The Creation as the Maidu Told It (coyote with child print)

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• Indiana State University

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Created by Púktim. Text: “and people will come here from everywhere to gather salt/this is where they’ll come to get their salt.” And, when the had spoken, they set out for home. /they kept travelling toward their own country/they kept travelling on the old familiar trails/they keep travelling until they got there, / and then, they stopped netting fish and went their separate ways Another time later, Earthmaker spoke. /” it’s bad to have all these different kinds of creatures! / it’s bad because they kill one another,” he said But coyote remained there, silent “If all these creatures disappear, /then some others will live in this land,” said Earthmaker/” it’s not good that all these creatures are killing each other! /It must stop!” But coyote said nothing He had a child, a boy, a big boy/Coyote never let him crawl out the house/but made him always stay at home/That was the way it was Now Earthmaker said: “Human being, people with names, will live here. /There will be human beings/and, when a man wants to take a wife, /he will take a wife. / But, when they are married, he won’t do anything with his wife.” Then, in a little while, Coyote spoke up and answered him. /” That which you say is bad!”