COYOTE IMITATES HIS HOST. 93 
57. COYOTE IMITATES HIS HOST.* 
In the days of old, when animals were like people and talked and visited 
each other, Coyote and Raven were great friends. One day after Coyote 
had grown weary of hunting for game and finding none, he went up to 
the top of the mountain to see his friend Raven. Raven had control 
of the buffalo and was always seen with the herds. (Now, since the 
buffalo has gone from the earth, Raven has disappeared and is seldom 
seen any more.) Raven invited Coyote to enter, and when he saw 
Coyote weary and sad and silent he arose, took an arrow, shot it up 
into the air, and then stood waiting for ittocomedown. It came down 
and pierced him under the right arm. He drew the arrow out and with 
it came buffalo meat and fat. He gave the meat to Coyote, who ate 
heartily. Then Coyote smacked his mouth, arose, and said that he must 
be going, but before he went he gave Raven an urgent invitation to come 
over and make him a visit, and Raven promised to come. 
When Coyote went home he began making a bow and arrow, and when 
he had finished them he put them away until Raven should visit him. 
One day Raven bethought himself of his promise, and so he left his home 
in haste to pay Coyote a visit. Coyote received him with joy. After 
they had talked about many things Coyote said: ‘‘I have no meat, for 
I did not expect you, but if you will wait I will soon have some for 
you.’’ Coyote took his bow and arrow and shot the arrow into the sky, 
then stood waiting for it to come down. Raven watched him and said 
never a word. The arrow came down and struck in Coyote’s thigh. 
He ran away screaming with pain and left his guest alone. Raven 
waited a while and then went home without any meat, but in very high 
spirits notwithstanding, for Coyote’s performance amused him greatly 
and he chuckled to himself as often as he thought of it. Coyote con- 
tinued to run until he pulled the arrow out of his thigh ; then he took 
the arrow and broke it to pieces. He never went back to see Raven, 
and time passed on and none of Coyote’s friends saw him, and they all 
wondered what had become of him. At last he grew so hungry that he 
had to go out for food. He found none, and so he went to visit another 
one of his friends, for he had many. Black-Mountain-Bear received 
him graciously when he came to his home and asked himin. Bear said: 
‘‘T regret that I have no meat to offer you.’’ As he spoke he leaned 
against a persimmon tree that was weighted down with many ripe per- 
simmons, and as he leaned against the tree the ripe fruit fell to the 
ground. Bear smiled and asked his friend to eat. Coyote ate many, 
* Told by Wing. 
