74.--THE COYOTE AND THE BADGER.

The Traditions of the Hopi, by H.R. Voth, [1905], at sacred-texts.com

Coyote and Badger are great friends. Oraíbi are cleaning out spring and maidens take food and place it near rock. Coyote watches people as they eat and envies them. Next day Coyote bears criers announce another spring cleaning. He goes to Badger's house and tells him. He suggests that they take part in eating. Badger follows Coyote to his house, from which Badger begins to dig hole towards where food is. After Badger has gone little way he turns round. Coyote thinks he is turning back and goes for mole. Mole returns with Coyote and rapidly digs hole underground. Badger follows enlarging hole, and Coyote scratches out loose dirt. Mole continues hole to rock and while Hopi are at work he reaches food and hands it to Badger and Badger to Coyote, who carries it to his house. When Hopi are through with work, chief sends maidens for food. They go to rock and find food gone. Coyote, Badger and Mole divide food, on which they live for some time. Afterwards Coyote visits Badger, who has cut into small pieces some lölö'okyongs and roasted them. Coyote eats food with relish and asks Badger where he got it. He replies that he opened his side and took fat from his intestines. He shows

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Coyote knife with which he opened body, and says it does not hurt. Coyote takes knife and invites Badger to visit him to-morrow. When he has gone, Badger laughs and calls him Fool Old Man. Next morning Coyote cuts into his abdomen with knife and blood runs out profusely. He takes hold of fat and pulls at it, but becomes exhausted, falls over and dies. When Badger arrives he finds Coyote dead.