Swift Fox and the Coyote Twins

Have you ever known someone who liked to brag?

Boast, show off. In today's story, we'll encounter two bragging, boasting, show-offs, and the sli-fucks who decides to teach them a lesson. I'm Rebecca Shear and welcome to Circle Round. Our story time happens all the time.

Today our story is called Swift Fox and the Coyote twins. Versions of this tale have been told in Mexico, Central Asia and Siberia, and among indigenous peoples from the southern plains of the modern day United States. Some really great people came together to bring you our story, including Sterling-K-Brown, Mandy Moore, and Chris Sullivan.

Co-stars on the NBC show this is us and co-hosts of the rewatch podcast This Was Us.

So circle round everyone for Swift Fox and the Coyote twins. Long, long ago, the fastest and speediest animals around were the Coyote twins.

“What other twins would she be talking about, tweedledy and tweedledom?”

Who? Search me, it's in the script, I'm just reading my lines. Okay, so the Coyote twins weren't quite the sharpest thorns on the prickly pair. Oh, so juicy. But they were a fleet of foot, which made them rather big of head. In other words, they were cocky.

All the other animals totally wish they were us. But yeah, they do. Because we're amazing. Yeah, we are. We can run super duper fast.

Yeah, we can.

We've never met anyone more talented.

Yeah, we have.

“I mean, no, we haven't. I mean, you know what I mean, you know?”

As you can imagine, the other animals were growing weary of the Coyote twins boasting. Especially the petite, wish she tailed pointy ear canine known as Swift Fox. That would be me. Swift Fox isn't just a description. It's an official scientific name.

And it comes from the fact that I'm, well, Swift, I'm only as big as the house cat. But I can run nearly as fast as the Coyote twins, which is helpful if I want to catch a meal or avoid becoming one. That is true, but I would argue that the Swift in Swift Fox refers to something else as well. Wouldn't you say, oh, please, they'll make me brag. Unlike those cocky Coyote twins, I don't need to tut my own horn.

I'll tut it for you because Swift Fox had a Swift mind. He was clever, nimble and sharp. And after years of putting up with the Coyote twins, he decided he'd use that Swift mind to teach the boastful bullies a lesson. Early one morning, while the Coyote twins were snoozing beneath some pine trees, Swift Fox came prancing over. Good day, twins.

The Coyote twins peaked open an eye and scowled.

“For crying out loud, Swift Fox can't you see we're getting our beauty rest?”

Not that we really need any. Why don't you go bother someone else? Yeah, get out of here. Swift Fox gave a shrug. Look, twins, I can get out of here if you really want me to.

But if I do, then you won't get to eat the prairie chickens. At the mention of the brown and white striped birds known as prairie chickens, the twins sat bolt upright prairie chickens. We love prairie chickens. Especially showing down on them. They're so plump and tasty.

And that's why I need to stick around. Any minute now, a whole mess of prairie chickens are coming to meet me. They are? What for? That's the fun part.

I played a little trick and told them I'd fall in ill. Very ill. Just as I hoped, one of the chickens took pity on me and promised to make me a special medicine. I convinced her and her friends to bring me a huge supply right here by these pine trees. Once those unsuspecting birds show up, we can have ourselves a feast.

Hang on a minute. What do you mean, we can have ourselves a feast? Big, strong coyotes like us do not share with puny little foxes like you.

Swift fox gave another shrug.

I get it.

“I'm small and I'm puny and you don't want me around.”

But don't you too realize you need me. It's me the prairie chickens are coming to see. If they lay eyes on two big, strong coyotes like you, they're going to buzz off. And you don't want them to buzz off. Do you?

Buzz off. Don't prairie chickens make more of a clocking sound. You know? Like, okay, okay. No, no, no, it's more of a...

What? What? What? Or is it a cacle?

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

What I meant is you don't want the chickens to run away. Right? Oh! Of course we don't. So?

“How about I stay here while you two go and hide?”

Somewhere close. But how to hide? Like, say, up there. Swift fox pointed to the top of a pine tree. The coyote twins traded a glance.

Then lunge toward the tree and begin to climb. Now, when is me the talented runners? But when it comes to climbing? There. They're pretty awkward.

