26 SELISH MYTHS. 



the Coyote immediately left and began to erect his lodge, 

 securing all the coverings and closing all the small openings 

 so as to prevent the escape of any one within, except 

 through the doorway. 



After sunset the birds began to arrive, entered the lodge 

 and took their places around the fire. When all had come, 

 and the lodge was full, the Coyote said " Now we will have 

 to put out the fire so that none of us get burnt by treading 

 on the hot coals." The fire was then extinguished, when 

 the Coyote took his place at the door, telling the birds to 

 dance around in a circle while he sang for them. The 

 Coyote sang, and the birds danced, passing around and by 

 the door where the Coyote was stationed where he grasped 

 the birds, rapidly as possible, by the necks which he broke, 

 throwing the bodies on the outside. After a while one of 

 the Ducks said, " Where are all our dancers, I hear but a 

 few? light the fire so that we may see what is going on." 

 Then the Coyote built another fire that he might catch the 

 other birds, but when they saw their companions lying 

 dead on the outside of the lodge, they cried out that they 

 were being exterminated, and made a rush for the door, 

 the last one to leave being the Mud-Hen, and as it stooped 

 to pass through the door, the Coyote kicked it on the legs 

 so that the joints protrude awkwardly toward the tail even 

 to this day. 



The Ponkashave a myth some what resembling the above, 

 but which has reference to a change of the color of the 

 eyes of the Turkey, which corresponds to the Dakota myth 

 relating to a similar change in the color of the eyes of the 

 Wood Duck. 



HOW THE LYNX GOT HIS BROAD FACE. 

 THERE was a great chief, the Panther, who had a beau- 

 tiful daughter. One day there was a gathering of the 

 whole tribe when each animal tried to obtain her for his 



