Coyote and the Wood Ducks

 

In the early morning Coyote awoke to greet the sun. The people would rise before dawn then run to the east to greet the rising sun, and when the sun peaked over the horizon, they would run back home and bath in the icy spring water. This is how the people greeted each and every day winter and summer. Coyote would awaken before dawn stick his head out of his Hogan return to his bed and sleep till late morning and then bathe in warm springs and he did this everyday. When the Coyote married and his wife gave birth to their first born the Hogan was not big enough.

 

Near by lived a family of Wood Ducks, and what a fine large Hogan the Wood Duck family lived in. Coyote said please show me how you built such a fine Hogan and the Senior Wood Duck said he would. Coyote asked a lot of questions, asked for clarifications and always one more demonstrations. Before long the new Hogan was complete, with out Coyote lifting a finger to help.

 

After so much hard work Coyote took a nap in the late afternoon sun.  Not far away was a large ponderosa and the older Wood Duck cut it down. When the tree began to fall Coyote awoke and began to run for his life and nearly made it except the tree fell on his tail and Coyote was trapped.

 

There is where Coyote spend the next night and early the next morning Fox Family came by and was able to help their relative gain his freedom.  On his way home Coyote went past the Hogan of the Wood Ducks, his luck the family was inside. Coyote built a fire outside the Hogan to smoke the Ducks out and when they came to investigate he captured the oldest members of the family in a large bag.

 

On the way home Coyote met his wife and told her that he would like to have Ducks for supper. Coyote returned to his new Hogan and place the bag with the Ducks inside next to the stove. Coyote left to pick amaranth, corn and melons to eat with the Ducks.  The rest of the Duck family left on their way to Coyote’s Hogan to liberate their parents. The Duck Family came across Coyote’s wife who was gathering green thread tea, She told the Ducks they were invited for supper please go in the Hogan and she would join them in a short while.

 

When in side the Ducks open the bag and let their parents out. There was no time to escape because at that moment Coyote’s wife entered the Hogan. She greeted her guests and asked what they wanted for supper. The elder Ducks said Coyote had promised a posole made from blue corn and a broth made from Coyote’s buckskin rode and his hard sole moccasins.  When Coyote returned he brought his brother Wolf with him to share in his meal. Now Coyote is always trying to impress Wolf. At that moment the wife and the Ducks were waxing poetic what a generous guy Coyote is, what could Coyote do except fight back the tears and with smiles be the perfect host.

 

 

Another version

Lopez, Barry Holstun: Giving Birth to Thunder, Sleeping With his Daughter

The Wood Cutting Ducks