The Broad House

: ALONG THE ROCKY RANGE
: Myths And Legends Of Our Own Land

Down in the canon of Chaco, New Mexico, stands a building evidently

coeval with those of the cliff dwellers, that is still in good

preservation and is called the Broad House. When Noqoilpi, the gambling

god, came on earth he strayed into this canon, and, finding the Moquis a

prosperous people, he envied them and resolved to win their property. To

do that he laid off a race-track at the bottom of the ravine and

challeng d them to meet him there in games of chance and strength and

skill. They accepted his challenge, and, as he could turn luck to his own

side, he soon won not their property alone, but their women and children,

and, finally, some of the men themselves.



In his greed he had acquired more than he wanted, and as the captives

were a burden to him he offered to make a partial restoration if the

people would build this house for him. They did so and he gave up some of

the men and women. The other gods looked with disapproval on this

performance, however, and they agreed to give the wind god power to

defeat him, for, now that he had secured his house, he had gone to

gambling again. The wind god, in disguise as a Moqui, issued a challenge,

and the animals agreed to help him.



When the contest in tree-pulling took place the wind god pulled up a

large tree while Noqoilpi was unable to stir a smaller one. That was

because the beavers had cut the roots of the larger. In the ball contest

Noqoilpi drove the ball nearly to the bounds, but the wind god sent his

far beyond, for wrapped loosely in it was a bird that freed itself before

touching the ground and flew away. In brief, Noqoilpi was beaten at every

point and the remaining captives left him, with jeers, and returned to

their people.



The gambler cursed and raged until the wind god seized him, fitted him to

a bow, like an arrow, and shot him into the sky. He flew far out of

sight, and presently came to the long row of stone houses where the man

lives who carries the moon. He pitied the gambler and made new animals

and people for him and let him down to the earth in old Mexico, the moon

people becoming Mexicans. He returned to his old haunts and came

northward, building towns along the Rio Grande until he had passed the

site of Santa Fe, when his people urged him to go back, and after his

return they made him their god--Nakai Cigini.