Cayote & Sasquatch
snЌəlíp & sćwáníytəm
snЌəlíp was once on his travels, and came at the close of day to the house of a Giant, whose name was sćwáníyəm. He deteremined to spend the night here. He went in and found the Giant lying on his back. He did not speak to or take notice of snЌəlíp.
Some of the other inmates of the house accosted him, but sćwáníyəm never moved. There was no fire in the house when snЌlíp entered. Presently sćwáníyəm got up and took two round boulders that lay at his right side and knocked them together. Immediately the begin to burn like fire. He now told his people to prepare supper for their uncle, meaning snЌlíp. They did so, and Cayote had a hearty meal. They then gave him a blanket to sleep in. Now, he had been much impressed by the way in which sćwáníyəm had made his fire, and there upon determined to possess himself with these wonderful firestones.
At bedtime sćwáníyəm took the firestones from the fireplace and put them by his bedside again. Cayote waited until all were asleep, then got up and took the firestones from the Giant’s side, and got away with them. He went up the ladder, and as soon as he got outside, began to run as fast as he could. He kept on until break of day and presently he perceived a large tree before him with many spreading branches. “I will go up there and rest,” said he. He climbed the tree and lay down as he thought on a broad branch and slept. In his sleep he heard sćwáníyəm’s voice saying to him, “What are you doing with my firestones up there? My children want fire. “snЌlíp woke up, saying to himself ” I think somebody must have overtaken me.” When he looked about him, he found that he was not in a tree at all, but only halfway up the ladder of the Giant’s house. He came down and threw the firestones at the Giant’s side in deep disgust. sćwáníyəm then took up the stones, knocked them together and immediately they began to glow as before. sćwáníyəm’s people now cooked their breakfast, giving Cayote his portion.
As Cayote observed again the magic power of the firestones, he said to himself, I must have those firestones at all costs. Besides, I don’t like being fooled. I will wait ’til night again, and when I get the stones I will keep on going and not stop at all.” So he waited ’till night came, but sćwáníyəm knew what was on Cayote’s mind. Said snЌlíp to himself “I will keep on talking and that will keep me awake. “Night came, and when snЌlíp thought all sleeping he got up. Said to hi self, “Now, I am gettnig up, now I am starting to walk. Now, I have taken the firestones. Now, I have gotten to the foot of the ladder. Now, I am starting to run. ” Thus he kept going. And as he knew the country there abouts quite well, he would say to himself, “I am here, or I am there. “All night he went on this way, thinking he was getting farther and farther away with his plunder. At daybreak, when sćwáníyəm’s people woke up, they saw snЌlíp running around and around the fireplace, talking to himself. He was sweating with his exertions. Sas! quatch called out to him, he wanted his stones to light the fire for breakfast. snЌlíp woke up, and found himsefl still in the house. He threw down the rocks and sat down. “I have been badly beaten, ” he thought. “I had better give up the game. “After he had eaten his breakfast, he left and went on his way.
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Note from the Sasquatch Information Society:
This story was given to us courtesy of a Washington State Tribal conferation.
it was re-produced as given to us per the request of an elder. If you re-use this story please respect their wishes and re-print AS-IS.
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