SELISH MYTHS. 



25 



o-hulst'-^lu' sen'-tshe'-le / 



he walked away the Coyote 

 /lak'-tshilsht 

 he sat down 

 Ka-%ts' 

 They awoke 



Se'-tsish-tsheT, 

 What is the matter, 

 kle'-kS-o'-vl-tse 

 we ate all 



We'-kol-kwe'-tshi-na; 



Talked one, 

 Kwemt'-po-min-tsu^t. 

 Then they all scattered. 



tshil-kut' 

 a short distance 



[and] he looked at them, 



/lu-hui'-hue-xfults. 

 all the birds and animals. 



already 



ii'-ke-titsh'? 

 before we went to sleep ? 



ta'-sm-so-hui'-n6-mm-tein'. 

 they could not understand him. 



THE COYOTE AND THE MUD-HEN. 



THE Coyote was one time compelled to hunt for food, 

 and while strolling along the shore of a lake, observed a 

 great variety of water fowl only a short distance from land, 

 but still too much exposed to be approached without de- 

 tection. He found some broad leaves growing in the water, 

 took a quantity of them with which he covered his body, 

 and crawled slowly along the edge of the water to the 

 point opposite, and nearest to, the birds. The Swan caught 

 sight of the Coyote as he was approaching and called out 

 to him, saying, " Coyote, what are you doing with that 

 load on your back?" to which the Coyote replied, "That 

 is my music." " That is queer looking music," said the 

 Swan, "let us hear your song, so that we may learn to 

 know your voice." " I cannot do it now," the Coyote re- 

 plied, " but if you will come to my lodge this evening, 

 which I shall build here on the bank, I will sing for you 

 and we can have a dance." The birds agreed to come, and 



ESSEX INST. BULLETIN, VOL. XV. 3 



