Page:Myths and Legends of British North America.djvu/181

 COYOTE AND THE SALMON

Shuswap

NCE Coyote said, "I have never yet given a feast! Why should not I feast the people?"

Coyote at once caught great numbers of sock-eye and king salmon. He made much salmon oil, and buried much roe. He filled all the skins with grease. Then he sent messengers to invite all the people. Coyote said to himself, "I will sing a great song, and dance for all the people when they come. They shall think me a great man."

Now when the people came they began to dance. And as Coyote danced, one salmon which hung from the ridge pole kept striking his head and catching in his hair until he was angry. Yet again it caught in Coyote's long hair, and he pulled and he pulled to get free, but he only pulled his own hair. He became very angry. He pulled the whole fish down and threw it in the river.

Immediately all the salmon came to life. They jumped off the poles and ran to the river and leaped in. Coyote tried to catch some of them, but into the river