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Maidu Creation Myth

From The Maidu Texts By Roland B. Dixon 1912

The Maidu lived in the central Sierra Nevada of California, to the north of Yosemite.

Scanned at Sacred-Texts.com

Creation Myth Part 1

Part 2

When this world was filled with water, Earth-Maker floated upon it, kept floating about. Nowhere in the world could he see even a tiny bit of earth. No persons of any kind flew about. He went about in this world, the world itself being invisible, transparent like the sky.

He was troubled. "I wonder how, I wonder where, I wonder in what place, in what country, we shall find a world!" he said. "You are a very strong man, to be thinking of this world," said Coyote. "I am guessing in what direction the world is, then to that distant land let us float!" said Earth-Maker.

In this world they kept floating along, kept floating along, hungry, having nothing to eat. "You will die of hunger," said Coyote. Then he thought. "No, I cannot think of anything," he said. "Well," said Earth-Maker, "the world is large, a great world. If somewhere I find a tiny world, I can fix it up."

Then he sang, "Where, little world, art thou?" It is said he sang, kept singing, sang all the time. "Enough!" he said, and stopped singing. "Well! I don't know many songs (?)," he said. Then Coyote sang again, kept singing, asking, for the world, singing, "Where, O world, art thou."' He sang, kept singing; then "Enough!" he said, "I am tired. You try again."

So Earth-Maker sang. "Where are you, my great mountains, my world mountains?" he said. He sang, and all the time kept saying, "Where are you?" He stopped singing. "Enough!" he said. "You try also." Coyote tried, kept singing. "My foggy mountains, where one goes about," he said. "Well, We shall see nothing at all. I guess there never was a world anywhere," said he. "I think if we find a little world, I can fix it very well," said Earth-Maker.

As they floated along, they saw something like a bird's nest. "Well! That is very small," said Earth-Maker. "It is small. If it were larger, I could fix it. But it is too small," he said. "I wonder how I can stretch it a little!" He kept saying, "What is the best way! How shall I make it larger!" So saying, he prepared it. He extended a rope to the east, to the south he extended a rope, to the west, to the northwest, and to the north he extended ropes.

When all were stretched, he said, "Well, sing, you who were the finder of this earth, this mud! 'In the long, long, ago, Robin-Man made the world, stuck earth together, making this world.' Thus mortal men shall say of you, in myth-telling." Then Robin sang, and his world-making song sounded sweet. After the ropes were all stretched, he kept singing; then, after a time, he ceased.

Then Earth-Maker spoke to Coyote also. "Do you sing too," he said. So he sang, singing, "My world, where one travels by the valley-edge; my world of many foggy mountains; my world where one goes zigzagging hither and thither; range after range," he said, "I sing of the country I shall travel in. In such a world I shall wander," he said.

Then Earth-Maker sang--sang of the world he had made, kept singing, until by and by he ceased. "Now," he said, "it would be well if the world were a little larger. Let us stretch it!"--"Stop!" said Coyote. I speak wisely. This world ought to be painted with something, so that it may look pretty. What do ye two think?"

Then Robin-Man said, "I am one who knows nothing. Ye two are clever men, making this world, talking it over; if ye find anything evil, ye will make it good."--"Very well," said Coyote, "I will paint it with blood. There shall be blood in the world; and people shall be born there, having blood. There shall be birds born who shall have blood. Everything--deer, all kinds of game, all sorts of men without any exception--all things shall have blood that are to be created in this world. And in another place, making it red, there shall be red rocks. It will be as if blood were mixed up with the world, and thus the world will be beautiful," he said. "What do you think about it?"--"Your words are good," he said, "I know nothing." So Robin-Man went off. As he went, he said, "I shall be a person who travels only in this way," and he flew away.

Earth-Maker spoke: "You had better lie down here on your face."--"All right!" said Coyote, and, kneeling down, he lay on his face. Then Earth-Maker stretched the world with his foot. Stretching it once, he extended it towards the east, extended it on that side; then to the south, then to the west, he stretched it; then to the northwest and to the north he stretched it. Having extended it only a little ways, he said, "All right!"

Coyote stood up and looked around. "Well, I think it would be better if this world were just large enough to go around it." By and by Earth-Maker said, "You had better kneel down again, and lie flat on your belly. Do not look up. You must not!"--"Very well," said Coyote, "I will not look up." He lay down; and Earth-Maker, stretching the earth with his foot eastward, stretched it as far as it would go. He extended it fully toward the south, toward the west, toward the northwest, toward the north. "All right!" said he.

Coyote stood up, and, having risen, started to walk hither eastward. Earth-Maker, when he was left alone, stood for a time, then, departing, he went toward the south. In the direction of the sunset he went far around, going over to the northwest, going around to the north, going all the way around to the east. And having gone around, having returned to the spot where he had first turned off, he prepared things.

He made two white men; then he made others, white, but a little different. As he made them, he counted them. He kept on making them--made one black, then another almost black. Two of each only he made. Then he counted all the countries, and, as he counted, assigned them, gave them to the countries. "You are a country having this name, you shall have this people," he said. "This sort of people, naming you, shall own the country. These people shall grow, shall keep on growing through many winters, through many dawns. They shall continue to grow until, their appointed winters being past, their dawns being over, this people having finished growing, shall be born," he said. "Very many winters will have passed before they shall be born. And they shall have children, girls and boys; and these children, growing up, shall have children in their turn," he said. When several winters have passed, there will be very many people."

