Page:Kutenai Tales.djvu/300

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Boas]
Kutenai Tales
285

Boas, Sagen Franz Boas, Indianische Sagen von der

Nord-Pacifischen Kiiste Amerikas. Ciirtin, Creation Myths Jeremiah Curtin, Creation Myths of Primi- tive America.

Curtin, Modoc .Jeremiah Curtin, Myths of the Modocs.

Curtis, N. A. Indians Edward S. Curtis, The North American

Indians.

Cushing, Folk Tales Frank Hamilton Cushing, Zuni Folk Tales.

Dahnhardt, Natursagen Oskar Dahnhardt, Natursagen.

Grinnell, Lodge Tales George Bird Grinnell, Blackfoot Lodge

Tales. Leland Charles G. Leland, The Algonquin Legends

of New England. Matthews Washington Matthews, Ethnography and

Philology of the Hidatsa (Misc . Publ . No .

7, U. S. Geol(^ical Survey, F. V. Hayden

in charge).

Meniam C. Hart Merriam, The Dawn of the World.

Petitot Emile Petitot, Traditions Indiennes du

Canada Nord-Ouest.

Rand S. T. Rand, Legends of the Micmacs.

Russell, Expl. in Far North Frank Russell, Explorations in the Far

North (University of Iowa, 1898).

Schoolcraft, Hiawatha H. R. Schoolcraft, The Myth of Hiawatha

(Philadelphia, 1856).

1. The Sun (4 versions: Nos. 33, 48, 54, and VAEU 23:161). First Version.— Coyote . 49 asks Chicken Hawk to accompany him to the place where the Sun is being made. Coyote wants to try first to act as the Sun. Chicken Hawk tells him that on their way they will, pass grease, and that in passing he may take one bite. Coyote dis- obeys, takes more than one bite, and the grease f^-lls down and rolls down a precipice with Coyote. They reach the place where the Sun is being made. Coyote walks along the sky, but is found unsatisfactory. Chicken Hawk follows, andisfownd to he a good Sun.^ Coyote is envious and tries to shoot hiin.^ His bow and arrows catch fire, and the earth begins to burn. He lies down on a trail, which does not burn, and he is saved. ^

Second Version. — ^The animals try who is to be the Sun. When Raven acts as the 67 Sun, it is dark. When Chicken Hawk tries, the sky is yellow. When Coyote tries, it is hot. He tells everything he sees. WTien he returns, they tell him that he is too hot and too talkative. A woman has two childreu, who arrive, and try in their turn. When the first, one goes along the sky, it is comfortable; and when the sun sets, it is 69 cool.. He is selected as Sun. The younger brother is selected to act as the Moon.^ Coyote is envious and shoots the Sun at sunrise. ^ His arrow catches fire, the earth begins to bum, and he saves himself by lying down on a trail. For this reason trails do nx)t bum.^

Third Version. — Coyote and Ya.uk"eikam are traveling along. Ya.uk"eika*m 111 tells Coyote that they will pass a piece of fat, and that he may take one bite. After they pass, Coyote, turns back in order to have another bite, and the fat rolls down. He runs after it. The fat falls into the water and sinks. When he goes back on his tracks, all the fat has been transformed into white stone. In order to get the fat that

1 See discussion in Boas RBAE 31 :727 (references to Okanagon, Shuswap, Thompson, Tsimshian, Wasco, Wishrara); see also, Coeur d'Aldne (Teit MAFLS 11:123). « Shoshoni ( Lowie PaAM 2:252, 253) .

Ute (Powell RBAE 1:52).

» Thompson (Teit MAFLS 6:39, 74).