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Boas]
Kutenai Tales
245

69. Frog and Antelope[1]

Well, I'll tell you how, long ago, | Frog won over Antelope.

There was a town. It was named Fish Hawk Nest.[2] | Antelope was chief. Antelope runs fast. Even || the best runners were beaten 5 by Antelope. He was a manitou, and won over everybody. | There was a town of Frogs. Then Chief | Frog thought: "I'll cheat Antelope." He said to | his tribe: "Let us play with Antelope!" They said to him: | "What shall we do with Antelope? He runs fast." He said to them: || "We shall go, all of us. We shall play with him." 10 Then | he told his people what to do. All the Frogs said: | "Well, your thoughts are good." That chief said: | "I'll go alone. Later on, if I he agrees, to-morrow we shall go." The Frog said: || "It is 15 well." Then he started. When he arrived at Antelope's (tent), | Antelope said to Frog: "Why do you come to my tent ?" | Frog said: "I come here to see if you are not afraid to run a race with me." | Antelope laughed. He thought: | "Even if he runs fast, I can easily do (leave behind) what Frog says." Frog was told: || "If you agree, 20 my property shall be your property. | You may give it to me." Frog said: "Go; | I am glad. I'll take your property." Then they laughed at him | because he could not do (leave) what Antelope said. Frog said: | "To-morrow just at noon I'll come, || accompanied by my 25 tribe." Then Frog started. When he came home, | he said to his tribe: "Now we will cheat Antelope | and his children." On the following morning the Frogs started, all of them. | There were many. The women went along with the men Frogs. When they almost | came to the town, the chief Frog said: || "Before any one comes out, go and 30 lie down | on the trail they go. Just at that distance jump! | You shall be that far apart." Then the Frogs went | to the starting place, and all of them lay down | on the way they were to run. || They lay down up to the point where the track turned. When this 35 was all done, others went | to the town. They said: "The Frogs | have come to play with us." Then all of them went out. | They went to the starting place. Then | the Frogs bet their property. All their clothing was blue. || Then they bet with them. They staked 40

much, | because they thought the Frogs would be beaten. They thought | they themselves would win. Thus they spoke among them-


  1. See p. 42.
  2. A place in Tobacco Plains.