Then again, to another sort of people, he gave another country, saying, "This people, I leave you in this country, and ye shall be the owners of this land. Ye shall be a people with a name." And they also were a different sort of people, a people with a name; and their country also was named, it is said. "Your country also shall have a name," he said. "Ye too shall have a name, and your children shall fill the land, and every single child shall have a name," he said. "There, growing steadily, many winters, many days, shall pass before ye are fully grown. Then ye shall possess this country," he said.

Thereafter he spoke to another, again he gave a different kind of country to a different kind of people. He said, "Ye shall be a different-speaking and a different-looking people. Ye also shall possess a country," he said.

"Your children, if they weary of this land, going from this country to one with another name, to a country that is good to live in, shall remain there. There every country shall be full of people, who will continue to be born," he said. And then he divided the world among many. To one he gave one sort, to another he gave another. Ye shall all have different names," he said. Finally he finished giving, he distributed all.

Then after a while, continuing on his way, he came hither, kept travelling; and after arriving in the middle of the world, he made other people. "Ye shall be mortal men like this," he said; and, having made two, he left them. "Ye here, growing steadily, when so many winters shall have passed, very many winters, many days, ye shall be fully grown," he said. "Then ye shall be mortal men, ye shall be born full-grown. This country shall have a name. Beyond these mountains there shall be another country, which also shall have a name. Ye shall not be born soon," he said. Then he named everything, and, having left the people here in the middle of the world, he went away.

Continuing on his way, he went to all countries that were of the proper sort; and when he had gone as far as mortal men were to live, he stopped. Then there again he created two--two more, it is said, he laid down, and again two more. He kept counting them; and when he had counted them all, he spoke. "Ye shall remain here," he said, "and your country shall have a name. Although living in a small country, in one that is not large, it shall be sufficient for you. This I leave; and growing continually, so many winters passing, very many winters passing, many days passing, ye shall be fully grown. And then ye, being fully grown, shall be born," he said. "Then your food will grow,--different sorts of food, all kinds of food; and ye, being born with sufficient intelligence, will survive," he said. Then he pushed them down under a gopher-hill.

He spoke again. "Ye, too, shall possess a small country. 'Come, now! leave this country!' (this ye must not say to others, wishing to take their land.) Ye shall be people who will not drive others away, driving them off to another country. Ye shall be different, ye shall name your country. Ye also shall be a differently named people. There, growing continually, many days being passed, many winters having passed, ye shall be born, when your birthday has passed," he said. "Living there and having children, when other winters are passed, they will become a little larger, and will keep on thus, growing all the time, until, when enough winters shall have passed, always becoming more numerous, ye shall have enough people. Your children, all without exception, shall have names.

This country also, in the same way is named; all countries shall have names, just as yourselves. If ye are going to look at the country over there, then, when ye go, (ye shall say) 'I am going to that place,' naming it; then all people will understand where ye are going," he said.

Then, counting the people on this side (in this direction), he left them; and, speaking to those on this side, he said, "Ye also shall be mortal men. So many winters passing over, (?) ye shall be born. All the time growing, each winter ye shall grow a little, a very little. Again, when the winter is over, continually growing, when many winters are passed, ye will have finished growing; then ye shall be born, full-grown. There ye also shall have a country, and your country shall be one bearing a name, and ye too shall be named," he said. "Ye shall have children; and when your children have grown larger, then, looking all over this country, ye must tell them about it, teach them about it, naming the country and places, showing them and naming them to your children. 'That is such and such a place, and that is such and such a mountain.' So, when ye have caused them to learn this, teaching them, they shall understand even as ye do yourselves." Then, placing them between his thumb and finger, he snapped them away.

And when he had given countries thus to all that he had counted out, there was one pair left. "Ye also, ye shall be a, people speaking differently. There will be a little too many of you for you to have the same sort of a country also. So ye shall have that kind of a country, a great country," he said. "Now, wherever I have passed along, there shall never be a lack of anything," he said, and made motions in all directions. "The country where I have been shall be one where nothing is ever lacking. I have finished talking to you, and I say to you that ye shall remain where ye are to be born. Ye are the last people; and while, ye are to remain where ye are created, I shall return, and stay there. When this world becomes bad, I will make it over again; and after I make it, ye shall be born," he said. Long ago Coyote suspected this, they say.

"This world will shake," he said. "This world is spread out flat, the world is not stable. After this world is all made, by and by, after a long time, I will pull this rope a little, then the world shall be firm. I, pulling on my rope, shall make it shake. And now," he said, "there shall be songs, they shall not be lacking, ye shall have them." And he sang, and kept on singing until he ceased singing. "Ye mortal men shall have this song," he said, and then he sang another; and singing many different songs, he walked along, kept walking until he reached the middle of the world; and there, sitting down over across from it, he remained.

But, in making the world, Robin-Man sang that which was pleasant to hear. He, they say, was the first created person,--a man whose song passed across the valleys, a man who found the world, a man who in the olden time sang very beautifully-sounding songs. And Earth-Maker, going along, and having passed by the middle of the world, made a house for himself, and remained there. That is as far as he went. That is all, they say.

