Reading Notes: Southwestern and California Legends, Part B

(Flock of sheep; source: Wikipedia)

Plot:

• The Tolchini clan lived at wind mountains and one of their members enjoyed traveling. Each time he returned, he brought back something new and had interesting stories to tell. His brothers thought he was insane and that he didn't know what he was talking about.
• The clan moved to the San Mateo Mountain where there wasn't much to eat. One day, the brothers went to hunt but told the youngest brother to stay behind. After hearing nothing from them for five days and nights, the youngest went to search for them.
• He stopped by a cave next to a canon. He soon heard the voices of the crow people saying that two of their own had been killed. They had seen a group of men kill twelve deer and had gone after the dead deer for their blood. While completing this task, two of their own were killed. The other crow people responded saying that that's what they should have expected for going after dead deer. They claimed that this was in the past and they should speak of it no longer.
• The youngest brother heard all of this in astonishment and then observed the crow people building a fire and dancing around it and across the canon all night.
• In the day, he decided to go out and find his brothers. When his brothers saw him approaching, they knew he would have some story or the other to tell. As the youngest started explaining the happenings of the previous night, the only person who believed in him was his brother-in-law.
• Later, the brothers task the youngest with killing a sheep from a flock they observed from a distance. The youngest brother hid behind some bushes and tried to kill a sheep twice but each time, his arm would fall limp and he was unable to do so.
• On the third attempt, the four sheep surrounded him, one on each side. They revealed themselves to be gods and claimed that he was one among them. The youngest brother was transformed into a sheep and according to the gods' request, followed them to a dance far away.
• The brothers soon discovered that the youngest had left with the sheep and regretted not believing in any of his stories.
• The youngest learned the ways of the gods with eleven other gods by his side. Once he had learned all there was to know, the gods sent him back to his people to impart this knowledge upon them.

Bibliography. Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson (1912).