth World and there would be no death.  If the rock sank, the spirit would stay in the world below and there would be death. The rock sank, and the people knew then that the twin was dead, and First Man remembered the agreement they had made with the sun.<ref>This version draws upon Yazzie (1971), Zolbrod (1984, pp. 84–85), and Hastiin Tlo'tsi Hee, pp. 30–32.</ref>  Four days later the two witnesses who had looked down on the dead twin also died.  The people learned that it is dangerous to look at the dead. The people were all angry with Coyote for this and gathered around to beat him. Coyote said they could beat him, but first he had something to say. "I threw the rock in the water knowing that it would sink." The people darkly muttered about this to one another, the whole of them deciding that Coyote really did deserve a good beating. But quick thinking Coyote finished his explanation. "Without death the world would soon be overpopulated. The elders would never die and would stay stuck in their infirm bodies. There would be no room for new children. We would run out of food and shelter with so many people to feed and care for." The gathered group was silent for a bit while all of them contemplated Coyote's rationale and found him to be wise and intelligent.

==== Stars and Constellations ====
First Man, First Woman, Great Coyote, and the Holy People next planned stars for the night sky.<ref>This account draws on Yazzie, 1971; Zolbrod, pp. 92–94; Hastiin Tlotsi Hee, pp. 20–21</ref> They gathered as many pieces of {{spell-nv|tsésǫʼ}}, ''rock-star mica,'' as they could find, and put them on a blanket. Then First Man made a drawing in the dirt to plan the location of all the stars seeking to make the sky like a woven rug, orderly and balanced.  {{spell-nv|Haashchʼééshzhiní}}, Black Yéʼii, placed the {{spell-nv|Sǫʼtsoh}} (North Star). First Man placed the {{spell-nv|Náhookǫs [bikąʼí]}} (Big Dipper) while First Woman put the {{spell-nv|Náhookǫs [baʼáádí]}} (Little Dipper) into the sky. First Man also placed the {{spell-nv|Dilyéhé}}  (Seven Stars, the Pleiades) which Black Yéʼii claimed represented parts of his body. They placed {{spell-nv|Áłtséʼétsoh}}, the Big First One.  They placed {{spell-nv|Áłtséʼétsʼósí}}, Coyote's Feather, or the Slender One (the belt and sword of Orion).  They placed {{spell-nv|Baʼáłchíní}}, the children of {{spell-nv|Dilyéhé}} and {{spell-nv|Áłtséʼétsʼósí}}; and {{spell-nv|Hastiin Sikʼaiʼí}}, The-Old-Man-with Feet Apart; and the Rabbit Tracks, {{spell-nv|Gah Atʼéʼii}}; and {{spell-nv|Yikáí Sidáhí}} Moving-toward-the-Dawn; and {{spell-nv|Náhookǫs Bakąʼí}}, The-Revolving-Male-Warrior-with-His-Bow-and-Arrow; and his wife, {{spell-nv|Náhookǫs Baʼáádí}}, Who-Carries-the-Fire-in-Her-Basket.<ref>O'Bryan (p. 21) shows the relationship of many of these constellations to their European equivalents</ref> The Coyote named First Angry returned to see what was going on.  He took a piece of rock-star mica and placed it on the sky, and it became {{spell-nv|Mąʼii bizǫʼ}}, known by Bilagáana as Canopus.  He placed another piece in the south, {{spell-nv|Sǫʼ Doo Nidisidí}}, Morning Star. Then Coyote said, "This is too long. I have a better way."  He then snapped the blanket and the rest of the rock-star mica was scattered across the sky.

