Page:Myths and Legends of British North America.djvu/183

 Coyote answered, "How can the berries be ripe and snow be still almost to the tree tops?"

Four times the snowbirds brought him berries, and then Coyote thought something must be wrong. He put on his snowshoes and blanket, and climbed over the snowdrifts. Behold! As he came down on the other side of the drifts, just a few feet from his house, it was bare ground! Then he went on and came in just a little while to a place where the trees were budding and a little farther they were in full leaf. He passed down the North Thompson Valley and saw service berries in blossom, and then came to bushes full of ripe fruit. Then Coyote came to a large berry patch, and heard two Indian women singing.

The summer time had come. That was the way in which the salmon took their revenge upon Coyote.