Page:History of Oregon Literature.djvu/36

 Tallapus passed the mountains and headlands of the coast. Then he followed the trail through the deep woods. As he was travelling along, Tallapus saw an immense cedar. The inside was hollow. He could see it through a big gap which opened and closed. The gap opened and closed as the tree swayed in the wind. Tallapus cried, "Open, Cedar Tree!" Then the tree opened. Tallapus jumped inside. He said, "Shut, Cedar Tree!" Then the tree closed. Tallapus was shut inside the tree. After a while Tallapus said, "Open Cedar Tree!" Then the tree opened. Tallapus stepped out of it. The tree was a very strange one. So Tallapus told the tree to open, and jumped inside. Then he told it to close. Tallapus did this many times.

At last Tallapus was inside the tree. Tallapus said, "Open, Cedar Tree!" The tree did not answer. Tallapus was angry. He called to the tree. He kicked the tree. The tree did not answer. Then Tallapus rememebred that he was Coyote, the wisest and cunningest of all animals. Then Tallapus began to think.

After he thought, Tallapus called the birds to help him. He told them to peck a hole through Cedar Tree. The first was Wren. Wren pecked and pecked at the great cedar until her bill was blunted. But Wren could not even make a dent. Therefore Tallapus called her Wren. Then Tallapus called the other birds. Sparrow came, Robin came, Finch came, but they could not even break the heavy bark. So Tallapus gave each a name and sent them away. Then Owl came, and Raven, and Hawk, and Eagle. They could not make even a little hole. So Tallapus gave each a name and sent them away. Then he called Little Woodpecker. Finally Little Woodpecker made a tiny hole. Then big Yellow Hammer came and pecked a large hole. But the hole was too small for Tallapus. So he saw there was no help from the birds.

Then Tallapus remembered again that he was Coyote, the wisest and cunningest of all the animals. Then Tallapus began to think.

After he thought, Tallapus began to take himself apart.