Coyote Baptizes the Chickens
There was a hen and a rooster that belonged to an old woman. There were seven chicks and Coyote came by and wanted to eat them. He couldn’t carry them all off it once though.
So he said, “Let me baptize one of your chicks.” He took it away and ate it
The next day he did the same thing. He told the hen that the one he had taken away was lonely and offered to carry away another check to baptize it.
He did this with all the chicks. He came again and told the hen that the chicks wanted to see her. She went and was eaten as well.
He then came back and talked to the rooster, telling him his chicks were all grown up, that he should come and see them. He went and was eaten to.
The old woman looked for her rooster, hen and seven chicks. She found a cave and under a rock in the cave she found feathers. She realized what had happened but could do nothing.
Recorded by Leanne Hinton in 1969 from Alejandrina Marillo Melendres at La Huerta, Baja California
RICHARD PETTINGER HELLER 