Here for the first time in print are forty-six stories from great oral literature of the Zuni Indians of New Mexico. In his introduction to these self-portayals, Robert E. Lewis, V=Governor of the Pueblos of Zuni describes the Zuni myths, prophecy, and history : Prophecies of old, told by the old to the young - coming true. The do's and don'ts for a long and good life ... Stories told with morals attached, characters ... fictional or true ... symbolize these ways that have kept us together so long. The Zuni creation myth, the rituals of masked dances, farming and hunting practices, and battles with Navajos and Apaches - all are recorded here. There are tales about ghosts and personified animals, and fables told to discipline children or to warn them against foolhardy bravery and braggadocio. Some of the stories are intended as entertainment pure and simple, tales told by a skillful narrator to pass a long evening. And some speak directly to the problems of modern society: Cities will progress and then decay to the ways of the lowest being. Drinkers of dark liquids will come upon the land, speaking nonsense and filth ... Population will increase until the land can hold no more ... Families will break up: father against children and the children against one another ... there will be an odor from gases, which will fill the air we breathe, and the end for us shall come. These stories represent only a fraction of the Zuni literature, which has been recorded and translated in its entirety by the Zunis in cooperation with the Duke Indian Oral History Project of the University of Utah. The Zunis themselves selected the tales that are included in this volume, which were translated from the Zuni by Alvina Quam. Also included are photographs of the tribal elders, who tell these stories about their history, society, and religion in order to perpetuate their cultural traditions.

I. Society: 1. Prophecies of our grandparents : drinkers of dark liquids will come -- 2. Zuni witchcraft : the funnel of wind stopped -- 3. Sacred way to hunt deer : after offering pollen they laid the trap -- 4. Henry hunting deer : to my terror, the buck lifted me up -- 5. Ed Vanderwagen and the bears : he knew bears to be sly and tricky -- 6. Woodcutter: Enote- they kept their fires going -- 7. Story about Nutria and Ojo Caliente : they were a lively people -- 8. The two orphans and their grandmother: the fire god came to the door -- 9. Zuni and their ways of living : it is for our children to decide -- II. History: 10. Poorest days of Enote: Enote -we grow up hungry -- 11. The return of the Zuni slave woman : they walked all night -- 12. The Navajo and She-She's wife : then was a time of hatred and vengeance -- 13. Raid before coming of the Shalako : they rose up with a war cry -- 14. Spirit world of the Zunis: Enote's trip to Koh-thlou-wah-la-wah : there came a flock of white geese -- 15. Famine in Zuni : the Zuni land was but a waste land -- 16. The Zuni and the Apache : he picked them off one by one -- 17. Mexicans who captured a Zuni man : he enabled himself to cast spells -- 18. The White Shoomehcoolie : the yellow ant was summoned -- 19. Zunis and the outlaws : the indians were stronger than any white man -- 20. Zunis and the outlaws : the Zunis lassoed Red Pitkin's horse -- III. Fables : 21.The coyote and the badger : he did not feel the mice chewing on his fur -- 22. The whip : the whip uncoiled itself and looked out -- 23. The ghost : the shadows began reflecting monstrous images -- 24. Turkey maiden : long ago world was young and soft -- IV. Fables of moral instruction: 25. The priest's son and the eagle : the boy and the eagle flew away -- 26. Little arrowheads : they were afraid of the memory -- 27. The grasshopper and the coyote : she heard the grasshopper singing -- 28. A coyote and the bumblebee : the ears of the coyote were all burned -- V. Religion: 29. The beginning : the children became small animals -- 30. Two girls and the dancers : the girls stayed with the Kachinas -- 31. True way of the scalp dance : a man knew within himself -- 32. Matsakya : the Kachinas transformed themselves into birds -- 33. Priest's son and the spirit world : he saw a white feather standing -- 34. Yellow water serpent's head : the yellow streaks of light pointed -- 35. The capture of the runaway Shoomehcoolie : the figure came floating through the forest -- 36. The Zuni dances : the Salimobiya circled the village -- 37. Adventures of the war gods -- the heart flew to the sunset -- 38. The rituals of hunting : the men would not pass the four days -- 39. Priest's son and the grandmothers : the reains willl always come -- 40. The cloud swallower : their grandmother the bear heard this -- 41. Story of Salt Lake : the Salt Lady did not like being polluted -- VI. War and defense: 42. Lonkeena and the horse thieves : an indian is hard to kill -- 43. Zunis and the Navajos : the Zunis prepared their weapons -- 44. The Navajo warrior Kethlnakai : Tzuni atop his white horse came bounding -- 45. Doowhooli : Zuni do not think of themselves during battle -- 46. Apaches raid Zuni : a lone house sat ablaze.