Last Updated: 10 years
The Big Long Man’s Corn Patch was a testament to hard work and careful planning, a vibrant promise against the lean months of the approaching winter. Nestled near his hogan, the garden thrived under the watchful eye of its owner, a man known throughout the area for his dedication and the bountiful harvests he coaxed from the earth. Upon returning from a journey to the mountains, Big Long Man, eager to survey his cultivated domain, anticipated a landscape overflowing with the fruits of his labor. He envisioned rows of towering corn stalks, their verdant leaves rustling in the gentle breeze, and sprawling melon vines laden with plump, juicy melons basking in the warm sun.
However, the scene that greeted him was far from the idyllic picture he had painted in his mind. A wave of dismay washed over him as he surveyed the damage. Half of the corn stalks stood stripped bare, their precious ears pilfered, leaving behind only empty husks as mournful reminders of the stolen bounty. The melon vines, once heavy with promise, were now noticeably lighter, the largest and most succulent melons conspicuously absent. A palpable anger began to simmer within him, a mixture of frustration at the loss and a burning desire to bring the perpetrator to justice.
"Who stole my corn and melons?" he muttered, his voice a low growl that echoed through the ravaged patch. The injustice of the theft stung deeply, not only because of the immediate loss of valuable food stores but also because of the violation of his hard work and the disrespect shown to his efforts. “I’ll catch the thief, whoever he is,” he vowed, his resolve hardening with each passing moment. The challenge was set; he would not rest until the culprit was apprehended and held accountable for their actions against Big Long Man’s Corn Patch.
Driven by a renewed determination, Big Long Man began to formulate a plan. He knew he needed to be cunning and resourceful to outsmart the thief, who clearly possessed a boldness that bordered on recklessness. The following day, he embarked on his first attempt to secure his garden, constructing a sturdy fence around the perimeter. He hoped that the barrier would deter the intruder, making it more difficult to access the tempting corn and melons. He meticulously reinforced the structure, ensuring that it was high enough and strong enough to withstand any attempts at forced entry.
Despite his efforts, the fence proved to be an ineffective deterrent. The next morning, Big Long Man awoke to an even more disheartening sight. The damage had continued overnight, with even more corn stalks stripped bare and additional melons vanished from the vines. The thief had brazenly defied his attempt to protect his garden, leaving him feeling both frustrated and increasingly determined to find a solution. The realization that a simple fence was not enough fueled his desire to devise a more elaborate and effective trap. The Big Long Man’s Corn Patch was still being targeted.
Finally, a more ingenious scheme took shape in his mind, a plan that he hoped would finally expose the culprit and put an end to the nightly raids. He decided to create a decoy, a life-sized figure that would stand guard in the cornfield and trick the thief into revealing themselves. He gathered a large quantity of pine pitch, a sticky, resinous substance derived from pine trees, and carefully molded it into the shape of a man. He paid close attention to detail, ensuring that the figure had a recognizable form and a somewhat imposing presence.
Once the pine pitch figure was complete, Big Long Man carefully positioned it within the cornfield, strategically placing it near the area that had been most heavily targeted. He hoped that the thief, upon encountering the silent sentinel, would be startled or suspicious, leading them to make a mistake that would expose their identity. With his trap set, Big Long Man retreated to his hogan, his heart pounding with anticipation. He knew that the night ahead would be crucial, and he waited anxiously to see if his plan would succeed in protecting Big Long Man’s Corn Patch.
As darkness enveloped the landscape, Skunk, driven by hunger and a craving for sweet corn, stealthily approached Big Long Man’s garden. He had overheard a conversation between Badger and another animal, reporting that Big Long Man was away in the mountains, leaving the corn patch unguarded. This news had sparked an irresistible temptation within Skunk, who saw it as an opportunity to indulge in a midnight feast. With a cunning glint in his eye, he carefully squeezed his body under the newly erected fence, slipping into the cornfield undetected.
