"I am going away again."

"Why are you going to tire yourself out? Just now you were very tired. You no sooner come in and sit down on the ground at home than you dash out again. Now I've become tired of you. You are continually leaving us in an empty camp. We too would like to see other places. Take us with you over there."

"How are you to do that? I want you to go over there with me. [But] the children are small. The place to which I am going is far away. There are many broad rivers on [the road]. There are many big canyons. And the mountains also are very high. There are many steep cliffs. And there are also dense forests.

"You see, some of those children of mine are small. Some of them cannot swim. There is much that frightens them. They soon become tired.

"I know about all sorts of places. Therefore, I will get all sorts of things from people of many kinds. I am learning as I travel about. Therefore, do not follow me over there. Let me go about by myself. Do not speak of this to me again.

"Good things are said about the Frog people. Because of that, I shall go to them. I shall bring back something for you."

"My father, [said Coyote's son] I like it right here. So, you go on. I will take care of everything: water, wood, and all. Therefore, my mother, do not speak [further] to him. Let him start out over there. He will bring back something for us."

"All right, go ahead. [But] do not imitate anyone again. Though I do not do it, I am ashamed at your failures."

"Very well, I shall not do so again. When I have been to these people, then I shall not go anywhere from you again. We will return to our own people. I do not know where the camp is but someone somewhere will tell us about it. Later, when I return, I will tell you the story. Therefore, all of you embrace me well. Then I'll leave you."

"Coyote."

"Where are you going?"

"Where is the camp of the Frog People?"

"Go right on in that direction."

"Thank you."

"Coyote, where are you going?"

"Over yonder."

"I am going to the Frog People."

"What are you doing?"

"Huh?"

"Where are you from?"

"From right here."

"I [am one of] those who are called Rump people¹.
And they [also] call me Bear.
That's who I am.
I know you, Coyote."

"Tell me exactly where the camp of the Frog people is."

"On the farther side of the fourth ridge from the edge of the mountains, there are four little mountains.
At the edge of the farthest [little mountain] are four cliffs.
Under them and on the east side of them, there are four lakes.
On the east side of the uppermost lake, four rivers flow into it.
On the [river] bank farthest away lie four clumps of tule.
On the east side of the uppermost [clump] lies a black stone.
And, sitting on it, is the Frog chief."

"Friend, I am grateful to you. Thank you many many times."

"Coyote!"

"Where are you going?"

"Ho! Where are you going! I'm going over there. What do you want?"

"Hurry, I said. I cannot talk to you long."

"You will tell me a story later."

"Earth! Now, for some reason,
that which lies upon your surface,
those who live upon your surface,
[and] those animate beings who exist upon your surface,
none of them disappearing,
will all be transformed in a place similar to this one which he will make somewhere.

The people to whom I am going,
on the very day that I come to them,
will become like those in that place.

Then, when they have spoken to me and I have spoken to them,
from that moment on,
they, their words and their bodies
by means of which they customarily move about on the surface of the earth, will change.

I will not have heard them."²

"Go on to the east side of the fourth lake."

"Go on to the east."

"Go on to the east."

"Now you are standing on the south side."

• "Tule,


• spike rush,


• sedge,


• slender tule,


• carrizo,


• watercress,


• white violet,


• asphodel,


• side oats grama [var.],


• blue-eyed grass,

[and] everything, though it does not [now] exist,
of whatever sort that grows in the water will be created."

"And right now all the varieties of grass on the earth's surface:

• grama grass,


• falseflax,


• big blue-stem grass,


• buffalo grass,


• corn grass,


• wild violet,


• salt grass,


• black grama grass,


• red columbine,


• wild barley,


• side oats grama [var.],


• red top grass,


• rye grass,


• candy grass,


• side oats grama [var.],


• big blue-stem grass,


• and blue grass.

Whether or not I've been heard to name all the varieties,
let all of the other kinds come with [those I have named] also."

"Go on again."

"Creosote bush."

• "Mesquite,


• shad scale,


• tree [sp.],


• screw bean,


• [and] all other varieties."

"Then the thorny plants also:

• ocotillo,


• cholla,


• nipple cactus.

All varieties of thorny roses:

• hedge-hog cactus,


• prickly pear cactus,


• strawberry cactus."

"Now all varieties of yucca:

• yucca,


• white yucca,


• long yucca,


• round yucca⁶.

