Tell Me a Story:
COYOTE'S BROKEN DREAM

   One day Hare finished a marvelous meal, and yawning with pleasure, he lay down to take his siesta. "Ahh," he sighed, closing his eyes beneath the dazzling sunshine. He was feeling fine, fat and full. A moment later he was fast asleep.

While Hare dozed, Coyote happened to pass by. Coyote grinned when he saw Hare because he saw his chance for a grand meal. He leaped into the air and landed, plop, right on Hare's back.

"Yeoww!" Hare cried, bolting awake.

"Ha, ha," Coyote giggled, "I've got you! You feel quite fat, and - mmmm - you'll make a nice meal for me."

Hare was a quick thinker, and starting thinking as fast as he could. "Yes," he answered sweetly, looking innocently up into Coyote's eyes. "Yes,' I'm nice and full, and I don't mind if you eat me. After all, I'm only a wrinkled, tired, scrawny, measly, dry old hare. Besides, I'm sure I don't have much longer to live."

Hare sighed sadly, and then clasped his paws together in prayer. "Just one favor, Coyote. Please let me live long enough to ring the school bell today."

"What are you talking about?" Coyote was wily, but he was easily confused.

"Well," said Hare, eyeing the tree above them, "You see, the sweet, young, juicy hares are all in school today, and it's my job to ring the bell when the school day is done. When I ring the bell, they know it's time to hop right home, so if you'll let me live just long enough to ring the bell, I'll have finished all I have to do in this world."

Coyote cocked his head. This sounded interesting. "When you ring the bell," he asked, "What exactly happens?" He longed to know where all those tender young hares might go after old Hare rang the bell.

"Brother Hare," Coyote said, "why don't we ring the bell, now?"

"Oh no, we can't do that," Hare said. "I only hope I will be able to climb to the bell when the time comes. You see, it's up there, at the top of this tree."

Coyote looked up, and his stomach began to rumble and growl. "You said those little hares were nice and tender?"

"The sweetest, juiciest things you've ever seen," Hare said. "How tasty they would be for someone like you. Luckily they're safe in school and won't come out until I ring the bell. Otherwise you might try to eat them."

"Oh, not me," Coyote said, "I respect young things. But Brother Hare, you must be feeling terribly stiff. Why don't I let you up to stretch a while?"

Hare grinned. "Now that would be so nice of you, Coyote. I won't go away, of course. I must stay here until it's time to ring the bell."

"Of course." Coyote smiled and he stood up and set Hare free., Hare stretched and sighed, and as he did, Coyote began to imagine all those tender young hares.

"You know," Coyote said, "if 'd like to run around a while, I stay and ring the bell for you."

"It would be to have one last run," Hare said. "Dont forget to ring."

Coyote nodded, "No problem." "It's a very simple job, really," Hare said., "You must shake it hard to make sure the little hares can hear it."

"I can do that!" Coyote said proudly. "You just go run along."

And that's exactly what Hare did. He ran away as fast as he could, and when he was safely atop a nearby pile of rocks, he turned and called, "Don't forget to ring that bell, Coyote."

As soon as Hare was out of sight, Coyote rushed to the tree and began to shake it with all of his might. Alas, he heard no ringing bell, and so he shook it still harder. He shook and, shook it until, at last the hornets' nest fell from the tree and, landed right at his feet.

The moment that happened, the air was filled with furious hornets, and when they saw the creature, who had ruined their slumber, they flew at him, stinging and biting him and chasing him across the desert.