He waddled through the rows of corn stalks, his nose twitching with anticipation as he searched for a plump, juicy ear to satisfy his craving. Just as he was about to reach out and shuck a particularly appealing ear, his eyes caught sight of a figure standing silently near the fence. Startled, Skunk instinctively released the ear of corn, his heart pounding in his chest. He strained his eyes in the dim moonlight, trying to discern the identity of the mysterious figure. He quickly realized that it was not Big Long Man, but something unfamiliar.
Curiosity piqued, Skunk cautiously approached the figure, his waddle becoming more deliberate as he drew closer. "Who are you, in Big Long Man’s Corn Patch?" he inquired, his voice a cautious whisper that barely broke the stillness of the night. The figure remained silent, offering no response to Skunk’s question.
Annoyed by the lack of response, Skunk repeated his question, moving even closer to the figure. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice growing slightly louder and more assertive. Still, the figure remained silent, its expressionless face staring blankly ahead.
Frustration began to mount within Skunk. He had expected some kind of reaction, some indication of the figure’s purpose or identity. "Speak!" he commanded boldly, "or I will punch your face." The figure, however, remained unmoved, standing as still and silent as a statue.
Undeterred, Skunk issued one final warning, raising his fist in a threatening gesture. "Tell me who you are," he declared, "or I will punch your face." The figure remained impassive, its silence unbroken. The cornfield was eerily quiet, the wind having died down, leaving Skunk alone with the enigmatic figure and his mounting frustration.
In a fit of pique, Skunk lashed out, his fist connecting squarely with the figure’s face. The impact was not what he expected. Instead of a solid thud, his fist sunk deeply into the soft, sticky surface of the pine pitch. The substance, as adhesive as glue, clung to his hand, trapping it firmly in place. Skunk tugged and pulled, but his hand remained stubbornly stuck.
Panic began to set in as Skunk struggled to free himself. "If you don’t let go of my hand," he shouted, "I will hit you harder with my left hand." But the pine pitch held fast, refusing to release its grip.
Driven by desperation, Skunk swung his left hand, aiming another blow at the unyielding figure. With a sickening "plup," his left hand also became ensnared in the sticky substance. Now both hands were firmly stuck, leaving him helpless and increasingly agitated.
"Let go of my hands, or I will kick you," cried Skunk, his voice filled with frustration and growing anger. The pine gum man, however, remained silent and unyielding.
With a mighty kick, Skunk lashed out with his right foot, aiming for the figure’s leg. To his dismay, his foot met the same sticky fate as his hands, becoming firmly embedded in the pine pitch.
"I will kick you harder," Skunk threatened, and with all his remaining strength, he kicked with his left foot. The pine gum man held that foot too. Skunk struggled, but he could not get loose. Now he was in a fine plight. Every limb was held tight. He had only one more weapon, his teeth.
"I will bite your throat," he shouted, and he dug in his teeth into the pine gum throat.
"Ugh!" he gurgled, for he could no longer say a word. His tongue and teeth were held fast in the pine pitch.
The next morning, Big Long Man approached his corn patch with a sense of anticipation. As he drew closer, he couldn’t help but smile at the sight that awaited him. There, stuck fast to the pine gum man, was Skunk, his body firmly ensnared in the sticky trap. Only his tail remained free, waving behind him in a futile attempt to escape.
"Ah!" exclaimed Big Long Man, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. "So it’s you, Skunk, who has been stealing my corn."
"Ugh," replied Skunk, his mouth filled with pine pitch, rendering him unable to form coherent words.
Big Long Man chuckled, pleased with the success of his plan. He carefully detached Skunk from the gum figure, tied a rope around his neck, led the culprit to his hogan. He put a great pot of water on the stove to boil, then he took the rope off of Skunk’s neck.
"Now, Skunk," he said, "go fetch wood."
Skunk went out into the backyard. Just then Fox happened to pass by. He was on his way to Big Long Man’s Corn Patch. Skunk began to cry loudly. Fox stopped running, and pricked up his sharp ears.
"Who is crying?" he said.
"I am crying," said Skunk.
"Why?" said Fox.
"Because I have to carry wood for Big Long Man. He gives me all of the corn I want to eat, but I do not want to carry wood."