2. Creation Myth - Part II.

Over there, just across from where the sun goes down, long ago, in the olden time, a supernatural being went along. "From this place let us gamble for the world!" said he. "In this world I am Coyote, and, going about this world, I shall spoil it," he said. Then, "Well, well!" said the other, "if you talk that way, you will cease to be in this world." And when he had spoken thus to him, Coyote went on, and, going on, went away.

Meanwhile people declared a feast. The chief addressed them, he kept haranguing his people, he talked. One chief made knotted strings. He made strings, in that olden time, for as many countries, as many dwelling-places of men, as there were; he made knotted strings, that these might be given to them. He counted the dwelling-places of men; and, counting his strings, he made them.

By and by he finished his work. Then said he, "It is well.--Do you go to that Country. Go to the west.--Do you go to the northwest, go to the places where men live. Do you go through to the north, go to the dwelling-places of men.--Do you go to the east.--Do you go to the south, where the sun turns to go down, where it goes straight over.--Do ye all go, not missing any of men's abiding-places," said he. So the chief said. 'Let them (come to) see me. I will talk with them," said Earth-Maker.

Then they went away, and, going, after a time they returned. After a few days were past, from all countries people came to that place. They kept coming, kept coming until they all arrived. And when they had all come, the chief addressed them.

"Well," said he, "I spoke for a good world. 'Let the world be good!' I said to him (Coyote). Then he said, 'No! Why should these mortal animals come to life?' he said to me. 'Mortal animals, when they die, shall be dead,' he told me. 'Why, when one is dead, should he again walk about? You shall not fix it that way,' he said to me," said Earth-Maker.

"'I was the oldest in the olden time, and if a person died, he must be dead,' he said. 'Everywhere, when ye die, ye shall not awake, or rise up or stand about. This has been made a mortal world,' he said. 'If a person has died, then that same person shall not be living or going about, whoever he may be.' So he told me," said Earth-Maker.

"Then he said to me, 'Travelling throughout the world, I shall examine it.' Then I grew angry," said Earth-Maker. "My people, ye must seek all around this world, to the very edge where the water flows about it. In every country ye must kill Coyote. He is very evil, he is bad. He would not believe me in anything."

"'It was your (wish that) people should not die. You make me, a chief, angry. You alone (wish) to fix up this world, to make it good. You shall never have a country,' he said to me. '"He overcame the great chief," so they will be saying of me everywhere, wherever the world extends; they shall not laugh at me,' he said to me.

"That Coyote-Main conquered himself(?). 'I am indeed a chief, and they shall not laugh at me for seeming to know nothing,' said he to me. Then he went off angry," said Earth-Maker. "I spoke well. 'Mortal men shall not be destroyed,' I told him," said Earth-Maker. "'From whatever cause they die, if they are laid at length in the water, in the morning they shall awake.' Thus I spake. When I had spoken, he shook his head. 'It is not going to be that way. You speak evil. How can it be, that, after one is dead, he shall go about again in the morning?' he said to me."

(Continuing,) "Ye had better tell that to your people," said Earth-Maker. "Ye who go from hence, you had better tell your people.--You are chief of these western people.--You who come here from the north had better tell your people.--You who come from the east, had better tell your people,--In all countries ye ought to stand about (and watch)," said Earth-Maker. Then they replied, "Yes."--"In killing Coyote, after having killed him, ye must listen," said Earth-Maker; "and if four days are past and there is no howling, let it be said that ye have killed him utterly.

"And at the same time ye must hunt out every place where Coyote has urinated or defecated. Wherever he has scratched up the earth, those places ye must not miss. Ye must hunt all over the country." Then they answered, "Yes."

Meanwhile Coyote, when his dispute (with Earth-Maker) had come to an end, started and went away. He went towards the west. He urinated against the bushes, he scratched up the earth, he went into the thick brush on river-bars, he scratched there, he urinated upon them. Even in the rivers, where bunches of grass grew, he jumped upon these bunches of grass, and there he urinated; then, having jumped out again, he went away.

Upon every kind of a thing he urinated, he scratched. Going everywhere, he went through the country of the northern people, urinating on every kind of bush, scratching everywhere. Going about everywhere, he came across over toward the east. At last he came to the middle of the world; and, coming to the middle of the world, he came as far as where people did not run after him(?).

Meanwhile, far over there, the people finished talking, and at last they dispersed. Five chiefs went with their people. In this country, in all countries, they spread out widely. Then they searched for the places where Coyote had urinated, where he had defecated, where he had scratched, going to all countries all over the world.

Hunting about continually, they destroyed them. Hunting over all countries, they destroyed Coyote's droppings, not missing any, seeing them all, fixing up (the country) well, not leaving anything. They brought every single one together. They found every one, and brought them all together.

Then that crowd of people, all of them, having gathered them into one place, went on. Leading Coyote along, they led him to the edge of the water. Then leading him along, close by the centre, having made an islet, they made the Coyote sit upon it. "Here you shall die," they said. "In all speech you are the cleverest; so here, starving, you shall die."

