Lake St . Clair , Manabozho saw a number of ducks , and he thought to himself , " Just how am I going to kill them ? " After a while , he took out one of his pails and started to drum and sing at the same time . The words of the song he sang were : When the ducks saw Manabozho standing near the shore , they swam toward him and as soon as he saw this , he sent his grandmother ahead to build a little lodge , where they could live . In the meantime , he killed a few of the ducks , so , while his grandmother started out to build a shelter , Manabozho went towards the lake where the ducks and geese were floating around and around . Manabozho jumped into a sack and then dived into the water . The ducks and geese were quite surprised to see that he was such an excellent diver , and came closer and closer . Then Manabozho challenged them to a contest at diving . He said that he could beat them all . The ducks all accepted the challenge , but Manabozho beat them . Then he went after the geese and beat them too . For a time he was alternately diving and rising to the surface , all around . Finally he dived under the geese and started to tie their legs together with some basswood bark . When the geese noticed this , they tried to rise and fly away , but they were unable to do so , for Manabozho was hanging on to the other end of the string . The geese , nevertheless , managed to rise , gradually dragging Manabozho along with them . They finally emerged While walking along the river he saw some berries in the water . He dived down for them , but was stunned when he unexpectedly struck the bottom . There he lay for quite a while , and when he recovered consciousness and looked up , he saw the berries hanging on a tree just above him . [ 81 ] While Manabozho was once walking along a lake shore , tired and hungry , he observed a long , narrow sandbar , which extended far out into the water , around which were myriads of waterfowl , so Manabozho decided to have a feast . He had with him only his medicine bag ; so he entered the brush and hung it upon a tree , now called " Manabozho tree , " and procured a quantity of bark , which he rolled into a bundle and placing it upon his back , returned to the shore , where he pretended to pass slowly by in sight of the birds . Some of the Swans and Ducks , however , recognizing Manabozho and becoming frightened , moved away from the shore . One of the Swans called out , " Ho ! Manabozho , where are you going ? " To this Manabozho replied , " I am going to have a song . As you may see , I have all my songs with me . " Manabozho then called out to the birds , " Come to me , my brothers , and let us sing and dance . " The birds assented and returned to the shore , when all retreated a short distance away from the lake to an open space where they might dance . Manabozho removed the bundle of bark from his back and placed it on the ground , got out his singing - sticks , and said to the birds , " Now , all of you dance around me as I drum ; sing as loudly as Manabozho began to beat time upon his bundle of bark , while the birds , with eyes closed , circled around him singing as loudly as they could . Keeping time with one hand , Manabozho suddenly grasped the neck of a Swan , which he broke ; but before he had killed the bird it screamed out , whereupon Manabozho said , " That 's right , brothers , sing as loudly as you can . " Soon another Swan fell a victim ; then a Goose , and so on until the number of birds was greatly reduced . Then the " Hell - diver , " opening his eyes to see why there was less singing than at first , and beholding Manabozho and the heap of victims , cried out , " Manabozho is killing us ! Manabozho is killing us ! " and immediately ran to the water , followed by the remainder of the birds . Manabozho then gathered up his birds , and taking them out upon the sandbar buried them - - some with their heads protruding , others with the feet sticking out of the sand . He then built a fire to cook the game , but as this would require some time , and as Manabozho was tired after his exertion , he stretched himself on the ground to sleep . In order to be informed if anyone approached , he slapped his thigh and said to it , [ 83 ] " You watch the birds , and awaken me if anyone should come near them . " Then , with his back to the fire , he fell asleep . Some time afterward , Manabozho awoke , and , being very hungry , bethought himself to enjoy the fruits of his strategem . In attempting to pull a baked swan from the sand he found nothing but the head and neck , which he held in his hand . Then he tried another , and found the body of that bird also gone . So he tried another , and then another , but each time met with disappointment . Who could have robbed him ? he thought . He struck his thigh and asked , " Who has been here to rob me of my feast ; did I not command you to watch while I slept ? " His thigh responded , " I also fell asleep , as I was very tired ; but I see some people moving rapidly away in their canoes ; perhaps they were the thieves . I see also they are very dirty and poorly dressed . " Then Manabozho ran out to the point of the sandbar , and beheld the people in their canoes , just disappearing around a point of land . Then he called to them and reviled them , calling them " Winnibe ' go ! Winnibe ' go ! " And by this term the Menomini have ever since designated their thievish neighbors . [ 4 ] After this Manabozho began travelling again . One time he feasted a lot of animals . He had killed a big bear , which was very fat and he began cooking it , having made a fire with his bow - drill . When he was ready to spread his meat , he heard two trees scraping together , swayed by the wind . He didn 't like this noise while he was having his feast and he thought he could stop it . He climbed up one of the trees and when he reached the spot where the two trees were scraping , his foot got caught in a crack between the trees and he could not free himself . When the first animal guest came along and saw Manabozho in the tree , he , the Beaver , said " Come on to the feast , Manabozho is caught and can 't stop us . " And then the other animals came . The Beaver jumped into the grease and ate it , and the Otter did the same , and that is why they are so fat in the belly . The Beaver scooped up the grease and smeared it on himself , and that is the reason why he is so fat now . All the small animals came and got fat for themselves . Last of all the animals came the Rabbit , when nearly all the grease was gone - only a little left . So he put some on the nape of his neck and some on his groin and for this reason he has only a little fat in those places . So all the animals got their fat except Rabbit . Then they all went , and poor Manabozho got free at last . He looked around and found a bear 's skull that was all cleaned except for the brain , and there was only a little of that left , but he couldn 't get at it . Then he wished himself to be changed into an ant in order to get into the skull and get enough to eat , for there was only about an ant 's meal left . Then he became an ant and entered the skull . When he had enough he turned back into a man , but he had his head inside the skull ; this allowed him to walk but not to see . [ 86 ] On account of this he had no idea where he was . Then he felt the trees . He said to one , " What are you ? " It answered , " Cedar . " He kept doing this with all the trees in order to keep his course . When he got too near the shore , he knew it by the kind of trees he met . So he kept on walking and the only tree that did not answer promptly was the black spruce , and that said " I 'm Se ' segandak " ( black spruce ) . Then Manabozho knew he was on low ground . He came to a lake , but he did not know how large it was , as he couldn 't see . He started to swim across . An Ojibwa was paddling on the lake with his family and he heard someone calling , " Hey ! There 's a bear swimming across the lake . " Manabozho became frightened at this and the Ojibwa then said , " He 's getting near the shore now . " So Manabozho swam faster , and as he could understand the Ojibwa language , he guided himself by the cries . He landed on a smooth rock , slipped and broke the bear 's skull , which fell off his head . Then the Ojibwa cried out , " That 's no bear ! That 's Manabozho ! " Manabozho was all right , now that he could see , so he ran off , as he didn 't want to stay with these people . Once while the Buzzard was soaring away through the air he saw Manabozho walking along . He flew a little toward the ground , with his wings outspread , and heard Manabozho say to him , " Buzzard , you must be very happy up there where you can soar through the air and see what is transpiring in the world beneath . Take me on your back so that I may ascend with you and see how it appears down here from where you live . " The Buzzard came down , and said , " Manabozho , get on my back and I will take you up into the sky to let you see how the world appears from my abode . " Manabozho approached the Buzzard , but seeing how smooth his back appeared said , " Buzzard , I am afraid you will let me slide from your back , so you must be careful not to sweep around too rapidly , that I may retain my place upon your back . " The Buzzard told Manabozho that he would be careful , although the bird was determined to play a trick on him if possible . Manabozho mounted the Buzzard and held on to his feathers as well as he could . The Buzzard took a short run , leaped from the ground , spread his wings and rose into the air . Manabozho felt rather timid as the Buzzard swept through the air , and as he circled around his body leaned so much that Manabozho could scarcely retain his position , and he was afraid of slipping off . Presently , as Manabozho was looking down upon the broad earth below , the Buzzard made a sharp curve to one side so that his body leaned more than ever . Manabozho , losing his grasp , slipped off and dropped to earth like an arrow . He struck the ground with such force as to knock him senseless . The Buzzard returned to his place in the sky , but hovered around to see what would become of Manabozho . Manabozho lay a long time like one dead . When he recovered he saw something close to and apparently staring him in the face . He could not at first recognize it , but when he put his hands against the object he found that it was his own buttocks , because he had been all doubled up . He arose and prepared to go on his way , when he espied the Buzzard above him , laughing at his own trickery . Manabozho then said , " Buzzard , you have played a trick on me by letting me fall , but as I am more powerful than you I shall revenge myself . " The Buzzard then replied , " No , Manabozho , you will not do anything of the kind , because you cannot deceive me . I shall watch you . " Manabozho kept on , and the Buzzard , not noticing anything peculiar in the movements of Manabozho , flew on his way through the air . Manabozho then decided to transform himself into a dead deer , because he knew the Buzzard had chosen to subsist on dead animals and fish . Manabozho then went to a place visible from a great distance and from many directions , where he laid himself down and changed himself into the carcass of a deer . [ 88 ] Soon the various birds and beasts and crawling things that subsist on such food began to congregate about the dead deer . The Buzzard saw the birds flying toward the place where the body lay , and joined them . He flew around several times to see if it was Manabozho trying to deceive him , then thought to himself , " No , that is not Manabozho ; it is truly a dead deer . " He then approached the body and began to pick a hole into the fleshy part of the thigh . Deeper and deeper into the flesh the Buzzard picked until his head and neck was buried each time he reached in to pluck the fat from the intestines . Without warning , while the Buzzard had his head completely hidden in the carcass of the deer , the deer jumped up and pinched together his flesh , thus firmly grasping the head and neck of the Buzzard . Then Manabozho said , " Aha ! Buzzard , I did catch you after all , as I told you I would . Now pull out your head . " The Buzzard with great difficulty withdrew his head from the cavity in which it had been inclosed , but the feathers were all pulled off , leaving his scalp and neck covered with nothing but red skin . Then Manabozho said to the bird , " Thus do I punish you for your deceitfulness ; henceforth you will go through the world without feathers on your head and neck , and you shall always stink because of the food you will be obliged to eat . " That is why the buzzard is such a bad - smelling fellow , and why his head and neck are featherless . [ 4 ] There was a large settlement on the shore of a lake , and among its people were two very old blind men . It was decided