Coyote looked over the land and saw great dents on its surface. "Those do not please me," he said. "They mean sickness. Water, come up and cover over the land again."
The water swirled and hurled itself all over the land. Then Coyote blew softly, saying the while, "Land, come up again."
The land returned. It still had great dents on its surface. "What! still sickness!" exclaimed Coyote. "This must not be. Water, cover over the land again."
Again the water swirled and whirled and covered the land. Once more Coyote blew softly on it and said, "Land, come up again."
The land reappeared, but again its surface had dents upon it. "Sickness yet!" and Coyote became angry. "Sickness shall not remain upon the land. Water, cover over the land again."
The water did as it was bidden, but when Coyote called up the land again, its surface was dented as before. He ordered it under water once more; but for the fifth time it remained unchanged.
Then, indeed, Coyote's anger was great. "I will try no more," he cried. "As the land has chosen sickness, sickness it shall have for all time." That is why we have sickness to-day, because Coyote said it should be so.
