COYOTE WAS GOING ALONG over different prairies and hills carrying his kettle on his back and looking for something to eat. Suddenly he came up on a moose feeding in some willows. He put down his kettle and began tying his hair in knots. He twisted his whiskers up so they pulled his lips out and put a kink in his tail. Then he stepped out into the open near the willows.
The moose looked up. Coyote got down on his belly and began to move backward like a caterpillar, all the time making noises. The moose saw this and began to laugh. Coyote stood up and tried to walk but pretended he couldn’t make his legs work. He would go a little way and then fall over on his face. He glanced over at the moose who was laughing very hard now. Coyote tried to make his legs work very fast and go in the same direction but he went every which way and fell over. The moose fell down laughing and died.
“These animals are stupid,” said Coyote. “This is the way you have to get them.”
He butchered the animal and cooked the meat up in his kettle. When it was ready he sat down to eat. While he was doing this he heard someone making a noise up above.
“Stop that noise! Don’t be noisy while I’m trying to eat.” It was only two trees rubbing together in the wind, but they wouldn’t stop and Coyote got angry. He put down his food. “You’ll have to stop this noise now!” Coyote yelled. But they didn’t. He climbed up in the trees and began pulling them apart. But they came back together and pinched him tight. He tried to get loose but he was caught. Just then Coyote saw a pack of wolves coming. He began waving and shouting. “Brothers! Don’t come over here! There is much danger. You better go the other way.”
The wolves looked at each other. “Perhaps Coyote has something there he doesn’t want us to see.” They came over and found the meat ready in the kettle. They sat down to eat. That night Coyote was still trying to get out of the trees.