The Coyote found a deer's carcass, and, after eating all the meat that was on it, he gathered the bones together, and buried them for future use. Some time afterwards he came back to his cache, and, after lighting a large fire, dug up a quantity of the bones, and, after having broken them up into small pieces, put them into a kettle to boil, intending to extract the marrow. He was thus engaged when the Fox came along, and addressed him saying, "I wonder at you, my friend, working in this way. You are a chief, and yet you busy yourself with women's work. Let me do your work for you." The Coyote who was flattered by these words, consented to the Fox's proposition, and, going a little distance away from the fire, lay down on his back, with his knees drawn up, putting on the air of one too dignified to notice his immediate surroundings. The Fox boiled the bones. Then he skimmed off the fat, put it in a dish, and set it to cool, saying to the Coyote, "I have nearly finished my work, as soon as the fat stiffens we shall eat." The Coyote, who now had his vanity aroused, never even deigned to notice the Fox nor his remarks. As soon as the grease was stiff, the Fox took it up and ran away. The Coyote chased him, but could not overtake him: therefore he returned to the same place, and commenced to cook more bones. Soon the Fox returned, and addressed the Coyote with flattering remarks, so that he allowed the Fox to do as before. The Fox repeated this four times, until he had finished all the marrow. The Coyote's vanity caused him to be the Fox's dupe.

Last updated 31 August 1998. This digital collection was produced under contract to the SchoolNet Digital Collections Program, Industry Canada. Produced by Schoolnet Digital Collections Team.