to remove these men to the opposite side of the lake , where they might live in safety , as the settlement was exposed to the attack of enemies , when they might easily be captured and killed . So the relations of the old men got a canoe , some food , a kettle , and a bowl and started across the lake , where they built for them a wigwam in a grove some distance from the water . A line was stretched from the door of the wigwam to a post in the water , so that they would have no difficulty in helping themselves . The food and vessels were put into the wigwam , and after the relations of the old men promised them that they would call often and keep them provided with everything that was needful , they returned to their settlement . Here they lived in contentment for several years ; but one day a Raccoon , which was following the water 's edge looking for crawfish , came to the line which had been stretched from the lake to the wigwam . The Raccoon thought it rather curious to find a cord where he had not before observed one , and wondered to himself , " What is this ? I think I shall follow this cord to see where it leads . " So he followed the path along which the cord was stretched until he came to the wigwam . Approaching very cautiously , he went up to the entrance , where he saw the two old men asleep on the ground , their heads at the door and their feet directed toward the heap of hot coals within . The Raccoon sniffed about and soon found there was something good to eat within the wigwam ; but he decided not to enter at once for fear of waking the old men ; so he retired a short distance to hide himself and to see what they would do . The Raccoon heard this conversation , and , wishing to deceive the old man , immediately ran to the water , untied the cord from the post , and carried it to a clump of bushes , where he tied it . When the old man came along with his kettle to get water , he stumbled around the brush until he found the end of the cord ; then he began to dip his kettle down upon the ground for water . Not finding any , he slowly returned and said to his companion , " We shall surely die , because the lake is dried up and the brush is grown where we used to get water . What shall we do ? " " That can not be , " responded his companion , " for we have not been asleep long enough for the brush to grow upon the lake bed . Let me go out to try if I can not get some water . " So taking the kettle from his friend he started off . as he entered , " My friend , you told me what was not true . There is water enough ; for here , you see , I have our kettle full . " The other could not understand this at all , and wondered what had caused the deception . The Raccoon approached the wigwam and entered to await the cooking of the food . When it was ready , the pieces of meat , for there were eight of them , were put into the bowl and the old men sat down on the ground facing each other , with the bowl between them . Each took a piece of meat , and they began to talk of various things and were enjoying themselves . The other replied , " I have not taken them , but suspect you have eaten them yourself " ; whereupon the other replied more angrily than before . Thus they argued , and the Raccoon , desiring to have more sport , tapped each of them on the face . The old men , each believing the other had struck him , began to fight , rolling over the floor of the wigwam , upsetting the bowl and the kettle , and causing the fire to be scattered . The Raccoon then took the two remaining pieces of meat and made his exit from the wigwam , laughing ha , ha , ha , ha ; whereupon the old men instantly ceased their strife , for they now knew they had been deceived . The Raccoon then remarked to them , " I have played a nice trick on you ; you should not find fault with each other so easily . " Then the Raccoon continued his crawfish - hunting along the lake shore . Now Old Man went on and came to a place where deer and elk were playing a game called " Follow your leader . " Old Man watched the game a while . Then he asked permission to play . He took the lead , sang a song , and ran about this way and that , and finally led them up to the edge of a cliff . Old Man jumped down and was knocked senseless . After a while he got up and called to the rest to follow . " No , we might hurt ourselves . " " Oh ! " said Old Man , " it is nice and soft here , and I had to sleep awhile . " Then the elk all jumped down and were killed . Then Old Man said to the deer , " Now , you jump . " " No , " said the deer , " we shall not jump down , because the elk are all killed . " " No , " said Old Man , " they are only laughing . " So the deer jumped down and were all killed . Now , when the elk were about to jump over , there was a female elk about to become a mother , and she begged Old Man not to make her jump , so he let her go . A few of the deer were also let go for the same reason . If he had not done this , all the elk and deer would have been killed . Old Man was now busy butchering the animals that had been killed by falling over the cliff . When he was through butchering , he went out and found a place to camp . Then he carried his meat there and hung it up to dry . When he was all alone , a Coyote came to him . This Coyote had a shell on his neck , and one leg was tied up as if badly hurt . The Coyote said to Old Man , " Give me something to eat . " Old Man said to him , " Give me that shell on your neck to skim the soup , and I will give you something to eat . " " No , " said Coyote , " that shell is my medicine . " Then Old Man noticed that the Coyote had his leg tied up , and said , " Well , brother , I will run you a race for a meal . " " Well , " said Coyote , " I am hurt . I cannot run " . " That makes no difference , " said Old Man , " run anyway . " " Well , " said Coyote , " I will run for a short distance . " " No , " said Old Man , " you have to run a long distance . " Finally Coyote agreed . They were to run to a distant point , then back again . Coyote started out very slow , and kept crying for Old Man to wait , to wait . At last Coyote and Old Man came to the turning - point . Then Coyote took the bandage off his leg , began to run fast , and soon left Old Man far behind . He began to call out to all the coyotes , the animals , and mice , and they all came rushing up to Old Man 's camp and began to eat his meat . It was a long time before Old Man reached the camp ; but he kept calling