ABSTRACTS. 545 
142, COYOTE, THE PLUM TREES, AND THE GRAPE VINES. 
At first Coyotes have membrum long enough to go around their waist. They 
would conceal themselves on banks, sending them into water to fool women, who 
would flee, thinking them snakes. Chief Coyote one day hears noise in ground, 
unwinds his membrum, and sticks it into hole. It is gnawed into pieces. He digs, 
recovers pieces, and throws handful in one direction, commanding that plum trees 
shall grow. He orders another handful thrown in another direction, which shall 
produce grape vines. Another handful produces berry bushes, and again from 
another handful rise nut trees. Whereuponinsect in ground tells him that thereafter 
Coyotes shall no longer have long membrums, 
143. THE SKUNKS AND THE BEAVERS. 
Skunks become hungry and plan to secure food by strategy. They send old 
woman to Beavers’ lodge, asking them to send medicine-man to doctor young 
Skunk. Beavers send White Beaver, who enters Skunks’ lodge. In attempting to 
draw pain from pretending sick Skunk with his mouth, he is told that pain is in 
rectum, whereupon he receives discharge, rolls over, and is killed by older Skunks. 
Thus they obtain food. Next day they resort to same plan, sending old woman to 
Beavers for medicine-man. She tells them that man who was sent day before was so 
ashamed of his incompetence that he wandered off. They send another medicine- 
man, who is killed in same manner. Thus one after another of Beavers is killed by 
Skunks, until there is only one left. This Beaver becoming lonely, goes to creek 
and cries. Diving bird takes him into water, where he finds lodge of Beavers which 
have been killed. Since then Beavers live in water and are at enmity with Skunks. 
People are careful to throw beaver bones into water that they may again become 
beavers. 
144. HOW WILD-CAT KILLED THE BEAR. 
Wild-Cat goes hunting, and Bear comes to her den and eats all her young ones. 
Wild-Cat follows Bear’s trail and calls Bear names. They fight, and Wild-Cat claws 
Bear’s stomach open, removes her young ones, and carriesthem home. Returning 
to dead bear, she finds Coyote, who claims that he is guarding her prey for her. 
Wild-Cat is grateful and presents Coyote with whole bear, who takes it home to his 
family, telling them that he killed bear. Old bear now passes by and Coyote tells 
young ones to escape while he fights him. He then runs away himself until he kills 
himself with fright. 
145. HOW RABBIT LOST HIS TAIL. 
Rabbit loses his tail jumping over willow limb and sings about hisloss. Turtle 
tells him to hunt for his tail among willows where he will find it, but that henceforth 
willow will bear white fur in recognition of event. Rabbit recovers his tail, gives it 
to Turtle, and Turtle restores it. 
146. THE WHITE AND BLACK RATS. 
Two rats hunting for food are addressed by Magpie, who tells Black Rat where 
he will find artichokes, and White Rat where he will find ground nuts. Since then, 
rats have used these for food. 
