My grandfather used to say [SPEAKING NAVAJO],,
the secret begins at the tip of your tongue.
And so we were taught to pray early at dawn.
We were taught not only to pray during times
of need or frustration, but also to use prayer
to celebrate and to express gratitude.
I've always thought about that.
And so I enjoy language.
I've studied several languages, including not Gaelic but Navajo
and Spanish, and English, and Old English,
and Latin, some French and Japanese.
And I have few more on my list that I still
would like to study.
I really enjoy learning languages
and speaking language.
When we were younger, we used to listen to coyote stories.
So I would like to tell you one.
It's called "Coyote and Bobcat."
I can't do the coyote accent in English so I'll just stick to--
So--
"One, one day coyote was trotting,
he was trotting, trotting.
He found a bobcat asleep, stretch out
in the sun on a rock.
Coyote walked around him, you sleep in the day, he mused.
Just can't lie around, he said.
Then he pushed in the ears, then he pushed in the nose,
then he push in the arms, then he push in the legs,
then push in the tails, then pushing the whole body, coyote
howled with laughter.
My isn't he more handsome now?
He said.
He walked around him one more time.
Bobcat snowed even louder and coyote trotted away giggling.
He was trotting, trotting.
Bobcat woke up and didn't feel like himself.
Coyote my cousin, this is your work, he said.
I will get you yet, he said, somewhat peeved.
Then he shook himself and started walking.
Bobcat was walking, walking.
Two, one day bobcat was walking, he was walking, walking.
He found the coyote asleep, stretch out
in the sun on a rock.
Bobcat walked around him, you too sleep in the day?
He mused.
Just can't lie around too, he said.
Then he pulled out the ears, then he pull up the nose,
then he pull up the arms, then he pull up the legs,
then he pull up the tails, then he pulled up the whole body.
Bobcat mewed with laughter My, aren't you more handsome now,
he said.
He walked around him one more time.
Coyote snored even louder.
And bobcat walked away giggling.
He was walking, walking.
Coyote woke up and didn't feel like himself.
Bobcat my cousin, this is your work,
he said, I will get you again, he said, somewhat pissed.
Then shook himself and started trotting.
Coyote was trotting, trotting.
Three, sitting, sitting bobcat.
Bobcat is sitting in the sun on a rock.
Coyote finds him and walks around him, sitting, sitting.
Bobcat continues to lick himself.
So, says the coyote.
Yes, it is so, says the bobcat.
Let's be friends again, says the coyote.
Yes then, let it be so, says the bobcat.
Well then, let's play a game, says the coyote.
Yes, what shall we play?
Says the bobcat.
Let's play scratching, says the coyote.
But he couldn't see bobcat's nails.
How do you play that?
Says the bobcat.
Simple, says the coyote.
I scratch your back, then you scratch my back,
says the coyote.
No, no, says the bobcat.
You got longer nails than I do, says the bobcat.
Coyote get all excited and says, let's, let's.
You just want to tear down my back,
I thought you wanted to be friends?
Says the bobcat.
Yes, yes my cousin, this is a friendly game, the coyote says.
Starting with coyote, they scratch one another's back.
Each time bobcat faints crying out in pain,
oh, I feel you're scratching even more every time.
Coyote giggles with pleasure, I can feel yours,
this is your last time cousin, go ahead,
give me your best scratch.
Then bobcat brings out all those nails and scratches coyote's
back with all his [HOWLS].
Coyote howls with pain, and with arched back
he runs over the hill, never looking back not even once.
To this day, he still hasn't returned to Bobcat yet."
We have a lot of coyote stories.
Back home we used to listen to our grandparents
tell coyote stories.
It was a lot of fun.
We had corn stew steamed, stew with mutton
boiling on the health cut, barrel wood stove
and it was corrugated metal rolled up off our chimney
and sitting inside a hogan and having the snow coming down.
You could hear the snow melting on the stove
and they were such a beautiful, beautiful evenings listening
to these stories.