out , " Leave me some meat , leave me some meat . " There was a man that could send his eyes out of his head , on the limb of a tree , and call them back again , by saying " Eyes hang upon a branch . " White - man saw him doing this , and came to him crying ; he wanted to learn this too . The man taught him , but warned him not to do it more than four times in one day . White - man went off along the river . When he came to the highest tree he could see , he sent his eyes to the top . Then he called them back . He thought he could do this as often as he wished , disregarding the warning . The fifth time his eyes remained fastened to the limb . All day he called , but the eyes began to swell and spoil , and flies gathered on them . White - man grew tired and lay down , facing his eyes , still calling for them , though they never came ; and he cried . At night he was half asleep , when a mouse ran over him . He closed his lids that the mice would not see he was blind , and lay still , in order to catch one . At last one sat on his breast . He kept quiet to let it become used to him , and the mouse went on his face , trying to cut his hair for its nest . Then it licked his tears , but let its tail hang in his mouth . He closed it , and caught the mouse . He seized it tightly , and made it guide him , telling him of his misfortune . The mouse said it could see the eyes , and they had swelled to an enormous size . It offered to climb the tree and get them for him , but White - man would not let it go . It tried to wriggle free , but he held it fast . Then the mouse asked on what condition he would release it , and White - man said , only if it gave him one of its eyes . [ 94 ] So it gave him one , and he could see again , and let the mouse go . But the small eye was far back in his socket , and he could not see very well with it . A buffalo was grazing near by , and as White - man stood near him crying , he looked on and wondered . White - man said : " Here is a buffalo , who has the power to help me in my trouble . " So the Buffalo asked him what he wanted . White - man told him he had lost his eye and needed one . The buffalo took out one of his and put it in White - man 's head . Now White - man could see far again . But the eye did not fit the socket ; most of it was outside . The other was far inside . Thus he remained . There was a man whose leg was pointed , so that by running and jumping against trees he could stick in them . By saying ' naiwatoutawa , ' he brought himself back to the ground . On a hot day he would stick himself against a tree for greater shade and coolness . However , he could not do this trick more than four times . Once while he was doing this , White - man came to him , crying , and said : " Brother , sharpen my leg ! " The man replied : " That is not very hard . I can sharpen your leg . " White - man stood on a large log , and the other , with an axe , sharpened his leg , telling him to hold still bravely . The pain caused the tears to come from his eyes . When the man had sharpened his leg , he told him to do the trick only four times a day , and to keep count in order not to exceed this number . White - man went down toward the river , singing . Near the bank was a large tree ; toward this he ran , then jumped and stuck in it . Then he called himself back to the ground . Again he jumped , this time against another tree ; but now he counted one , thinking in this way to get the better of the other man . The third time , he counted two . The fourth time , birds and animals stood by , and he was proud to show his ability , and jumped high , and pushed his leg in up to the knee . Then coyotes , wolves , and other animals came to see him ; some of them asked how he came to know the trick , and begged him to teach it to them , so they could stick to trees at night . He was still prouder now , and for the fifth time he ran and jumped as high as he could , and half his thigh entered the tree . Then he counted four . Then he called to get to the ground again . But he stuck . He called out all day ; he tried to send the animals to the man who had taught him . He was fast in the tree for many days , until he starved to death . to a high hill and sat down . Early the next morning he started again . He came to a big round stone . He took out his knife and said : " Grandfather , this knife I give to you as a present . I want you to help me to get something to eat . " Coyote went over a hill , and there in the bottom was a village of people . He went into the village and he could see meat hanging on poles everywhere in the camp . He went into one of the tipis and the people in the tipi roasted a piece of meat for him . just as he was about to taste of the meat he thought of his knife and said : " Why did I give my knife to that stone ? I should have kept it and then I should have been able to cut the meat without having to pull it with my hands . " He asked to be excused and went out . He went to where the stone was . He said : " Grandfather , I will have to take back this knife , for I have found a village of people with plenty of meat . " He went over the hills and into the bottom , but there was no village there . Coyote went back and returned the knife to the stone . He went back over the hills and there saw the village and he entered one of the tipis . They placed before him some meat . He began to chew the meat . He thought of his knife . He went back to the stone , and as he took the knife the stone said : " Why do you take the knife away from me ? I am now going to kill you . " Then the stone ran after the Coyote . Coyote ran and came to a den of Bears . He told the Bears that a person was running after him and he asked them to help him . The Bears said that they were not afraid of anything . They asked what the thing was , and he said it was the stone . The Bears said : " Keep on running . We can not do anything with the stone . " The stone was close to Coyote when he came up to another den of Mountain - Lions . They also told Coyote to pass on , as they could not do anything for him . After a while Coyote came to a Buffalo standing all alone , but when the Buffalo found out that it was the stone running after Coyote he told him to pass on . At last Coyote came to a place where the Bull - Bats stayed . Coyote said : " Grandchildren , there is a person running after me . " The Bull - Bats then said : " Enter our lodge and remain there . " [ 146 ] When the