Once upon a time Coyote visited Kingfisher. Since Kingfisher had no food, he went out, carrying a withe. He climbed a tree, uttered the Kingfisher's cry, and dived through a hole in the ice. Soon lie emerged, carrying a fish. lie repeated this four times. He strung the fish on the withe, returned to the lodge, and cooked them for Coyote, who ate until he was satiated. On leaving, Coyote invited Kingfisher to visit him. When Kingfisher entered Coyote's house, he saw nothing to eat. Coyote went out, and Kingfisher watched him. Coyote cut a willow withe on which to carry the fish. He fitted to his nose a long piece of pitch-wood, which was to serve as a beak. He climbed a tree overhanging a shallow hole from which he used to draw water. He uttered the Kingfisher's cry and dived down into the hole. He broke his nose and his head in the hole. Kingfisher laughed at the bungling Coyote. Then he caught some fish for him, so that they might eat.
Coyote had been traveling about somewhere to the south, where he had met Elk chief, who gave him one of his daughters to wife. He told him, "If you are hungry, you may take a bite of meat from your wife's rump, which will heal over each time. However, you must not bite her before four nights have passed, and after that not more than once a day." Coyote was traveling north, and had reached the Nicola country. He hunted on the way, but could get no game: therefore he was hungry. He said, "Why should I have an Elk wife and not eat her? Why should I wait when I am hungry?" He snapped at his wife, but she ran away. He followed, and coaxed her back. In the evening, when they camped, he jumped at his wife and bit her. She ran away and became an elk, that lived in the Nicola country. Coyote went on alone, and came to the Thompson River. Ever since that time elks have been numerous in the Nicola country.
Once Coyote changed himself into a baby. Some women Who were picking berries near by heard him crying. They said, "Some woman must have been picking berries here, ands has forgotten her child; let us take it home!" They camped on the way home, and put the child between them to keep it warm. In the morning the baby was gone, and they felt itchy. They also felt their bellies wet. They examined themselves, and found some Coyote hairs. They began to swell; and when they reached home, and were just in the entrance to their lodges, they gave birth to children.
Coyote was travelling, and came to a country where many tatu'En roots5 grew. He was hungry, and could find no game, nor could he see any lodges or people. He cut a stick to serve as a root-digger, and said, " I will dig some roots and eat them." He saw a large one, and dug it out. Wind rushed up through the hole, and he could see people walking way down below. He put the plant back again. He dug another one, and the same thing happened. He must have been in the sky country, and these roots were stars.
Coyote killed some young ground-squirrels, and made a hole in which to bake them. He stood waiting for them to be done. He noticed a rock near by, and thought, "I am tired of standing; why should I not sit down?" He sat down. Again he felt tired, and said, "This rock feels, soft and comfortable; why should I not recline on it?" He leaned back and fell asleep. When he woke up, he saw Fox eating the squirrels. He tried to get up, but the rock held him. He said, "Leave some for me, Brother Fox!" But Fox ate all the squirrels, and went away. After a long time, Coyote was released, and gave chase to Fox. He found him sleeping in some tall grass. He set fire to the grass. Coyote thought he had killed him, but Fox escaped in the smoke. His skin was scorched. Since then the fox has been of a reddish color. The stone on which Coyote lay may still be seen in the Lower Nicola Valley. The central part is hollowed out, and there is just enough room in the cavity for a person to recline. The mark of Coyote's seat is on a stone near by, and on another stone are the marks of his feet where he stood. It is not known who released Coyote. Some say Fox made the stone seize Coyote, and afterwards release him. Some say that the stone did not actually seize Coyote, but that Fox caused Coyote to stick to it.
1 RBAE 31 : 699; this volume, pp. 164, 181. BRAE 58 : 294.
2 RBAE 31 : 696.
3 BBAE 59: 301 (note 2); this volume. pp. 67, 70, 101, 139.
4 BBAE 59: 319 (note 2).
5 Claytonia sp.
6 BBAE 31 : 675, 676; BBAE 59 : 295 (note 2).
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