Note 201 — LEGENDS. (continued 3)

The exact etymology of the word Na-tĭ′n-ĕs-tha-ni has not been determined. The idea it conveys is: He who teaches himself, he who discovers for himself, or he who thinks out a problem for himself. We find the verb in the expression nasĭnítin, which means, “Teach me how to do it.” Here the second and third syllables are pronouns. Although the hero has his name changed after a while, the story-teller usually continues to call him Natĭ′nĕsthani to the end of the story. Often he speaks of him as the man or the Navaho.