One-day bear was fishing at the river he was in the zone swishing fish left, and right out of the water. He did not want to stop because he planned on having a feast when he got enough fish on the bank. Coyote being the sneaky snake he is saw all the fish, and thought that bear had too much salmon and took immediate action. Coyote went on over and just started to eat bears salmon. Bear was just finishing up when he turned around and saw that he did not have as many salmon as he thought.
Bear ” I swear I caught more salmon than this.”
Just then bear caught a whiff of coyote who was about a hundred feet up stream trying to wash the evidence off his face? Bear says, “Well I guess that stupid dog needs to be taught a lesson.” So bear went on pretending he knew nothing of the theft, and sniffed his way to where coyote was to say hello.
Bear ” Hello there coyote nice day huh.”
Coyote ” why yes it is friend bear what you been doing all day?
Bear ” I went fishing and had a grand feast I think I will come back tomorrow and do the same well any way I must go and rest.”
Bear walked into the woods thinking very hard how to teach coyote a lesson.
Bear ” I got it I will teach that dog a lesson he will never forget.”
Bear went to the far ends of the forest to gather some Sitka bark, which works as a great laxative. He then caught some fish and stuffed them with grounded up bark and brought the salmon to the spot where he would be fishing the next day and stored them in the water to keep them fresh.
After a good night’s sleep Bear walked down to his fishing spot along the river and prepared for coyotes arrival. Coyote arrived and was hiding behind a large stump waiting for bear to start fishing. Little did he know bear smelled him before he even got near the river! Bear reached into the river for the fish he caught the night before and started throwing them onto the riverbank as he was tossing them coyote was eating them. Bear finished and turned around and coyote was gone. Bear laughed really loud and followed coyotes scent all the way to his den. He knew the good news a mile away the bark really worked fast. Coyote was in his den groaning and moaning.
Coyote ” Oh I’ll never eat fish again ahh.”
Bear in his deepest voice ” hey dog teaches you to be a lazy thief. Stealing will get you nowhere. Especially stealing from me.”
Coyote ” I was hungry and you clearly had more than enough”
Bear ” you could have helped me and we could have shared I did all the work and you stole from behind my back. You know that I have bad eyesight from when you kicked dirt in my eyes, but you forgot that I have the best nose in the whole forest. I could smell you for miles especially now dang you stink!”
Coyote was embarrassed and mad because now he had to find a new place to live. His place was just too much of a mess to even attempt to clean up. Bear left and was quite satisfied with himself thinking that coyote will never ever think of crossing him again. Coyote in the mean time was thinking of what he was going to do to bear, but his thoughts were interrupted with bears remedy every few seconds.
The night was becoming day when coyote’s big idea hit him.
Coyote “aha bear you are finished for good ha ha ha ha haaaaa.”
Coyote went dashing into the bush at lightning speed he ran for hours until he reached the land of the giant sequoias where the wise owl lived. Coyote found owl who was at the top of the largest tree.
Owl ” who goes there disturbing my sleep you should know I sleep all day and hunt all night.”
Coyote “it is I coyote I have travelled far and came to ask for your wisdom.”
Owl ” what is it I’m very sleepy.”
Coyote ” well I wanted to play a trick on bear but I do not know what really makes bear tick.”
Owl ” well I know when I was flying over the forest the other day I seen bear and he looked scared. So I flew in for a closer look and low and behold he was running from a his own shadow I asked him why he was running and he told me that he was running from the forest spirit. I told him that the forest Spirit does not look like a bears shadow, and that the forest spirit only comes out at night when it is almost too dark to see. Nobody has really the forest spirit anyway.”
Coyote was very pleased to hear this from owl and already knew what his plan was for bear.
Coyote said “thanks I really owe you big for this one.”
Coyote trotted back to the forest where he lived. He took his time to think and enjoy the amazing view. Later that morning coyote gathered some really old branches and moss by the riverbed and rolled in the mud to cover up his smell. Then he put the branches on the mud and the moss on his head and face he really looked the part of a forest spirit. Coyote with a very satisfied look on his face went to find bear. After searching the forest coyote found bear eating berries near a stream. Bear was too busy to notice that he had company when coyote from a distance started chanting
Coyote “ayah ayah ayaaah ayo bear’s been bad ayah ayo now he’s going to get it aya ayo.”
