Oct., 1903. Arapaho Traditions — Dorsey and Kroeber. 55 



again called Nih'a"qa"; but the dwarf answered: "1 must shoot now. 

 When once I have taken up my bow and arrows I must shoot, or I lose 

 my power." Then he lifted his arrow and aimed and shot. As • 

 Nih'a^qa" saw the huge tree coming toward him through the air, he 

 began to yell and run this way and that ; but he did not know where to 

 go, for whichever way he turned, he saw the arrow turning and heading 

 in the same direction. It continued to come nearer him, point on. 

 Then he threw himself on the soft ground. The tree struck him on the 

 body and forced him deep into the hill, so that only his head projected. 

 The arrow stuck fast, wedging him in. The dwarf came over 

 to him and, having reproved him for doubting his ability, helped him 

 out, and cured him by touching and rubbing all the injured parts of his 

 body. Then Nih'a°ga" went on his way.^ — K. 



20. — Nih'a^ca^ and Coyote. 



Nih'a"(;a'* went down the river and met Coyote. "Well, partner, 

 it makes me mad when I hear that you are a cunning creature. Let us 

 have a contest now," said Nib'sL^c^a". "Well, no ! Keep still Nih'a^ga" ! 

 I know that you are a tricky creature," said Coyote. "No! We must 

 have this contest to find out who is the smartest." said Nih'a"ga". "No! 

 I cannot do it. You are too tricky for me,' said Coyote, walking 

 away. 



Nih'a"ga" went around Coyote and lay down as a buffalo cow in 

 front of him. Coyote went around the buffalo cow (Nih'a'^Qa") and 

 smelled of him. "Oh, don't do that," said Coyote. So Nih'a°ga" went 

 around Coyote and lay down as an elk in front of him. Coyote went 

 around and smelled of the elk from the leeward side, but it was still 

 Nih'a"ga". "Oh, don't do that, Nih'a^ga"^," said Coyote.- Niha^ga" now 

 went around and lay down in front of him as an antelope. Coyote 

 went around to the leeward side and smelled of it, but it was still 

 ;Nih'a"^a'^. ' Oh, don't do that, Nih'a'^ga"," said Coyote. Nih'a"9a" now 

 went around and lay down in front of him as a deer. Coyote went 

 around to the leeward side and smelled of him, but it was still Nih'a"ga°. 

 "Oh, don't do that, Nih'a^ga","^ said Coyote. 



"Well, I am going to see if I can trap my partner, Nih'a^^a"," said 

 Coyote. So Coyote went around Nih'a^^a"^ and became a woman sit- 

 ting on the ground with a robe on. "Where are you going, woman, 

 what is the matter with you," said Nih'a^ga''. "My mother scolded me 

 and I didn't like it, so I wandered off," said the woman. "She told me 

 to go to my brother, Nih'a°qa°." "Oh, you are mistaken, I am your 



' The Gros Ventre have a similar storv. 



