Archive for the ‘Debrin's Fables’ Category

There once was a Coyote who knew an Owl, or rather it was the Owl that believed that he knew the Coyote.

See Coyote has been around a lot longer than Owl, and when he met the Owl he was trying a hand at madness. In those days when people tried new occupations they put on literal hats to see if the occupation fit. He’d tried on the hat of madness before, and though it didn’t quite fit it was comfortable so he decided to wear that hat for awhile.

The Owl that the Coyote knew was trying on the hat of healing. He too was not new to that hat, and though it didn’t quite fit it too was comfortable, and so that was the hat the Owl wore.

One day as the Coyote described all the things wrong in the world and how tough it was to be a coyote in a forest full of wolves and badgers and their ilk. The Owl stated he understood completely, and in that moment there was a spark in the Owl’s eyes that told the Coyote that he (the owl) had worn the same hat that the Coyote now was trying on for size. It was in that moment that Coyote decided, hey, this Owl might just be able to help an old Coyote like me out.

Moons passed, and the Coyote had learned how to take off that oh so comfortable hat and set it aside now and again, whenever it suited his fancy. The Owl in turn also learned how to take off his healer’s hat once in awhile to take a moment or two to swoop through the forests after a few field mice.

In time the Coyote wore his hat of madness far less often, and the owl wore his healer’s hat far less often and then one day an idea struck the Coyote.

The Coyote grabbed up the Owl’s hat one day and left his own in its place. Though they were very different hats because of their abilities, they truly looked identical and so the Owl had never noticed his hat was missing at all.

A few days later Coyote returned to Owl to find a much different bird than before.

Once Owl was snowy and radiated with glory. Now before him stood a naked bird devoid of plumage, even the hat of madness he wore believing to be the hat of healing looked slightly askew.

“Friend Owl,” asked the Coyote tentatively” is everything alright?”

“Perfectly fine, friend Coyote,” the Owl blurted out quickly,” However I must confess that all does not seem well with me and my hat today.”

“I noticed,” pondered Coyote,” Perhaps you have given all of the healing that you could, and need a break from it all”

The Owl muttered incoherently for a moment, and then with a slight shudder stated,” perhaps that is so. However, if I do not wear the healer’s hat who will?”

“I would do so,” spoke the Coyote humbly.

Over the course of the next few minutes Coyote talked Owl into trading hats with him, convincing him that the new hat was the hat of madness and that it required a commitment of a lifetime of wearing. After listening to Coyote explain it all, Owl agreed to wear the hat he believed to be the hat of madness under the commitment of a lifelong permanent bond between the hat and himself, and likewise coyote agreed he would do the same with the hat of healing thereby fulfilling the need of all to have a healer among the people.

So each traded back their hats and Coyote continued wearing the hat of madness and Owl wore the hat of healing, with Owl still believing that the Coyote wore the healing hat and he himself wore the hat of madness.

“Hoot… Coyote… Hoot” Hiccupped Owl at Coyote” I do believe … Hoot…. I do believe I have developed some sort of speech impediment… Hoot” At which point his head spun 360 degrees with eyes opened wide in shock and bellowed out another hoot and ruffled his feathers yet again.

“It’s nothing,” Spoke the Coyote,” All a part of the hat of madness, I used to bay at the full moon when I was wearing the hat of madness, and as you can see I am perfectly fine now.”

“Well… Hoot… I am not… Hoot” flustered the Owl in desperation.

“I doubt even my extraordinary healing powers could help that go away, but perhaps we could do something about your feathers.”

Coyote studied Owl judiciously, peering under wings and examining the straggly feathers that remained upon Owl’s plucked body. Poking with a claw here, smelling there and when all else seemed to fail even trying a couple of licks atop poor owl’s head.

“Well friend Owl, it is obvious your healing powers have over taxed you completely, the only thing that could heal you now would be the very thing that is opposite of healing. Which I conclude to be madness itself. Since I am wearing the hat of healing my words would be worthless, we will instead rely upon the wisdom the hat of madness could impart to us.”

Owl contemplated the matter for a moment and said “Though… Hoot… I am mad. I believe we should bind my wings with cloth and specific herbs… Hoot.”

“You are right Owl, you are mad… and such an idea is ludicrous as any healer would know. However since we need madness to heal your wounds, then it is madness we shall ascribe to.”

And so Coyote bound Owls wings and body in fine woven cloth and stuffed the insides of the bandages with the many herbs that Owl had instructed him to gather.

Day after day Owl was tended to by the healing ministrations of Coyote as instructed by the madness of owl’s wisdom. After many moons, Coyote finally removed the bandages and Owl was whole once more.

“Surely you are a greater healer than I have ever been, friend Coyote… Hoot”

Coyote only nodded and walked away without a single word, though it is said that coyote hid a chuckle under his breath as he walked away.

Owl still tended all of the people with his amazing healing powers, saying only that madness could do amazing things. Yet always in the end he would bear witness to the amazing healing gifts of his dear friend coyote whose abilities far exceeded his own.