MANY TRAILS Told by Bill Miller

[WhiteFeather]

MANY TRAILS
Told by Bill Miller:

A boy heard the voice of the whippoorwill one night and went out to find out where it was singing..

He had to walk quite a ways through a big field, because the song of the whippoorwill carried so well in the wind.  He sounded so much closer than he really was.
And on the way, the boy found a well worn trail, so he stayed on it for awhile.

Sitting in the middle of the trail was Coyote—and Coyote was singing too.. he turned and saw the boy and said: “Why are you following me?”
The boy was frightened and said: “Well, the trail you made happened to be a short and easy way through this field” and then Coyote asked: “If you are not following me, then why are you here?” “Well, I heard the beautiful song of the whippoorwill and wanted to watch him sing.” “Well do you not think my songs are beautiful?” said Coyote. “Oh, said the boy, they are good, but I hear you all the time, I much prefer to hear the songs of the whippoorwill.”

This made Coyote furious and jealous of the whippoorwill song—he said, “Listen to my night song, you might just like this one!” and he pulled back his head and yodeled out a tune.  The boy covered his ears and politely said: “Thank-You for your song, but I must be going now.”
“Well,” Coyote said “I can show you a short cut to the whippoorwill boy, and where he sings is just over there.” Pointing with his claw and smiling a crooked smile out of the side of his mouth..

The boy paused and looked around; he knew the night was passing fast so he agreed to follow Coyote, but; Coyote’s trail was rough and rocky. The boy fell in quite a few gopher holes along the way..

Coyote turned around and laughed and then yelled to the boy: “We are almost there, hurry up!”  Coyote was at a full trot, but; the boy had just fallen again and hurt his knee. And by the time he had gotten to where the whippoorwill had been singing all night, It was morning! Whippoorwill was gone and so was Coyote—In fact, he could hear Coyote songs in another field! So the boy turned and headed for home, covered with burrs and mosquito bites and a skinned knee..

It was many summers later that the boy became a wiser man, and he realized there are no short cuts to find something you really love. But there are many trails in this life.. So, “You must stay true to your path, and always keep an eye out for Coyote.”