STORY TOLD BY JOE SAMPSON: There was a man who told his people to make some canoes, and to make them large and strong so they could endure storms. There was a flood coming. The people said the mountains were high and they could just go up the mountains when the flood came. He warned them again. Soon it began to rain and it rained for many days. The rivers became salty. The people said they would go up the mountains. They had no way of getting to the mountains, for the valleys were full of water, and the river over-flowed their banks. The people that walked died. Those that had canoes tied themselves to a treetop. Their canoes hit the trees and split, many died. Some who were in canoes tied themselves to the mountain tops. The highest canoes were the ones who were saved.
Credit: Donated by the Language Program (Jamie Valadez)