Third World – Yellow World (Náhookǫs Łitsoii)

The Yellow World opened with brightness. The land stretched farther than before, painted with the light of the sun. The ground was firm, the rivers stronger, the air alive. It was a world of abundance, filled with powerful animals — mountain lions, wolves, bears, and wild game that roamed in every direction.

It was here that the first humans began to take true form, shaped by the Holy People. Families grew, and order began to take root. Sacred ceremonies were given to guide life, to teach respect for the land, the animals, and one another. The foundations of hózhǫ́ — harmony, beauty, balance — were set here.

But even in this golden world, mistakes returned. Coyote committed his most reckless act: he stole the child of the Water Monster. In anger, the waters rose. Floods swept across the land, threatening to drown all life. The people fled and found shelter with the Ant People underground, where they were taught lessons of survival and humility. They learned that even in abundance, arrogance can bring destruction.

When the waters receded, the Holy People told them it was time to leave again. With ceremony, they prepared the reed that would carry them upward, toward the Glittering World.