|
Nez Perce - Coyote and Buffalo
Coyote traveled east and reached the Buffalo country. He saw the skeleton of a Buffalo lying in the grass. He asked it why it was there and how it died. There was no response. He examined the bones, and said, "Poor fellow! He has been dead a long time. He cannot speak or come to life again. He is really dead." He urinated on the skull, and then left.
When he had been gone some time, he heard a noise behind him. He thought, "'That is wind. A storm is coming on." He heard the noise more distinctly, and it sounded like a buffalo or elk running. He looked back and saw a Buffalo coming full speed for him. He ran to a hill which had trees and rocks on its top. He ran between the rocks, and Buffalo had to run around. He was too large to pass through.
Again Buffalo caught up with him. Coyote hid under a large boulder, but Buffalo turned it over with his horns. Coyote climbed a pine-tree, but Buffalo uprooted it. When it was about to fall, Coyote jumped on top of a tall, steep rock.
Buffalo attacked the rock and split it. Coyote was afraid, and thought he would bluff Buffalo. He said, "If you do not desist, I will shoot you." Buffalo persisted.
Coyote shot his arrows, but they did not penetrate the thick neck and head of Buffalo. Coyote wanted to make friends with him. He said, "Friend, why do you chase me? Why do you want to kill me?"
Buffalo answered, "Because I was sleeping peacefully, and you urinated on my head. I was dead, and you insulted me."
Coyote asked him how he came to die; and he said, "I became old, and my horns became dull. Then my rival killed me and took my wives."
Coyote said, "Let us smoke, let us be friends! I can help you if you spare me. I can help you to kill your rival and get back your wives."
Buffalo replied, " Do you speak the truth?"
And Coyote answered, "I do."
Then Buffalo desisted from butting the rock, and he and Coyote became friends. They trained themselves for war. Coyote sharpened Buffalo's horns, and made horns of pitch-wood for himself.
They reached the place where Buffalo's rival dwelt. Buffalo said, "You see my rival and his house and his wives, also my wives." He pointed out all of them. He said to Coyote, "My rival is very strong. If you see him getting the better of me, you must come to my aid."
Coyote hid himself in the grass near by, and Buffalo went alone to fight his rival. Coyote Said, "You need have no fear. The horns I have made for you will kill your enemy."
Buffalo engaged in battle with his rival; and as soon as they closed, Coyote sang his war-chant. He sang, "These horns will enter his belly. Our horns will conquer. My horns can slay him. My pitch-wood horns are the best."
Buffalo ripped up his rival and killed him. Then Coyote ran out, joined Buffalo, and sang a song of victory. They scalped their enemy and took possession of his house and of all his belongings.
Now Buffalo had all his enemy's wives, and got back his own wives. He was glad; and when Coyote was going to return to his own country, he gave him one of his wives. He said, "You must treat her well, or she will leave you." She was a large dark woman.
(The story ends with the woman leaving Coyote in the same way and for the same reason as in the Uta'mqt story. If he had brought his wife home, there might now be buffalo in this country. He brought her only to the borders of the Nicola country.)
|
