506 THE PAWNEE: MYTHOLOGY. 
help himself to meat. He remains several days, becoming fat. He starts home 
with load of meat, which his wife prepares, and they invite leading men of village to 
feast. Coyote again goes to girl’s home, and is again given meat, which he takes 
home. As he returns for meat third time he is accompanied by another Coyote, 
who has begged permission to follow him. As brothers are absent and Coyotes are 
hungry, they ask girl if they may swing her and not await her brothers’ return. 
They swing her. She nearly disappears from sight. So many buffalo come that 
Coyotes are scared and run into tipi. Buffalo return to west and Coyotes go home. 
Coyote again goes after meat, but sister has disappeared and brothers are hunting 
her. Crow suspects Coyote and tells him that he must help them tofindher. Again 
birds are sent out and told not to return without having found girl. Allreturn except 
Blackbird, who reports next day that girl was with buffalo. On following day 
Eagle, Hawk, Crow, and Blackbird are selected to go after girl. They find buffalo 
playing ring and javelin game, girl being ring. This enrages Blackbird, who reports 
what he has seen. Coyote asks them to besmear him with pine pitch, except his 
feet. Coyote leads rescuing party, composed of Badger, Rabbit, Fox, Prairie 
Chicken, Crow, Blackbird, Magpie, Hawk, and Eagle, Blackbird acting as guide. 
Having gone distance, Badger digs hole for Fox, another one for Rabbit, and farther 
on one for Coyote. Coyote approaches gaming ground. Buffalo are about to hook 
him, but one calls attention to his pitiable condition, so he is unmolested. As ring 
rolls close to Coyote he gapes and tells ring to come closer. Next, ring rolls straight 
to Coyote, who passes it to Rabbit, who runs on and enters his hole, where he passes 
it to Fox. Thus ring is passed to Prairie Chicken and to other birds, buffalo follow- 
ing. Last to receive ring is Eagle, who flies up with it into heavens, whereupon 
buffalo decide to scatter over land and allow themselves to be killed. Girl is re- 
stored to her people, whom she tells that each year maiden must be sacrificed, or 
otherwise buffalo would not offer themselves to people. 
71. WOOD-RAT-WOMAN WHO WISHED TO BE MARRIED. 
Young Eagle chief visits village where he falls in love with young girl, who easily 
surpasses other girls in bringing wood from timber, on account of her magic crook 
and pack straps. Going home he tells his father of girl, and his father moves his 
village near village of girl. Their marriage takes place. She continues to bring 
home from timber neat loads of dry cottonwood sticks. She meetsold woman, who 
gives her roots which cause her to sleep. Old woman blows her skin off from her 
waist up and throws girl into water, while old woman thereafter takes girl’s place. 
She soon emits bad odor. Otter is sent for to doctor her, and, failing, Beaver is 
sent for, and then Buzzard, who recognizes old woman as Wood-Rat and orders 
them to burn her. Young man mourns by creek four days and recovers his wife. 
72. THE WITCH-WOMAN WHO WISHED TO BE MARRIED. 
Young man marries beautiful young girl by name of White Duck. Old woman 
becomes jealous of girl and kills her by thrusting dogwood stick into her ear, which 
she does while girl is in timber after wood. She then clothes herself in girl’s skin, 
throws girl into water, and returns and takes girl’s place in tipi. She becomes sick, 
medicine-men are sent for, Raven recognizes her and orders her burned up. Young 
man mourns his wife and flies into sky as Hawk. 
