XI. Coyote and the Stump

Yana Texts, by Edward Sapir, [1910], at sacred-texts.com

XI. COYOTE AND THE STUMP. ³⁴⁵

Coyote went to P‘ā'wi one day. It was early in the morning and it was very foggy. He met some one in the trail. Coyote stooped. "Whew! I'm tired. Where do you come from?" The man did not answer. Coyote sat down to rest, and said, "You came early, so did I." The man said nothing. Coyote said, "Talk! One must say something when he meets one." There was no reply. Said Coyote, "If you are angry, say so!" No

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answer. Coyote said, "If you want to fight, I can fight." Coyote got up. There was no answer. Coyote said, "I'll hit." He did so, and his right hand stuck. It was no man, it was a stump. Coyote said, "Let go my hand!" with no result. Coyote hit him with his left hand; it stuck. Coyote said, "Why do you hold my hands? Let go! That is no way to fight." No reply. Coyote kicked with his right foot; it stuck. He kicked with his left foot; it stuck. He butted; his head stuck. By and by a man came along and saw Coyote. He said, "Coyote is a fool. He has been fighting that stump."

Footnotes

227:345 In Dr. Dixon's manuscript this incident is immediately preceded by the story of Coyote and Frost (see no. VII of texts). It is practically a version of the world-wide "Tar Baby" myth. A very similar myth is told by the Takelmas.