How Coyote Stole Fire

How tLe Coyote Stole Fire

LONGAGOBEFORE the Indians came, none of the animals had fire except Koontex, the crane, chief of the birds. The crane and his family guarded the fire jealously and would not give any to the other animals. One day Ejupa, the coyote, called a big powwow of all the other animals. Tippi, the little rock squirrel, came. So did Yehnen, the porcupine, Hunnan, the badger, and Kahan, the grouse. The owl, Pittisi, refused to come because it was daylight and his time to sleep. After much talking and arguing, the animals and birds decided that Ejupa would go to Koontex's camp beside the river and try to get some of the fire, so that everyone could have it. "Fire would help us keep warm in winter," said Yehnen. "Yes, fire would be good," agreed the others. So that very day, near evening, Ejupa set out for the crane's home by the river. But before he left his 3°

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den in the rocks, he put on a very long feather headdress, for Ejupa had a plan. When the coyote reached the tall grass beside the river, the cranes were busily preparing supper, cooking something over a glowing campfire. "Hi, there, Koontex," shouted Ejupa from afar. "I'm coming to visit." "Come eat with us, Ejupa," said the crane. "Supper is nearly ready." So Ejupa joined the cranes around the fire. It made him very warm, and when the food was passed around, he was almost too hot to eat it. The coyote didn't like the food, either, for the cranes usually ate fish. But just the same, like any polite guest, Ejupa ate and said the food was good. After supper the cranes gathered around in a circle and began to playa game, kicking small stones into the circle and guessing the numbers with their eyes closed. They grew very merry, laughing and rolling over with joy. Then Koontex, the chief, shouted, "Time to dance." And he jumped up and began dancing around the fire. All the other cranes danced, too, around and around and around until they were all quite dizzy from circling. Ejupa, wearing his long feather headdress, joined in the dance. "Watch out!" shouted Koontex. "You'll get your feathers on fire."

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"No, I won't," said Ejupa, laughing. And he danced closer to the flames. "Hiss, crackle," went the fire as it caught on the long feather headdress. The trailing feathers burst into flame, and Ejupa grabbed them up and ran. The cranes ran after him, shouting, "Stop, thief! You are taking our fire." But Ejupa dashed ahead of them, across the dry river bottoms and up the rocky hills beyond. He ran so hard that he grew very tired. There in the rocks sat Tippi, the rock squirrel. "Here, Tippi, you take the fire and hide from the cranes," said Ejupa. "I must rest." So he thrust the burning feathers at the rock squirrel, who clutched them to his breast and hid among the boulders. Koontex and his family flew overhead, squawking angrily. Finally, when they could no longer see the burning feathers, they returned to their camp by the river. But Tippi clutched the fire so tightly that it burned a black spot onto his breast, such a deep burn that even until today all his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren have the same kind of black spots. When the cranes flew home, Ejupa jumped up again, and he and Tippi carried the fire all around the country, giving some to every animal. Now all could have fire, and so could the Indians who came after them.

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SAGE SMOKE

That is how Ejupa stole fire to give it to everyone. The rat's tail came off-dangling-dangling.