A TOLOWA DEE-NI STORY "Sk’vm' Svn'-taa-tr'e' Xwii-nee-dash"
"Coyote Dances with the Stars" Story Adapted by Sheryl "Suudaachu" Steinruck, December 2021 One night, Sk’vm' (Coyote) was lying on his back singing a Nee-dash shee-ne' (Dance Song). He began to notice how beautiful the Svn'-taa tr'e' (Star-girls) sparkled as they nee-ghaa-dash (danced) in the night sky.
we will fall from the sky and burn up." "Oh", Sk’vm' said. Sure enough when the sun came up they kept on dancing. They danced all day and all night. Day after day. The Svn'-taa-tr'e' held him tight and they kept on dancing.
Sk’vm' could see how the abalone Xwii-nee-dash. Sk’vm' shells, At first, Sk’vm' nudged and naa-set, and deliberately rubbed his arms against the beautiful Svn'-taa-tr'e' their beautiful beads and necklaces until his fur wore off to his elbows. glimmered and sparkled in the moonlight. Sk’vm' became very tired, thirsty, and Sk’vm' noticed that they danced all night hungry but they danced on and on. Pretty long. When daylight came they soon Sk’vm' was nothing but a rack of disappeared. Sk’vm' thought he could bones and he began to hang down bedance with them during the night. And, tween the Svn'-taa-tr'e'. They had to during the daylight he would sleep and rest hold him tighter and tighter even when he as he thought they did. So, he made up Haa~-chu asked to be let go. Svn'-taa-tr'e' his mind. He Finally, Sk’vm' said, "Just let me go. I'm so tired, hungry, had to go up and thirsty." The Svn'-taa-tr'e' said, "No. If we let go of you, into the night sky and dance with the you will fall to Nvn-nvst-'a~ and die." beautiful Svn'-taa-tr'e'. Sk’vm' said, "Well, I'm going to die Sk’vm' asked all of his friends to anyway. Just let me go." So the help him reach the Svn'-taa-tr'e'. His Svn'-taa-tr'e' agreed and let Sk’vm' friends told fall. By this time, Sk’vm' was barely him, "Don't be K'wee-t'a’sr-tr'e' alive. Sk’vm' tumbled down, down, silly. You don’t down through the clouds. Some fatbelong up in the sky." That didn't matter tened Haa~-chu (Geese) were flying to Sk’vm'. So, his friends said, "Well from their Grandmother's house in the Skvm' lhan! then. We'll help you." K'wee-t'a'srSouth and were heading to their tr'e' (Spider woman) said she would spin Grandfather's house in the North. him a web to shot him up into the sky. Just then, Sk’vm' landed onto the back of a fat Haa~-chu. When the web was done all of his friends Because Sk’vm' was so hungry and thirsty this Haa~-chu pulled back on the sling and let Sk’vm' smelled very tasty so he chewed on her neck. "Hey, stop it! What go. To everyone's surprise Skvm' do you think you’re doing? Get off of me!" Haa~-chu knocked reached the Svn'-taa-tr'e'. The Skvm' nee-dash. Svn'-taa-tr'e' grabbed onto his arms to Sk’vm' off her back and flew on. keep him from falling back down to Nvn-nvst-'a~ (The-Earth). Sk’vm' fell closer and closer to Nvn-nvst-'a~. By the time, Sk’vm' hit the ground he was nothing but skin and bones. Sk’vm' said, "This is nice." He loved dancing with these beautiful Svn'-taa-tr'e'. Sk’vm' told the Svn'-taa-tr'e', "I can On impact, his bones shattered and were scattered everywhere. That is why, to this day, that we have Sk’vm' living everywhere on do this until morning. Then I can stop to eat and sleep." Nvn-nvst-'a~. Hii-waa-sha~ (The End) The Svn'-taa-tr'e' said, "Oh, no, no, no. We never stop dancing. We dance all night and all day. If we don't keep dancing Submitted by: Sheryl “Suudaachu” Steinruck, Education Department Director, 707-487-9255, Ext. 1173
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