One sunny day Coyote and Fox were out walking up a hill together. They were warm and decided to stop for a rest. Coyote pointed to a large smooth rock in front of them.
"Fox" he said, "that's a good looking rock. Let's rest there." He spread his blanket over the rock and they lay down.
When they were ready to move on again, Coyote decided he was tired of carrying his blanket. It was too heavy on this fine day.
He spoke to the rock. "Thank you for letting us rest on you Rock. I'm leaving my blanket as a present, to protect you from the rain and the snow."
Coyote and Fox set off down the hill on the other side. They hadn't gone far when the Sun hid behind the clouds and large drops of rain fell. Coyote said "Fox, go and get my blanket back from Rock. We need it now."Fox went back to Rock and asked for the blanket. "No!" said Rock in his deep voice. "This was a present and I need it to protect me from the rain."
Coyote was angry when Fox told him what Rock had said. He ran back up the hill. "Rock, you are ungrateful and selfish. All these years you've been lying here with nothing to protect you - a few more drops of rain won't harm you. I am cold and getting wet and I need this blanket." And he snatched it back.
Coyote and Fox sat under the blanket, keeping warm and dry. Rock was cold and wet.
When the rain stopped, Sun peeked out from behind the clouds to see if anyone had missed him. Then the ground began to rumble and a crashing sound came from over the top of the hill.
"Fox, go and see what is making the ground rumble" said Coyote. Fox rushed up to the top of the hill, then ran back down screaming "Coyote! Quick run! Run! Rock is coming to take back the blanket."
Fox leapt into a nearby Badger hole. But it was to small and the tip of his tail stuck out.
Rock rolled over the hole and squashed the furry tip, turning it white. Even today Fox's tail still has a white tip.
Coyote ran as fast as he could, his tail stretched out behind him. Reaching the river, he swam to the other side. "I'm safe now" he said. "Rock can't swim. He'll sink to the bottom if he follows me."
Rock rolled into the river and started swimming. Coyote's jaw dropped open in surprise. He scrambled up the bank and ran off again, heading for the forest. "These big trees will protect me" he panted. |
