Coyote Sings for the Prairie Dogs

COYOTE SINGS FOR THE PRAIRIE DOGS ¹

In the mountains Old Coyote Mother and Father were living. Old Man Coyote had a little drum and he sat above the road and beat the drum and sang,

Look out! Look out!
Coyote is going to hit you
On the back, on the back.

[paragraph continues] Lots of prairie dogs came running. They cried, "Dear me, grandfather. How beautifully you sing! Sing it again and we'll dance to it." Coyote began to beat his drum again and the prairie dogs made a circle and stood out to dance. Coyote sang again,

Look out! Look out!
Coyote is going to hit you
On the back, on the back.

[paragraph continues] They stepped in time to the song. "Grandfather, sing it again. It is such fun to dance to your song." They danced and danced.

Grandmother Coyote called, "Come on, grandfather. Let me sing a while for them." The prairie dogs said to Grandfather Coyote, "You sing so nice, sing again." "No, your grandmother is in a hurry." "We know she is calling you, but please sing some more. You sing such a beautiful song. Sing it again and we can learn that song." ⁹

Footnotes

144:1 Informant 1. Notes, p. 239.

144:9 "Every baby so high knows that story." It Is said that the story never tells that Coyote killed the prairie dogs.