''boas'^] coyote myth TRANSLATION. 105 



defecated aud said to his excrements: "Why have the salmon disap- 

 peared?" Coyote received the answer: "I told you, you lean one, that 

 the salmon has many taboos. When you go fishing and it is ebb-tide 

 early in the morning, you must not lay your net before sunrise. The 

 salmon must not be carried outside until a crow takes one and carries 

 it outside. Then it must be distributed raw. No fire must be made 

 until daylight; the breast must not be eaten before the next day. 

 When salmon are roasted at a fire and they are done, water must be 

 poured into the fire," He said to his excrements: "You have told me 

 enough. The Indians shall always do this way. Thus shall be the 

 taboos for all generations of Indians. Even I got tired." 



Thus spoke Coyote about the taboos of Clatsop. He said to his 

 cousins: "We will move to the other side." The newt made herself 

 ready. Then the snake looked at the frog, who was growling. Tlie 

 snake reached her, struck, and killed her. 



Now they arrived here on this side. They went fishing and killed 

 salmon. He did the same way as in Clatsop. He strewed sand on the 

 eye of that salmon. He pressed its eye. Then they intended to fish 

 again, but they did not kill anything. They went home. On the fol 

 lowing morning they went again fishing, but they did not kill anything. 

 On the next morning they went fishing again, but they did not kill 

 anything. Coyote scolded. He defecated: " Why have these salmon 

 disappeared?" "Oh, you foolish Coyote. When you kill a salmon you 

 must kick it. Do you think it is the same here as at Clatsop?" "Oh," 

 said Coyote. On the next morning they went fishing again. They 

 laid their net and caught two salmon. They laid their net again and 

 caught three salmon. He threw one ashore. It fell down head first, 

 so that the mouth struck the sand. They tried to lay their net again, 

 but they did not kill anything. They tried to fish until the flood tide 

 set in. They had not killed anything. They had caught five only. 

 They went home. In the evening Coyote cut the salmon and roasted 

 them. They were done. The following morning they went fishing, but 

 did not kill anything. Coyote scolded. He defecated: "Why have 

 these salmon disappeared?" "Oh, you foolish Coyote. Do you think 

 it is the same here as at Clatsop? Do not throw salmon ashore so 

 that the head is downward. It is taboo. When you kill a salmon go and 

 pick salmonberries. When you have caught many salmon put salmon - 

 berries into the mouth of each." "Oh, you have told me enough," he 

 said to his excrements. The next morning they again went fishing. 

 They killed many salmon. He sent the newt to pick salmonberries. 

 The newt brought the salmonberries. Now they put those berries into 

 the mouths of those salmon. It got day and they went fishing again. 

 They met fishermen on the water. A short distance down river they 

 laid their net. They laid it several times and went up the river a short 

 distance. They passed the canoes of those fishermen. They laid their 

 net and intended to fish, but they did not kill anything. They were 



