Each of the Hopi clans preserves a separate origin or emergence myth,
agreeing in all essential parts, but carrying in its details special
reference to its own clan. All of them claim, however, a common origin
in the interior of the earth, and although the place of emergence to the
surface is set in widely separated localities, they agree in maintaining
this to be the fourth plane on which mankind has existed.

The following is an abbreviation of the version gathered by A.M.
Stephen, who lived many years among the Hopi and collected these sacred
tales from the priests and old men of all the different villages some
fifty years ago, as reported by Mindeleff.[20]

[Footnote 20: Mindeleff, Cosmos, Traditional History of Tusayan (After
A.M. Stephen): Bureau American Ethnology, vol. 8, pp. 16-41, 1887.]

In the beginning all men lived together in the lowest depths, in a
region of darkness and moisture; their bodies were mis-shapen and
horrible and they suffered great misery.

By appealing to Myuingwa (a vague conception of the god of the interior)
and Baholinkonga (plumed serpent of enormous size, genius of water)
their old men obtained a seed from which sprang a magic growth of cane.

The cane grew to miraculous height and penetrated through a crevice in
the roof overhead and mankind climbed to a higher plane. Here was dim
light and some vegetation. Another magic cane brought them to a higher
plane, with more light and vegetation, and here was the creation of the
animal kingdom. Singing was always the chief magic for creating
anything. In like manner, they rose to the fourth stage or earth; some