Hopi · the Hopi mesas — the high flat hills
The heroes of this story.
Tries to do the day's firewood all at once — ALL of it. At once. Learns to carry what fits, and that asking for help is the hardest thing a pup can do.
The little bird who once carried fire to the Hopi people — the smallest hero of the emergence. Her hovering is her talking; she never uses words. (Not the Cherokee tobacco-bringer — different bird.)
Opens one eye; grumbles. That is his whole review — and his grumble means: pup, pup, pup. Pats the chewed leaf on the scraped elbow; healers don't need words.
Carries the big logs with him. Some loads are a grandfather's job.
Iistiyo the coyote pup piles the firewood higher and higher — "One trip! Watch this!" — until CRASH-tumble-BANG. The hummingbird hovers in slow loops, showing him the story inside them: long ago, the smallest wings carried fire to the whole Hopi people. She hovers over one small stick: THIS one. Iistiyo carries fit-sized loads, steady, and does the hardest thing a pup can do — asks Grandfather to carry the big ones with him. That night at the winter-tales basket he tells the story himself: "Small carries big — if small carries what fits."
Free coloring pages from this book · how-to-draw the friends · watch the episode on YouTube.
