Page:Myths and Legends of British North America.djvu/214

 COYOTE AND FOX

Shuswap

OYOTE, while traveling about, came to an underground house in which lived very small, short people. They were the Rock Rabbit People. Coyote said, "They are far too short for people. I will just eat them up." He killed every one of the Rabbit people, tied them all on a string, and carried them off on his shoulder.

Now the weather was clear and hot, so Coyote carried them to the shade of a large yellow-pine tree. He made a big fire, and heated stones red hot; then he dug a hole in the earth and put in the hot stones. Then he put in the rock rabbits and covered them with leaves and then with earth. Then Coyote went to sleep in the shade of the big yellow pine.

Now along came Fox, and seeing Coyote asleep, he spied the earth oven. Then he at once began to dig out the rabbits and eat them. He had eaten half of them when Coyote awoke. Coyote was very lazy and sleepy. He said to Fox, "Spare me ten." Fox kept right on eating. Then Coyote said, "Well, spare me