COYOTE GOES FISHING. gI 
55. COYOTE GOES FISHING.* 
One time Coyote went out hunting along the river and saw some one 
walking along its banks, carrying something on his back. When he 
came nearer he saw that it was a man carrying afish. Coyote came to 
him, and said: ‘‘ How do you do, my friend? Where are you going? 
Where have you been? Where did you get that big snake?’’ ‘‘ Well,”’ 
said the man, ‘‘I have been out fishing- nearly all night, and finally I 
caught this fish. I was so tired that I did not care to catch another.”’ 
‘“What!’’ said Coyote, ‘‘do you call that a fish? How did you get 
hold of it?’’ ‘‘ Well,’’ said the man, ‘‘I will tell you how to get 
them. When evening comes go down along the edge of the river and 
break a place in the ice just big enough to put your tailin, and stay 
there until I come to see you again.’’ ‘That same evening Coyote 
went to the place and found the man waiting for him. It was getting 
-dark. The man told Coyote to sit down by the edge of the water, 
while he was breaking the ice. Coyote did as the man told him. He 
did not know that this was a man whom he had tricked some time 
before and that he was trying to get revenge. The man left Coyote 
sitting by the bank fishing all that cold night. Toward the middle of 
the night the water began to freeze on Coyote’s tail, and toward morn- 
ing the ice got thicker and thicker, and when morning came Coyote 
tried to get up from his seat, for he was very tired, but he could not. 
There he was, trying in every way to get free, but he could not move. 
When the man came he said to Coyote: ‘‘ How are you getting along ? 
Are you catching any fish?’’ Coyote replied: ‘‘ I think I have caught 
two or three of them, but can you help me to get them out on dry 
Jand?’’ ‘‘ Yes,’’ said the man, ‘‘ of course I will, although I want to 
talk to you before we get the fish out of the water. You remember 
that a long time ago you were one of my best friends, but finally you 
tricked me, and now I am getting even with you. You will have to 
-die, for I am going to kill you.’’ ‘‘ My friend,’’ said Coyote, ‘‘I think 
you are mistaken. Ido not think I am the man who played the mean 
trick on you. You know very well that I never betray my friends 
while I am able to see. If you will let me go this time I will go and 
bring the man you are looking for, and I will come back to-morrow 
evening and assure you that I am your friend.’’ ‘‘ But,’’ said the 
man, ‘‘I do not see how you are going to get loose to go, do you? I 
will look for the other man myself, and I will do to him just as I am 
-going to do to you.’’ ‘The man went back to his lodge to get his bow 
and arrows. When he returned to Coyote he took one of the arrows 

* Told by Wing. 
