The Traditions of the Hopi, by H.R. Voth, [1905], at sacred-texts.com
The Traditions of the Hopi, by H.R. Voth, [1905], at sacred-texts.com
A long time ago the Coyote lived at Ishmovala, west of the village; a Bat at Tovítoala, north-west of the village; and a Humming-bird at Tóhchipchookpu, also north-west of the village. They were all three close friends. The Bat and the bird often visited the Coyote, spending their time there in joking, laughing, and eating. The Coyote, being a great hunter, always had plenty of rabbit meat and other
game, which he would cook and place before them, and which they enjoyed very much. One time the Bat thought that he would invite his two friends to his house, but he was worried as to what he would give them to eat, so his thoughts were directed to the village of Oraíbi. He said to himself: "I am going to the village after dark and perhaps some one of the rich people may have forgotten to take their meat in that they are drying, and I am going to get some of it." So ill the evening he proceeded to the village and was flying around, but found no meat; so he went home discouraged. "Now what shall I do?" he thought. "I am going to try it again, and perhaps I shall find an open window through which I can get into some house and find some food inside." This he did, and finding at one place some tallow, he broke off a piece and carried it home. Returning to the same house he got some more. Hereupon he procured some meat in the same manner, making also several trips after meat. He then in the same manner procured some píki, of which he fetched a goodly supply to his house. "Now, my friends will want some salt with this food," he thought, and so he went in search of some salt, which he found and carried to his house. After he had thus laid in a supply of food for his anticipated visitors, he commenced to think what he should say to them when they would inquire as to the source where he obtained the food. He began thinking of some one that was his friend and whose name he could mention, and thought of the Badger, who lived east of Oraíbi, at Badger-Ditch (Honáncik'a). Hereupon he retired but did not sleep much that night, as he was very busy thinking over the anticipated visit of his two friends. In the morning he proceeded to the house of the Coyote, and from there to that of the Hummingbird, inviting them to visit him that day. They promptly accepted the invitation and paid their friend a visit. At noon the Bat said, "Now let us eat." Whereupon he prepared a meal of the things he had procured. First he fried some of the meat, which he then placed in a bowl in which he had melted some of the tallow. They then ate, enjoying the food very much. While they were eating they were wondering where their friend procured the food, and in the course of their conversation, which was very animated, they asked him about it. He promptly stated that his friend, the Badger, had given it to him, They doubted it, but said nothing, but when they went home, soon after the meal, they talked about the matter and agreed that their friend had probably deceived them. Before they parted, the Coyote invited the bird to visit him in the evening. This the bird did, and their conversation soon again turned upon the subject of the food which they had so much enjoyed at their friend's house. They again
were wondering where he procured it, but soon agreed that he must have stolen it in Oraíbi, and that he had deceived them, 1n order to get even with their friend, they concluded that they would "song-tie" him, that is, they would make a song about their friend. They at once started to compose a song, but did not finish it to their satisfaction. So, after the Humming-bird had left, the Coyote kept thinking over the song, and during the night, while he could not sleep, finished it. The next morning he at once went to the house of the bird, to whom he sang this song, to the satisfaction of both of them:
Sawya, Sawya!
Bat, Bat!
Tucivakiota, tucivakiota.
In the hollow, In the hollow!
Anawit kwitaat
Along its excrements
Tucanmuruta, tucanmuruta
A ridge (of) dirt, a ridge (of) dirt!
Kikanqö, kikanqö
To the village, to the village.
The following is supposed to be the complaint of the party whose food the bat carried off:
Iyumukvi, akwihkwistkae
From my inner chamber, because fat he got
Kalatötö matototimaia.
The Kalatötö are running about.
They practiced the song until they both knew it. Hereupon the Coyote returned to his house, the Humming-bird saying he would invite the Bat to come over in the evening, which he did. When the Bat arrived, the bird went over to the Coyote's house, telling him that their friend was waiting for them. The Coyote at once also proceeded to the house of the bird, where the latter soon proposed to have a song. The Bat consented, saying that they wanted to be happy together. So they stood up in a line and the bird commenced to sing the song which the Coyote had made. The Coyote at once chimed in and the Bat also commenced to sing with them the best he could, but soon found out that a joke was being played on him, and that he was being song-tied by his two friends. As soon as he had found this out he stopped singing and became angry. "You have song-tied me," he said to the others. "The Coyote has made the song; you both have made it. Now this ends our friendship." Whereupon they dispersed and never became friends again.
189:1 Told by Kúhkiuma (Shupaúlavi).
189:2 Told by Qöyáwaima (Oraíbi).