by Alan Nafzger & Lilly Tabbytite (Comanche)
Coyote and his wife were visiting a lovely village. His wife became ill one winter. She passed away. Coyote eventually becomes very lonely. He didn't do anything but cry for his wife.
When the death spirit approached him, he asked if he was crying for his wife.
"Yes, my friend," Coyote replied. "I yearn for her. My heart is in a lot of pain. "
The death spirit said after a while, "I can take you to where your wife has gone, but if I do, you must do exactly what I say." You cannot ignore a single word. "
"What do you expect from me?" "I will do everything you say, my friend."
"All right, then, let's go."
After they had gone a ways, the death spirit warned Coyote once more to do exactly what he was told, and Coyote agreed.
Coyote was having difficulty seeing the death spirit by this point. He was like a shadow on a cloudy day. "Oh, look at all these horses over there," the ghost said as they drove across the prairie to the east. It's got to be a roundup. " Even though Coyote couldn't see any horses, he said, "Yes, yes."
They were getting closer to the graveyard.
"Look at all of these service berries!" Let's go get some food." Because Coyote couldn't see the berries, the ghost instructed him, "When you see me reach up and pull the limb down, do the same."
The ghost yanked one of the limbs, and Coyote did the same. Despite the fact that he couldn't see anything, he imitated the ghost by putting his hand to his mouth as if he were eating. He observed and imitated everything the ghost did.
"These are excellent service berries," the ghost said.
"It's a good thing we found them."
"All right, let's get started."
They continued. "We're on our way," the ghost said. "Your wife is in that very long lodge over there." Please be patient. I'll inquire as to the precise location. "
"They have told me where your wife is," the ghost said after a short while. They went for a short walk. We're approaching a door here. Do exactly what I do in every way. I'll grab the door flap, raise it, and enter while bending low. Then you grab the door flap and do the same. "
They entered in this manner. Coyote's wife was standing near the door. "Sit here by your wife," the ghost said. They both took a seat. "Your wife is now preparing some food for us."
Nothing was visible to Coyote. He was sitting on an open prairie with nothing around him. He could barely feel the shadow's presence.
"She has now prepared our food. "Let us eat."
The ghost reached down and touched his mouth with his hand. In front of him, Coyote could only see grass and dust. They consumed food. Coyote imitated everything his companion did. "You stay here," the ghost said to Coyote after they had finished and the woman had apparently put the food away. I need to go around and see who I can find. We have different conditions than you do in the land of the living. It is dawn where you live when it gets dark here. "When it's daylight for us, it's getting dark for you."
It was getting dark now, and Coyote thought he heard voices talking all around him, very faintly. Then darkness fell, and Coyote could see a little better. In the long house, there were numerous small fires. He began to see people as he awoke. They had vague forms, like shadows, but he recognized some of them. He was overjoyed to see his wife sitting by his side. Coyote went around greeting all of his old friends who had died a long time ago. This made him extremely happy. He went around visiting and talking to everyone. He did this all night. He noticed a small light near where he had entered the long house in the early morning. "Coyote, our night is falling, and you will not see us for a while," the death spirit said. However, you must remain here. Keep still. You'll see all of these people again in the evening. "
"My friend, where would I go?" Sure, I'll just stay here."
When the sun came up, Coyote found himself alone in the middle of the prairie. He sat in the heat all day. He thought he had heard meadowlarks somewhere. As the temperature rose, he became increasingly thirsty. Finally, evening arrived, and he saw the lodge once more. He went on like this for a few days, suffering in the heat during the day but visiting his friends every night in the lodge.
"Coyote, tomorrow you will go home," the death spirit said to him one night. You'll be accompanied by your wife. "
"But I like it here a lot, my friend," Coyote objected. "I'm enjoying myself and would like to stay."
"Yes, but you'll leave tomorrow." I will advise you on what you should do. Listen. To the west, there are five mountains. You will be gone for five days. Your wife will accompany you, but you are not permitted to touch her. Don't give in to the temptation to do something stupid. You can do whatever you want once you've crossed and descended the fifth mountain. "
"Then it will be this way," Coyote said.
When the sun came up Coyote and his wife leave. Coyote initially thought he was alone, but he was aware of his wife's dim presence as she walked along behind him. They camped the first night after crossing the first mountain. The following day, they climbed the second mountain. They continued in this manner, camping every night. Coyote could see his wife a little better each night when they sat across from each other at the fire.
The death spirit had started counting the days and calculating the distance Coyote had traveled. "I hope he does everything correctly and takes his wife to the other world," he thought.
Their fourth camping trip was their final one. Coyote's wife would regain her full human form the following day. The coyote could now clearly see her across the fire. He could see the light on her face and body, but he wouldn't touch her. He was overcome by a joyful impulse. He was overjoyed to see his wife again! He leapt to his feet and ran around the fire to embrace her.
"Stop! "Stop!" his wife yelled. "Do not touch me, Coyote!"
Her warning, however, had no effect. Coyote dashed over to her, but she vanished as soon as he touched her. She vanished, returning to the shadowland.
When the death spirit discovered what Coyote had done, he became enraged.
"You always do things like this, Coyote," he screamed. "I warned you not to do anything stupid. You were about to establish the practice of coming back from the dead. It will not happen now. You made it this far. "
Coyote sobbed and sobbed. His anguish was palpable. He resolved to return, to find the death lodge and to find his wife once more. He climbed all five mountains. He went out into the prairie and found the spot where the ghost had seen the horses, and then he started doing the same things they had done the other time they were on their way to the shadowland.
"Look at all of these horses! It's got to be a roundup!"
He proceeded to the location where the ghost had picked the service berries. Oh, such excellent service berries. Let's go get some and eat it. " He picked and ate the berries as he went through the motions. He eventually arrived at the location of the death lodge. "Now, when I take hold of the door flap and raise it, you must do the same," he told himself. Coyote remembered everything his friend had done and replicated it. He recognized the spot where he had previously sat. He walked over to it and sat down. "Your wife has now brought us some food." "Let us eat." He ate again, going through the motions.
Coyote waited for the voices as darkness fell. Nothing happened as he looked around. The coyote sat in the middle of the prairie. He sat there all night, but the lodge never reappeared. He heard meadowlarks in the morning.