Thereupon Coyote answered, "Yes. Ye chiefs are bringing about my death. Ye alone wish to be chiefs. As for me, they shall only laugh at me from all parts of the world; but of you, they will say to all countries,that ye are the ones who shall say evil and are the most clever." So said Coyote, and then remained silent.

Meanwhile the others returned, kept returning, kept coming back, came across (to their starting-point). Finally Earth-Maker said, "Listen! In all countries ye must listen. When four days are past, if ye do not hear anything, he will be wholly dead." So they went off. (After) one night, in the morning, while they listened, there was no noise. Again the next morning they listened, and there was no noise.

Meanwhile Coyote still remained (on the islet). And after he had spoken, he defecated. A gopher-head popped out. "What shall I do?" said Coyote. "Speak favorably to me."--"(?) (?) (?), you will die (?)," it said. "Ah! You always talk that way to me," said Coyote. Then, after having strained again, a bunch of grass popped out. "What shall I do?" said Coyote. "How can I save my life? Speak favorably to me."

"Why don't you make yourself like fog, and just at dawn, as the fog rises, while it floats up, mix with it and drift along, and thus you shall get across (to land)? Then you must cry out, and from where you urinated in the middle of a river-bar, where you scratched, where you urinated on the grass-bunch, it will answer you."

"Then Coyote said, "He is one who (acts) that way toward me; he talks very well to me! Ts-ts-ts!" said he. Then he put it back in the same place, and the gopher-head he put in as a plug. It was just about dawn; and as the light was appearing, the mist lifted. Meanwhile he, as one with the fog, rose, kept rising, until just before sun-up he floated across (to the shore).

Thereupon, standing up by the shore, he howled. And from afar they replied. Again from another place they replied; his urine indeed, his scratching-place, his excrements, they answered. Then the people said, "We killed, (but) did not kill all. It was determined that he should not cry out for four days. And yet three days being past, he cried out."

So they spoke to one another, and said, "He is not dead. He is crying out." (Then Earth-Maker) said, "Ye must go after him again. In all lands ye must come together. Ye must not lose him. Try for the last time (?)." Then they went after him (Coyote). They went in every land. All the time they kept travelling about, and by and by they gathered (his droppings) together. Every place where he had urinated, where he had defecated, every sort of thing that he had done, they brought together.

When that had been done, they went off. They made a great tree grow, and therein they made him (Coyote) stay, in the centre of the tree, which they made to enclose him on all sides. And Coyote remained (in it) standing; and, having stood, it grew to enclose him on all sides. Then they spoke to him, saying, "Now, that shall be the end (of you). This shall put an end to (your) conquering us. Again (you) shall not trouble (us). (If) for four mornings he does not cry out, cannot make you hear, then in the evening, 'He is dead,' thus ye will say to one another." Then they went off, and in every land they listened.

Meanwhile the Piliated-Woodpecker came there flying. He tapped upon that tree, kept tapping, kept tapping, and, when it came night, went away. Again, when it was dawn, he came flying, kept tapping, and, when it grew dark, went away, flew off. Again, when it grew light, he came flying, tapped away, kept tapping until he made a hole through. Coyote saw something moving through the hole, and said, "Well my cousin, make the hole a little bigger." Thereupon, having stamped upon the hollow tree, he flew off. He did not fly back again.

"I did very wrong," said Coyote. "I did (what was) not at all good. Why didn't I watch without saying anything?" Then he grunted, kept grunting until that gopher-head came out. "What shall I do?" said Coyote. "Speak truly to me, do not lie." Then it spoke: "There is nothing for you (to do), after, having staid here forever, (but) to die."--"You have never even once spoken well," said Coyote, "you always say this."

Then another one came out. "What shall I do?" said Coyote. "Surely, speak well to me."--"Yes," it said, "there is nothing for you (to do) but to make yourself like fog, keep passing out (through the hole) until you shall have passed wholly out. Only by doing thus can you save your life."

"Very well," said Coyote. "You are always one who speaks well to me." And thereupon he passed out through the hole, kept passing out, until he had passed completely through. And when it was almost wholly daylight, on the last morning, he howled; as it was dawning, just as it was getting white, he cried out.

Again they answered, from all lands they cried out. They say it was thus at that time. When Coyote was struck (?), it seemed as if there were many in the olden time, (for) the places where he had urinated, where he had scratched, where he had rolled, where he had defecated, answered, they say. The whole lot, they say, at the time when (he was) struck (?) howling, seemed like many.

Then again Earth-Maker spoke. "Do ye cause the chiefs from all over the world to come to see me," said he. And his people went (to call them). And going about, they told them in all countries as they travelled, they told it throughout. They returned; and after they arrived, while they (the messengers) remained there, they (the chiefs) came, one after another. They kept coming, kept coming until (in numbers) they were like the trees upon the mountains.

When the morning came, Earth-Maker spoke. "Wake up! Every one of you wake up, arise! Listen ye (to what) I say!" said he. "There shall be rain in this world. There shall be snow, and then it shall snow (again). Over all the world the water shall be made to rise. My people, ye shall make a canoe. Ye must believe what ye hear from me. It shall not fail."

