Year: 1873

Indian LeEen0 OF the creation Oh


MAN.


From the Overland Monthly.l


After the coyote had finished all the
work of the world and the inferior ami
mails, he called a council of them to de-
iberate on the creation of man. They
sat down in the open space in the forest,
all in circle, with the lion at The head
On his right sat the grizzly bear, next
the brown bear, and so on around ac-
cording to rank, ending with the little
mouse, which sat on the lions left.


The lion was the first to speak; and
he declared he should like to see man
created with mighty voice, like him
self, wherewith he could frighten all ami
mails. For the rest, he would have him
we'll covered with hair, terrible fangs in
his jaws, strong talons, etc.


The grizzly bear said it was ridiculous
to have such a voice as his neighbor, for
he was always roaring with it, and scared
away the very prey he wished to catch.
He thought the man ought to have pro-
digious strength and move about silently,
but very swiftly when necessary, and be
able to grip his meat without making any
noise


The buck said the man would look
very foolish, in his way of thinking un-
less he had a magnificent pair of horns
on his head with which to fight. He
also thought it was very absurd to roar
so loudly, and he would pay less atten-
ton to the mans throat than he would
to his ears and eyes, for he would make
the one like spider web, and the 9TH
er like fire.


The mounted sheep protested he
never could see what sense there was in
such horns, spreading every way only to
get caught in the branches. If the man
had horns neatly rolled up, they would
be like a stone on each side of his head,
giving weight, so that he could butt a
great deal harder.


When it came the coyotes turn to
speak, he declared all these were the
stupidest speeches he ever listened to-,
and that he could hardly keep awake
while such noodles and nincompoops
we're talking. Every one of them wanted
to make the man just like himself.
They might as well take one of their
own cubs and call it man. AS for
himself, he very we'll knew that he was
not the best animal that could be made,
and he could make one good deal bet
ter than himself. OF course, he would
be like himself in having four legs,
five fingers on each, etc. 1t was well
enough to have a voice like the lion s,
but it should also be as small as that of
the little mouse sometimes. The griz-
zly bear also had some good points,
one of which was the shape Of his feet,
by which he could stand up if he wished,
and he was in favor of making the
mans feet nearly the same. The griz-
zly was also happy in having no tail,
for he lad learned from his own expert
ence that that organ served principally
as a harbor for fleas. The bucks eyes
aud ears were pretty good, also-per-
haps better than his own. Then there
was the fish, which was naked, and which
he envied, because hair was a burden
most Of the year; so he favored man
without hair. His claws ought to be as
long as the lagos. so that he could hold
things in them. But, with all their sep
arate gifts they must acknowledge that
there was no animal besides himself that
had wit enough to supply the man; and
he felt obliged, therefore, TO make him
like himself in that respect-cunning
and crafty.


After the coyote had made an end, the
beaver said he had never heard such ar
rant twaddle in his life. No tail, indeed J
He would make a man with broad, fiat
tail, so that he could haul mud and sand
on it.


The owl declared all the animals
seemed to have lost their senses; none
of them proposed to give man wings.
For himself, he could not see Of what
use anything on earth would be to him
without wings.


The mole said it was perfectly folly to
talk about wings, for with wings the poor
man would be certain 10 fy up and
crack his nOddle against the sky. Be.
sides, if he had eyes, he would be GER
tain 10 get them singed against the sun;
but without eyes, he could burrow in the
cool, soft earth and be happy.


Last of all, the little mouse squeaked
ont that he would make a man with eyes,
Of course, so he could see what he was
eating; as for burrowing in the ground,





that was a humbug.


So they all disagreed, and the council
broke up in a row. The coyote hew at
the beaver, and nipped a piece out OF his
cheek; the owl jumped on the coyote
head. and commenced lifting his scalp
and so they all got to fighting. But
finally they stopped, and taking each a
lump of clay, they commenced moulding
a man according to their IDEAS but the
covote began to make one like that be
described. II was 30 late when they fell
IA gork. that nightfall had come on before
suy one lad finished bis model, and they
isr SaFn and feil dead asleep. But the
cunning coyote renamed aEake, ana
IN m. otEer animals were fast ssleep, be
- . siviv around and threw water on
her models, and 90 spoiled theu. In