Coyote And The Fawns

: Myths And Legends Of California And The Old Southwest

Sia (New Mexico)



Another day when he was travelling around, Coyote met a deer with two

fawns. The fawns were beautifully spotted, and he said to the deer, "How

did you paint your children? They are so beautiful!"



Deer replied, "I painted them with fire from the cedar."



"And how did you do the work?" asked Coyote.



"I put my children into a cave and built a fire of
edar in front of it.

Every time a spark flew from the fire it struck my children, making a

beautiful spot."



"Oh," said Coyote, "I will do the same thing. Then I will make my

children beautiful."



He hurried to his house and put his children in a cave. Then he built a

fire of cedar in front of it and stood off to watch the fire. But the

children cried because the fire was very hot. Coyote kept calling to

them not to cry because they would be beautiful like the deer. After a

time the crying ceased and Coyote was pleased. But when the fire died

down, he found they were burned to death. Coyote expected to find them

beautiful, but instead they were dead.



Then he was enraged with the deer and ran away to hunt her, but he could

not find her anywhere. He was much distressed to think the deer had

fooled him so easily.



More

;