by Alan Nafzger & Lilly Tabbytite (Comanche)
There was a time when there was no food at Coyote's lodge. He went over to see Bear, who was always full of food.
"Bear, I'm hungry; what do you have to eat?"
Bear didn't like the way Coyote was speaking, so he asked him to sit. He stated that he would prepare food. He started a fire and brought in a large basket of water. Then he snipped a strip of buckskin from his woolen gown. He dropped the rocks and the strip of buckskin into the water when they were hot.
Coyote thought it was a ridiculous thing to do. He wanted to tell Bear that this was not the proper way to prepare food, but he remained silent.
The bear rubbed ashes into the cut spot in his wife's robe, and it was repaired. Bear poured a handful of pebbles into the boiling water. Then it was finished.
Coyote thought he wouldn't like such food, just buckskin and pebbles, but when Bear placed it in front of him, he saw that the buckskin had transformed into juicy meat and the pebbles had transformed into huckleberries. The Coyote ate his fill and then returned the remainder of the food to his family. He invited Bear to join him for lunch the next day.
The bear approached Coyote instructed his wife, Mole, to heat stones in the fire and bring him a basket of water. He then cut a strip of buckskin from Mole's only robe and rolled it into a lump like Bear. Then he instructed his wife to place the buckskin and hot rocks in the basket of water. When it started to boil, he added a handful of pebbles.
"Why are you doing this, my husband?" Mole inquired.
"Oh, you know, I'm always doing that." "I'm preparing a meal for our younger brother, Bear."
Coyote rubbed ashes into his wife's robe while speaking, but it did not return whole. Coyote shrugged his shoulders. "I don't get it," he admitted. "It used to always work."
Coyote poured the meal into bowls when it was finished. It was still nothing more than boiled buckskin and pebbles.
Bear had been extremely patient.
He reached over and took Mole's robe, rubbing it with ashes to repair it.
"Coyote, this is my way, not yours," he said. You're not a doctor, and you can't do these things. " Then Bear walked away.
Coyote later looked into his cooking basket. It was packed with meat and huckleberries.
"Take a look at this, wife. I've prepared meat and berries like Bear. He had no idea. He was simply afraid to tell me that I was as powerful as he was.
They ran out of food again a while later. Coyote traveled to see his brother, Kingfisher.
"What have you got to eat, Kingfisher?" Coyote inquired. "I am extremely hungry."
The Kingfisher disliked this rude manner of speech, so he summoned his son and told him to go get three willow sticks.
The Boy Kingfisher went out to get the sticks and returned. Kingfisher cooked them over an open fire until they were strong. He then removed them, twisted them, and tied them to his belt.
He flew up onto the roof of his lodge, then down through a hole in the ice to the river. When he arrived, each willow stick had a fish hanging from it.
Coyote ate until his stomach was full, but he saved some fish for his wife and children at home.
"You have to come over to see me tomorrow," Coyote said.
"I don't think I'll come over," Kingfisher said.
"Oh, you have to come over. We'll have a nice meal, and you'll enjoy it. You're welcome to come over tomorrow. "
Kingfisher didn't want to go, but he promised
When Kingfisher came over the next day, Coyote told his son to go get three willow sticks. When Boy Coyote returned, he burned the sticks until they were hard. He then bent them and hung them on his belt. Coyote then crept to the top of his lodge.
"What are you doing up there?" his wife inquired.
"You know, I've done it before." "I'm going to get food for our brother, Kingfisher."
Coyote jumped from the top of the lodge to the river, but he missed the hole and broke his neck, killing him.
Kingfisher had been keeping a close eye on everything. He approached Coyote, took the three sticks from his belt, and jumped into the hole in the ice. He soon had a large number of fish. Then he stepped on Coyote four times, and Coyote was resurrected.
"This is my way, not yours," Kingfisher declared. "I don't imitate others the way you do."
Coyote brought the fish up to his lodge and showed Mole and his children.
"Look at these massive fish. I caught them in the same way that Kingfisher did. Kingfisher is terrified of my strength. He warned me not to do it again. He is aware that my medicine is potent.
Mole prepared the fish.