*VARIANT (VULVA WOMAN) 36
A boy was living with his maternal grandmother. He used to go out and hunt and kill lots of deer for her. One time she said to hime, "My grandson, when you kill a deer, never butcher it under a white pine!" The boy got to thinking about what his grandmother said. Why had she told him this and what did she mean? The next time he killed a deer, he dragged it under a white pine and started to butcher it. Pretty soon pieces of the bark started to fall off the tree and made a sound just like bushes rustling. But the boy paid no attention and kept right on butchering. Then he heard a sound like a woman talking. She was saying, "ką’ (husband), ką’, ką’, ką’." She was coming through the woods saying this, and was getting close to the boy. Before she got there the boy jumped up, grabbed his bow and arrows, and ran away. He ran fast and reached his grandmother's camp. "My grandmother, I butchered a deer under a white pine and then I heard a woman coming after me, talking as if I were going to be her husband." "I told you not to do that way," his grandmother said. Then she dug a hole under the fire and put the boy in it. On top of him she put a łeets’aa [łe‧ts’a‧] (kind of basket) and over this she put back dirt and ashes.
That woman followed the boy to his camp. She asked his grandmother, "Where did my husband go?" "I haven't seen him any place," said the grandmother. The woman said, "I followed his tracks to this place." Then she squatted down by the head of the bed there. She said, "Whichever way my water goes, there will be my husband." She urinated and the water ran to the fireplace. "My husband is under the fire," she said. She dug in and found the basket and under it the boy. She grabbed him and pulled him out. "Come on, my husband, let us lie together," she said, and she lay down on the ground, drew her knees up and spread her legs apart. The boy looked between her legs. Her vagina was moving apart and together and there were teeth down each side. The boy said, "You will have to gather poles for a wickiup and set it up, as the only place I ever lie with a woman is in a wickiup." So the woman started off to gather poles. While she was gone the boy got a piece of hard k’įį [k’įį‧] (a shrub with very hard wood) and shaped it down to the right size. The woman came back and right away she had the wickiup poles set up. Then the boy said, "You must cover the wickiup well with spruce boughs. That is the only way I ever lie with my wife." So the woman started off to gather spruce boughs. While she was gone, the boy worked on a piece of k’įįnch’i’ [k’įį‧ntc’i’] (another bush with very hard wood) and cut it down to just the right length and shape. The the woman came back and covered the wickiup over with spruce boughs. Then the boy said, "I have to have a bed of shashtł’oh [cactł’o‘] (a grass). That is the only way I ever lie with my wife." So the woman went off to get it. While she was gone, the boy worked on k’isndaazi [k’isnda‧zi] (mountain mahogany) and cut it down just right. Then he worked on ch’idnk’ǫǫzhe [tc’idnk’ų‧je] (a species of sumac, a soft wood) and fixed it. The woman came back and made the bed.
When it was done, she said, "We might as well lie down now, my husband." So they went in the wickiup and lay down. Then the boy took the k’įį and stuck it in between the woman's legs. "Ghaz, ghaz, ghaz, ghaz" [γaz] it sounded and ate the stick all up. Then he stuck in the k’įįnch’i’ and that was all eaten up. Then he put in the k’isndaazi and it ate this up, but had a hard time doing it. Then the boy put in the ch’idnk’ǫǫzhe, but the vagina had stopped chewing now and was still. The boy took a sharp pointed rock and with the end of it he cut out all those teeth, all except one which he left, and that is called itsasa’aani [’itsasa’’a‧ni]. Then he lay with that woman all right.
[p. 39]
Endnotes (The Earth Is Set Up):
1 Told by Bane Tithla. "Naaye’nezghane Wins His Wife Back" is also called "At Gułil’isii's Home." It is the basis of the supernatural power used against an opponent in card games and in hoop and poles. Excepting this incident which may be told as a separate story, the whole tale is called "The Doings of Naaye’nezghane." For Naaye’nezghane Obtains Horses, compare Goddard, ibid 98ff., 118ff. (back to text)
Endnotes (Variant - Vulva Woman):
36 Told by Francis Drake. Also called "Vulva That Kills." This is an old man's story. When old men get together they like to tell it. (back to text)