How Masha and Seryozha Outwitted the Coyote — A Funny Fairy Tale from the Canyons

Masha and Seryozha were traveling with their parents through the canyons of North America. Tall cliffs, the hot sun, and sandy trails seemed to them like real sets from an adventure movie. One day, the family decided to take a break to have a snack and rest in the shade of large boulders.

While the parents were laying out the food, Masha and Seryozha went to explore the surroundings. They found unusual rocks, listened to how the echo bounced off the canyon walls, and played tag. But suddenly, a strange figure appeared from behind a bush—a small, skinny, but very confident Coyote.

"Hello, little travelers," he said with a sly smile. "You smell so delicious. Would you share some of your food with me?" Masha and Seryozha were surprised that the animal could speak, but quickly realized: this was no ordinary Coyote, but the spirit they had heard about in fairy tales.

Masha replied, "We can share, but first tell us who you are and why you need our food?" The Coyote laughed, "I am the spirit of this place. My name is Coyote. I am a trickster, but don't be afraid—sometimes I can be kind-hearted."

The children decided to give him some bread and fruit. But as soon as they turned away, the Coyote grabbed the entire backpack full of food and ran off. "Hey, give it back!" Seryozha shouted, but the cunning animal was already hidden behind the nearest cliffs.

Masha looked at her brother, "We need to come up with a way to outsmart him." Seryozha thought for a moment, then smiled, "I have an idea."

The children found a large flat stone and drew with charcoal from the campfire a picture depicting a pot with meat and fruits. They left the stone on the trail and hid behind bushes, waiting to see if the Coyote would notice their trick.

After some time, the Coyote indeed returned. His eyes gleamed when he saw the "pot." "This is luck!" he said to himself. The Coyote jumped onto the stone and tried to bite it, but only bumped his nose against it. "What kind of magic?!" he exclaimed indignantly, rubbing his face.

Masha and Seryozha jumped out from their hiding place. "You're not the cleverest one here, Coyote," said Masha. "We knew you would come back. Now give our food back!" The Coyote realized he had been tricked and began to laugh, "Okay, okay. You children are not as simple as you seem. Take your goods back."

He returned the backpack with the food, but added, "You made me laugh. For that, I'll give you some advice: always be vigilant, because not all tricksters are as good-natured as I am." Then the Coyote disappeared, leaving the children with their backpack and warm memories of this amusing encounter.

When Masha and Seryozha returned to their parents, they told them about their adventure. "Now we know how important it is to be attentive and sometimes apply cunning," Seryozha smiled. From then on, they always remembered the Coyote with a slight smile, because even a trickster can be a teacher.