Kaiutois Wolf
Wus Fox
Kaiutois was sick for a long time, and he was alone in his house. One
day Wus went to see him and Kaiutois said: “I want you to find me
something to eat; I am hungry.”
Wus killed some mice, put them in a basket, and carried them to
Kaiutois. Kaiutois ate them at one mouthful and said: “I feel better,
but I am weak, for I am hungry. You must call deer and try to kill one.
Call loud so they can hear, and say: ‘Come and dance. Big-ribs is going
to die.’ When they come, you must kill a white-faced one; they are the
fattest.”
Wus called: “All those who live in the mountains, come! The man who has
killed so many people is dying. I am going to have a dance. I am glad.”
The deer didn’t hear, so Wus called again: “Big-ribs, the man who
drives you around and kills you, is dying. Come and dance!”
That time Big deer heard, and said: “Get ready; Wus wants us to dance
with him. Big-ribs is dying.”
When they started, Wus saw them and called to Kaiutois: “They are
coming! they are coming!”
Kaiutois lay down and Wus wrapped him up so no one could see him. When
deer crowded into the house, Wus took a club and began to dance; every
time he came to Kaiutois, he struck him with the club. The deer danced
and raised a terrible dust.
At last Big deer said: “That is enough; we have a long way to go before
dark.”
Wus said: “If this man doesn’t die to-night, I will call you again
to-morrow.”
The white-faced deer went first. They looked so big that Wus was
scared; he didn’t touch them. The last to go was a fawn. Wus told him
to wait, and when the big ones were out of sight, Wus killed the little
one.
Kaiutois ate him and complained that he hadn’t enough. He said: “It is
just as if I hadn’t eaten a mouthful. I didn’t tell you to catch that
little lean fawn; I told you to kill a big, white-faced deer. To-morrow
you must call to the wŭyĕs (mountain sheep). Maybe it will be easier to
kill one of them. They live among the rocks.”
The next morning Wus called: “Those who always live among the rocks,
come and dance. The man who runs after you and kills you is going to
die, and I am glad. When he killed a deer, he drove me off; he never
gave me a bite. Come and dance with me!”
Wus watched, and when he saw them coming, he told Kaiutois.
Kaiutois said: “Wrap me up tight. When they are through dancing, kill
one that has never had young; they are the best.”
When the wŭyĕs were in the house, Wus took up a club, and they all
began to dance. They danced a long time and raised a terrible dust.
When they were ready to go, they looked so big that Wus was afraid; he
let them all go but the last one, a little fellow. He held him back,
and said: “Wait, wait a minute, you will get pushed down if you go in
that crowd.”
When the large ones were out of sight, Wus killed the little one and
told Kaiutois to get up and eat.
Kaiutois couldn’t stand up; he was too sick; so Wus fed him. Kaiutois
said: “This meat is too soft, and there isn’t enough of it. I shall
never get well if I don’t have plenty to eat. You must kill something
that is fat and old.”
Wus said: “Maybe I could, if you would help me.”
Kaiutois found him a heavier club and told him to call the antelopes.
Wus called: “Antelopes, come and dance with me. The man who has eaten
so many of your people is almost dead. He will die quickly if we
dance.”
When Wus saw them coming, Kaiutois said: “Cover me with something thin;
maybe I’ll catch one.”
Wus stood on the top of the house and danced, and sang: “I’m glad
Kaiutois is going to die. He always drove me away when he had anything
to eat.” When the antelopes were all in the house, Wus told them to
stand around and see him dance on Kaiutois. He jumped up and down on
Kaiutois, while Kaiutois looked at the antelopes and picked out the one
he wanted,—the fattest one. When they were through dancing, and ready
to go, Wus caught hold of the fat antelope. It came near carrying him
off, but Kaiutois jumped up and killed it.
Kaiutois ate the meat and fat and gave the intestines to Wus. He felt
stronger then, and said: “Maybe I will get well if I can get out in the
woods. Maybe I can kill big game again.”
Wus helped him out, and after a while Kaiutois told him to call deer.
He said: “I’ll go into the house and wrap up in a blanket, and when
they are almost through dancing, you must say: ‘This man is dead. Throw
him out!’ When they throw me out, I will run at them and kill as many
as I can.”
Wus called: “I want everybody who lives on the mountains and among the
rocks to come. Kaiutois is almost dead. This is his last day, we must
all dance!”
Everybody came, for everybody was glad. When they had danced enough,
they threw Kaiutois out and started for home. Kaiutois ran after them
and killed a great many. Wus helped him all he could. Kaiutois told him
he should have as much as he wanted to eat, but when the deer were
piled up in the house, Kaiutois drove Wus away, told him to go and hunt
mice for himself.
Kaiutois stayed in the house till he had eaten all the deer meat. Then
he turned to a wolf and went off to the mountains. He never had a home
again.