How tLe CoyoteStole Fire

LONGAGOBEFOREthe Indians came, none of the ani-mals had fire except Koontex, the crane, chief ofthe birds. The crane and his family guarded the firejealously and would not give any to the otheranimals.

One day Ejupa, the coyote, called a big powwowof all the other animals. Tippi, the little rock squir-rel, 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 timeto sleep.

After much talking and arguing, the animals andbirds decided that Ejupa would go to Koontex'scamp beside the river and try to get some of thefire, so that everyone could have it.

"Fire would help us keep warm in winter," saidYehnen.

"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°

HOW THE COYOTE STOLE FIRE 31

den in the rocks, he put on a very long feather head-dress, for Ejupa had a plan.

When the coyote reached the tall grass beside theriver, the cranes were busily preparing supper, cook-ing 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. "Sup-per is nearly ready."

So Ejupa joined the cranes around the fire. Itmade him very warm, and when the food waspassed around, he was almost too hot to eat it. Thecoyote didn't like the food, either, for the cranesusually ate fish. But just the same, like any politeguest, Ejupa ate and said the food was good.

After supper the cranes gathered around in acircle and began to playa game, kicking smallstones into the circle and guessing the numbers withtheir eyes closed. They grew very merry, laughingand rolling over with joy.

Then Koontex, the chief, shouted, "Time todance." And he jumped up and began dancingaround the fire. All the other cranes danced, too,

around and around and around until they were allquite dizzy from circling.

Ejupa, wearing his long feather headdress, joinedin the dance.

"Watch out!" shouted Koontex. "You'll get yourfeathers on fire."

HOW THE COYOTE STOLE FIRE 33

"No, I won't," said Ejupa, laughing. And hedanced closer to the flames.

"Hiss, crackle," went the fire as it caught on thelong feather headdress. The trailing feathers burstinto 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 dryriver bottoms and up the rocky hills beyond. He ranso 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 theburning feathers at the rock squirrel, who clutchedthem to his breast and hid among the boulders.

Koontex and his family flew overhead, squawk-ing angrily. Finally, when they could no longer seethe burning feathers, they returned to their campby the river.

But Tippi clutched the fire so tightly that itburned a black spot onto his breast, such a deepburn that even until today all his children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren have the samekind of black spots.

When the cranes flew home, Ejupa jumped upagain, and he and Tippi carried the fire all aroundthe country, giving some to every animal. Now allcould have fire, and so could the Indians who cameafter them.

34 SAGE SMOKE

That is how Ejupa stole fire to give it to every-one.

The rat's tail came off-dangling-dangling.