And the thing about pine trees is they're tough to climb. For anyone. Their branches are brittle and sparse. Their needles are pookie and sharp. Their glooby gummy sap gets everywhere.

So, as the twins scrambled up the tree, branches snapped beneath their feet. Needles stabbed at their faces. Saps, saturated their fur. But at last, with pounding hearts heaving chests and sticky,

but Dragon bodies, they reached the top. They gave each other a weary, high-five, then glanced at the ground. What they expected to see were a bunch of delicious, prairie chickens bustling over for their appointment with Swift fox. But instead?

To lose twins. All they saw was Swift fox. Sprinting away on his Swift little legs. And laughing. The coyote twins were flummixed.

Downright, discombobulated. But then? It dawned on them. Swift fox played a trick on us. Wait a minute.

He tricked us and the prairie chickens. There are no prairie chickens you don't. He tricked us into climbing up this tree so we would look like fools. We can't let them get away with this. I say we find him and eat him.

Yeah.

Of course, we have to get down first.

Now, if you think it's tough for a coyote to climb up a pine tree,

“you should see them trying to climb down.”

You're on my tail. Fox, after much scrapping and scrabbling, the twins reached the ground. Using their keen ears and noses, they followed Swift fox's trail. They found him at the bottom of a cliff. He was standing with his back to the steep stone wall,

pushing against it with legs, raised and teap clenched. You're not going to escape by pushing against that cliff Swift fox. Yeah. You're not going to escape from us at all. Because now that we're here, we are going to eat you.

Unless you make like a tree in bark. Wait a minute. Isn't it make like a tree and leaf? Yeah, right. Swift fox locked eyes with the twins, but he didn't run.

Instead, he kept pushing. Eh, help. Hey goodness, you big strong coyotes are here. You have to help me cold it up. Or all doomed.

What is Swift fox talking about? What do you think he needs help holding up? Who will find out what it is after a quick break? The reviews are in and super fans like you are loving the Circle Round Club, an exciting opportunity to support public radio and get cool stuff.

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Today, our story is called Swift fox and the coyote twins.

Before the break, Swift fox played a trick on the coyote twins, by dipping them into climbing a pine tree, then running away. The coyote twins were determined to get revenge and to make the cunning canine their next meal. When they raised after him, they found him at the bottom of a cliff, pressing his back against the rock.

Come on, you two, I can't hold it up by myself. If anyone can do the job, it's too big strong coyotes like you! The cocky coyotes were disarmed by Swift fox's flattery and stumped by his statement. Oh, what are you talking about Swift fox?

“What do you need us big strong coyotes to help you hold up?”

Don't you see? It's the cliff!

It started to fall the moment I got here and now I'm holding it up!

The coyote twins shared a look. Then they doubled over with laughter. You really expect us to fall for another trick, Swift fox? There's no way that cliff can fall. But there is a way you can fall.

Yeah, into our bellies. The coyote twins looked to their lips. Swift fox shook his head. You two don't understand. The last thing you want to do is eat me.

If you do, this cliff wall will give way and crush us in the pancakes.

Mancakes, some being serious. When I came back, I saw these little rocks tumbling over the edge.

“And I knew I had to prop up the cliff before it could...”

Yeah! Swift fox gave a cry as if the pushing was becoming too much. The moment he did, a cascade of loose pebbles came dropping down the cliff face. See what I mean? The cliff is falling down! The coyote twins looked up in alarm.

Uh, I'm... beginning to think that Swift fox is on the level. On the level, I thought he was against the wall. On the level means telling the truth you nitwit, holding nothing back. But I thought he was holding the cliff back. Oh!

Suddenly, another smattering of pebbles tumbled over the edge of the cliff. And do you know why? The spoiler alert isn't because the cliff was falling down. It was because the family of rabbits had built their burrow at the top of the cliff.

“Whenever they heard a loud noise, be it a Swift fox cry or a coyote grown.”

The petrified bunnies ran for cover, scrambling into their burrow and sending a shower of pebbles over the edge. Swift fox knew all about the rabbits. But the coyote twins did not. The terrified creatures sprang to Swift fox's side, facing the cliff with their teeth, gridded, and their shoulders shoving against the rock face.

Swift fox lowered his head to conceal his grin. But harder you too. Come on, put with all your might. And they did. The coyote twins strained.