Bear was very scared and tried to run but his feet could not move from the fright.
Bear says “oh great forest spirit please forgive me I know I was a bit rough on coyote but I had to do what I did or he would have kept on stealing my fish.”
Coyote in his roughest loudest voice says “well you must learn to share even with the great coyote I am very upset with you I have placed a curse on you bear and from this day forth you will be a loner and not converse with anyone you will be alone.”
Bear “but I don’t want to be alone. I hate being alone I will change oh Great Spirit I will never be selfish again please don’t curse me.”
Coyote ” well you do sound sorry but I want you to prove it to me.”
Bear ” Ok anything you say Great Spirit how can I prove to be worthy.”
Coyote ” well first of all you will catch lots of salmon and share with every one even the great wonderful smart and good looking coyote.”
Bear ” well I will and I will start tomorrow I hope coyote can forgive me for what I have done to him yesterday.”
Coyote says ” well I know the great coyote personally and I know he likes very large salmon if you give him all the big salmon I imagine he will be quick to forgive you.”
Bear “Great thanks for the tip great spirit”
Coyote turned around and he started to walk into the brush when all of a sudden bear noticed something.
Bear ” hey wait a minute there great spirit I want to see you disappear into greatness like we all heard you can do.
Coyote says ” well you see I have other business to attend to not far from here so I want to walk.”
Bear ” Oh really well I hope I never see you again which I wont right if I do as you say.”
Coyote walked into the brush and when he thought he was far enough away he took off his costume.
Coyote “hee hee I really got him now I will eat nothing but the best of bears salmon tomorrow.”
Mean while bear was heading to his own den thinking of how many fish he was going to have to catch to share with everyone when all of a sudden he caught a smell of coyote very near.
Bear ” that coyote I bet he had something to do with this but just to be on the safe side I will catch him some salmon.”
Just then owl who was out on a hunt saw bear heading home and wondered what kind of hell coyote put him through flew down for inspection.
Owl ” excuse me bear it is me owl I was wondering if you saw coyote today I talked to him earlier and I got the impression that he was up to no good he was very angry with you bear.”
Bear ” well I guess he was the Great Spirit I spoke to earlier that sneaky dog what should I do he is always picking on me owl.”
Owl says ” well if you revenge him that will just continue the cycle of you two fighting amongst your selves I think you should confront coyote and tell him you know what he is up to. Than do something very nice for him.
Bear ” well now I really know why everyone has such a high amount of respect for you thank you very much.”
Bear walked the whole forest and told all the animals that he wanted them to come to the river tomorrow for a great feast and to bring a gift for coyote. The next day coyote was on his way to the river to eat all bears salmon when he noticed that he was not alone he was walking with many animals that all said they were on their way to a bears feast. Coyote arrived and to his surprise bear had many salmon in a row along the riverbed.
Bear said ” well there coyote I am here to offer you a peace offering. We have been fighting for years now and this is getting us nowhere. I am giving you this the largest salmon in the river today. Please accept them coyote I am done fighting with you I want peace if you can accept my offering.
Coyote who had very bad intentions was in near coyote tears accepted his offering and as he was about to eat. All the animals in the forest began putting their gifts in front of coyote as there own offering since coyote has been picking on them for years to.
Coyote “said from this day forth I will not be the coyote you all once knew and I will never play tricks again.”
Just then owl cut in ” well you know I was thinking that who will you be then this trickster attitude of yours is what makes you. You. I think you just have to watch how you play your tricks put your heart into it and use it for good.”
Coyote took owls great words of wisdom and from this day forth he only plays tricks on others where there is a good lesson to be learned and coyote went down into history as the trickster.
To this day coyote and bear still have their little mishaps but they still no when to call it a day. Remember revenge can only get you in deeper trouble and, if coyote and bear can learn it I imagine you can grasp the situation as well.