COYOTE, THE PLUM TREES, AND THE GRAPE VINES. 465 
said: ““Go your way. All of your people will have a short membrum. 
It was never intended that you should have a long one. Now go.” 
Coyote went on, and he found that all the others were in a condition 
similar to his. If that little insect had not performed the operation, all 
the male people would have had a membrum which would reach around 
their waists. In scattering the pieces he gave us plums and other berries 
over the land. 
143. THE SKUNKS AND THE BEAVERS.’ 
There was a prairie, and upon this prairie were two lodges. In one 
lodge lived the Skunks. In the other lodge lived the Beavers. The 
Skunks became very hungry and they sent their people out to find some- 
thing to eat, but they could not find anything. The old Skunk said: 
“Brothers, I have a plan whereby we can obtain something to eat.” All 
the Skunks said: ‘‘What is it?’ Then the old Skunk said: ‘‘Let our 
old woman go to the lodge of the Beavers and ask the Beavers to 
send one of their doctors to treat our young one.’”’ The Skunks agreed 
to do this. The little Skunk lay down and pretended to be sick; then 
the old woman was sent to the lodge of the Beavers. First the Skunk 
woman entered the lodge of the Beavers and sang, and in this song she 
said : 
I came for you, medicine-man of the Beavers; 
I left a young Skunk behind very sick, 
She is rolling upon the ground with pain. 
All the Beavers said that it was too bad and that they would send 
White-Beaver, who knew all kinds of diseases. Said they: ‘‘Go and tell 
your people that White-Beaver will come to doctor the young Skunk.”’ 
The old woman Skunk went back to the lodge of the Skunks, and as she 
entered the lodge she said: ‘‘ Now lie down and be very sick.’’ Then the 
other Skunks came and pretended to help hold the young Skunk, who was 
rolling about on the ground. Aftera while White-Beaver came into the 
lodge and went near the young Skunk. Then White-Beaver said: ‘‘The 
young Skunk is suffering with pain. Where is the pain?’ ‘Then the 
oldest Skunk said: ‘‘The pain comes from the Skunk’s rectum.”” White- 
Beaver then pressed his hand upon the Skunk’s rectum, and said: ‘‘It is 
true. The young Skunk’s rectumisinbadshape. Itisswollen.” Then 
White-Beaver said: ‘‘I will suck it with my mouth. I will draw out the 
pain from the rectum.’’ Asthe Beaver placed his mouth upon the rectum 
of the Skunk, the young Skunk madea discharge, so that the Beaver rolled 
1Told by Little-Chief, Pitahauirat. The storyis told to teach the children 
that the beaver family is a medicine family, but that the skunks have greater power 
than the beavers. 
