Why Spider Has Such Long Legs

SalishTu-Pel--Spider, the Spinner-- was a handsome warrior and good hunter. He Lived with his grandmother, Spu-wel´-kin--Topknot, Woodpecker. Because he always brought home plenty of game, the maidens of the nearby villages all wanted to marry him. They would visit his lodge, hoping to win him.

Spider had a smoke-test for the maidens. When one came to see him, Spider would send his grandmother outside to close the smoke-flue. She would lap the ear-flaps so that the smoke could not get out. That would make the smoke thick in the lodge, and it would be hard to breathe in there.

Spider thought that he did not want a wife who could not stay in the smoke as long as he could, and he could stay in it a long time. Many maidens had tried the smoke-test and failed. But Spider always was nice to them. He would send them home with packs of meat.

Stun´-whu--Beaver--had a very pretty daughter. She wanted to win Spider. She spoke to her father--and asked his help. Beaver's medicine was strong. He gave his power to his daughter and told her how to use it. Then he sent her to Spider's lodge.

Spider liked the girl right away. He wanted her to be his wife. He did not care if she could pass the smoke-test. Sending his grandmother out to close the smoke-flue, Spider pretended to make a smokey fire. But there was only a little smoke, and it was not the eye-stinging kind.

Beaver's daughter laughed. She sat on a spread robe and laughed at the smoke that Spider made, but said nothing to Spider. With Beaver's medicine she called the blackest smoke, pitch smoke. It filled the lodge.

For most of that sun Beaver-girl and Spider sat in the lodge, on opposite sides of the fire. Spider's eyes finally became smoke-sick, and the pitch-smoke choked him. He spoke to Beaver-girl. She made no answer. Spider tried to think. That was hard, for the smoke blinded him, and his whole head ached. His own medicine could not help him. It was weak against the powerful shoo´-mesh of Beaver.

Spider wondered if the girl was still in the lodge. He spoke. No answer. He spoke again and again, many times, calling loudly through the smoke-darkness. Maybe the maiden was dead! Maybe the black smoke had killed her!

Spider felt his way around the fire. His foot struck the girl. She laughed. That made Spider ashamed. A woman was beating him in a trial of strength. He kicked Beaver-girl hard. He kicked her three times, and that made her very angry. She caught hold of one of Spider's legs, and she pulled and pulled, streching the leg out, making it long. Then she pulled his other legs the same way. Spider could not stop her.

Well, when Woodpecker at last uncovered the smoke-flue and turned back the door-flap she saw a strange-looking grandson standing in the swirl of the outrushing smoke. He was no longer handsome. His body was small and his legs were very long and ugly.

Spu-wel´-kin was sorry for him. She knew that the maidens would not try to win him any more. So she ruled that Beaver-girl become his wife. Beaver's daughter was willing; She knew that Tu-pel always would provide plenty of game. And Spider was glad. He liked Beaver-girl even though she had treated him so roughly and spoiled his fine looks, and he forgave her for pulling him all out of shape--for making his legs so long."Coyote Stories"

Mourning Dove