SELISH MYTHS. 



25 



ö-huist'-/lu' 

 he walked away 

 /läk'-tshilsht 

 he sat down 

 Kä-li^ts' 

 They awoke 

 Se'-tsish-tshel', 

 What is the matter, 

 kle'-ke-o'-vi-tse 

 we ate all 



We'-köl-kwe'-tshi-Dä', 

 Talked one, 

 Kwerat'-po-min-tsü^. 

 The 11 they all scattered 



sen'-tshe-le 

 the Coyote 



[and] 



tshil-küt' 

 a Short distance 

 we-/l-stla'-/lsht. 

 he looked at them. 

 /Iii-hiü'-hue-/ult3. 

 all the birds aud animals. 

 ha'-/le 

 already 

 ü'-ke-titsh'? 

 before we went to sleep? 



ta'-sin-sö-huf-ne-min-tem^ 

 they could not understaud him. 



THE COYOTE AXD THE MUD-HEX. 



The Coyote Avas one time compelled to hnut for food, 

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

 great variety of water fowl ouly a short distance froni land, 

 but still too much exposed to be approached without de- 

 tection. He found some broad leaves ofrowins^ 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 doiug with that 

 load ou 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 