stone came rolling up it said : " Where is that person who came here ? " The Bull - Bats did not reply and the stone became angry . Then the Bull - Bats said : " He is here and we are going to protect him . " The Bull - Bats flew up and then down , and they expelled flatus on the stone . Every time they did this a piece broke off from the stone . The largest Bull - Bat came down and expelled flatus right on the center and broke the stone into pieces . Then the Coyote was told to come out and go on his way . Coyote started off , and when he got over the hills he turned around and yelled at the Bull - Bats and said : " All you big - nosed funny things , how you did behave to that stone . " The Bull - Bats heard it and did not pay any attention , but he kept on making fun of them . Then the Bull - Bats flew up in a group , and came down , and with their wings they got the stones together again and started it to rolling , and said : " Go and kill that fellow . " The stone then ran after Coyote and Coyote tried to get away , but he could not . At last he gave out . He jumped over a steep bank and the stone was right behind him . As Coyote struck the bottom , the stone fell on him and killed him . This is why we used to find dead coyotes in the hills and valleys . Nihansan was travelling down a stream . As he walked along on the bank he saw something red in the water . They were red plums . He wanted them badly . Taking off his clothes , he dived in and felt over the bottom with his hands ; but he could find nothing , and the current carried him down - stream and to the surface again . He thought . He took stones and tied them to his wrists and ankles so that they should weigh him down in the water . Then he dived again ; he felt over the bottom , but could find nothing . When his breath gave out he tried to come up , but could not . He was nearly dead , when at last the stones on one side fell off and he barely rose to the surface sideways and got a little air . As he revived , floating on his back , he saw the plums hanging on the tree above him . He said to himself : " You fool ! " He scolded himself a long time . Then he got up , took off the stones , threw them away , and went and ate the plums . He also filled his robe with them . the tent , he threw a plum so that it dropped in through the top of the tent . When it fell inside , the bear - women and children all scrambled for it . Then he threw another and another . At last one of the women said to her child : " Go out and see if that is not your uncle Nihansan . " The child went out , came back , and said : " Yes , it is my uncle Nihansan . " Then Nihansan came in . . He gave them the plums , and said : " I wonder that you never get plums , they grow so near you ! " The bear - women wanted to get some at once . He said : " Go up the river a little way ; it is not far . Take all your children with you that are old enough to pick . Leave the babies here and I will watch them . " They all went . Then he cut all the babies ' heads off . He put the heads back into the cradles ; the bodies he put into a large kettle and cooked . When the bear - women came back , he said to them : " Have you never been to that hill here ? There were many young wolves there . " " In that little hill here ? " they asked . " Yes . While you were gone I dug the young wolves out and cooked them . " Then they were all pleased . They sat down and began to eat . [ 98 ] One of the children said : " This tastes like my little sister . " " Hush ! " said her mother , " don 't say that . " Nihansan became uneasy . " It is too hot here , " he said , and took some plums and went off a little distance ; there he sat down and ate . When he had finished , he shouted : " Ho ! Ho ! bear - women , you have eaten your own children . " All the bears ran to their cradles and found only the heads of the children . At once they pursued him . They began to come near him . Nihansan said : " I wish there were a hole that I could hide in . " When they had nearly caught him he came to a hole and threw himself into it . The hole extended through the hill , and he came out on the other side while the bear - women were still standing before the entrance . He painted himself with white paint to look like a different person , took a willow stick , put feathers on it , and laid it across his arm . Then he went to the women . " What are you crying about ? " he asked them . They told him . He said : " I will go into the hole for you , " and crawled in . Soon he cried as if hurt , and scratched his shoulders . Then he came out , saying : " Nihansan is too strong for me . Go into the hole yourselves ; he is not very far in . " They all went in , but soon came out again and said : " We cannot find him . " Nihansan entered once more , scratched himself bloody , bit himself , and cried out . He said : " He has long finger nails with which he scratches me . I cannot drag him out . But he is at the end of the hole . He cannot go back farther . If you go in , you can drag him out . He is only a little farther than you went last time . " They all went into the hole . Nihansan got brush and grass and made a fire at the entrance . " That sounds like flint striking , " said one of the women . " The flint birds are flying , " Nihansan said . " That sounds like fire , " said another woman . " The fire birds are flying about ; they will soon be gone by . " " That is just like smoke , " called a woman . " The smoke birds are passing . Go on , he is only a little farther , you will catch him soon , " said Nihansan . Then the heat followed the smoke into the hole . The bear - women began to shout . " Now the heat birds are flying , " said Nihansan . Then the bears were all killed . Nihansan put out the fire and dragged them out . " Thus one obtains food when he is hungry , " he said . He cut up the meat , ate some of it , and hung the rest on branches to dry . Then he went to sleep . Long ago Wildcat had a long nose and tail . One day he was sleeping on a rock when Coyote came along . He pushed Wildcat 's nose and tail in , and then went home . At noon Wildcat woke up , and noticed his short nose and tail . " What 's the matter with me ? " he asked . Then he guessed the cause . " Oh ! Coyote did that , " he said , and he hunted for him . Now , Coyote was sleepy and had lain down . Wildcat came and sat down beside him . He pulled out Coyote 's nose and tail and made them long . They were short before . Then