32 SELISII MYTHS. 



and after they had filled their bellies, the Elk and his son 

 left for home. 



Next day the Coyote said to his youngest son , " Let us 

 call on our neighbor, the Bear, and see how he lives." So 

 after telling his wife of his plan, the Coyote and his son 

 started, and after a long journey, reached the Bear's lodge. 

 Then the Bear welcomed his visitors, when the Coyote 

 said " I do not see anything to eat, and we are hungry after 

 our long walk." The Bear then got down a large knife, and 

 after sharpening the edge against another stone, 1 walked 

 up to his wife and, grasping her by the hip, cut out some 

 large slices of meat, which was soon broiled on the coals 

 and served. The Bear then took up a handful of earth 

 which he rubbed over the wound on his wife's hip, when 

 it instantly healed and was covered with hair as before. 

 Then the Bear said, "This is the way I always provide 

 myself with meat when I am away from home and get hun- 

 gry." After they had all filled their bellies with Bear's 

 meat, the Coyote rose to go, and said, "Bear, come and 

 see me to-morrow, and see how I live." "Yes," responded, 

 the Bear, "I will come and see you to-morrow." 



Next morning, the Bear with the youngest of his five 

 sons, called at the Coyote's lodge and was welcomed. Af- 

 ter a short time the Coyote arose and got a knife, which 

 he sharpened on another stone, as he had seen the Bear do ; 

 went up to his wife, grasped her by the hip, and cut her 

 almost to pieces during which she screamed with pain. 

 Then the Bear cried, " Stop ! stop ! why are you doing that ? 

 I do not think you ever tried that before. It is my prac- 

 tice always to do that when lam away from home and get 

 hungry, but you have never tried it before." Then the 

 Bear took the knife and cut a large quantity of meat from 



1 It is evident from the use of this term that stone knives were used at the time 

 to which the myth relates. 



