Jonathan London - Fire Race: A Karuk Coyote Tale of How Fire Came to the People

A verbal and visual feast, as well as an introduction to a rich indigenous culture, Fire Race will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

It will take a lot of searching to find a more beautifully illustrated or carefully researched adaptation than this retelling of the Karuk tale of how fire came to the people.
American Bookseller, Pick of the Lists

... sure-fire appeal for even the wiggliest of story-hour listeners.
School Library Journal

A beautiful combination of text and pictures...
Booklist

This spirited Native American legend is in good hands.
Publishers Weekly

Winner of the Society of Illustrators Award and Bookbuilders West Award

Authors Note:

This story is based on various versions of the Karuk myth. The Karukmeaning upriverpeople are native to the rugged Klamath River region of Northwest California. With their neighbors the Yurok, Hupa, and Shasta, they share many of the old stories. This is one.

Text copyright 1993 by Jonathan London.
Illustrations copyright 1993 by Sylvia Long.
Afterword copyright 1993 by Julian Lang.
All rights reserved.

Book design by Alison K. Berry.
Manufactured in Singapore.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
London, Jonathan, 1947
Fire Race: a Karuk coyote tale about how fire came to the people / by Jonathan London and Lanny Pinola; with an afterword by Julian Lang; illustrated by Sylvia Long.
Summary: With the help of other animals, Wise Old Coyote manages to acquire fire from the wicked Yellow Jacket sisters.
ISBN 0-8118-1488-2 (pb)
ISBN 0-8118-0241-8 (hc)
ISBN 978-1-4521-3316-4 (epub 2)
ISBN 978-1-4521-3491-8 (epub 3)
ISBN 978-1-4521-3492-5 (mobi)
ISBN 978-1-4521-3493-2 (epib)
1. Karuk IndiansLegends. 2. Coyote (Legendary
Character)Legends. 3. Fire Folklore. [1. Karuk
IndiansLegends. 2. Indians of North
AmericaCaliforniaLegends. 3. FireFolklore.
4. Coyote (Legendary Character)]
I. Pinola, Lanny. II. Long, Sylvia, ill. III. Title.
E99.k25L65 1993 92-32352
398.2452974442dc20 CIP
AC

Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107

www.chroniclekids.com

To the People who loved these stories, made them
come alive, and passed them on.

With thanks to Ricardo Sierra, from whom I first heard a version of this story; to Sue Plummer, Sebastopols childrens librarian; to Joe Bruchac, Abenaki storyteller; and to Linda Vit, Karuk artist.
Jonathan London

For my parents with love and thanks for their wisdom, encouragement and kindness. Their joy in each other and the natural world around them is a continuing source of pleasure and inspiration for their children.
Sylvia Long

To my grandmother, Elizabeth Conrad, who first told me this story and many more; to Jubilee, my son, and to Lisa.
Julian Lang

L ong ago, the animal people had no fire. Day and night, they huddled in their houses in the dark, and ate their food uncooked. In the winter, they were so cold, icicles hung from their fur. Oh, they were miserable!

Then one day, Wise Old Coyote gathered everybody together. We have heard about fire, he said. But the only fire is far upriver, at the worlds end. Its guarded by the Yellow Jacket sisters high atop a snowy mountain. They are wicked, and will not share it. But listen, if we all cooperate and work together, we can steal the fire. There was much fearful murmuring about the Yellow Jacket sisters, but all grew quiet as Coyote told them his plan. Then he went on his way.

Grandfather Coyote slowly trudged up the mountain at the worlds end. When at last he came to the Yellow Jackets house, smoke was rising from the smokehole.

Coyote looked inside. The three old sisters were sitting around the fire. Coyote said, as friendly as can be, If you let me in, Ill make you all look pretty. Suspicious, the three sisters put their heads close together and buzzed. Come in, they said. But no tricks!

Old Man Coyote sat down and took a chunk of oak bark between his toes and held it in the fire. When it had burned into a blackened coal, he marked their yellow faces and bodies with black stripes to make them pretty. Now, said Coyote, if you close your eyes, I will make you even prettier.

Here was Coyotes chance! While the Yellow Jackets eyes were closed, he took the charred oak in his teeth, and silent as the moon in the sky, he crept outside. Then he raced dawn the mountain like the wind.

When the Yellow Jacket sisters found out that Coyote had tricked them, they were screaming mad. They, too, flew like the wind. And it wasnt long until they caught up to Coyote.

They were almost in him when Coyote tripped, rolled downhill like a snowball, and landed smack at Eagles feet. Snatching the glowing coal in his talons, Eagle spread his wings and took to the sky.

Eagle was swift, but the Yellow Jackets soon caught up with him. Suddenly, Eagle dropped the coal. Below, Mountain Lion caught it in his great teeth, and bounded off through the snow. Still, the furious Yellow Jackets followed.

Just as they were about to sting Mountain Lion, Fox snatched the fiery coal, and bounced in among the tall cedar and pine. Fox ran and ran, until she was so tired, she couldnt take another step. She huffed and huffed. Her breath made clouds, and the Yellow Jackets were right behind her.

Just in time, Bear took the fire and lunged away through some brambles. Bear, too, was quick, yet the Yellow Jackets were right on top of her. Even Bear could not fight them off, and she finally tumbled in exhaustion.

As Bear fell, Measuring Worm, the Long One, took the fire. The Long One stretched way out over three ridges, yet the Yellow Jackets were there, waiting, ready to strike.