STEVENSON.) THE SKATONA. 157 



the flower of tlie corn on my head I will eat; I understand that food." 

 The snake quickly prociu'ed some corn pollen, but he pretended to be 

 afraid to go too near the coyote, and stood otf a distance. The coyote 

 told him to come nearer and put it well on the top of his head; but the 

 snake replied, "■[ am afraid of you." The coyote said, "Gome nearer to 

 me; I am not bad," and the snake came closer and put the pollen on 

 the coyote's head and the coyote tried to eat the pollen ; but he had 

 not the tongue of the snake, so could not take it from his head. He 

 made many attempts to reach the top of his head, putting his tongue 

 first on one side of his nose and then ou the other, but he could only 

 reach either side of his nose. His repeated failures made the snake 

 laugh heartily. The snake put his hand over his mouth, so that the 

 coyote should not see him laugh; he really hid his bead in his body. 

 The coyote was not aware that the snake discovered that he could not 

 obtain the food. As he left the snake's house he held his tail in his 

 hand and shook the rattle; and the snake cried, "Oh companion! I am 

 so afraid of you," but in reality the snake shook with laughter. The 

 coyote, returning to his house, said to himself, "T was such a fool ; the 

 snake had much food to eat and I would not take it. Now T am very 

 hungry," and he went out in search of food. 



THE SKATONA. 



The myth of the ska'tona (a monster plumed serpent) who, in the 

 old time, ate the people, is familliar to every man, woman, and child of 

 Sia. This serpent, who lived in the mountains, did not move to catch 

 the people, but drew them to him with his breath; he never called but 

 one person at a time, compelling each one to approach sidewise so that 

 he could not be seen. The hand was usually grabbed first, then the 

 serpent would take the hand into his mouth and gradually devour his 

 victim. 



