WOO - How people were made

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At one time, quite a while ago, the animals were like people. Falcon said to Coyote: "You have great magic powers. Why don't you make some human beings?"

"It is too much work", said Coyote.

"No matter," said Falcon. "You must do it, because you can do it."

"Well, all right, " said Coyote.

Coyote laid down and played dead. Then many crows and buzzards came. They pecked at Coyote's backside. They made a big hole in Coyote's left buttock. They worked their way inside. Then Coyote quickly closed the hole, trapping the scavengers. He went back to his home. He opened the hole in the buttock. He told Falcon to pick the crows and buzzards out. Then he told Falcon to pluck them.

"Now," said Coyote, "we will stick their feathers into various places in all the four directions."

Coyote and Falcon went to work. On every hill they planted one crow and one buzzard feather. The crow feathers became just people. The buzzard feathers became chiefs. As Coyote planted the feathers he gave every site a name, and the next day there were human beings living in all those places.

Coyote said to Falcon: "These new human beings look exactly like us. So now we must assume a different shape. We must become animals. It is your fault. You forced me into making those humans. So now you shall have wings and a beak, and I shall have a tail and fur all over. I shall be Coyote and creep around hunting. You will fly about. You can be the chief if you want."

At once all the original people were transformed into animals and birds. Coyote named them all. "Now I'm tired," he said. "I will rest."

-- Anonymous, June 04, 2001


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