Jicarilla Apache Texts: Myths: 16. Coyote Secures Fire. (Second Version.)

Coyote came where there were three children. "Show me where the trail goes up," he said. "I will give you these beads if you will show me the trail." Then he gave them the beads. They showed him a piñon tree by means of which the people went up and down. He went down by the aid of the piñon tree by means of which the people went up and down. He looked for some white clay with which, when he found it, he whitened his face, making zigzag lines.

He came where they were dancing and mingled with them. "Coyote, your tail is burning," one of them said to him. "I have supernatural power for that. It won't burn," he replied. He went among them again, poking the fire with his tail until it took fire, when he jumped over them and ran away with it. "Coyote does not know the trail up the wall," they said. He ran away with the fire and they all ran after him.

When Coyote was tired out, he gave the fire to Duck who ran with it. When Duck was tired he gave it to Dove. Dove ran with it until he was tired and gave it to Kingfisher who ran with it. "Fire came from me," he said. Kingfisher flew entirely around the border of the sky with the fire.

"Fire came from me. All the people secured their fire from me." The people ate with it and their food became sweet. The people all over the world were pleased. Something good happened.