==== The Re-Creation of the Sacred Mountains ====
{{spell-nv|Áłtsé hastiin}}, First Man, and {{spell-nv|Áłtsé asdzą́ą́}}, First Woman, together with {{spell-nv|Tó Neinilí}}, Water Sprinkler, and {{spell-nv|Haashchʼééshzhiní}}, Black Yéʼii, the god of fire, set out to create the six sacred mountains from dirt that First Man had brought up from each mountain in the third world. They placed them as they had been in the third world.  They re-created {{spell-nv|[[Blanca Peak|Sisnaajiní]]}}, Dawn, or White Shell Mountain, in the East. They decorated it with white shells.  They decorated it with white lightning.  They decorated it with white corn.  They decorated it with dark clouds that make male rain. From stones they had brought they fashioned {{spell-nv|Tséghádiʼnídíinii Ashkii}}, Rock Crystal Boy,<ref>There is little agreement concerning the names of the immortals dwelling on each sacred mountain.  Both Yazzie (1971) and Hastiin Tlo'tsi Hee (p. 25) place Yoolgai Ashkii (White Bead Boy) on Sisnaajiní, and he is mentioned in the Mountain Top Chant, recorded by Matthews in 1887</ref> and Tséghádiʼnídíinii atʼééd, Rock Crystal Girl, to reside there forever.<ref name=ReC>Zolbrod, pp. 86–89; Hastiin Tlo'tsi Hee pp. 23–26</ref>

In the South they re-created {{spell-nv|[[Mount Taylor (New Mexico)|Tsoodził]]}}, Blue Bead, or Turquoise Mountain. They adorned it with turquoise.  They adorned it with dark mist.  They adorned it with animals. They adorned it with light clouds that bring female rain. From two stones they had brought with them they fashioned {{spell-nv|Dootłʼizhii Náyooʼałí Ashkii}}, the Boy Who Is Bringing Back Turquoise, and {{spell-nv|Naadą́ą́ʼ ląʼí Náyooʼáłí Atʼééd}}, the Girl Who Is Bringing Back Many Ears of Corn.  They were created to reside there forever.<ref name=ReC />

To the West they re-created {{spell-nv|[[San Francisco Peaks|Dookʼoʼoosłííd]]}}, Abalone Shell Mountain.  They adorned it with haliotis shell.  They adorned it with animals.  They adorned it with dark clouds that bring the male rain. From material from the Third World they created {{spell-nv|Naadą́ą́łgaii Ashkii}}, the White Corn Boy, and {{spell-nv|Naadą́ą́łtsoii Atʼééd}}, the Yellow Corn Girl.  They were created to reside there forever.<ref name=ReC />

In the North they re-created {{spell-nv|[[Hesperus Mountain (Colorado)|Dibé Nitsaa]]}}, Big Mountain Sheep. They adorned that mountain with black beads.  They adorned it with many plants.  They adorned it with many animals.  They adorned it with the grey mist that brings female rain.  From materials from below, they fashioned {{spell-nv|Tádídíín Ashkii}}, Pollen Boy, and {{spell-nv|Nahachagii Atʼééd}}, Grasshopper Girl.  They were created to reside there forever.<ref name=ReC />

Near the Center they re-created {{spell-nv|Dził Náʼoodiłii}}, Soft Goods or Banded Rock Mountain. They left its summit bare, but they created two beings to reside there.  They were {{spell-nv|Yódí Neidiitsi Ashkii}}, Boy Who Produces Goods, and {{spell-nv|Yódí Neidiitsi Atʼééd}}, Girl Who Produces Goods.<ref name=ReC />

East of center they re-created {{spell-nv|Chʼóolʼį́ʼí}}, Precious Stones, or Great Spruce Mountain.  They decorated it with pollen and the clouds that bring female rain.  On it they created two beings, {{spell-nv|Nitłʼiz Neidiitsi Ashkii}}, the Boy Who Produces Jewels, and {{spell-nv|Nitłʼiz Neidiitsi Atʼééd}}, the Girl Who Produces Jewels, to live there forever.<ref name=ReC /><ref>Zolbrod includes a seventh sacred mountain, and Haastiin Tlo'tsi Hee describes three additional mountains, but they are not supported by other sources</ref>

When all was done, First Man, First Woman, Black Yéʼii and Water Sprinkler returned and taught the people about the sacred mountains.  They taught them that these six mountains were their principal mountains.  From the lower mesa lands they could see them.  Chants were made for them. Finally, a smoke was prepared for the mountains and the chants were sung.<ref name=ReC />