The Genesis of the Earth and the Moon

(A Moqui Folk-Tale) by Sharlot M. Hall

Wabano, Great Goddess (this, believe we), sat in the Garden of the Worlds, and wove a large web of gray as a cloak for Maneti, Great God, the Sun.

But being naturally careless, Wabano did not weave the cloak of good fabric, and Maneti becoming angry, bade her depart from the domain of gods. This Wabano refused to do, and became so angry, in her turn, that Maneti, Great God, the Sun, feared to force her to obey; for she was his sister and she knew the secret by which he kept his power and supremacy among the many gods.

To pacify her, and that she willingly might continue to keep his secret, Maneti, Great God, the Sun, offered to grant any one wish she might make.

Wabano, Great Goddess, walked in the Garden of the Worlds and reflected. When she next saw Maneti she asked to make a new world, for in all the worlds she knew the people were unhappy.

Maneti said he would, of course, permit her to make the new world; but he warned her she would see only more unhappy people.

Wabano called her husband to help in the work, and then she went out into the rimless space to find a suitable place for her new world.

When she had decided upon a good location she called her husband and told him to bring rocks and build a strong foundation for her world. But he, being the Fire-God, could not resist throwing a fire-brand in, and the new earth caught fire. He, in his alarm, brought fresh piles of rocks, but he could not smother the flame he had made, and beneath all the earth-rocks the fire-brand is still burning, even to this day.

Wabano, Great Goddess, in her anger ordered him to bring a jar of water to put out the fire, and when the water had cooled the surface, in her angry might she tore loose a mass of the fiery rock and hurled it away, high in the air.

And when Maneti, Great God, the Sun, hid his face and darkness came, the fiery rock-mass in the sky shone like silver and gave light to the new earth, and the mass shines up to this time, at night.

Where Wabano, Great Goddess, tore loose the burning rocks, streams of boiling water gushed out; and to this day these steaming streams may be seen in the country far to the north of Moqui-land.

Wabano, Great Goddess, made her new earth very beautiful and she really was for some time as happy as she thought she would be; but her husband was sadly punished for throwing the ever-living fire-brand in among its foundations.

He had seized an enchanted jar when he went to bring water, and touching its fatal handles he was condemned to bring water to the new earth forever.

He is not allowed to return through Wabano’s Garden on his way back from the great lake where all the worlds get water, but is forced each time to pass through the moon, or shining rock-mass. His face frequently can be seen in the full moon. He often spills the water from the enchanted jar and this the Moquis call rain.

And, further, in his despair that never may he be freed from his task he beats against the jar in a hope of breaking it; the noise he makes is the thunder.

When Wabano hears the thunder her eyes flash with an angry, far-streaking and arrowy light that frightens the earth-people, and even Maneti, Great God, the Sun, hides his face under the gray cloak.

WHO WAS SHARLOT M. HALL? | SAVING THE PAST | A HOME FOR HER COLLECTION | SHARLOT AS A POLITICIAN | SHARLOT AS AN ACTIVIST | SHARLOT AS A HISTORIAN | SHARLOT AS A WRITER AND POET | SHARLOT AS A WOMAN |  MOVING WEST | RANCH WOMAN | ARIZONA BY SHARLOT HALL |

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