37. Coyote Apes His Hosts

Coyote while traveling, came to a rock standing close to the water's edge where Kingfisher had his home. Kingfisher in greeting him said, "You have come to me when there is nothing to eat." Right below him there was smooth ice over the water into which Kingfisher nevertheless jumped and brought out a fish for his guest. Coyote ate it and when he took his leave said, "Come and see me."

Coyote camped in a place where a rock was standing. When Kingfisher came to see him, Coyote greeted him, saying, "You have come to see me when there is nothing to eat." There was smooth ice right below into which Coyote jumped, striking his nose so hard that he died. His guest took a fish out of the water for him and brought him to life. Giving the fish to Coyote he said, "I have magic power for this sort of thing." When Coyote had eaten it, Kingfisher went home.

p. 232

As he was traveling Coyote came where Buffalo's wife was fleshing a hide. Buffalo greeting him said, "You have come to us when there is nothing to eat." After a time, putting his hand behind him, he brought it back with some meat. Having pounded it up fine, he pushed a stick up each of his nostrils from which fat ran down on the meat. Having mixed the food, be gave it to Coyote on a dish to eat. As Buffalo was eating he kept saying, "Whu u," Coyote was afraid and jumped up. "O, I always make that sort of noise," said Buffalo. This happened four times, Coyote being afraid each time. "Come to see me," said Coyote as he took his leave.

When Buffalo came to see Coyote he found him at his home wrapped in a buffalo robe and wearing horns which he had made for himself. Ills wife was fleshing a hide. "You come to us when there is nothing to eat," Coyote said to Buffalo. He took some bark from under his blanket and pounded it up. When he pushed a stick up his nostrils only blood dropped on the meat. "What was it I did wrong?" he said. Buffalo put his hand behind himself, took out some dried meat, and pounded it up for him. He pushed a stick into his nostrils and fat flowed out which he mixed with the meat. Passing it to Coyote he said, "Eat it, I have magical power for this sort of thing."

Coyote traveled along and cattle where Elk was lying. He was a large elk with many branched horns. Elk greeting him said, "You have come to us when there is nothing to eat." When Elk turned his head sideways, Coyote was afraid and jumped. "O, I am always this way. Do not be afraid," said Elk. Reaching to his hip he took off a piece of meat and gave it to Coyote who ate it. Coyote as he left said, "Come and see me."

When he came to Coyote's home, he was lying there with sticks pointing in different directions, tied to his head. His face was all swollen. "You come to us when there is nothing to eat," he said. After a time, Coyote put his hand under his blanket and took out some pine bark which he gave him. "What did I do wrong?" he said. Then Elk, taking out some meat, gave it to him. "I do this by magical power," he said, "eat it." Coyote, ate it.

Coyote traveling this way, came where a bird ¹ had its home. This bird had red feathers which he spread out. Coyote being afraid, said, "Your house is on fire." "O, I am always this way," said the bird. "Come and see me," said Coyote, as he left.

When he cattle to Coyote's house it was burning. Coyote had set fire to it. "Your house is on fire," said the guest. "O, I am always that way"'

p. 233

said Coyote. The fire had burned close around him but Coyote giving his tail a flap jumped over it. ¹

Footnotes

231:2 Russell has an additional incident with Prairie Dog as host, (a), p. 265. Matthews has given a similar story in which Wolf was host, p. 87. Compare similar stories, Lowie, (a), p. 265; Dorsey and Kroeber, 113-120; Kroeber, (c), p. 264.

232:1 One of the woodpeckers.

233:1 Among the Caddo, Coyote puts fire on his head to imitate woodpecker, Dorsey, (d), p. 94.