434 COYOTE TALES. 
121. COYOTE TRIES TO FOOL THE RAIN-GODS.* 
Coyote traveled over the prairie for many days. He could not find 
any water and so he almost died from thirst. When he could go no far- 
ther he sat down upon the ground and looked to the heavens and said: 
‘‘To you four gods in the west I give my tongue and my heart and the 
best parts of my body if you will send me a little rain.’’ At once clouds 
formed in the west and arainstorm came. The rain began to fall and 
pools of water soon formed over the prairie. Coyote then drank and felt 
refreshed. It still continued torain. Then Coyote said: ‘‘You gods in 
the heavens, I did not ask you forsomuchrain. What shall I doif I give 
to you my heart and tongue and other parts of my body? I cannot get 
more and I need these things in my body. I will not give them to you. 
I take back all that I promised you.’’ New clouds came from the west 
and it began to lighten and thunder and the rain poured from the sky. 
Coyote tried to run, but the water was so deep that he had toswim. Then 
suddenly a hailstorm came and hailstones struck Coyote upon the head 
and killed him. | 
When people go over the prairie and see a dead coyote upon the 
ground they say: ‘‘This coyote fooled the gods and the gods killed him.” 
122. COYOTE AND THE PRIESTS.’ 
The people went hunting; among them were Coyote-Man, Fox-Man, 
and Rabbit-Man. There was also among these people a woman who 
was called Spider-Woman. On the journey these four were always in 
the lead, and if they saw any buffalo they reported the fact to the priests. 
One time these men and this woman were sent out. They saw many 
buffalo. They returned to the priests’ lodge and reported many buffalo. 
The next day the people turned out and surrounded the buffalo. 
When the people had many buffalo and were returning home, Coyote- 
Man took the meat he had to the priests’ lodge. Fox-Man, seeing that 
Coyote-Man went there, also took his meat to the lodge of the priests. 
Rabbit-Man also took his meat there, because the other two had done so. 
Spider-Woman, seeing the men take their meat there, also took her meat 
to the lodge of the priests. The priests took up their rattles and sang 
songs about these people bringing the meat to their lodge: 
1Told by Leading-Sun, Kitkehahki medicine-man. This story is told to teach 
the children that although they may be in dire distress they must never offer them- 
selves up to the gods. 
*Told by Thief, Kitkehahki. This story is told to teach the children that when 
they grow up they should always remember the priests and their bundles; that 
when they kill a buffalo they should take it to the lodge of the priests so that the 
meat might be offered to the gods in the heavens. 
