THE THIRD WORLD
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Because of the quarreling in the second world, the people climbed up to the Yellow World through an opening in the south.
The Bluebird was the first to reach the Third World. After him came the First Four (First Man, First Woman, Coyote and one of the Insects) and then the others.
A great river crossed the land from north to south, and this was the Female River. Also, there was a river flowing from east to west, and this was the Male River. The place where the two rivers crossed is called To Alnaozli (Crossing of the Waters). It is also called To Bil Dahisk'id (Place Where the Waters Crossed).
In the Yellow World were six mountains:
East - Sis Naajini--Dawn, or White Shell Mountain
South--Tsoodzil--Blue Bead, or Turquoise Mountain
West--Dook'o'ooshid--Abalone Shell Mountain
North--Dibe Nitsaa--Obsidian Mountain
Center--Dzil Na'oodihi--Soft Goods or Banded Rock Mountain
East of Center--Ch'ool'i'i--Precious Stones - Gobernador Knob
In the Yellow World there was no sun. Dootl'iizhii Askii (Turquoise Boy) lived beyond Sis Naajini to the cast. Yoolgai Asdzaa (White Shell Woman) lived to the west.
In this world lived Dlozilgai (Squirrels), Hazeits'osii (Chipmunks), Na'ats'oosi (Mice), Tazhii (Turkeys), Ma'iiltsoi (Foxes), Biih (Deer), Mosi (Cat People), Na'ashje'ii (Spider People), Na'asho'iilbahi (Lizards) and Na'asho'ii (Snakes). All the people were similar in that they had no definite form.
COYOTE AND BABY WATER MONSTER
First Man had a dah na'aghizii (pouch) in which he kept many things. One day, as he was digging into his pouch, a piece of white shell fell out onto the ground. As the shell hit the ground it flipped. Coyote immediately asked First Man for a small piece. First Man replied that Coyote always asked for things and said things for no reason at all. Coyote kept pleading and First Man gave him a small piece of the white shell.
Coyote took the white shell down to the -water's edge where there was a whirlpool. The white shell caused the water to rise and fall. The fourth time the water went down, Coyote saw the child of Teehooltsodii (Water Monster). He picked up the baby and hid it under his arms.
Soon afterward, it began to rain, and there came a great flood. When First Man learned from the deer and different birds of the coming of the flood, he sent word to all the Beings and told them to come to Sis Naajini (White Shell Mountain). First Man went to all the six sacred mountains to gather some earth from each one. The water continued to rise, and the people climbed higher and higher on the mountain. First Man planted a cedar tree, hoping to have it reach the top of the sky so that everyone could climb to safety. The tree grew quickly, but it was too short. Next, he planted a pine tree. However, it was not tall enough to reach the top of the sky, either. The third effort by First Man to find a means of escaping the water was to plant a male reed, but it also failed to reach the top of the sky. The fourth attempt was to plant a female reed. It grew to the very top of the sky.
The people crowded into the great female reed and began to climb up. The water followed them as they climbed inside the giant reed. They climbed into the fourth world and came out at a place called Hajiinei. The Turkey was the last animal out of the reed, and the white foam created by the violent water current reached his tail. Today the Turkey still has whitish tail feathers.
As they were entering the Fourth World, the people noticed that Coyote was hiding something. They searched him and found that he was holding Water Monster's baby, Teehooltsodii Biyazhi. They reasoned that this had caused the flood. Water Monster was angry because one of his children had been taken by Coyote. (Actually, First Woman was the one who had told Coyote to take the child.) The Beings asked Coyote to take the baby back to the water, which he did.
The Water Monster held his head out of the water to receive his baby and to accept an offering. The Beings placed a white shell basket of Nitl'iz (precious stones) between his horns. Sure enough, the water began to go down as soon as the child had been returned and the offering placed.
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