The Story of How Coyote Hid the Stars on Mother
told by Coyote ©

A long, long time ago when the world was very young, Coyote was looking for a place to hide some of his most precious stars. He kept them in a tiny little pouch on him. Coyote traveled all over the world until he saw a beautiful place. It was just the right place to hide his precious stars. "Ah," said Coyote, "this looks like a good place to put my stars so that no one will find them." So he started to dig a hole, but as he was digging, he thought to himself, 'If I put all my stars in one place, someone will find them all and I will not have them any more.'So Coyote took out one of his precious stars and put it in the hole and covered it up. Then he found a place to put the other stars: a big cave, and then he closed it up so that no one would find it. He looked for other places to hide all his precious stars, until finally he had hidden them all. "Ah," said Coyote," now all my precious stars are hidden so that no one will find them, and I will always have them for myself." So he went back home. Coyote had a lot of work to do before he had to make the first human being, so he started right to work. As time passed, Coyote forgot all about his precious stars. He was so busy that the stars started to change into hard stones. Each one would start to change; at first they would turn just a little red, and then they would start to break up and move under the ground. You know, as time passed and all the things that you see now that Coyote has made, he had forgotten his little precious stars that he had buried into the ground. As the human beings started to look for some of Coyote's precious stars, they traveled all over the world. It took a long time before anyone could find Coyote's precious stars. One day somebody was up in the Northwest and was looking for that old ugly yellow rock, and he dug up one of Coyote's precious stars. He looked at it and named it a SUNSTONE, for it was as bright as the sun. So when you get a SUNSTONE, you will see why they call it the SUNSTONE, but to Coyote it will always be his precious star, for it has a touch of red just like the stars that you see at night in the sky. That is why you can only find SUNSTONES in the south part of Oregon. (AH-HO) COYOTE

 

Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am a Native American Indian, and I have been a Story Teller for thirty-five years. This is the first time that any Indian story teller has tried tomake sure that all have the chance to have some Native Stories. I have put some of my stories on tape, for you and your family, so that you can hear and see them come to life in your little one's eyes. I have been traveling to schools throughout the U.S. telling my stories, and each time I have been asked if I have a tape of my stories.

Well, the time has come for me to make a tape for you to be able to purchase. The tape will come with four stories on it that I have selected especially for you and your family. the first is called Ma-Who, the second story, How the Porcupine Came to Be, the third is The Story of Little Po-Gee, and last, the story of How the First Strawberries Came to Be. All these stories are done with one of your children's name at the beginning of the tape. For these tapes are done in my home, and not in a studio. They are not fancy or very pretty to look at for I am not rich and can't afford all the fancy equipment, but I will guarantee that you will love the stories.

Now this is all you have to do. to order a tape send $15.00+$5.00 for shipping and handling in a money order to M.T.L., PO Box 1959 , Waldport, OR, 97394. It takes 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. As you order, make sure to include the name that you would like at the start of the tape, but please only one name per tape that you order.

If you order two or more tapes I will send you one free tape with four other stories. When you receive my tape you will also receive a Native American Prayer and a special gift from me to you. Please make all money orders out to M.T.L. and not to Coyote. If you would like to write me a letter, please write it to Coyote in care of M.T.L.

Here is a little prayer just for you, whether you order or not.

May Grandfather watch over you and keep you well, and may the Great
Spirit watch over you and your family forever and a day. (AH-HO)

COYOTE THE STORY-TELLER