The Boy, the Coyote, and the Magic Rock (Native American Folk Tale)

Long, long ago a boy lived with his grandmother. He was a good boy so that all of the fairies of the wood were kind to him, especially the fairy who lived in a big rock on the side of a cliff.

One day the boy said to his grandmother, “Grandmother, let us invite our neighbor Mrs. Coyote and her baby coyotes in to dinner with us today. They seem lean and hungry of late. She must have a hard time providing food for so many.” So the boy went over and invited the coyotes to dine with him.

After they had eaten all the food in the house, the coyotes still seemed hungry; so the boy invited them to go outside where he could get them more to eat.

“Little fairy in the rock,” he called, “come down with your table!” And a big rock table came down from the cliff-side laden with good things to eat. The hungry coyotes had a wonderful feast.

Several days later Mrs. Coyote returned the favor and invited the boy and his grandmother to have dinner with her. She served a very poor dinner because she thought she could do as the boy had done, and get the little rock-fairy to bring down a table of good things. So after they had finished their poor meal, Mrs. Coyote invited her guests to go outside with her.

“Little Fairy in the rock,” she cried, “bring down your table!”

But the table did not come. Mrs. Coyote called four times and then she yelled, “Bring down that table, I say!”

Then down fell a big rock from the cliff right on top of the baby coyotes, who were huddled all together under the cliff waiting for the table. The rock was so big and fell so hard that it killed every one of them, and reminded Mrs. Coyote that fairies were gentle creatures and must be treated in a kindly manner.