The Coyote was the most powerful in magic, the cleverest, the most cunning, and the wisest of all the ancients. Yet He sometimes made mistakes, and was often selfish, boastful, revengeful, foolish, and licentious. He was the greatest of all transformers, and did many good and beneficial works. He was sent into the world by the Old-one to put it right, and was specially active in the N'Lak·a'pamux, Shuswap, and 0kanagon countries. He did not travel, or do any work, in tile Coast region, where the Qwa'qtqwaL and others performed, although he went down there two or three times to bring up salmon. It seems he had nothing to do with transformations along the coast, and never interfered with the Transformers there. Neither would he let the Transformers of the coast interfere with, or travel through, his sphere of work. He did most of his feats when of middle age, and he lived a long time on earth. It is said he travelled very far toward the south and east, and some say he reached the borders of the earth. He is said to have been a man of very light complexion, tall, and lean, and a fluent and persuasive orator. In conversation he had a peculiarity of speech, caused by puckering his mouth, and mispronouncing certain sounds. At other times he spoke very deeply, using his throat a great deal; but he could change his voice any way he liked, and could speak all languages. It is supposed he lived with the Old-One before coming to earth, and that, when his time was up, he joined the Old-One again. It is thought he lives in the same place3 as the latter, but not in the same house. Others, again, say that he lives in the far north, at the edge of the earth, much beyond the host northern of human habitations .4 Here the Old-One prepared a house of transparent ice for him to dwell in, and put a log inside which burns forever. The aurora is the light of the Coyote's fire shining through the ice, or its reflection cast up by the ice. In this place he awaits the call of the Old-One to join him when he shall return to earth.
MYTHS AND TALES FROM NICOLA VALLEY AND FRASER RIVER. 1
I. - COYOTE TALES.
1. The Coyote. 2
1 Unless otherwise noted, the following tales are from Nicola Valley (Tcawa'xamux)
2 Compare Traditions of the Thompson River Indians, p. 20; also Shuswap, p. 622; Ut?'mqt, p. 105.
3 The sky, or the upper world, is meant.
4 Some Indians who have heard of expeditions to discover the north pole, not understanding the object properly, think that he whites are merely in search of the Coyote's house, only they do not like to say so. This, they say, will never be found, for the Old-One has mode it among impenetrable ice.TOP