254 . THE “MYTHOLOGY OF THE  WiCHITA, 
takably that he wanted to go on top of the ground; that by running on 
top of the ground he would beat the strange man to the goal; that when 
he should have beaten him he would be asked to spare his life in return 
for his powers, but that he (the Coyote) should kill the strange man, 
and not accept his powers. Little-Man also enjoined the Coyote that 
when he should have accomplished all he should not marry, lest by 
marrying he should lose his powers. Little-Man then said that when 
he should have killed the strange man he should gather into one pile 
the bodies and bones of those who had been killed of the men of his 
war-party ; that he should then gather plenty of wood and place it over 
the bodies and bones, then burn the wood; that when the wood should 
get to burning he should call to the men to come out of the fire; and 
that all the men who had been killed would come out right there. 
These were the instructions given to the Coyote. The Coyote told Little- 
Man he knew he could perform all this without making a mistake, for 
he was too old to make any bad mistake. The Coyote then went on 
straight to the west of the village. When he arrived there he went 
direct to the chief’s place and got the chief to call the people together 
at his place, for he had something to tell. The chief ordered a crier 
to tell the people to come to his place. Finally there was a great crowd | 
of people at the chief’s place, and when everybody was present the 
Coyote was invited to tell what he had to say. The Coyote said that he 
had come to their village to learn why the people of the village cried 
so often; that for this reason he had joined himself to the war-party 
that the people had ‘sent out; that as the war-party had come to the 
end of their journey they had met with trouble and had been killed ; 
that he was the only man to escape; that he wanted the people to get 
him buckskin or any other tanned hide which was good enough for 
leggings, shirt, and moccasins, and to make them for him; that he was 
going back to the place where the warriors had been killed and try to 
kill the man who had killed them, and, if possible, restore them to life 
and bring them home. Thus did the Coyote talk to the people, and the 
talk sounded good to them. Immediately the things for which he asked 
were brought, for the people were anxious to see the Coyote save all 
the men whom they had lost. Not only did they make the desired 
clothes, but they made the proper bonnet. So the things were made as 
the Coyote directed. After everything was finished, Little-Man gave to 
the clothing the real appearance of that of the strange man. The Coyote 
now told the people that he was going to the unsafe place where dire 
things happened when it was visited. He then journeyed to the place 
where everybody dies, to see if he too would be killed. He traveled 
