In ancient times, an old Turtle successfully hunts a deer but lacks a means to skin it. He seeks a flint-knife, singing a magic song that attracts a Coyote. The Coyote, curious and hungry, approaches the Turtle, demanding to know what he is doing. The Turtle, evasive, eventually reveals the location of the deer. The Coyote insists on helping to skin it, hoping for a share of the meat. After skinning the deer, the Coyote expects half of the meat, but the Turtle refuses, offering only the stomach and liver. The Coyote threatens the Turtle, but his attempts to attack fail due to the Turtle's hard shell. Frustrated, the Coyote fills the Turtle's shell with sand, believing he has defeated him, and goes to prepare a feast with the deer meat. The Turtle, feigning death, waits until the Coyote leaves. He then climbs the tree where the meat is hung, securing it from the Coyote's family. The Coyote returns with his family, excited for the feast. The Turtle tricks them by pretending to offer meat while actually dropping heavy ribs on them, injuring most of the Coyotes. One young Coyote survives and is lured by the Turtle to climb the tree for more meat. The Turtle deceives him into reaching for a drop of pitch, causing the young Coyote to fall to his death. The Turtle reflects on his cleverness, having used ingenuity to both hunt and retain the deer. The story concludes with a note on the descendants of the surviving Coyote, marked by distinctive facial features.
By Frank Hamilton Cushing · First published 1881 · Genre: Fable, Folklore, Adventure