212 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. VIII. 



79. THE COYOTE AND THE GRASSHOPPER.* 



HaHksai! In Orafbi the people were living. At Grasshopper 

 Bluff (Tfitolchomo), the Grasshopper Old Man (T6t6l Wuhtaka) and 

 his wife were living. They had children. At tshmovala lived the 

 Coyote. It was planting time. The Grasshopper had a big field east 

 of where he lived. The two were great friends. When it was plant- 

 ing time the Grasshopper also wanted to plant but he said to his wife 

 that he was not going to plant alone, others were going to help him, 

 so she should put up a good deal of food. She prepared some muh- 

 piki,'' some q6ma,^ and filled a jug with water. All this her husband 

 took on his back, took some seeds, and went to his field. Here he 

 seated himself in the kisi* that he had built in his field and waited, 

 but nobody came. It was nearly noon and still nobody came. So he 

 ate his food all alone. When he had eaten he took the seed, went 

 into the field and planted all alone. In the afternoon it became very 

 hot and he was thirsty, so he returned to the kisi, drank some water 

 and lay down to rest, leaning his feet against the side of the booth. 



While he was lying there in that manner he heard somebody 

 come. It was his friend the Coyote. "Well now," the latter said, 

 "why is my friend lying down that way?" "Yes," the Grasshopper 

 replied, "I am lying here because I am tired. I am afraid this kisi 

 will fall down on me, and how shall I run away?" "Now, let me lie 

 down, too," the Coyote said, so he lay down beside his friend, also 

 leaning his hind feet against the booth. The Grasshopper jumped 

 up then, said that his water in the jug was about gone and he would 

 get some more water. Picking up the jug he went to his house where 

 he found his children. As he was planning some mischief against his 

 friend, he told his children to go before him to their uncle, the Deer, 

 who lived at Cotton Field Mount (Pichmvaschomo). 



The Coyote was, during this time, lying in the kfsi with his hind 

 legs against the timbers of the booth. He waited and waited, and 

 finally became tired. "I guess my friend is not coming," he said, 

 " I guess he lied and it is not true that this kisi will fall down on me. 

 I shall at least try to let go with my feet and quickly jump out." 

 So he did so, and while the booth was shaking it did not fall. "There, " 

 he said, "he just lied to ine. I shall go and eat up his children. " So 



* Told by Macdhongva (Oraibi). 



2 Rolls of thin wafer bread (piki). 

 ^ Meal of sweet com. 



* Shade, shadow, umbrella, etc., in this case a booth or temporary shelter in the field, built of 

 branches and brush. 



