Out of Context

Mother West Wind’s ‘Why’ Stories
Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess

“Mr. Coyote kept after him, yelping and howling, until he was sure that Mr. Lynx was so frightened that he wouldn’t dare come back. Then Mr. Coyote returned to the dinner Mr. Lynx had left, and ate and ate until he couldn’t hold another mouthful. His throat was very raw and sore because he had strained it trying to make his voice change so often, but he didn’t mind this, because, you know, it felt so good to have all he could eat at one time once more.

“Now it just happened that Old Mother Nature had come along just in time to see and hear Mr. Coyote, and it tickled her so to think that Mr. Coyote had been so smart that what do you think she did? Why, while he slept that night, she healed his sore throat, and she gave him a new voice; and this voice was very wonderful, for it sounded for all the world like many voices, all yelping and howling at the same time. After that, all Mr. Coyote had to do when he wanted to frighten some one bigger and stronger than himself was to open his mouth and send forth his new voice, which sounded like many voices.

“So he had plenty to eat from that time on. And all his children and his children’s children had that same wonderful voice, just as Old Man Coyote has now. Chug-a-rum! Now scamper home, Peter Rabbit, and see that you don’t let Old Man Coyote’s sharp wits get you into trouble.”