Old Indian Legends | Page 8

forward like a wildcat prowling noiselessly through the thick grass. He
stopped a few steps away from a very large bunch of wild sage. From
shoulder to shoulder he tilted his head. Still farther he bent from side to
side, first low over one hip and then over the other. Far forward he
stooped, stretching his long thin neck like a duck, to see what lay under
a fur coat beyond the bunch of coarse grass.

A sleek gray-faced prairie wolf! his pointed black nose tucked in
between his four feet drawn snugly together; his handsome bushy tail
wound over his nose and feet; a coyote fast asleep in the shadow of a
bunch of grass!--this is what Iktomi spied. Carefully he raised one foot
and cautiously reached out with his toes. Gently, gently he lifted the
foot behind and placed it before the other. Thus he came nearer and
nearer to the round fur ball lying motionless under the sage grass.
Now Iktomi stood beside it, looking at the closed eyelids that did not
quiver the least bit. Pressing his lips into straight lines and nodding his
head slowly, he bent over the wolf. He held his ear close to the coyote's
nose, but not a breath of air stirred from it.
"Dead!" said he at last. "Dead, but not long since he ran over these
plains! See! there in his paw is caught a fresh feather. He is nice fat
meat!" Taking hold of the paw with the bird feather fast on it, he
exclaimed, "Why, he is still warm! I'll carry him to my dwelling and
have a roast for my evening meal. Ah-ha!" he laughed, as he seized the
coyote by its two fore paws and its two hind feet and swung him over
head across his shoulders. The wolf was large and the teepee was far
across the prairie. Iktomi trudged along with his burden, smacking his
hungry lips together. He blinked his eyes hard to keep out the salty
perspiration streaming down his face.
All the while the coyote on his back lay gazing into the sky with wide
open eyes. His long white teeth fairly gleamed as he smiled and smiled.
"To ride on one's own feet is tiresome, but to be carried like a warrior
from a brave fight is great fun!" said the coyote in his heart. He had
never been borne on any one's back before and the new experience
delighted him. He lay there lazily on Iktomi's shoulders, now and then
blinking blue winks. Did you never see a birdie blink a blue wink? This
is how it first became a saying among the plains people. When a bird
stands aloof watching your strange ways, a thin bluish white tissue slips
quickly over his eyes and as quickly off again; so quick that you think
it was only a mysterious blue wink. Sometimes when children grow
drowsy they blink blue winks, while others who are too proud to look
with friendly eyes upon people blink in this cold bird-manner.

The coyote was affected by both sleepiness and pride. His winks were
almost as blue as the sky. In the midst of his new pleasure the swaying
motion ceased. Iktomi had reached his dwelling place. The coyote felt
drowsy no longer, for in the next instant he was slipping out of Iktomi's
hands. He was falling, falling through space, and then he struck the
ground with such a bump he did not wish to breathe for a while. He
wondered what Iktomi would do, thus he lay still where he fell.
Humming a dance-song, one from his bundle of mystery songs, Iktomi
hopped and darted about at an imaginary dance and feast. He gathered
dry willow sticks and broke them in two against his knee. He built a
large fire out of doors. The flames leaped up high in red and yellow
streaks. Now Iktomi returned to the coyote who had been looking on
through his eyelashes.
Taking him again by his paws and hind feet, he swung him to and fro.
Then as the wolf swung toward the red flames, Iktomi let him go. Once
again the coyote fell through space. Hot air smote his nostrils. He saw
red dancing fire, and now he struck a bed of cracking embers. With a
quick turn he leaped out of the flames. From his heels were scattered a
shower of red coals upon Iktomi's bare arms and shoulders.
Dumbfounded, Iktomi thought he saw a spirit walk out of his fire. His
jaws fell apart. He thrust a palm to his face, hard over his mouth! He
could scarce keep from shrieking.
Rolling over and over on the grass and rubbing the sides of his head
against the ground, the coyote soon put out