he ran off . After a while Coyote woke up and saw his long nose and tail . in the neighboring mountains , for they wished to become great . One of them became ill , and had to remain at home . After four years ' illness , he became weak , and so thin that he seemed nothing but skin and bones . His brother grew anxious about him , and stopped his training . He hunted , and brought in rabbits , squirrel , and all kinds of meat , for his sick brother . He also threw small pieces of stick into the water , making them turn into fish . Then he caught them and gave them to his brother to eat . But no kind of food seemed to agree with the invalid , for he rapidly grew weaker and thinner . When the youth saw that no food did his brother good , he made up his mind to take him away to some other place to be cured . They embarked in a canoe , and proceeded down the Lillooet River , giving names to all the places as they passed along . They came to a place they called Ilamux . Here there was a rock which dammed the river . They made a hole through it to allow their canoe to pass . Even at the present day it appears like a stone bridge across the river . Proceeding , they came to a place they called Komelux . Here two creeks , running from opposite directions , met each other with very great force . They made the water smooth enough to be safe for a canoe to pass . Proceeding , they came to a place they named Kulexwin . Here there was a steep , rocky mountain close to the river . They threw their medicine - mat at it , and it became flat like a mat . Thus they proceeded down to Big and Little Lillooet Lakes and the Lower Lillooet River , until they reached Harrison Lake . All the way along they gave names to the places , made the waters navigable , and changed many features of the country . [ 46 ] They reached Fraser River , went down to its mouth , and proceeded out to sea to the land of the salmon . When they arrived there , the strong brother hid himself , while the sick man transformed himself into a wooden dish , nicely painted and carved ; and in this form he floated against the dam inside of which the people kept the salmon . A man found the dish , and took it to his daughter , who admired it very much , and used it to eat from . Whatever salmon she left in the dish over night always disappeared ; but she did not care , because salmon were plentiful . brother left his hiding - place every night to see the invalid , and to eat salmon out of the basket into which the people threw their leavings . He was glad to see his brother getting well so rapidly . When he had become very fat , his brother told him it was time they departed : so one night he broke the dam , and let the salmon out . Then they embarked in their canoe , and led the salmon toward the mouth of the Fraser River . The salmon travelled very fast , and by the next morning they had reached the river . As they ascended , they took pieces of salmon from their basket , and threw them into the different creeks and rivers . Wherever they threw pieces of salmon , some of the fish followed . Thus they introduced the salmon into the streams of the interior . " Henceforth , " said they , " salmon shall run at this time each year , and the people shall become acquainted with them and eat them . " Then the brothers returned to their home at the head of the Upper Lillooet River , and they made near their house the hot springs called Tcîq , which they used for cooking their food . Owl was the one who had arrows . He had a club also with which he killed men whom he ate . " Up at the low gap I am watching for men , wuu hwuu woo , " he sang . Coyote came walking along in front of him . " Wuu hwuu woo , " sang Owl , " I am looking for men in the low gap . " The two came face to face there . " Now , " said Owl , " the one who vomits human flesh will kill men . " " Very well , " said Coyote , " shut your eyes . " Owl shut his eyes . When he vomited , Coyote put his hand under and took the meat . The grasshoppers which Coyote vomited he put in Owl 's hand . " Now open your eyes , " said Coyote . Owl looked and saw the grasshoppers lying in his hand . Coyote showed him the meat . " What did I tell you , " said Coyote , " this is the meat I threw up . " " Where did I drink in the grasshoppers ? " said Owl . I will fix them for you . Shut your eyes . " Coyote cut Owl 's leg , trimming away the meat . He broke his leg with a stone and took the arrows away leaving him only the club . Coyote ran around Owl who threw his club at him . He would say , " Come back , my club , " and it would come back to him . He threw it again . " Come here , my club , " he called . He hit him with it . Coyote said , " Wherever a stick falls when one throws it there it will lie . " The club did not return to Owl . " Now you will live right here in the canyon where many arrows will be in front of you . Somebody might kill you , " Coyote told him . Owl hitched himself along into the canyon . " Arrows painted black may kill you , " said Coyote . Coyote went around in front of him and shot him with his own ( Owl 's ) arrows . The Black Bear invited the Coyote to her underground lodge . He went the next morning , and on arriving was kindly treated by the Bear . She gave him berries and other food to eat , which was very acceptable to him , as he was almost famishing . Before long the Black Bear put more wood on the fire , and placed a dish down by the side of the fire . Then she held her hands , fingers turned downward , in front of the blaze . Before long melted fat commenced to drip from her finger - tips into the dish below , which in a short time became quite full . She took the dish and placed it in front of the Coyote , asking him to partake of the fat , which he did , eating as much as he was able . After finishing his repast , the Coyote said that he would now go home . At the same time he invited the Black Bear to his house on the morrow , when he said he would return her dish , which in the mean time he would borrow so as to take home the rest of the fat for his wife . to give to his guest . He then set the dish down close to the fire , and holding up his paws in front of the blaze , exactly as the Black Bear had done , he awaited results . As there was no sign of any fat coming , he placed his paws still nearer to the flame , and held them there until they commenced to shrivel and curl up with the heat , and still there were no signs of any grease dripping down . His