The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-02-21


The coyote you must know, is very
stupid about some things, and In al-
most all Pueblo fairy stories is the
victim of one joke or another. Tho
bear on the other hand, is one Of the
wisest Of animals.
Once upon time the Kc-id-deh (the
bea1) and TOo-whay -deh CHE coyote)
chauced TO meet at a certain spot and
sat down to talk. After q while the
Bear sad:
" Friend Coyote, do you see what
coed land tins is here2 What do
you say If we larm it together, sharing
our labor and the crop 2"
The Coyote thought well of it, and
said so; ard after talking they agreed
to Plant potatoes in partnership.
" Now,D sad the BeaI, " l think Of
a good way TO divide the crop.
will take all that grows below the
ground and you take all that grows
above it. Then each can take away
his share when he is ready, and there
will be no trouble to measure"
The Coy ote agreed, and when the
time came they ploughed the place
with a sharp stick and planted their
potatoes. All summer they worked
together in the field hoeing down the
weeds with stone hoes, and letting in
water now and then from the inigat-
ing ditch. When harvest time came
the Coyote went and cut off all the
potato tops at the ground and carried
them home, and afterwards the Bear
scratched out the potatoes from the
ground with his big claws and took
them to his house. When the Coyote
saw this his eyes were opened and he
said:
" But this is not fair. You have
those round things, which are goOd to
eat but what | took home we cannot
eat at all, neither my wife nor II
But, friend Coyote" answered
the Bear, gravely, " did we not make
an agreement? Then we must stick
to it like men,"
The Coyote could not answer and
went home, but he was not satisfied.
The next spring, as they met one
day Bear said:
Come, friend Coyote, 1 think we
ought to plant this good land again,
and this time let us plant it in corn.
But last year you were dissatisR ed
with your share, so this year we will
change. You take what is below the
ground for your share, and l will take
only what grows above"
This seemed verv fair to the Coyote,
and he agreed. They ploughed and
planted and tended the corn; and
when it came harvest time the Bear
gathered ali the stalks and ears and
carried them home. When the Coyote
came to dig his share he found moth
ing but roots like threads, which were
good for nothing. He was very much
dissatisfied; but the Bear reminded
him of their agreement, and he could
say nothing.
That winter the Coyote was walking
one day by the river (the Rio 6rande)
when he saw the bear sitting on the
ice and eating fish. The Coyote was
very fond of fish, and coming up he
said
" Frierd Bear, where did you got
such fat fish ?"
ooh, l broke hole in the ice"
said the Bear, 8" and fshed for them.
There are many here" And he went
on eating without offering any to the
Coyote
Won't YOU show me how, friend ?n
asked the Coyote, fsfnting with hum
ger at the smell Of fish.
" Oh, yes" said the Bear. "It is
very easy - and he broke hole in the
ice with his paw. CHOW, friend Coy
ote, sit down and let your tail ha y
in the water, and very soon you win
feel nibble. But you must not pull
till l tell you"
So the Coyote sat down with his tail
in the cold water. Soon the ice began
to form around it. and she called:
Friend Bear l feel a bite Let
me rull him out"
" No, no! not yet !' cried the Bear
"Wait till he gets a good hold and
then you will not lose him"
So the Coyote waited. In q few
minutes the hole was frozen solid and
his tail was fast
Now, friend Covote" called fho
Bear. think you have him Pull /"
The Coyote pull d with all bis
might, but he could not lift his tail
from the ice, and there he was-a
prisoner. While he pulled and howled
the Bear shouted with laughter and
rolled on tho ice and ha-ha'd till his
sides were sme. Then he took his FISH
and went home, stopping often TO
LAUGH at the thought of the Coyote
There on the ice the Coyote had to
stay until thaw liberated him, and
when he got home he was very wet
and Geld and half starved. And
from that day to this he has never
forgiven the Bear, and win not even
sneak to him when they meet, and the
Bear saws politely, Good morning,
| friend Too whay-deh