"I am speaking truly, there shall be rain in the world. When the water rises over each one of these mountains, Coyote will be destroyed. Meanwhile ye, and ye only, my people, shall be alive." Then they answered, "Yes." They worked upon the canoe, they prepared it. Meanwhile Coyote being disguised, not looking at all like Coyote, played with all these people. They did not recognize him.

They continued working (on the canoe), and one winter passed. They worked upon the canoe, which was (not yet) [un]burnt (out). His (Earth-Maker's) people worked, and after almost another winter it was nearly burnt out. Then it snowed in the world. They worked upon (the canoe), kept working, and it rained. Working for two winters, they completed the work.

"Ye must look out," said Earth-Maker. And then they replied, "Yes."--"Coyote might come. Ye must look out," said he. Then (one) said, "All right! I will watch closely." And it was Coyote, they say, (who thus spoke.) Meanwhile the others did not recognize him. "I can recognize Coyote," said he. "If he comes, I will tell you." It was indeed Coyote (who spoke), they say. Then Earth-Maker said, "Very well."

It rained in the world. Water came in, it filled the houses. The people rose (with the water) in the canoe. "How is it? Are ye the only ones here? Coyote is not here, is he?" said Earth-Maker. Then they answered, "Yes, only we ourselves are here."

They rose. And meanwhile it rained in the world. Each one of all the mountains was covered by the water, the world was flooded. And they kept drifting about until they saw land. So there they got out, upon Canoe-Mountain (Kedie Peak). And when they had gotten out, Coyote said, "Ah! I saw the ground first." Then that great man (Earth-Maker), after looking at him repeatedly as he went by, remained looking about and looking down, saying nothing. (For) there was that Coyote, who had gotten in (to the canoe), and all the people had failed to recognize him.

"You are very powerful. I (shall) hunt you no more. (Although) for a long time I have been trying to kill you, I have been unable to kill you. You have overcome me," said Earth-Maker. Meanwhile the one who had jumped out (Coyote) came trotting along this way along the ridge. "Go wherever you wish," said the Earth-Maker to his people; and starting off, he went on, and remained across from (that place, toward the south) (?) (?).

Meanwhile that man (Coyote) was continually going farther away. Crossing over towards the east, he continued on; turning around hither, he kept coming this way toward the south. So he came hither. Coming on, he reached that man who had been angry with him.

Now he (Earth-Maker) was living with a wife. "Well, my brother, will it not make trouble for you to be married and be living with a woman? Why should women love and marry you, who do not indeed resemble a man, who are an ugly man? I, who am a good-looking man, am without a wife," said Coyote. So he staid there.

"If you can find a woman anywhere, give her to me," said Coyote. "I myself could hardly endure it(?). They played with me while I slept, (but) I did not move while sleeping with the women for the first time," said Earth-Maker. "By so (doing) you will awake in the morning possessing a wife. The next night you may play with them, may bother them," said he.

"I will not move," said Coyote. So, in the middle of the night, having stepped across (to where Coyote lay), Earth-Maker laid down two flutes, one on each side of him. When it was nearly dawn, Coyote snickered, "Hn, hn!" When they bothered him, he played with them, and in the morning the two women were gone. Then Coyote said, "I am Coyote! Indeed, I am not good for anything, I (am) a very bad man. Why didn't I believe what I was told! If I had believed, I should have been very well off(?), Now I am without a wife. I will not do so again. I shall always believe (what I am told)."

So they remained there, living there, and eating all kinds of deer and ducks, killing and eating that sort of food. Earth-Maker was going to hunt, and, having prepared his bow, he went. Meanwhile Coyote staid (with him). And the great man (Earth-Maker) did not know him, did not recognize Coyote. "This Coyote," he thought, "does not look like Coyote. He has come from some country, and is going about searching for a country," he thought. So he did not think much about it, and they two lived there (together).

They lived there, catching salmon in a net. People were living all about. A man arrived at that place, and having roasted some fish, some salmon, they gave it to him. He ate, and after having eaten, by and by he stood up, and went on. Now, he left some, dropped some while he was eating. "See! He ate, wasting (his) fish," said Coyote; and, gathering it up, he ate it.

"Oh, my!" said he, "it is indeed very good, it is sweet."--"You taste it!" He handed over some to a person, gave some to another. "How is it?" said he. "It is very good and sweet," said they. "That was Salt-Man," said Coyote. "Let us run after him and kill him!" So they ran after him. They ran, they followed his tracks. (Although) he had but just gone by, they could not see him. They followed on.

"Do the best you can," said Coyote. "Do the best you can, run after him." So they ran after him. "He may beat us. Go for him! (?) Run after him, you people! Do the best you can, chase him!" said Coyote. Getting up on top of the mountains, they looked off; (but) he was not there, they did not see him. "Do the best you can," said Coyote. "He may get the better of us. Do the best you can, chase him, you people!"

Running down, they got up on the top of (another) mountain; and when they had looked about, they descended not far from the valley. This (one they were following) was going along, reaching up high above the trees. Then Coyote said, "Yes! Do the best you can, run after him! He is beating us. Just now he went over this point of land, (that is) how far behind he has left us." Coyote was beating them all, it is said. "Do the best you can!" They ran after him.