paws had now almost shrunk up into a ball . He was unable to endure the pain any longer , withdrew his hands from the fire , and ran around the house , howling with pain . The Black bear then said to him , " What a fool you are ! Poor fellow ! Watch me how I do it . " She then held up her paws in front of the fire , as she had done on the previous day , and before long the dish was full of grease . She then made the Coyote a present of the grease , and told him never to try and do what was beyond his power . Sometime afterwards the Coyote felt hungry and thought he would pay a visit to Tsalas , who lived in an underground lodge some little distance away . Upon entering , Tsalas treated him kindly , telling him that he would go and get some fresh fish for him to eat . He went outside , took a withe from some neighboring bushes , and went down to the river , where he made a small hole in the ice , and commenced to dive for fish . The Coyote , meanwhile , watched all his movements from the top of the ladder . Before long , Tsalas had caught a goodly number of fish , which he strung on the withe , and returning home , cooked some of them for the Coyote , who soon ate his fill . On leaving , the Coyote invited Tsalas to visit him at his house on the morrow . Accordingly , the next day , Tsalas repaired to the Coyote 's house , where he was offered old meat ; but , unlike the Black Bear , he was not fond of such food . Therefore the Coyote proposed to go and get some fresh fish for him . The Coyote left the house , took a withe , and after making a hole in the ice put his head down the hole in order to look for the fish before diving . But in trying to get his head out again he found that he could not . Wondering at this long absence , Tsalas went to look for his friend , and found him with his head stuck down in the ice - hole . He pulled him out , more dead than alive , and addressing him , said , " Poor fellow ! Why should you make yourself worse off than you already are ? You are very foolish to try to do things that are beyond your powers . Now look at me ! " Tsalas then put his head down in the Some time afterwards the Coyote went to the mountains to watch the Magpie and learn his methods of hunting . The latter had set a net - snare close by his underground lodge . He went up the mountains , singled out a large buck deer , which he teased , and called names , such as " big posterior , " " hairy posterior , " " short - tail . " The buck at last grew angry and charged the Magpie , who ran away . He just kept a little ahead of the buck , so as to encourage him , and led him right into the snare , in which his antlers stuck fast , whilst the Magpie jumped over it , and turning round , stabbed the entangled buck to death . The Coyote made up his mind that he would do as the Magpie had done . So he placed a net - snare close by his house , and , going up the mountains , soon fell in with a buck deer , whom he commenced to belittle and slander , calling him all kinds of nasty names , just as the Magpie had done . The buck grew angry , charged the Coyote , who made for home , where his snare was , with the buck close after him . On reaching the net , the Coyote tried to jump over it , but failed to do so . He fell into the net and became entangled in it . Then the buck began to prod him with his antlers , and would have killed him if the people had not run out and prevented it by killing the buck . Once Porcupine was going along the river bank looking for food . Soon he saw some fine , fat buffalo , ten of them , just across the river . Then Porcupine wanted to get across the river , but could not . After some thought he called to the buffalo to stand in line . This was so that he could tell which one was the fattest . Then he picked out the fattest one and told him to swim across the river . When this buffalo came up to Porcupine , he asked Porcupine where he wanted to sit , on his back or on his tail . Porcupine answered , " I would rather be under your forelegs , so I shall not drown . " The buffalo agreed . When they were nearly across , Porcupine struck the buffalo under the foreleg with a large knife . So he killed that buffalo , but the others ran away . Porcupine was looking for something with which to sharpen his knife . He was singing , " I wish I could find something with which to sharpen my knife , for I haven 't had any fat buffalo yet . " Now , Coyote happened to be going by and he heard Porcupine singing . Coyote came up to him and Porcupine was afraid . Coyote asked him what he was singing , and Porcupine answered , " I was not singing anything , I was just saying I wish I had some string for my moccasin . " Coyote said , " No , you did not say that ; I heard what you said . " Porcupine said nothing more ; so Coyote told him what he had killed . Coyote said , " Now , I have a sharp knife , so I can help you . " Then Coyote said , " Let us try jumping over the buffalo ; the one who jumps over may have it all . I 'll try first . " Coyote succeeded , but Porcupine did not , so Coyote got all the meat . Then Coyote took his sharp knife and cut Porcupine 's head , but did not kill him . Now , Coyote had some children : one of them was with him , and the rest were at home . Coyote said to his child , " I am going after the other children . You watch the old Porcupine , and if he gets up you call me and I will come back and kill him . " When Coyote was gone , Porcupine got up . The young Coyote cried , " Father , Porcupine is up . " Then Coyote hurried back and asked his baby what the matter was . The child said , " He was trying to take some of the buffalo meat , but now he is quiet again . " Coyote started off a second time . When he was a great way off Porcupine got up . The child called his father , but this time in vain . Porcupine struck the young Coyote with a stone and killed him . Then he set the child up under a tree and stuffed his mouth full of buffalo fat . Then Porcupine took all the meat to the top of a tree and watched for Coyote and his family to come . When Coyote with his wife and children had come up close , Coyote said to the children , " Look at your brother ; he is eating and having a great time . " But when they arrived they saw that the baby was killed and had his mouth stuffed with fat . Then Coyote was very angry . He wondered where Porcupine had gone . When Coyote looked up he saw Porcupine sitting in a tall tree laughing . Coyote said , " Please come