56 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. V. 



brother-in-law ; you are not related to me," said Nih'a^ga", "My mother 

 told me plainly that I must come to you, as a sister," said the woman. 

 Nili'a^ga" then grabbed her and laid her on the ground. He was about 

 to have intercourse with her when ^he turned into a coyote and jumped 

 away from him and ran through the brush. "I was just fooling you," 

 said Nih'a°ga". "Yes, but I fooled you all right," said Coyote, howling 

 at him. — D. 



Told by Adopted. The Pawnee have a similar tale. Cf. Nos. 21 and 22. 



21. — Nir'a^^a^^ and Coyote.' 



Nih'a^ga'^ wished to deceive the coyote. He pretended to be an 

 elk lying by the side of the path. The coyote, however, knew that if 

 was Nih'a\a" and passed him by. Then Nih'a'^ga'* went on his way. 

 A person wearing a painted robe came towards him. Nih'a'^qa", think- 

 ing it was a man, said : "My friend, what is your direction?" Then to 

 his surprise he saw that the person was a young woman. At once he 

 began to make love to her. "Do you not know that you are my brother?" 

 she said. Sed postremo victa est. Dum Nih'a°9a^ cum ea coire conatur,, 

 coyote repente in eius anum penem inseruit. Deinde, cum coiisset, 

 fugiens dixit coyote: "Mecum coire te posse putabas, Nih'a"ga°, sed 

 ego te praeverti."- — K. 



22. — Nih'a^ca^ and Coyote.^ 



Nih'a^ga'* was traveling again. He saw a beautiful woman en- 

 gaged in sewing. He could not restrain himself from desiring her. 

 He went to seize her. So he came close. Suddenly she sprang up as 

 the coyote. — K. 



23. — Nih'a'^ca^ and the Deer Women. ^ 



Nih'a"ga" went down the river. As he was going down, two wo- 

 men who were bathing saw him. At once they came out of the river 

 and rolled themselves in mud. Then they stood one on each side. 

 Nih'a'^Qa'* reached one of them. "Stipiti similis est ; sed hie stipes rimam 

 habere videtur, et anum quoque video. Stipitem esse oportet. Cum eo, 

 opinor, coibo. Scrutabor. Sane faciam ; * nam stipes est." Cum autem 

 penem in eum direxit, illinc statim cerva exsiluit. Oh ! old man 



• From informants J. 



' From a text from informant C. 

 ^ » From a text by informant A. 



* Hiikakanan. 



