Coyote is the Trickster God, but Lynx is the Keeper of Secrets; he keeps with him at all times a little medicine bag full of voices, and when he wants to let one out to the world, he shakes a rattle, scatters the special herbs and seeds in a circle, so it will not go to far; he beckons the seeker close, and whispers his question to the bag. Then he opens the bag just enough-- and a small voice comes forward and tells the seeker what he wants to know; then Lynx shuts the bag up again, quick as quick can be.
Ah! But one day, a certain lapine came to the Lynx seeking forbidden knowledge; he was turned away politely, but firmly, and so it came to him to try thievery. He crept quietly into Lynx's lodge, took the bag, and went far away to practice the same ritual...
He whispered to the bag, "Tell me how to gain immortal life!" And then he opened it, just a little...
A small voice whispered something sibilant; Graysmoke Rabbit leaned his great floppy ears closer to the bag.
It hissed again; he drew closer yet.
And then the voice shouted triumphantly, "Aha! I've got you, thief of my bag, you scamp, Lynx!" A great black-furred paw reached out of the bag, dragged Rabbit in, and the bag shut up neatly, falling to the ground with a little thump.
A little later, a familiar tawny Lynx stole out of the forest and picked up the bag again, and whistling, he went back home.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2011-11-11 06:07 pm (UTC)