down " ; but Porcupine answered , " I do not like you because you are trying to cheat me out of my buffalo meat . " Coyote said , " Just give us a little piece of fat or meat . " Then Porcupine told Coyote and his family to all stand together under the tree . They did this . Then Porcupine dropped the buffalo head down on them and they were all killed . The beaver and the porcupine were great friends and went about everywhere together . The porcupine often visited the beaver 's house , but the latter did not like to have him come because he left quills there . One time , when the porcupine said that he wanted to go out to the beaver 's house , the beaver said , " All right , I will take you out on my back . " He started , but instead of going to his house he took him to a stump in the very middle of the lake . Then he said to him , " This is my house , " left him there , and went ashore . While the porcupine was upon this stump he began singing a song , " Let it become frozen . [ 107 ] Let it become frozen so that I can cross to Wolverine - man 's place . " He meant that he wanted to walk ashore on the ice . So the surface of the lake froze , and he walked home . Some time after this , when the two friends were again playing together , the porcupine said , " You come now . It is my turn to carry yon on my back . " Then the beaver got on the porcupine 's back , and the porcupine took him to the top of a very high tree , after which he came down and left him . For a long time the beaver did not know how to get down , but finally he climbed down , and they say that this is what gives the broken appearance to tree bark . [ 4 ] A turtle went on the warpath , and as he went along , he met Coyote , who said : " And where are you going , grandson ? " The turtle said : " I am on the warpath . " Coyote said : " Where are you going ? " " I am going to a camp where there are many people , " said the turtle . " Let me see you run , " the turtle said . Coyote ran . The turtle said : " You cannot run fast ; I do not want you . " The turtle went on , and he met a fox . " Well , brother , " said the fox , " where are you going ? " " I am going on the warpath , " said the turtle . " Where are you going ? " said the fox . " I am going where there are many people , " said the turtle . " Can I go with you ? " said the fox . The turtle said : " Let me see you run . " The fox ran , and he went so fast that the turtle could hardly see him . The turtle said : " You cannot run fast ; I do not want you . " The turtle then went on , and a hawk flew by him , and the hawk heard the turtle say : " I am on the warpath , I am looking for people to join me . " The hawk said : " Brother , what did you say ? " " I am on the warpath , " said the turtle . " Can I join you ? " said the hawk . " Let me see you fly your best , " said the turtle . The hawk flew so fast that the turtle could not see him for a while . When the hawk came back , the turtle said : " You cannot fly fast ; I do not want you . " Again the turtle went on , and kept on saying : " I am on the warpath , I am looking for people to join me . " A rabbit jumped up and said : " Can I go along ? " " Let me see you run , " said the turtle . The rabbit ran , and ran fast . The turtle said : " You cannot run fast ; I do not want you . " The turtle went on , saying : " I am looking for people to join me . " Up jumped a flint knife and said : " Brother , can I join you ? " " You may if you can run fast , " said the turtle ; " let me see you run . " The knife tried to run , and could not . " You will do , " said the turtle ; " come with me . " They went on , and the turtle was saying : " I am looking for people to go on the warpath with me . " Up jumped a hairbrush . " What did you say ? " said the brush . " I am on the warpath , " said the turtle . " Can I go along ? " said the brush . The turtle said : " Let me see you run . " The brush tried to run , but could not . The turtle said : " You will do ; come with us . " They went on , and the turtle was saying : " I am on the warpath , I am looking for people to join me . " Up jumped an awl , and it said : " Can I join you ? " The turtle said : " Let me see you run . " The awl tried to run , but could not . " You will do , " said the turtle ; " come with us . " The turtle said : " Very well . Now , Brush , you go and see what you can do . " So the brush went into camp , and a young girl picked it up and commenced to brush her hair . The brush pulled the girl 's hair out , so that the girl threw the brush at the doorway , and it came back . It said : " Brother Turtle , there is a young girl who has lovely hair . She used me on her head , and I pulled on her hair , so that she threw me away . See I have her hair here . " " Well done , " said the turtle . " Now , Awl , go and be brave , " said the turtle . The awl went into camp , and an old woman picked it up . She began to sew her moccasins , and all at once she stuck the awl in one of her fingers . The woman threw it away , and it came back and said : " Brother Turtle , I hurt a woman badly . She was using me while she was sewing her moccasins , and I stuck one of her fingers ; she threw me away . " " Well done , brothers , now it is my turn , " said the turtle . The turtle went into camp , and people saw him and said : " What does this mean ? Look at Turtle ; he is on the warpath . Let us kill him . " So they took him , and people said : " Let us spread hot coals and put him in there . " " All right , " said the turtle , " that will suit me for I will spread out my legs and burn some of you . " People said : " True , let us then put a kettle over the fire , and when the water boils let us put him in . " The turtle said : " Good ! Put me in , and I will scald some of you . " People said : " True ! Let us throw him into the stream . " The turtle said : " No , do not do that . I am afraid , I am afraid ! " People said : " He is afraid of water ; let us throw him in there . " But the turtle hallooed the more : " I am afraid ! Do not throw me in the water ! " So the people threw the turtle in the water . The turtle came up to the surface and said : " I am a cheat . Heyru ! Heyru ! " poking his tongue out . The people picked up the knife , awl , and brush and used them . The turtle stayed in the water , and every time the people went to the water , Turtle would say : " I cheated you ; water is my home . " People would throw stones at it , and it would dive . [ 109 ]