1. The Coyote.
(cont.)Some believe, however, the Coyote may be sent into the world again ahead of the Old-One, to prepare it for the latter's coming. The Coyote can hear when people speak his name. By rolling over, he causes a north wind, which makes the weather cold on earth. He is also said to cause rain by urinating.
According to the Nakamtci'nEmux Coyote lived for many winters in the Nicola Valley, at a place called "Coyote's Underground Lodge.' He hunted elk and deer in the winter-time, and in the early fall he fished for salmon (or perhaps other fish) at a place a little above Spences Bridge, where he had a weir across the Thompson River, the place being named “Coyote's Weir.” It is located about six miles above Spences Bridge, where there are some bars and an island in the river.
Coyote had many wives at different times, and at least four sons who used to live with him at Nicola. They were known collectively as Tsamo'xe.
Individually their names were, the eldest, KwisLsê'ltse; the Second, Kwistsemo’xe; the third, Kwistx?'`ai; and .the youngest, Kwox'x'`e.While Coyote was travelling about on earth making transformations, he gave names to different parts of the country. He would make a hill here, a bench or plain there; a rocky bluff here, a grassy slope there; bushes or trees of certain kinds here, and there widen or narrow a river, snake shallow or deep water, make canyons, falls, and rapids; and so on. These thins were supposed to be for the good of the people. Most of the place-names of each country were thus given by Coyote, and are therefore very old. Only a few names have been given to places by Indians since that time; and these, of course, are modern. He also made or defined many, if not all, of the boundaries between tribes. Some of these are not now known exactly. He also gave people personal names; and all the old family names are supposed to have been given by him, and are therefore very ancient. Some personal names are modern, and originated among the Indians in later days. Some think Coyote also caused the various tribes to speak different languages.
2. NLi' kEsentem.1
This story is identical with "NLi'ksentem" of the "Traditions of the Thompson River Indians,' p. 21, from the beginning to end of the 32d line on p. 26. The only addition is that Coyote, besides the sons made of clay, pitch, and stone, made a fourth one of wood, which became a true man, and was afterward named NLi'kEsentem. . The first son dissolved, the second melted, and the third sank or was drowned.
1. Compare also Shuswap, p. 622, Uta'mqt, p. 205, also Hill-Tout, Report of the Committee on the Ethnological Survey of Canada, in Reports of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, 1899, p. 55.
