Coyote's Den

Foolish Coyote, Wise Wolf

A retelling of a Paiute myth, by dogteam
(Told by dogteam, on Therianthropy.org)

A long time ago, when the World was very young, Wolf and Coyote were brothers. Wolf was wise and strong; his younger brother Coyote was fast and determined, but foolish at times as well. Together, none could stand against them; they were feared as warriors, and respected as hunters. The world had been made for them, they knew...and few would have disagreed.

Wolf, the frugal one, had collected all the game in the country into a cave, and brought out only one at a time - only what could be eaten each day. Ever the impatient one, Coyote pestered his brother until Wolf told him the secret of the cave, and he found it. Then he tried to lift the skin on the door only a crack, enough for one animal. But at the sight of all those elk, buffalo and deer, Coyote got excited and let the opening gape as wide as his open mouth. As all the animals pounded out in a crush of hooves and dust, Coyote shot but hit nothing. Too late, he rushed about shouting at the remaining deer, trying to herd them back into the cave.

This commotion had not gone unnoticed by the Pumas; game had been scarce for them in the foothills. Now...they conferred, and decided that if they were to kill Coyote and Wolf, the game would all be theirs. Normally they would not try such a thing, but the scent of prey was in the air, and it drove them to distraction. Occupied as he was, they were on Coyote before he even realized their presence. There were too many, and he knew he had no hope of defeating them.

Suddenly, Wolf burst from the underbrush, and quicker than thought, two of the cats lay dead. But as he struggled with a third, and Coyote a fourth, the largest of them all manuvered behind Wolf and sank her teeth deep into his neck; with this as purchase, she raked frantically at his haunches with her massive hind paws. Enraged, Coyote fought his attacker so fiercely that he ran for his life, the other two followed suit shortly afterward. They all ran in different directions, and never cooperated on anything again after that day.

As Wolf lay dying, Coyote wept like a pup and held his brother close. Wolf said, "My Brother; the game has all scattered, and I will hunt with you no more. You must put the sagebrush into piles, and it will fill with rabbits. The hunting will be easier then." And with the last of his magic, Wolf caused that to be.

There are no wolves in the desert now. And Coyote screams to the moon each night, asking the Great Spirit to return his brother to him. He lives to learn the discipline and resources to take revenge; and in the night he can be seen carrying bones...bringing home his brother's remains so that he might be reborn.