"Now, on to all varieties of trees:

• live oak,


• acorn oak,


• cottonwood,


• willow,


• willow which becomes white all around⁷,


• desert willow,


• willow which becomes red all around⁷,


• willow which becomes yellow all around⁷,


• big willow⁷,


• willow on which the leaves lie above one another⁷,


• heart leafed willow,


• salix exigua."

"All kinds of people, all people, will repeatedly make use of you in some good way."

"Let green hills extend upward everywhere."

"People of all sorts will make use of you in any way they see fit."

"Now then:

• bullsnake,


• rattlesnake,


• black water-snake,


• copperhead snake,


• whip snake,


• blue racer,


• the snake that is whipped,


• the red-bodied snake,


• the blue snake,


• the red snake¹⁰.

All kinds that do not [now] exist, you will be created also."

"Now all the varieties of lizard:

• slender lizard,


• long lizard,


• big-headed lizard,


• lizard [var.],


• lizard [var.],


• spotted lizard,


• rough lizard,


• lizard [var.],


• fast-running lizard,


• blue-throated lizard,


• fierce lizard,


• hiding lizard,


• black lizard,


• forked-tail lizard,


• lizard [var.],


• lizard that lies on trees¹¹.

Any that I have missed will also be created."

"Now then, all varieties of rodent:

• Big-eared mouse,


• harvest mouse,


• jumping mouse,


• shrew,


• white-footed mouse,


• short-tailed meadow mouse,


• gopher,


• rat,


• big-eyed rat,


• bulging-eyed rat,


• long-tailed rat,


• hairy field mouse,


• chipmunk,


• tree squirrel,


• rock squirrel,


• prairie dog,


• big prairie dog,


• ground squirrel,


• yellow ground squirrel,


• big spotted ground squirrel,


• black ground squirrel,


• [and] all other kinds.

Any that I have forgotten, you will also be created.

"And now all kinds of antelope and deer:

• Antelope,


• deer,


• white-tailed deer,


• Virginia deer,


• elk,


• mountain sheep,


• [and] all other kinds.

Any that I have forgotten will also come with them."

"And now the various bears:

• Black bear,


• brown bear,


• white bear,


• California bear,


• silver tip bear,


• and all other kinds.

Any that I have missed will also come with them.

"And now the varieties of mountain lion:

• Short-tailed mountain lion,


• long-tailed mountain lion,


• wild cat,


• jaguar,


• spotted wild cat,


• ocelot,


• lynx,


• [and] all other kinds.

Any that I have missed, you will also be created.

"All the varieties of badger:

• Big badger,


• silver badger,


• coarse-haired badger,


• skunk,


• civet cat,


• [and] all others.

Any that I have missed, you will also be created."

"And now all the varieties of those with feathers, the varieties of hawk that kill:

• Eagle,


• bald eagle,


• female golden eagle,


• male golden eagle,


• black hawk,


• red-tailed hawk,


• Winston's hawk,


• marsh hawk,


• osprey,


• sharpskin hawk,


• and all other kinds."

"All the varieties of little birds:

• Wax wing,


• titmouse,


• pine siskin,


• goldfinch,


• canary,


• red-crowned kinglet,


• winter wren,


• nuthatch,


• white-breasted creeper,


• white-breasted nuthatch,


• woodpecker,


• Lewis woodpecker,


• California woodpecker,


• Rocky Mountain hairy woodpecker,


• flicker,


• kingbird,


• [and] all other kinds.

Any that I have missed, you will also be created."

• "Raven,


• white-necked raven,


• crows,


• buzzard,


• [and] all other kinds.

Any that I have missed will also be created."

"And those who do not exist will also come by means of him."

"Now [come] those who have cloven hoofs [and] those whose feet are bunched.
Both these groups are of the carrion-eaters.
I shall not miss any of them because you will tell me of all of them.
My thoughts, which have not stopped four times by means of him, will be created¹².

• Mountain pig,


• peccary,


• common pig.


• Those with bunched feet, the wolves.


• The little ones who run about with their feet turned wrong side out, all the varieties of dog.

"Now I have become very tired.
He has made me in the form of a man.
Therefore, I shall make my body small.
[So will change] my ears, my nose, my eyes, my body hair, [and] my teeth:
My legs will be four,
My tail will be bushy,
I shall howl and bark,
My feet will be bunched,
and I shall close up my arms and my hands.
Coyote is no more.¹³

Now I will return as coyote the animal [to] my wife [and] my children.
Wherever I go, wherever I live,
I will sleep well everywhere.
Only all varieties of meat will be my food
and I will drink only water.
I will howl."

