Native American Legends
Coyote and Mountain Sheep
A Pen D'Oreille Legend
Coyote was traveling, and came to Amtkane', about five miles below
Missoula, where a large rock is standing on the edge of a high cliff.
It moves when it is pushed. Here lived the Mountain-Ram who killed
people. He invited passers-by to push the rock over the cliff. When
they failed, he invited them to look over the cliff at the sheep
on the rocks below. Then, while they were looking, he would push
them over, and thus kill them.
As Coyote was passing, Bighorn shouted to him. Coyote went up
and asked him what he wanted.
He saw that Coyote was armed: so he said, "You have bow and
arrows. I should like you to shoot those sheep among the rocks below."
Coyote went to look at them. Then Bighorn pushed him over, and
he was killed on the rocks below.
Later Fox came along, and jumped over him. Then Coyote moved, rubbed
his eyes, and said, " I must have slept a long time."
Fox answered, "You were dead. I told you not to come here."
Coyote said, "I will be revenged."
Coyote went the same way; and as he was passing, Bighorn shouted
as before. Coyote asked him what he wanted.
Ram said to him, "You have bow and arrows. I want you to
shoot these sheep."
Coyote went cautiously to the edge of the cliff, and pretended
not to see the sheep. Bighorn pointed them out, but Coyote said
he did not see them. Ram leaned out over the cliff to show them
to Coyote, and the latter shoved him over and killed him. He said,
"Had you kept on living and doing this way, you would have
exterminated the people."
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