Back when animals first came
forth into this shining world
man had not yet come,
and no one had told them what
each of them should eat -
grass or trees or each other.
Coyote went around
and called a meeting
to discuss it before all
died of hunger. He said,
"if your teeth are sharp
you must shred meat."
Bear and Bobcat looked
at Rabbit and Boar
and their mouths watered.
Coyote continued:
"If your teeth are flat
you should grind plants."
Boar and Rabbit stepped aside
and after talking came back.
Boar came close to Bear
and in his face told them all,
"this is truth, like or not,
but only on these conditions."
Then Rabbit spoke out, timid,
but in a voice all could hear,
"you may kill us, but only
if you hunt us, for we will
fight to live. Also, you must
eat us if you choose to kill us."
And so it was that the animals
sorted out the right way to live
and the right way to die:
those hunted who were hungry;
those caught were eaten;
the rest survived to bear young.
Then man came who killed for fun,
wasted many carcasses rotting,
left not enough to have children
and whole areas were emptied
of all living creatures
and the forest died.
