Thomas King - Coyote Tales

COYOTE TALES

Thomas King

ILLUSTRATIONS BY

Byron Eggenschwiler

GROUNDWOOD BOOKS

HOUSE OF ANANSI PRESS

TORONTO BERKELEY

Text copyright 2017 by Dead Dog Caf Productions Inc.

(Coyote Sings to the Moon first published in 1998 and Coyotes New Suit first published in 2004 by Key Porter Kids)

Coyote Tales published in Canada and the USA in 2017 by Groundwood Books

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

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Groundwood Books / House of Anansi Press

groundwoodbooks.com

We acknowledge for their financial support of our publishing program the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council and the Government of Canada.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

King, Thomas, author

Coyote tales / Thomas King ; pictures by Byron Eggenschwiler.

Contents: Coyotes new suit Coyote sings to the moon.

Issued in print and electronic formats.

ISBN 978-1-55498-833-4 (bound). ISBN 978-1-55498-835-8 (html).

ISBN 978-1-55498-836-5 (mobi)

I. Eggenschwiler, Byron, illustrator II. King, Thomas.

Coyotes new suit. III. King, Thomas. Coyote sings to the moon. IV. Title.

PS8571.I5298C698 2017 jC813.54 C2015-908456-3

C2015-908457-1

Jacket illustration by Byron Eggenschwiler

Design by Michael Solomon

CONTENTS

COYOTE SINGS TO THE MOON

For Elizabeth and Benjamin, who think Coyotes singing got a bum rap TK

A long time ago , before animals stopped talking to human beings, Old Woman lived in the woods by a pond. And every evening, she walked down to the pond and waited for the moon to come up.

In those days, the moon was much closer to the earth, and the light from the moon was much brighter. And when the full moon rose above the trees, Old Woman sang out in a strong voice, Moon, Moon, Full Moon.

And when the moon was a half moon, she sang, Moon, Moon, Half Moon.

And when it was a crescent, she sang, Moon, Moon, Crescent Moon.

One evening, all the animals in the woods went down to the pond just to hear Old Woman sing to the moon.

What a beautiful voice, said the moose.

Yes, said the ducks. But we need a livelier beat.

And a little cool percussion, said the beavers, ba-dopity-bop-bopping their tails on the water.

Doo-wop, doo-wop, said the turtles and the frogs. Dont forget the harmony.

So, one by one, all the animals joined in with Old Woman and sang to the moon.

Moon, Moon, Full Moon.

One evening, Coyote heard Old Woman and the animals singing to the moon.

Pardon me, said Coyote, smiling his Coyote smile. Exactly what are you doing?

Were singing to the moon, said Old Woman.

Well, said Coyote, taking out his comb and brushing his coat, checking his teeth with his tongue and wiping his nose on his arm. What you need is a good tenor.

No! No! shouted all the animals. You have a terrible singing voice!

Yes, said Old Woman. Your voice could scare Moon away.

Hummph, said Coyote, whose feelings were hurt. Why would anyone want to sing to Moon, anyway?

Moon is our friend, said Old Woman. She travels all over the world just so we can have light at night.

Who wants light at night? said Coyote. That silly Moon is so bright, I can hardly sleep. Why, I wouldnt sing with you if you begged me.

Now, Moon heard Coyote , and the more she listened, the angrier she got.

Okay, she said to herself. Lets see how Coyote likes it dark. And she packed her bags, slid out of the sky and dove down into the pond.

When Moon dove into the pond, the whole world got really bright.

Hey! said Coyote. How come its so bright?

And then it got really dark.

Hey! said Coyote. How come its so dark?

And when Old Woman and Coyote stopped arguing to catch their breath and they looked up in the sky, they saw that Moon was gone.

This is your fault, said Old Woman. Moon must have heard your bad thoughts.

Well, said Coyote, at least now I can get some sleep.

As soon as Coyote left, Old Woman called the animals together.

We have to find Moon and get her to go back into the sky, said Old Woman, or this world is going to be messed up.

But where would Moon go? said Moose.

I dont know, said Old Woman. But we better start looking.

So all the animals and Old Woman began searching through the dark for Moon.

While the animals and Old Woman were searching, Coyote was trying to find his way home.

I think its in this direction, said Coyote, and he walked into a tree.

Hey! said Tree. Watch where youre going.

Sorry, said Coyote. But its dark.

Thats because some fur-brain insulted Moon, said Tree, and she has gone away.

I can see just fine, said Coyote, and he walked into a large boulder.

Ill bet that hurt, said Boulder.

Ouch, said Coyote. Im trying to find my way home.

Sure could use a little moonlight, said Boulder.

Never mind, said Coyote.

Coyote tried to feel his way in the dark, but he kept bumping into trees and rocks and slipping on wet moss and tripping over sneaky roots.

Maybe I should just sleep here tonight, said Coyote, and go home in the morning.

Coyote felt around and found a nice flat spot, and he felt around some more and found something soft and warm.

This will make a cozy pillow, said Coyote, as he fluffed up the soft and warm thing and put it under his head.

Just as Coyote was falling asleep, the pillow began to move.

Stop that, said Coyote. Im trying to sleep.

So am I, said the pillow.

Coyote couldnt see a thing, but his nose told him that he may have made a big mistake. Coyote sniffed a little here and he sniffed a little there.

I hope youre a cuddly sack of garbage, said Coyote.

Try again, said the pillow.

A warm pile of moose poop?

Nope.

A skunk? said Coyote.

Right! said Skunk, and he sprayed Coyote all over with really bad-smelling skunk business.

EEEEYOOOOW ! yelled Coyote, and he jumped up and ran off as fast as he could. He ran and ran and ran and ran.

And ran right off a cliff.

Oops! said Coyote. I cant watch And Coyote closed his eyes and held onto his tail as he fell and fell and fell.

And fell right into the pond.