THIS HAPPENED AT A lake. Coyote was going along the shore and saw a bird. He didn’t know what this long-legged bird was. At first he thought it was a tree, so he went and sat in the shade it was making. The bird didn’t move his legs at all. He just moved his head around a little.
Coyote stared at the bird’s foot. He said, “How does this tree stand up? The root is right on top of the earth. And it looks as if it has claws.”
A little distance away there was another crane but this one was sitting down. Coyote went over there and asked the crane why he was sitting that way. The Crane had his feet up and his claws out.
“Oh, I sit like this to rest,” the Crane said.
“You sit in a queer way.”
“That’s the way my people sit.”
Coyote tried to sit the same way. He sat facing the Crane with his feet up against himself. Coyote didn’t like sitting that way. So he changed and sat as he was accustomed to sitting.
Then Coyote said, “You must teach me to sit as you do.”
“How can I teach you this? You are a different person.”
“Oh, people teach me different things. I can do anything. This should be easy.”
“No, I don’t think I can teach you.”
But Coyote said he could learn so Crane tried. “Stretch your feet close to me.” Coyote did this. The bird began to work on Coyote’s legs with his claws. He tickled him at the hip.
Coyote said, “Why are you tickling me? Instead of teaching me anything you are making me laugh.”
After a while the bird got hold of Coyote’s member. Coyote started to laugh. Crane closed his claws tightly and Coyote’s face began to change. Very soon tears were coming from his eyes.
“What’s the matter? I thought you were laughing. What are you crying about now? Are you crying because you cannot learn my ways easily?”
Coyote was crying because it hurt so much. “I don’t want you to teach me any more,” said Coyote. “I’m getting tired. I better sit my own way.”
So Crane let go of Coyote’s member. Coyote moved away quickly. He was afraid to sit close to that bird.
Coyote’s member was all swollen. He had to walk with his legs far apart. He didn’t want his wife to see him so he stayed away from his home until night.
When he came home he acted in a peculiar manner.
His wife said, “What’s the matter with you? Come to bed.”
After a while he lay down but he wouldn’t let his wife get close.
His wife said, “Let’s have intercourse.”
“No,” said Coyote. “I’m too tired. My legs are too stiff. I’ve been traveling all day.”
His wife tried to tease him and get him excited.
He said, “Don’t bother me. I’m stiff all over.”
“There’s one place that isn’t too stiff,” she said and she tickled him there.
“Don’t! I’m too tired.”
So his wife let him alone. When he fell asleep she felt him all over. As soon as she touched that place he woke up. But she already knew what was wrong.
She got after him right away about it. “You have been with other women! That’s what you do every time you go away!”
“I fell on a thorn,” he said.
“No, you fell on some woman!”
“I was sitting under a tree and a big bird came and tried to snatch it away.”
She didn’t believe what he said. She told him, “Stay away from me. I don’t want you to sleep with me. I don’t want that sickness from you.”
So Coyote had to sleep by himself.
Next day he thought he would go see that bird again.