31. Coyote Kills His Own Child Instead of the Turkeys

Coyote came where a flock of turkeys was rolling in the dust. He put them in a sack, saying, "I am going to roll with you." When he had rolled with them twice he carried them home. He told his children to build a fire and then said, "You had better consider what we will do with them." The smallest child said, "We should take them out of the sack one at a time, wring their necks, and put them in the fire." Another one proposed that they should all break off sticks for clubs and stand in a circle about the fire where all the turkeys could be turned loose. This they did. The youngest coyote rushed in where the turkeys were scattering the ashes, with their wings and he only was killed. "Why only the little one, the smartest. is dead." Coyote started away again.

Footnotes

228:1 Dorsey, (d), p. 102; (a), p. 458.