Another podcast tale from Coyote and friends
Coyote meets a Jackalope, discovers the truth about the mythical beast (or at least this particular example of it) and gives an impromptu lesson about the importance of being authentic.
Here’s how the story starts:
When Badger told Coyote he’d just seen a Jackalope, Coyote laughed.
Now Badger doesn’t have what you would call a sunny disposition, so Coyote’s skepticism made him mad.
“I suppose you think I’ve been eating those hallu…hallu…funny plants,” he said. “I’m sober as Owl, I’ll have you know. But since clever Mr. Coyote knows so much—and clever Mr. Coyote thinks Badger is hallu…hallu…off his head—he’ll be the only animal who doesn’t see the Jackalope—and serve him right!”
And with that, Badger stomped away towards his den, mumbling under his breath.
A Jackalope? Coyote knew the old stories: the jackrabbit crossed with an antelope, like a nearly deer-sized rabbit with horns. Surely it was a myth, like Bigfoot or The Abominable Snowman…wasn’t it? The Jackalope was the Southwest’s very own mythical creature, not something you could walk across the Sonoran desert to see on a warm Tuesday afternoon.
Naturally, curiosity soon got the better of Coyote, as it always does, so he set out, following Badger’s tracks back into the desert.
Soon other tracks began to converge on the same path: mice, rabbits, packrats, prairie dogs—even a fox and some deer. It seemed word had spread and the animals were keen to take a look for themselves. The path wound amongst the mesquites and saguaros, heading towards a clump of cottonwoods at the edge of a dry creek. As he got closer, Coyote could hear a low humming and mumbling, like hundreds of people whispering to one another. Whatever it was, it was drawing a crowd.
Instructions
You can listen to the story here, using this built-in, Flash MP3 player. (Length: 9m 56s)
Alternatively, you can listen to the audio files through your computer or by downloading them to another device. To listen to the audio files through your computer, use your mouse to left-click on the link below. To download the files, right-click, select ‘Save as’ or ‘Save link as’ and specify the destination to which you would like to save the file. Using Safari, you can right- or Control-click and choose ‘Download linked file’.
I hope you enjoy it.
Technorati Tags: authenticity, being yourself, coping with disappointment, Jackalope, Coyote Tales
