Some hunchbacks say it all started with the coyote, he was the first to ruin it for the rest of humanity. But we all know that story ... don't we? You say you've never heard the story! What do you mean you never .... well I never .... but that's ok 'cause I still remember it. My grand father overheard an ancient conversation carried on the wind and he told me what was said .....
Well, there was Cedric, a cunning coyote lad. Cedric said to his father one day, "Father," said he, "I have met a comely coyote maiden, Celia, as she's called. She is so gracefully pretty. I would like for you to ask her father if she may marry me." "Do you really mean what you say my son?" the old Coyote Father said. "I wouldn't be saying this if I didn't mean it," said Cedric, "She is so pleasing to my eyes ... so pretty." "Then I should go and ask for her, so you may marry her." said Cedric's father.
Well, the old Coyote man got up and set out for the house of Celia's father. He arrived on an old weather worn entrance way of a crude dwelling. He called out to the shadow in the cottage, "Calles, I have come to seek your wishes concerning your daughter." "Enter old one, here is my chair; sit down," Calles replied. The father of Cedric entered the dwelling and took a seat in a knotty oak chair. "Now ... what were you saying to me about my daughter?" asked Calles. The inquiring words were spoken. The asking for the bride goes on through the late hours of the night. Finally Celia's father gives his consent and blessing for the union of marriage between Celia and Cedric.
Well then, the next waxing of the moon the cunning coyote lad married the comely coyote maiden. Several brief months passed, and Celia showed no particular interest in Cedric. Cedric's love for Celia was immeasurable, but the lad was worried, "How will Celia see that I'm a man?" The cunning coyote lad grabbed his ax and went to cut firewood for his bride's hearth.
In the town where Cedric lived, when a coyote went to cut firewood, he would cut up to twenty loads of wood. And he had no problem carrying the firewood back home. When the task was completed, the coyote would just whistle,and the firewood, hearing the whistle, would follow the whistler.
Well Cedric found the firewood and after splitting the hard wood, he decided to carry it home on his back to prove to Celia he was worthy of her. Before Cedric's innovative event, work was so easy. Just by whistling the wood would come to where ever it was called. But Cedric, thinking of himself as so ingenious, carried the heavy load of firewood. And since that day firewood won't come when it hears a whistler beckoning. Yep, that's what happened. That's also how the coyote ruined it for the rest of humanity ... according to some hunchbacks.
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Copyright 1997 Lesley Kroenke