Traditions of the Arikara

The Coyote went up on a high hill, and there he saw a stone. The Coyote asked of the stone its name. The Stone said, “Run-Fast.” “A good name,” said the Coyote, “but I can beat you running.” The stone said, “You will spoil my rest, but if you want to race I will run with you.” The Coyote said, “All right, I want to race with you.” So the Stone told the Coyote to carry him to the top of the hill. The Coyote placed the Stone upon the hill and started him rolling down the hill. For a time the Coyote ran along side of him, then passed him. The Stone ran down the hill and caught up with the Coyote, and rolled upon his back. The Coyote then tried to shake off the Stone, telling him that he had beaten him and begging him to get off his back. But the Stone stayed upon the Coyote’s back. As the Coyote walked along the Stone grew heavier. It was now towards evening, and as the Coyote walked along he saw the Bull-Bats fly overhead. He told them to fly lower; that he had something to tell them. The Bull-Bats flew down. The Coyote told them that the Stone had been calling them names. He said: “When I told the Stone that I would tell you he jumped up on my back so that I could not tell you.” The Bull-Bats said, “We will take the Stone off.” So the Bull-Bats flew up high in the air, then came down with a swoop, making a peculiar noise upon the stone and cracking the Stone. The Bull-Bats kept on flying towards the Stone, until the Stone split in two.

After the Stone had fallen from the Coyote, the Coyote ran along making fun of the Bull-Bats, calling them names. He said, “You spoiled my hair by scattering some of these stones upon my back.” The Bull-Bats told the Coyote to go his way and they would go theirs. They separated.