Fox was hungry. He knew that if he stole corn he was liable to get caught. "What an easy way to get corn," he thought. "I would not mind carrying wood."
Out loud he said, "Cousin, let us change places. You go home and I will carry wood for Big Long Man. I like the job. Besides, I was just on my way to steal an ear of corn down at the field."
"All right," said Skunk. "But don’t eat too much corn. I have a stomach ache." He felt his fat stomach and groaned. Then he waddled happily away. Fox gathered up an armful of piñon wood. He hurried into Big Long Man’s hogan. Big Long Man looked at him in surprise.
"Well, well, Skunk, you changed into a fox, did you? That’s funny."
Fox did not say a word. He was afraid he might say the wrong thing and not get any corn to eat. Big Long Man took the rope which had been around Skunk’s neck and tied it around Fox’s neck.
Fox sat down and waited patiently. Soon the water in the big pot began to bubble and steam. At last Fox said, "Isn’t the corn cooked yet, Big Long Man?"
"Corn?" asked Big Long Man. "What corn?"
"Why the corn you are cooking for me," said Fox. "Skunk said you would feed me all of the corn I could eat if I carried wood for you."
"The rascal," said Big Long Man. "He tricked you and he tricked me. Well, Fox, you will have to pay for this." So saying he picked up Fox by the ears and set him down in the boiling water. It was so hot that it took off every hair on his body. Big Long Man left him in the pot for a minute and then he pulled him out by the ears and set him free out of doors.
"Don’t be thinking you will ever get any of my corn by tricks," said Big Long Man.
Fox ran yelping toward his den. He was sore all over. Halfway home he passed Red Monument. Red Monument is a tall slab of red sandstone that stands alone in a valley. On top of the rock sat Raven eating corn that he had stolen from the corn patch. At the bottom was Coyote holding on to the rock with his paws. He was watching for Raven to drop a few kernels. He glanced behind him when Fox appeared. He did not let go of the rock, however, because he thought Fox might get his place. He was surprised at Fox’s appearance.
"Where is your fur, Fox?" he asked over his shoulder.
"I ate too much corn," said Fox sadly. "Don’t ever eat too much corn, Coyote. It is very painful." Fox held his stomach and groaned. "Corn is very bad for one’s fur. It ruined mine."
"But where did you get so much corn, cousin?" asked Coyote, still holding on to the rock.
"Didn’t you hear?" asked Fox. "Why, Big Long Man is giving corn to all the animals who carry wood for him. He will give you all you can eat and more too. Just gather an armful of piñon sticks and walk right into his hogan."
Coyote thought a moment. He was greedy. He decided to go to Big Long Man’s hogan but he did not want Fox to go with him. He wanted everything for himself.
"Cousin," he said, "will you do me a favor? Will you hold this rock while I go and get a bite of corn from Big Long Man? I am very hungry and I do not dare leave this rock. It will fall and kill somebody."
"All right," said Fox, smiling to himself. "I will hold the rock. But do not eat too much." He placed his paws on the backside of the rock and Coyote let go. The next minute Coyote was running away as fast as he could toward Big Long Man’s hogan. Fox laughed to himself, but after a bit he became tired of holding the rock. He decided to let it fall.
"Look out, Cousin Raven," he shouted. "The rock is going to fall." Fox let go, and jumped far away. Then he ran and did not look behind. He was afraid the rock would hit his tail. If Fox had looked behind him he would have seen the rock standing as steady as a mountain.
Presently, along came Coyote, back from Big Long Man’s hogan. He was running at top speed and yowling fearfully. There was not a hair left on his body. When he came to Red Monument he saw Raven still sitting on his high perch nibbling kernels of corn.
"Where has Fox gone?" howled Coyote who was in a rage.
Raven looked down at Coyote. "Fox?" he said. "Why, Fox went home, I suppose. What did you do with your hair, Coyote?"
Coyote didn’t answer. He just sat down by the foot of the rock and with his snout up in the air waited for Raven to drop a few kernels of corn.
"I’ll get Fox some other day," he muttered to himself.