228 TALES OF READY-TO-GIVE. 
people stepped upon her belly they made the water run from her genital. 
She was left there, and that is why we have springs near the banks of the 
streams of water. If the young man had not beaten the old woman 
in diving there would still be witches in the country, and they would be 
killing people. 
70. THE GIRL WHO CALLED THE BUFFALO.’ 
In a certain village, where Coyote and his wife were living, the people 
became hungry. Coyote’s name was ‘‘Shield-with-Buffalo-Hoofs.”’ His 
wife, who was Spider-Woman, had around her waist a tanned buffalo 
skin. Hoof-Shield went hunting every day, and when he returned, being 
hungry, he would call his wife, and say, ‘‘Old woman, let me cut a 
piece from your dress that I may eat it, for I am very hungry.” The 
old woman would let Hoof-Shield cut a piece off from her dress every day. 
Finally the woman objected, for she had but a small piece left to cover 
herself with. She scolded Hoof-Shield and told him that he ought to 
hunt like other men. 
One morning Hoof-Shield told his wife that he was going hunting, and 
as she arose he cut a piece from her dress and ate it. He then started 
onahunt. He went farinto the country, but found no game. He kept 
on until one evening he smelled burnt beef. He followed the smell for 
four days and at last he came to a high hill. He went upon the hill to 
look about, and from a thick timber in a valley to the south he saw smoke 
rising. He could also see the tips of the tipi poles. As he was very hun- 
gry he went to the place. When he reached the tipi he heard no stir- 
ring around, and so he stopped. A woman inside spoke and said: ‘‘Why 
do you stand outside? Come in.’’ He raised the entrance flap and 
entered. Matted sweet grass was spread all around the tipi. At the 
west of the fireplace sat a pretty young girl. Hoof-Shield said to her: 
‘“My granddaughter, I came from a far distant country where the people 
are starving, and I am starving. I want something to eat.” The girl 
said her brothers were not yet there, but that he should have something 
to eat assoon astheycame. He looked around in the tipi, but could see 
nothing to eat. The girl said: ‘‘My brothers are now coming.”’ 
There was a peculiar noise in the sky and presently a Bald Eagle 
came through the tipi and sat down by the girl. The Eagle looked 
around and said: ‘‘Why, grandfather is here. I know he is hungry. 
*Told by Thief, Kitkehahki. The tale teaches children that they should always 
be on the lookout for something to eat, and that they must have higher aims in life 
than pushing girls in a swing. The fact that the coyote, magpie, and buffalo are 
associated together teaches that whenever one or other of these animals is seen the 
other can not be far off. 
