Why Coyotes Stay Awake at Night & Howl at the Moon
Once, long ago, there was a beautiful princess who lived among a pack of coyotes. She had long white hair and pale skin and she always wore a long silver dress. Her name was Chandra.
The coyotes loved Chandra very much, for she would take care of them when they were hurt and play with them when they were well. In turn, they would protect her from harm and they always made sure that she was warm and happy.
One day, a tall figure from a nearby town could be seen approaching the coyotes pack on the back of a large white horse. It was the towns' ruler, King Aldred. He was a very selfish boastful man who knew of the princess's beauty and wanted to take her for his bride. He rode over to the princess and requested that she marry him, however, she refused. The king asked her again and again until the coyotes became irritated and chased him away.
The next day the king returned, asking her the same question until he was chased away a second time. He continued to bother her every day for almost a month. When the month was almost up he decided that he had waited long enough. How could a princess who lived among beasts refuse to marry a wealthy king? Aldred decided to make a plan.
He went to the pack the next day, as usual, and again requested that Chandra marry him. This time, when he was rejected, he seemed rather smug. He pretended to leave, but instead hid in the bushes near the pack. There, he waited until night fell and the coyotes went to sleep.
While Chandra and her pack slept, Aldred snuck out and kidnapped her. He took her back to his palace, where he intended to force her to marry him. The princess was very forlorn. She missed her friends, the coyotes, and she did not want to marry the selfish king. She decided to run away from the palace, but she knew that she could not return to her pack because Aldred would find her.
Chandra fled from the palace as soon as she could, but to her dismay, the king pursued her. She ran and ran all day, but Aldred continued to follow her. As she ran, the sun slowly set. Just as the king had cornered her, the moon rose high in the sky. Seeing her chance to escape, the princess jumped and climbed the stars up to the moon where she could finally be safe from the king and watch over her coyotes.
Now, coyotes sleep during the day and stay awake at night watch over the princess.
Once, long ago, there was a beautiful princess who lived among a pack of coyotes. She had long white hair and pale skin and she always wore a long silver dress. Her name was Chandra.
The coyotes loved Chandra very much, for she would take care of them when they were hurt and play with them when they were well. In turn, they would protect her from harm and they always made sure that she was warm and happy.
One day, a tall figure from a nearby town could be seen approaching the coyotes pack on the back of a large white horse. It was the towns' ruler, King Aldred. He was a very selfish boastful man who knew of the princess's beauty and wanted to take her for his bride. He rode over to the princess and requested that she marry him, however, she refused. The king asked her again and again until the coyotes became irritated and chased him away.
The next day the king returned, asking her the same question until he was chased away a second time. He continued to bother her every day for almost a month. When the month was almost up he decided that he had waited long enough. How could a princess who lived among beasts refuse to marry a wealthy king? Aldred decided to make a plan.
He went to the pack the next day, as usual, and again requested that Chandra marry him. This time, when he was rejected, he seemed rather smug. He pretended to leave, but instead hid in the bushes near the pack. There, he waited until night fell and the coyotes went to sleep.
While Chandra and her pack slept, Aldred snuck out and kidnapped her. He took her back to his palace, where he intended to force her to marry him. The princess was very forlorn. She missed her friends, the coyotes, and she did not want to marry the selfish king. She decided to run away from the palace, but she knew that she could not return to her pack because Aldred would find her.
Chandra fled from the palace as soon as she could, but to her dismay, the king pursued her. She ran and ran all day, but Aldred continued to follow her. As she ran, the sun slowly set. Just as the king had cornered her, the moon rose high in the sky. Seeing her chance to escape, the princess jumped and climbed the stars up to the moon where she could finally be safe from the king and watch over her coyotes.
Now, coyotes sleep during the day and stay awake at night watch over the princess.