They ran down to the edge of the valley. Meanwhile he (whom they were chasing) had long before gone on far ahead. "Do the best you can," said Coyote, "he may beat us. Do the best you can." (The fugitive) went on, being now as far off as the middle of the valley. "Now (let us see) if he beats us!" said Coyote. Then he shot, having raised his bow high, sending (the arrow) very fast; and, shooting low, he shot him in the calf of the leg.

When he was shot, he (the fugitive) still went on, fell, and broke all to pieces. And so Coyote killed Salt-Man. And the others, going on, reached the place. Then Coyote spoke, saying, "In the olden time Coyote killed Salt-Old-Man, beating (outrunning) his people. That is what mortal men are saying. To that place mortal men shall come from everywhere to get salt, coming hither to the south for salt. They shall come hither, and this shall be mortal men's salt."

So he spoke, and then they returned--kept travelling to the same country (from which they had started), kept travelling upon the trail they had come out on, until they arrived. Then they ceased to catch fish, and, separating went back (to their homes).

Then the chief (Earth-Maker) spoke. "All these many animals, these different kinds of people, are bad," said he. "They are bad (because) they kill many. I shall go away thither." Meanwhile Coyote remained there silent. "If these animal people were all gone, there would be others in this world. It is not good that these animal people should kill so many (of each other). They shall stop it," said he. Meanwhile Coyote said nothing. One child, they say, he had, a big boy. The boy was never allowed to go out (of the house); he was made to stay (within), it is said. (He was) very good.

(Earth-Maker) said, "There shall live mortal men, people with names. There shall be mortal men. Those people, if they wish to marry, shall marry; but they cannot (do) anything to the women when they shall marry." Then Coyote spoke, answering after a while. "That is a bad way for you to speak. Why does not the chief grant to men that they may amuse (themselves) with women, laughing and feeling happy? If mortal people are married together, then, cohabiting, if they lie upon (each other) for a little while, they shall feel very happy; and having ceased, they shall laugh heartily, and talk to each other. But if, without playing with each other, they sleep, it will seem as if they were angry at each other, and it will be bad. It is not going to be that way," said he.

Meanwhile the chief (Earth-Maker) listened in silence. When (the other) had finished talking, he (Earth-Maker) spoke again. "Mortal men, when they shall have children, when they wish to have children, wish to have boys, after naming it, they shall lay down (something) between them. 'You shall be a girl-child,' or, 'you shall be a boy,' (they must say). And having named what they desire, and laid it down, in the morning (the child) shall arise, not (being) too small, and having sufficient intelligence. So the women will not feel badly, and shall go about having children," said he.

Meanwhile Coyote listened in silence. When the other had finished speaking, he spoke again. "The women (of) mortal men shall have children, groaning, crying, grunting; and after doing so for a time, they shall fail to have a child (?). And, on the other hand, some shall die, and some shall live."

Then the great man-ling spoke again. "Virgins shall come together with men only after they are married; and single men, only after married, shall sleep with a woman," said the great man. Then Coyote spoke out. "Women without husbands, and virgins, shall have children. If she has stepped across Coyote's urine, a virgin shall have children. So (among) mortal men, the young men, looking at the women, (will) laugh and talk, the young fellows (will do so) when they gather together. Women without husbands will go about cohabiting on the trails, and having children. When such a woman carries about (her) child, then the young folks (will be) smiling and talking, and shall feel very happy," said Coyote.

The great man spoke again. "Mortal men, when they die, if, when they are dead, they are laid at length in the river, then, when they have lain there, they shall be alive again." Then he remained (silent). And Coyote again spoke to him. "When they die, they shall be dead. They shall be buried under the ground. When they are indeed dead, they shall not go about again next day. Dying, they shall be dead," said he. "And being widowed, they shall be widows. They shall weep. They shall go about with pitch upon their head, and they shall do the same with their face also. Smearing their faces with pitch, they shall make a noise, weeping. And then she indeed shall forget (her loss), and, marrying another man, shall feel happy, shall feel very happy."

"Husbands shall do the same," said he. "One man (may be) made a widower three times or twice, and taking another wife, shall, having many wives, feel very happy. A woman also, being widowed many times, may yet take another husband, and shall be happy. If (one is) a chief, he should say what is good. If you are a chief, you do not speak [decree] mortal men's happiness and laughter. But I, I speak (for) mortal men's laughing and feeling happy and admiring themselves (?). Women also."

"An old man indeed, when he loves a new woman, shall feel as if he were a young fellow; and women also shall feel the same way. I am a chief. I speak very well," said Coyote. Then the chief (Earth-Maker) remained silent. "Since every time you have overcome me, without my decreeing it it shall be a mortal world," he said. That great man, thinking, thought thus. Then he gathered up his things and went off. On the water-trail he laid down two scouring rushes, one on either side. And then he came hitherwards.

When he had come but a little ways, (Coyote) said to that good boy, his boy whom he had never sent outside, "Bring some water." And he went to fetch water. And as he went down (to the stream), those rushes, in the likeness of rattle-snakes, bit that child, and killed him.

