Indian Legends:

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22504, 22 August 1936, Page 8 (Supplement)

Indian Legends:

COYOTE PUSHES IN MOUNTAIN LION'S FACE

(Copyrißht)

No. 22 "VT OUNTAIN LION was angry because Coyote went to the Far-Awav-Water People and took fire and brought it back to his own people. Mountain Lion really was jealous because everyone else was saying Coyote was a great man. So Mountain Lion said: "Anyone could do that." "And can anyone put Fire in sticks?'' asked Coyote. "Yes I" Every one was listening, and Coyote then said: "Here is Fire. Here is a stick. Put Fire in the stick!" Mountain Lion knew every one would laugh if he did not do it, so he tried. He took Fire and lie took the stick, and he held Fire in his hand nud rubbed it 011 the stick, all the time singing a medicine song. But Fire only turned the stick black and burned Mountain Lion's hand. Every one laughed, and Mountain Lion became very angry. He howled with pain because his hand was burned. Then ho leaped close to Coyote and threw Fire at Coyote. Because Coyote was clever, Coyote caught Fire and acted as though lie swallowed it. Really he only held it between his teeth. But every one shouted and said Coyote was a great man. And Mountain Lion went away to his lodge, too angry to talk. That night Mountain Lion took his medicine stick and went to Coyote.'s lodge. Coyote was tired from his long trip. Mountain Lion waved his medicine stick and made everyone in the lodge sleep «o no 0110 would hear him. Then he went to Coyote and said: "I shall make you ugly. 1 shall make you the ugliest person in all the world."

So .Mountain Lion took Coyote's legs and lie pulled them out long and thin. He took Coyote's ears and pulled them out. long and pointed. He took Coyote's nose and pulled it out long and sharp. He changed Coyote's hair to dirt colour. And he took Coyote's tail and pulled it out long and thin and seraggly like a sage brush.

When lie had done that Mountain Lion began to laugh. ITe laughed so loud lie woke up someone in the lodge. -But he ran away before that person saw him. Next day, when Coyoto went out of the lodge, everyone be saw began to laugh. Coyote was so funny that no one could look at him and not laugh. At last he went, down to the stream and lookeil at himself in the water. Even Coyote laughed, until he knew he was looking at himself. Then he was so anygry lie threw a rook at the picture of himself in the water.

That night Coyote went to Mountain Lion's lodge. He took his medicine bag and put everyone to sleep. .Then he sat and thought how lie could make M ountain Lion the ugliest person in the world. When he had thought a long time, he started. , He took Mountain Lion's legs and pushed them up short, so that Moun-

Told by Ha

tain Lion's belly would lie close to the ground when lie walked. He pujj Mountain Lion's ears out long, then cut them to a-shape like a wildcats. He put funnv whiskers on each side o Mountain Lion's nose. He pulled Moontain Lion's tail out until it was lon . and he kept 011 pulling it. He niaae it like a rope. . , , 1 When lie had done that, he looked at Mountain Lion and began to laugnMountain Lion was the funniest P erK ] iu the ivhole world. But. as Coyote looked at him, Coyote .became an?;ry. He remembered what Mountain had done to him.' Coyote became so angry he leaped up and went to -Mountain Lion and struck him a• terri blow on the end of the nose. The b was so hard it pushed Mountain Lion nose right back into Lis face. Co vote ran away. - Since then. Coyote and Mountain Lion have always been enemies. lAery--0110 else thought one was as the other, but Coyote still says Mot tain Lion locks worse than he does, probablv savs that to make hirosea happy when he has such trouble as gb had wit"h the two trees.

Nest Story: Coyote and the Two Trees