"Now you have given yourself the name 'Coyote'.
You will like it that way.
Because I think [so],
I shall give you those portions that you have not created."

"Who are you who move me about the places I have not created?
Yours is a voice that I constantly hear.
Who is this person who is speaking to me again?
Now, come before me!"

"Perhaps you will also create still more that I shall give to you."

"Now, since you do not want to be human,
now you may go away.
Humankind will do to you whatever they will.
They will give you troubles that do not exist for human beings."

"It seems that much is lacking.
All that is lacking, you will be created.

"All varieties of plant will clothe earth.
Even all of the mountains will be created.
Great tall trees giving good shade with their leaves will be created.
And so [will] those that move and live and fly about on the surface of the earth.

"The voices of all sorts of birds that do not [now] exist will be heard singing and making a noise.
All trees that grow,
all sorts of fruits,
[and] all other things of this kind by means of which people sustain life [will be created].
[So will] arrows, spears, stone clubs, stone knives, metates, [and] tanned skins.

"People made in my image will follow me.
My father who lives up above¹⁴ has made it so for you;
He has given what is lacking to me to create.
I am one who lives by means of all that is beautiful.
They are not to speak evil of me even to themselves,
Even in any of the thoughts they are thinking.
They will behave in this way.
Now, you who are human,
I have given you that by means of which you live
And [that which] you will make beautiful anywhere.

"Now I will cool the earth's surface.
Clouds will be created.
There will be lightning,
thunder will roar,
water will rain down.
Let it come!"

"Then, after this,
there will be red flowering plants of all sorts
[and] white flowering plants of all sorts everywhere.
There will be trees, vines,
trailing vines all covered with flowers,
some red, some white, some yellow, some blue, [and] some pink;
they will be beautiful and sweet smelling.

After this, there will be fruits of all different sorts,
trees, [and] plants, all similarly [colored].

Even the mountains:
Let pines, firs, junipers, [and] pinon trees
be everywhere on the mountains.
Even from these trees will humankind secure their food.
They will prepare it in any way that is good.
And all sorts of fruits will be on [the trees].
They will know which of these are good for them.

"Now the rivers will flow.
In the mountains, there will be much life.
The varieties of quail will furnish all sorts of food for them in the mountains.
And there will be many kinds of deer for them.
There will be no lack of sustenance for them;
there will be much for them.
I will make it so for them.

"Even clouds will start to move.
There will be rain everywhere.
Thunder, lightning,
the rainbow stretched downward,
All will exist made of goodness.

"Even the varieties of cactus will have much fruit
of many different kinds.
Nothing will be lacking.
Their food will be anything that they can think of.

"Now, my father, look at all I have made for you to give to humankind. Now, tell me of anything of any kind that is lacking."

"Yes, it is all good.
I like it all.
You already know what is lacking."

"Yes, now I know it.
Since disease will be among them,
make something that will cure it that they can prepare.
I ask my mother for this."

"You will make for them all sorts of herbs,
all of which will cure [diseases]¹⁵.
Some they will boil,
some they will chew,
some they will paint on,
some they will customarily burn for their smoke,
some they will drink,
[and] they will breathe the vapors of some.
There will be names for these things.
They will be called medicines.
They will make them for whatever purpose they want.
These medicinal herbs will be called 'medicines which are holy'.

"Herb medicine, if they breathe you four times, they will be cured by your power¹⁶.

"Another one, a medicine-that-lives,
you will be a medicine that never fails.
Son, I have made your name good.

"Now, here is the medicine-that-moves-for-you.
They will mark you with pollen.
They will do so to you in that way.
You will cure them.

"'Yellow medicine', you will be called.
You alone, when they have thrown pollen at you four times,
will cure them.

"Now, from here on, there are all sorts of medicines, my grandson.
You-who-are-with-medicine, they will pound you with a hail club¹⁷.
They will do so to you because it is good.
Then black medicine, you will cure anything.
You also, medicine-without-end.
Red columbine, since some [of you] is their food, they will make you anyhow.

"Now you also, face medicine,
you will cure everything.
Therefore, when they have dug you up,
do not say that they have prepared you incorrectly.
You will exist only for good¹⁸.