The coyote twins heaved. As they did, they began to tire. What are we going to do? We coyotes are big and strong, but we can't hold up this cliff forever. You have a point there.

So, I'll tell you what. Given how big and strong you are, how about you two keep pushing my go get help? If I round up enough animals, maybe we can drag over a log or a rock or something else to prop the cliff up.

But that is, unless you're afraid to take all the weight yourselves. The coyote twins rolled their eyes. A afraid to take all the weight? We big strong coyotes aren't afraid of anything. That's what I think.

So, get to keep pushing and I'll be right back. Slowly, Swift fox stepped away from the wall. Then he flashed the twins' smile and scurried off. As fast as his Swift legs could carry him. The clueless coyotes kept pushing.

They pushed all day long. And by sundown, their muscles ached their heads, robbed, their throats were parched and dry. But Swift fox had not yet returned.

I can't beat me, but I sure am exhausted.

Tell me about it. Well, my body's quivering like jelly.

“My tongue is glued to the roof of my mouth and my eyes are bulging so far out of my head.”

That's not what I meant. Listen, twin, we cannot keep pushing like this. I say, we jump away from the wall and head for the hills. Head for the hills. But what if the hills are falling too?

I mean, let's shake a leg. My legs are ready, our shaking. Oh, I mean, let's get out of here. Why didn't you say so? The coyote twins closed their eyes, breathed in deep,

then took a flying leap away from the wall. The moment their fleet feet hit the ground, they headed for the hills. But after a little while, they realized something. All they put around them were the natural sounds of nature.

No rumbling, a falling rock. No roar of tumbling stone. And when they slowed their pace and glanced behind them, their eyes went wide. The cliff didn't fall.

It looks just like it did before. Does this mean?

“That we did such a great job holding it up that it stayed glued in place?”

No, you goose. Goose, I'm a coyote.

What I was about to ask is, does this mean the cliff was never

in danger of falling in the first place? Oh! The coyote twins couldn't contain their rage. They snapped their jaws. Ha!

Ha! They growled. Ha! And how long? Oh, oh, oh, oh!

Because in that moment, they realized they had been tricked again. And despite their fabulously fleet feet, they would never ever be swift enough to out-fox fox. Now it's your turn.

“We all have special skills and strengths.”

You can celebrate your own by making a strengths chain.

First, cut a piece of paper into strips.

On each strip right or draw one of your strengths, your strength can be general. Like, I am persistent, or I show kindness. Or it can be specific.

Like, I can name a dozen dinosaurs, or I could clean my room in no time flat. Using tape or a glue stick, link your strips together by making loops and forming a chain. Ask a grown-up to help you hang your strengths chain somewhere you can see it.

Then add more links as you develop new strengths. This week's episode Swift Fox and the coyote twins was adapted by me for Becca Sheer. It was edited by Dean Russell. Our original music and sound designs by Eric Shimalonis,

whose featured instrument this week is the pedal steel guitar. You can learn more about this very cool guitar built into a table and see a photo of Eric playing one on our website wbru.org/circleround. Circleround's artist is Sabina Han,

Sabina has created a black and white coloring page for all of our circleround stories and you can color them in while you listen. grown-ups download our coloring pages at wbru.org/circleround. Special thanks to this week's actors, Chris Sullivan, Mandy Moore, and Sterling K Brown.

Chris Sullivan's many film and TV credits include Mercy, Presence, and the Nick. You kids may know him as teaser face from Guardians of the Galaxy volume two. Chris also writes in plays music under the name Joseph The Spouse. Mandy Moore stars in the new comedy film The Bread winner.

Since 2010, she's played Rapunzel and countless Disney movies, TV shows and video games, including Tangled, Ralph Briggs the Internet, and Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure. Sterling K Brown stars in the hit political sci-fi drama paradise, available on Hulu and Disney Plus.

He's lent his tremendous talents to many many films and TV shows, including Black Panther, American Crime Story, Washington Black and American Fiction, for which he received an Oscar nomination. Growing-ups, you can see Chris Sullivan, Mandy Moore,

and Sterling K Brown in the award-winning NBC series This Is Us, and you can hear them on the rewatch podcast This Was Us. Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR. I'm Rebecca Shear, thanks for circling round with us.

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