Then Coyote cried out, "Let me never say such things again! Come back!" he said (to Earth-Maker). "Let it be a deathless world! You must make the child alive again for me. Come back!" said he. "Truly let me never say such things again. Every time I will believe [agree with] you and what you say." He ran after him, but he (Earth-Maker), paying no attention, came on from thence, hitherward. Coyote ran after him, but, being unable to catch up with him, he let him go. Meanwhile Earth-Maker came on. "I was bad," said Coyote. "When I beat him so many times, he did this to me, killing the child." Finally he gave up. "Oh! As I cannot catch up with him, I shall not follow," he said.

Meanwhile the Earth-Maker came on hitherward, kept travelling; and there at Tsūt'tsuye [Soda Springs] he crossed over (the river), and went along on the side-hill. Now, on this side (of the river) there was a house, the Urine-Women's house; and from thence, it is said, they killed people. Every time a person went along, those women killed him as he went from thence. They saw Earth-Maker from there, and urinated across. He came across safely, sticking his flint-flaker into the ground (to hold on by), kept coming across all the time, got out (of the dangerous place).

He dame on, came on to where Mink and his younger brothers lived, and arrived there. He camped. Then (in the morning) the two young ones spoke. You ought to fix a trap for us. We have set traps, but something always breaks the trap. You had better fix a trap for us." So, having gone down, he fixed a trap; and when it was all fixed, he returned, and said, "Do not speak of what ye see. Saying nothing, ye must run after them (the Urine-Women). Taking some of that grease, you must carry it with you; and, having carried it there, while they are sweating, having thrown it in from (where ye stand) at the smoke-hole, then ye must run back. Smelling that grease, they will die." And they (the Mink) answered, "All right!" Then Earth-Maker went off.

Meanwhile they watched. In the morning, when the sun had risen but a little ways, a large bird (buzzard?) circled about. Then the youngest spoke. "The bird is circling about, (something) has been caught in our trap." So they ran to it rushed down, kept running until they reached it. It (the trap) was about to hurl (what had been caught) to the Above-Valley; and, just as it had it halfway, they arrived.

Having run thither, they cut it in two. They saved only the tail end (of the snake); the head-end was thrown up (to the sky). Milk, dripping down, dripped upon the two as they looked up, dripped upon their mouth. And where the milk had dropped upon their chins and breasts, it is said that where the milk had dropped, (it became white).

After this, when it was growing dark, they carried (some of the grease from the snake), took it with them to the Urine-Women's house, and reached there with it. And at night they saw the women sweating, dancing. And they threw the fat into (the house) from the smoke-hole, and then they ran away. And then the house, catching fire, burned down to the ground. Then they, travelling continually, returned to their house and staid there.

Meanwhile Earth-Maker kept travelling, and came to Nakankoyo [Big-Meadows], to the place (where) Crow and his younger brothers lived. There he camped. Then they (said,) "My older brother, you ought to sharpen our knives for us. It is bad for us (to have them) dull." So he sharpened them [their beaks] for them. And then, having staid there camping (another night), he went on.

He kept on travelling. The dog, the porcupine-dog of the two Canoe-Striking Boys, lay on top of a rock. He was a dog that never failed to see anything, it is said. Yet, indeed, he did not see (Earth-Maker). Having dodged by lying flat on the ground, Earth-Maker, having come on under ground, reached up, seized him, killed him, stuck him under his belt, and went on, dodging down flat on the ground.

Meanwhile the two boys remained talking together. They looked at their knife with which they cut off people's heads. They were saying, "This sort of thing I myself used, going about cutting off mortal men's necks," as they talked together by themselves. Meanwhile that great man [Earth-Maker] walked down (to the river). And when he had walked down, he stood on the river-bank. Then they saw him.

And they were just about to hide (the knife), but could not hide it (in time). Earth-Maker saw the two. Bring the canoe for me, ye two," said he. Then they came out toward him, and, coming pretty near, they couldn't (go farther). "From this short distance (you can) jump in," said they. So having walked down to the edge of the river, and stood there, he jumped in (the canoe). As he jumped, just as he was about to jump, they moved the canoe a little toward him, so that by slipping he might fall, it is said. Always, they say, they did that way, so that, slipping, (a person) would fall. Then, it is said, striking him with their knives, they would cut through his neck.

They crouched to spring (at him). But having jumped, he said, "Let me look at your knives. Which of you has the best knife?" Then, after having stood for a time, (one of them) took out (his knife) and gave it to Earth-Maker. When he handed it to him, he (Earth-Maker) took it. Finally he said, "Yes! Ye two have very good knives. I am going away. Ye are acquainted with this country. Ye know each of these mountains. On this mountain formerly (people), getting out of a canoe, left it there, abandoned the canoe. Every one of these mountains the flood formerly covered over, they say," said he. So pointing with that knife to all countries, he spoke, pointing them out.

Finally, striking them on the neck with that knife, he cut them through. He killed both of them. Then, taking them on his back, he took them out (of the canoe). Now, there was an oven there, and there was fire in it. Having laid (the bodies) down there, he pulled off their penises. Then he put the two bodies into (the oven). He covered them up; and when he had completely covered them up, having made a trap with their penises bent over, he went off. And having laid them, the two men, in (the oven) and covered them over, he went away.

