They ran along the trail towards the North World. When they reached the entrance to the North World valley, Coyote told everyone to stop.
Coyote knew that Shoko and the fighting men of the North World would be waiting for the South People to try and rescue Pelican Girl.
Coyote told Little Owl to take the shape of a bird and fly over the fighting men to give them a message.
Little Owl flew over where the fighting men were hiding and whispered to them “Coyote and the South People are not coming tonight. Go to sleep and rest.”
All the fighting men listened to Little Owl and went back to their house to sleep.
Coyote changed his people into mice and told them to get into his sack, which he then carried into the village.
Coyote let the mouse people out of his sack. They went round the North People, tying their long hair together. Then they chewed through their bowstrings and the sinews that held the stone heads on their spears and arrows.
When their work was done they changed back to people and looked for Pelican Girl.
Coyote found her underneath the dance drum. She was very sick and could not move.
Coyote picked her up and silently carried her through the house. But he accidentally stepped on one of the sleeping North People.
“Ooops,” said Coyote. “This can’t be good.”
The fighting man woke up and his shouts woke all the others.
But when the North People tried to stand up, they fell back again because their long hair had been tied together.
And they could not use their weapons either.
Coyote and the others escaped.
The North People had turned Pelican Girl into a fire-eater and Little Owl had to sing and dance for many days and nights to try and cure her. At last her body and spirit were cleansed and she was well again.
After time had passed, Pelican Girl married Coyote’s grandson, Hawke Chief and she became one of the women who taught the young girls of the village how to behave when it came time for them to become women.
Thanks to Pelican Girl’s experience, none of them ever made the mistake she did. |
