The Great Flood
Sia (New Mexico)

For a long time after the fight, the people were very happy, but the
ninth year was very bad. The whole earth was filled with water. The
water did not fall in rain, but came in as rivers between the mesas. It
continued to flow in from all sides until the people and the animals
fled to the mesa tops. The water continued to rise until nearly level
with the tops of the mesas. Then Sussistinnako cried, "Where shall my
people go? Where is the road to the north?" He looked to the north.
"Where is the road to the west? Where is the road to the east? Where is
the road to the south?" He looked in each direction. He said, "I see the
waters are everywhere."

All of the medicine men sang four days and four nights, but still the
waters continued to rise.

Then Spider placed a huge reed upon the top of the mesa. He said, "My
people will pass up through this to the world above."

Utset led the way, carrying a sack in which were many of the Star
people. The medicine men followed, carrying sacred things in sacred
blankets on their backs. Then came the people, and the animals, and the
snakes, and birds. The turkey was far behind and the foam of the water
rose and reached the tip ends of his feathers. You may know that is true
because even to this day they bear the mark of the waters.

When they reached the top of the great reed, the earth which formed the
floor of the world above, barred their way. Utset called to Locust,