"Now you also, red medicine¹⁹,
you will cure everything.
Whenever my power comes by means of your power,
you will be called a medicine.
Whatever they do to you,
if they pound you with a metate and mano,
even if they grind you,
you will in any case be a medicine for humankind.

"Now, another one that exists everywhere is the wild cosmos.
You also will be good every where.
When they have put you down four times with pollen²⁰,
you will not fail to cure anything.

"Now then, gray medicine,
you will cure everything.

"Now, that-redness-which-customarily-emerges-with-medicine,
because you customarily grow,
they have made you [a medicine].
Therefore, you will be good everywhere.

"Turquoise, if you do not cause trouble,
you will not do anything in vain anywhere.
Therefore, I have made you a medicine.
They will call you 'a group is moving through rock.'
Therefore, you will not be indifferent to anyone.
That is why I have made you a medicine.

"Yellow stone medicine, you too,
if people carry you about,
there will be no sickness for them.
If they swallow you four times with pollen,
you will make them well again.
For that reason, I have made you a medicine.

"Black stone medicine,
since you will not do anything in vain,
I have made you a medicine.

"Now, all of you that I will make medicines,
you will customarily grow everywhere.
You will be good with anything that they mix you with.

• Iron,


• black stone,


• blue stone,


• yellow stone,


• galena,


• red clay,


• yellow ochre,


• turquoise,


• any kind of pollen.


• White clay,


• ashes,


• charcoal²¹,

[with] these, you that I have named will be good to man everywhere.

"Now, from here on,
not only the good herbs will be used for sustenance
nor will only the good trees be used for sustenance.
Everything of any sort will sustain life.
Therefore, all of you different plants
will both be medicines and foods.

"Spurge, they will boil your leaves and seeds for food.
Lamb's quarters, your leaves, [and] seeds will be peoples' food.

"Since all kinds of medicines and plants are good for everything,
then you will be good in every way.
By means of you medicines, life will be sustained.

• "Sunflower,


• western skunk cabbage,


• fleabane,


• [and] blue weld

are all good.
Any that are not good do not exist for us.
I have made you medicines only in order to cure mankind.

• "Living medicine,


• sunflower,


• osha,


• western skunk cabbage,


• dock,


• puccoon,


• fleabane,


• cloak fern,


• sumac,


• sage,


• prairie dogs' food,


• solanium tripolium,


• primrose,


• bitterroot,


• Jacob's ladder,


• eriogonium,


• eriogonium jamesii,


• cinquefoil,


• Mormon tea,


• coneflower,


• spectacle pod,


• perezia nana,


• sage,


• cudwood,


• wormwood,


• wildpumpkin,


• chokecherry,


• wild plum,


• algerita,


• wild rose.

Now all of you that I have named,
be good to everyone who lives on the earth, Indians [and] white men.

"Now, there will also be no lack of the different insects with man.
You will live with all Indians and white men.
You will like them, and belong to them.

• "All varieties of cattle,


• all varieties of horses,


• all that live in the mountains,


• those that are bears,


• mountain lions,


• mountain sheep,


• elks,


• buffaloes,


• antelopes.

All that I have named, you will be good to all kinds of Indians and white men on the surface of the earth.
I have created you because they want to use you in some way.

"Now then, all of you who fly over the surface of the earth will be of value to humankind and I have made you so that all of your skins and flesh is of value to Indians [and] white men.

"And also, the skin, flesh, and anything else of all of you who live in the water will be of value to Indians and white men.
That is why I have made you.

"Now then, there is nothing more of value to me that I can set down on the surface the earth for you.
You are my people, my children.
I am right here.
Think about me.
I have done everything for you.

"Now I shall put you all together.
Even if you speak in many different ways, I shall do so for you.
Thereby, I have given you a chance²².
You will do whatever you like with your minds.
In spite of that, there will be difficulties everywhere.
I have made witches and disease to live among you²⁰.

"I shall be with you in a little while.
For this reason, my father and my mother went home long ago.
Now I also have started to follow them home.
I am he who you call Child of the Water²⁴.
And I also speak.
I have told all of this.

"Therefore, my children, my sisters, my brothers, my uncles, [and] all those who are variously related to me:
All of you will keep watch for me everywhere.
Somewhere, some day, I shall come to you again²⁵.
Since that by means of which you live is of goodness, you will be so²⁶."