Coyote Steals Fire

Originally posted to Shrubbery, 2 Sept 2003

A long time ago when Naapi had first put the Blackfoot people on the earth, he left them for a while to see how they did in this place. When he returned, he asked them what they thought of this land he had given them.

"Old Man," the people said, "we love the springtime when everything comes to life. We love the summer when there is warmth and plenty of food. We even love the fall when the colours are so beautiful. But the winter -- the winter is so hard and we are so cold. We put on as many clothes as we can, but we still can't keep warm. Some of us have even died from the cold. Can't you give us a way to keep warm?"

Naapi thought about this and finally he told the people, "go talk to Coyote. He is wise and knows many things. Maybe he knows a way for you to keep warm."

So the people send their bravest man to find Coyote and tell him of their trouble. When he heard the story, Coyote felt sorry for the people so he promised he'd think of a way to help them through the winter. Coyote went away and thought for a long time and finally he returned to the people and said, "High on the mountain there is a camp. The Fire Beings live there and guard the warmth very carefully. They don't share warmth and it will be hard to steal without help, but if my friends agree to help me I will try to take some warmth for you."

So Coyote went to talk to his friends amongst the animals. Most of them didn't want to help the people because they knew it would be very dangerous, but a few who'd felt sorry for the people in the winter decided they would try to take the fire. Coyote and his friends headed up the mountain to the fire camp. When they got close, Coyote told his friends that he would sneak up on the Fire Beings and try to find a way to take the warmth if they would be ready to take their turns after he had it. Everyone agreed, so Coyote sneaked up silently to the fire camp.

At the fire camp were three Fire Beings with ugly long teeth and ugly long claws. They each took a turn at guarding the warmth from anyone who tried to steal it. Coyote watched them carefully, and he noticed that while two of the Fire Beings were very good at watching the fire, the third one was lazy. When his turn came he would stretch and yawn and scratch himself and only then wander over to the fire. "Here is my chance," thought Coyote. So he waited. The first Fire Being took his turn at guard. The second Fire Being took his turn. And the third fire being stretched and yawned... and Coyote raced in, grabbed a piece of the warmth, and ran down the mountain as fast as his legs could go with the three Fire Beings chasing after him.

Coyote ran and ran, but soon he grew tired and the Fire Beings caught up. He called out to his friends, "Someone take the fire," and a little voice said, "I will!" Just then, a Fire Being caught the very tip of Coyote's tail. They say from that day to this all coyotes have a black-tipped tail from where the Fire Being burned it.

Coyote threw the fire to Squirrel, who put it carefully on her back and shaded it with her tail as she ran through the trees. The Fire Beings had to work hard to keep up to little Squirrel. After a while, though, she grew tired. She called out, "Someone take the fire," and a little voice said, "I will!" Squirrel threw the fire, but when she tried to uncurl her tail she found it had burned into the shape she'd held it over the fire. They say from that day to this all squirrels must hold their tails on their backs.

Little Chipmunk took the fire and ran with all his might, but he was so small that the Fire Beings soon caught up with him. He called out, "Someone take the fire," and a voice said, "I will!" Chipmunk threw the fire, but not before one of the Fire beings raked his long, ugly claws right down little Chipmunk's back. And they say from that day to this all chipmunks have stripes down their backs from the Fire Being's claws.

Frog was the next to take the fire, and he hopped off towards the pond. The Fire Beings were very close behind now and soon Frog needed help. "Someone take the fire," he cried, and a voice said, "I will!". Frog tried to throw the fire, but a Fire Being had a hold of his long tail. Frog struggled and pulled until, pop! his tail came right off in the Fire Being's hand. They say from that day to this no frogs have tails.

Frog threw the fire to Wood, and Wood held the fire very close within himself. The Fire Beings tried to shake the fire out of Wood, but Wood wouldn't let go. They tried to kick the fire out and pound the fire out, but Wood was too stubborn. Finally, the Fire Beings decided that no one could get the fire from Wood. They went back to their camp to guard what fire they had left.

Coyote went to the people and said, "Come see. We have worked hard, but we have found you warmth for the winter." The people followed Coyote, but when he pointed all they saw was Wood. "How can Wood keep us warm?" they asked. "All he does is sit there." Coyote explained to them that Wood had taken the fire right into himself. Kicking and pounding won't convince him to give it up, but if you treat Wood with respect and rub pieces of him together just right, Wood will share some of the precious fire with everyone.

The people thanked Coyote and all his friends, and from then on the winter wasn't so hard. The people sometimes forgot to respect Wood and got into trouble with fire but as they say, that's another story for another time.