Coyote and His Wives

Coyote was living with a friend, who had a very pretty wife. He became enamored of her, and killed his friend, so that he might gain possession of her. When the woman refused to go with him, he said to her, ‘I have even killed my friend to gain you, then why should I spare you if you do not obey my wishes?” She became afraid and went with him. He said, “To-morrow I will hunt, that you may have fresh meat to eat.”

On the next morning he hunted, and in the evening returned with two fawns, one for her, and one for himself, but he ate them both. Then he said, “You are only my slave, and not my wife, I will seek a real wife,” and killed her.

Soon afterwards he saw a man and his wife, and, after casting a spell over the man which put him to sleep, he killed him and took possession of the woman. He said to her, “To-morrow I will hunt, that you may have meat to eat.” On the following morning he hunted, and brought back two fawns, which he ate himself. Now he told the woman that she was only his slave, and not his wife, and that he wanted a real wife. Then he killed her.

Again Coyote stole a wife by foul means (my informant had forgotten the exact manner in which he obtained her). He killed two fawns, which he ate himself. Then he said, “To-morrow we will shift camp;” but in the morning the woman had a swelled leg, and could not walk. Again he hunted, and killed two fawns, but on the following morning the woman was still unable to walk. This happened four times; then he said to her, “You are my slave, and not my wife,” and killed her.

Again Coyote got a wife by foul means, and killed her (my informant had forgotten this part of the story). Now Coyote could find no more people, and at last made up his mind to take a corpse for his wife. He went to a graveyard and dug up the body of a woman. He opened her eyes, but they would shut again. Then he treated her as shamans treat sick people, and she moved a little. He continued to do so, and her eyes opened. He said, “There is sufficient life in her,” and placed her in a sitting posture. He talked to her, and said, ‘I will go hunting and bring you food.” He returned with two fawns, cooked them, and offered her some meat to eat.

Now he made her lie down, saying, “To-morrow we will move camp.” When day came, he said, “Arise, wife, we will shift camp,” but she never moved. Again he said, “Make haste, wife, and arise, we must shift camp;” and thus he addressed her four times, but she never moved. Now he got angry and struck her with his fist on the cheek, saying, “Thus I treat a disobedient wife.” Again he struck her with his fist on the other cheek; but his hand slid off, taking off the rotten flesh, and exposing the bone.