One afternoon a coyote surprised a roadrunner when it was half asleep and leaning against a wall. "Ah!Ah"the coyote shouted."I've got you!There is no escape!" "Don't touch me!If I move,this wall will fall down on both of us!"cried the bird."T'll tell you what we should do.You hold up the wall for a while.I'll go and find some food for both of us." The coyote agreed and leaned closely against the wall,while the roadrunner the bird he had intended to have for dinner—ran away. A few weeks later,the bird was taking her nap under a shady tree.She had hung a bag on a branch.On the bag was a string that went all the way to the ground. Suddenly,the coyote jumped out."Ah!I've got you again.I remember very well that you told me a big lie the last time we met." "Now,wait a minute,"answered the roadrunner."I've got a bag full of chickens up there.You can always get me,but how often can you feast on fat chickens?" "Well then,I'll have the chickens." "Do you want them one by one or all at once?" "All at once,of course!"said the greedy coyote. The roadrunner pulled the string,and a whole bag of rocks fell upon the coyote. Many months passed before they met again.This time,it was in the middle of the night.The roadrunner was drinking by the side of a lake. The moon was so bright that the coyote was able to spot the bird from the top of a nearby hill.He ran down and easily cornered the bird. "Before you open your mouth again to tell me another lie,"the coyote warned,"Let me tell you that I won't believe a word you say." The moon,round and yellow,was shining upon the water of the lake.The roadrunner said,"You can see for yourself that I am not telling a lie this time.Look at that big yellow cheese floating on the water,just a few yards away from us.It would be so easy for you to go and get it.You're hungry,I know.But think how much better a nice juicy piece of cheese would taste than I would.I would.I'm all skin and bones!" The coyote had to agree.He could taste the cheese already.