And as he went, he came to the grandmother of the two men, Ka'miapdam-woman's dwelling-place. Then he threw across to her the porcupine which he had stuck under his belt. "Bake the porcupine and eat it," said he, as he threw it across, to her. Meanwhile she threw it back again. "Bake the porcupine and eat it," said she, as she threw it across. Then, having picked it up again, he threw it across once more. "Bake the porcupine and eat it," said he. Then she, picking it up, threw it across to him. "Bake and eat it," said she.

After that, that man having opened out the fire, placed the porcupine in it, and, having covered it (with ashes), stretched himself out, back to the fire, and went to sleep. He usually slept back to the fire. Really only a false appearance of him--a log, a rotten log--was there. Then that woman, having reached out and lifted her stone pestle across, after she had taken aim, struck him. And thereupon she made the log burst and fly to pieces. "Hām, hām! I was just thinking, you were something else. I made a good guess (?)," said she. The rotten log had resembled him; but he who was lying down back to the fire had long ago gone away. Only a shade, or semblance, had been left there, looking as if he lay back to the fire. It was only a semblance.

By and by, having jumped out (of the house), she ran off. "My grandson, I guess, has long ago eaten me all up (?)," she said. Running to (the oven), just as she was stooping down to take (them) out (of the oven), she was caught in the: trap. So he (Earth-Maker) killed them all.

Meanwhile he, paying no attention, went off. He kept going until he arrived at the place where Grouse-Old-Woman lived. There he camped, and in the morning he went on. Continuing on his way, he came to Grizzly-Bear-Old-Woman's house. Sticking her two children under his belt, he reached there, and threw them over to her. 'Burn the hair off those gray squirrels and eat them,' said he. Then, while she looked down at them, he lay down and turned his back to the fire. And already he had gone off, they say, and only a semblance, looking like a sleeper, was there.

Then she, having taken her digging-stick and brought it across (from the other side of her), struck him. Thereupon she struck a log. "I was right when I thought you were something different," said she. "Hām, hām! (Do) You too (think) you are to live?" Then she ran after him. She swung her skirt around her head, and then the country caught fire. Resembling a great (fire), it looked as if a great (fire) were sweeping all around the country.

Then he (Earth-Maker) asked, "How shall you be?" said he to the water. "I am boiling. I am very hot," (it replied). Then, "How shall you be?" said he to the stone person. "I am red hot, sometimes I burst," it said. "And how shall you be?" he said to the Tree-Man. "I burn violently, I am very hot," it said. "How shall you be?" he said to the Milkweed-Man. "I remain standing behind when the (fire) has passed," it said. So, having crawled into the middle of it, he remained there.

It kept burning, the country burned up; and when the country had cooled off, she (Grizzly-Bear) followed (his) tracks. Following his tracks all about, when she had gone all around, (she found that) he had already gone off on the soft ground (?). "May he be one who shall die!" said she, then went back.

Meanwhile he (Earth-Maker) went on, kept travelling came on hither, and arrived at the summit. "Yes! Sugar-pine, I guess, will be mortal men's food. And then mortal men, climbing up, and throwing down the sugar-pine (cones), shall pick them up!--You shall be a short, low-limbed tree," said he. And then he came on hither.

Meanwhile Coyote-Man came on behind him, angry. And coming to that place, he said, "Well, I wonder why he made that tree grow short!" (?), and he urinated on it. "Weh! There are many sugar-pine cones high up; and so, looking up, they (will be) unable to climb up," said he. And he came on hither.

Earth-Maker, having come hither, sitting down, looked down (on to the valley). "Here it shall be that mortal men shall catch salmon in nets. Stretching out (the net), here they shall throw it in," said he. "And they shall do the same on the other side." And, going along, he came hither.

And as he sat there at Papā'di, he ate his lunch, of papam (a root). When he had eaten, by and by, standing up, he looked down (toward the south). He went on. He kept going, kept travelling until he came down into Honey Lake valley. Then he said, "Well, it is a good country here. Coyote-Man is spoiling the world. While he is making an evil world, I shall make here a country where old people shall arise (young again). There mortal men, old people, (by) bathing there, shall come out new people." Then he made a small mountain. It stood up, going up very steeply. "Here old people will go up, keep going up, will get there almost dead; and then, bathing, they shall be renewed," he said. And he went off. And he, going on from there, went on over toward the east.

Then Coyote came across. And (Coyote) saw that mountain. "I wonder why he said this should be thus!" said he. He looked it all over, he looked up at it. "I'll urinate on it," said he. And from the middle of the valley, looking straight at it, he urinated upon it. And then that mountain fell, and falling, when it had fallen, spilling out the water, he threw the water into the house of the great snake. And so he filled it up everywhere. And that (lake), they say, still remains full, just the same.

"And mortal men (shall say) of me, 'Coyote, by urinating upon the Osköpem Mountain, caused it to fall, long ago.' Thus they shall laugh and talk together," said Coyote. "'Coyote long ago, by conquering Earth-Maker, who was very strong, made him angry.' So I, Coyote, am strong and smart, they say to each other (when) they are talking together among themselves, (and) they shall laugh," said he. "I am Coyote."

Then, going on by the side of the Osköpem Mountain, he ran, crying, "Wo-wo-wo-wo! That is what mortal men (shall say) of me," he said. He went off, he went away, not thinking of anything, his work all completed. The end, it is said.