New Coyote — Michael Bergey

The creatures of legend have come upon hard times. Their power stems from human belief, but humans believe in "Science" now. We have little use for magic. Even Coyote - shiftiest and most adaptable of them all - can't quite comprehend this new view of reality. He refuses to accept defeat, however, and devises a plan to have himself reborn without memories so that he can grow up within our contemporary culture, and fully understand our way of thinking. And where would Coyote go for formative guidance, anyway? Why, a commune, of course. Sunbow Farms, to be precise. It's peaceful, wild, and very private. Very private indeed. Marijuana plantations are like that. So the Narks have come and raided his new home - Coyote can deal with that. And there's the flood, of course, and trigger-happy coyote-blasting neighbors, and troublemaking by Coyote's magical Spirit Pups . . . all no problem. Even local prejudice against his all-too-coyotish appearance can be dealt with, somehow. It's those death threats from Fox that are hard to take. How can Fox say that Coyote needs to be killed for his own good? That just doesn't make sense.

Michael Bergey is a veterinarian who lives in the Wynoochee Valley in Washington.