Coyote was hungry. Always lean and scrawny now his ribs were showing. Coyote knew if he didn’t eat soon he would starve to death. He was so hungry he was getting weak and couldn’t run fast enough to catch rabbits or squirrels, he was desperate.

As coyote walked near a lake he saw ducks swimming near the shore and he licked his lips with his tongue, he could almost taste the ducks. A plump, tender duck would be delicious but they were almost impossible to catch. Ducks were very smart and as soon as they saw him they would swim to the middle of the lake where he couldn’t reach them or they would fly away.

He couldn’t fly, he couldn’t swim fast enough to catch them and he hated getting his fur wet. His speed and his sharp teeth were good to hunt other animals but were useless against ducks, he would have to be clever but the ducks were also clever.

The coyote decided to trick the ducks. He hung his head low and cried fake tears and put his tail between his legs and crawled to the edge of the lake. The ducks expected him to chase them but he turned his back to them and layed down and put his head on his paws.

“Coyote,” cried the ducks, “Go away, you can’t eat us, we will swim away or fly away.”

“Yes, I know,” said the coyote. “ You are so beautiful with your colored feathers, and you can fly and swim and you can make beautiful music with your quacking and all the animals know how clever you are and I am nothing. I can’t fly or swim. I have nothing to live for, I have come here to die.”

The ducks were flattered and had to agree with the coyote that they were beautiful and clever. If the coyote knew this, surely he couldn’t be that bad.

As the coyote laid in the grass, one by one the ducks came out of the lake and walked closer to him. “Please, don’t look at me, I’m too ugly, I’m too ashamed, just go away and let me sing my death chant and die. I will die happy knowing the last thing I saw was beautiful ducks,” the coyote said. “You are so kind to speak to me, I don’t deserve your kindness. You are all beautiful and clever and kind, I will die happy knowing my last moments were spent with you. If you could just close your eyes and not watch me die that would be the last thing I would ask.”

As the coyote began his death chant the ducks closed their eyes, it was the least they could do for him. The coyote continued his chanting and while the ducks had their eyes closed, the coyote picked up a stick and hit the ducks and killed them. That night the coyote curled up in a soft bed of duck feathers.

His belly was full and he had enough food for several days. He fell asleep with a smile. It was true, the ducks could swim and fly and they were clever, but they started to believe the flattery from the coyote and they let their guard down and closed their eyes to his lies.

Most of us have fallen for flattery at some time in our life. When someone tells us we are pretty or handsome or smart or talented we feel good, we all like a compliment. Fortunately, most compliments are just what they appear to be, someone taking the opportunity to say something nice and we should just enjoy the moment.

My friend was having lunch alone in a cafe and a man came to her table and said he had to come over and tell her how pretty she looked. She was just starting to enjoy the compliment when the man asked her if she would give him twenty dollars so he could buy lunch because he’d left his wallet at home. She didn’t feel like paying twenty dollars for the compliment and told the man to go home and get his wallet. He was as sneaky as the coyote but my friend was smarter than the ducks. Even a little flattery can’t hurt...as long as you keep your eyes open.

Crying Wind is the author of Crying Wind and

My Searching Heart, When the Stars Danced, and Thunder in Our Hearts, Lightning in Our Veins. All her books are available from Indian Life. Check catalog on page 18.