| Trickster
Coyote
was walking with his friend Iktome. By their path stood Iya
the
rock. Now Iya was not just any old rock. Iya was special. This
was
the
kind of rock that tells a story. Power Iya had. Coyote said,
"Hmmm,
this
is a pretty good-looking rock. I think it has power." He took
off the
heavy
blanket he was wearing and placed it on the rock. "Here, Iya, " he
said.
"Take this as a present my friend rock. Take my blanket to keep you
from
freezing for you must feel cold." "Wow," said Iktome. "A giveaway!
You
are for sure in a giving mood today my friend." "Huh," Coyote replied.
"It's
nothing. I am always giving things away. Iya looks real nice
in my blanket."
Iktome
said, "His blanket now." The two friends moved along. Soon a cold
rain
began
to fall. The rain turned to hail.
The
hail turned to slush.
Coyote
and Iktome ran into a cave to seek shelter.
The
cave was cold and wet. Iktome was fine for he had his thick buffalo
robe.
Coyote
had only his shirt. By now he was shivering.
He
was freezing and his teeth were chattering. "Kola, friend of
mine,"
said Coyote to Iktome. "Go back and get me my thick blanket.
I
need
it and that rock has no use for it. He's been getting along for ages
without
a blanket. Hurry. I am freezing." Iktome went back to
Iya and
said,
" Can I have that blanket back. Please?" The rock said, "No,
I like
it.
What is given is given."
Iktome
went back and told Coyote, " He won't give it back." Coyote
said,
"Why that old, no good, ungrateful rock! He didn't pay for the
blanket.
Did he work for it? Huh, I'll go get it myself."
Iktome
replied,"Friend, Tunka, Iya, the rock....there's a lot of power there!
Maybe
you should let him keep it."
Coyote
snorted, "Are you crazy? This is an expensive blanket of
many
colors and great thickness. I'll go talk to him." So, Coyote
went
back
and confronted Iya. "Hey, rock!" he said. "What's the meaning
of
this?
What you need a blanket for ? Give it back to me right now!"
"No,
" said the rock, "what is given is given."
"You
are a bad rock!" Coyote retorted. "Don't you care that I'm
freezing?
I'll catch a cold!" Coyote jerked the blanket from Iya and put it
on
himself. "So there," Coyote said. "That's the end of that."
"By
no means the end," said the rock.
Coyote
went back to the cave. The rain and hail had stopped and the
sun
was shining. Coyote and Iktome sat out front of the cave sunning
themselves.
They ate pemmican and fry bread with wojapi. After they
finished
eating, they hauled out their pipes and had a smoke. All of a
sudden
Iktome said, "What's that noise?" Coyote said he didn't hear
anything.
Iktome said, "A crashing noise. A rumble very far off!" Coyote
then
replied, "Yes friend, I hear it now."
"Friend
Coyote," Iktome cried, "it is getting stronger and nearer. It is
like
thunder or an earthquake!" To that, Coyote said, "It is rather strong
and
loud..hmm, I wonder what it can be?" Iktome said, "I have a pretty
good
idea friend." It was then they saw the great rock. It was Iya.
Iya
was
rolling and thundering, ready to crash in on them! "Friend, let's
run,
Iya
means to kill us!" So, the two ran as fast as they could while the
rock
rolled
after them coming closer and closer.
They
ran to the river absolutely sure that the rock could not swim.
They
were positive they would be safe. So, they swam the river.
But Iya,
the
great rock, swam the river also. Iya swam as if he had been made
of
wood.
"Into the woods," cried Coyote. He was sure that Iya could not get
through
the forest of trees. They ran among the trees and Iya rolled right
along
behind them. The trees shivered and splintered. Little splinters
and
chunks
flew left and right. Coyote and Iktoma came out into the flats.
"Uh-oh,"
said Iktome, the Spider Man. "Coyote, this is really not my
quarrel.
I forgot, I have some stuff I have to attend to. So long, my
friend."
Iktome rolled himself into a tiny ball and became a spider. He
disappeared
into a hole in the ground.
Coyote
ran on and on as the rock thundered at his heels. Then, Iya
rolled
right over Coyote and flattened him. Iya took the blanket and rolled
back
to his place saying, "So there." A waischu rancher was riding along
and
saw Cooyote lying there, flat as could be. "What a nice rug!"
exclaimed
the rancher. He picked Coyote up and took the rug home.
The
rancher put Coyote right in front of the fireplace. Now, whenever
Coyote
is killed, he can make himself come to life again. But this time
it
took
him the whole night to puff himself back up into his usual shape.
In
the morning, the rancher's wife said to her husband,
"Your
rug is running away."
Friends,
hear this.
Always
be generous in heart.
If
you have something to give, give it forever.
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