The Adventures of Haras, the Coyote Girl

A girl is sitting in the middle of a forest on a log by stream, dangling her feet in the water and singing a wordless song to herself. Her jeans are worn, dirty and rolled up to her knees and she does not appear to have any shoes. Her hair is long and wild.

A boy (named Paul) decided to have and "adventure" while going for a walk in the forest. He left the trail and happened to come upon the girl.

Paul: (somewhat questioningly) hello.

Haras: the moon shines on your path.

Paul: er, thanks.

Silence....

Paul: so... what are you doing here?

Haras: I live here.

Paul: (incredulously) you live here? on this log, by this stream?

Haras: No! (gestures in all directions) I live in these woods, i live everywhere and anywhere.

Paul: do your parents live here too? where is your house?

Haras: I do not have any parents as far as I know. the forest is my house, the leaves a carpet, moss a pillow under my head, trees my protecting wall and the sky my roof.

Paul: how did you get here if you have no parents? who took care of you? raised you?

Haras: I have always been here. the coyotes raised as one of their own.

Paul: (moving back nervously) coyotes?!

Haras: (somewhat angrily) coyotes do not care about looks or species. a baby is a baby whether it be human or coyote. babies need care and food no matter what they are.

Paul: w-what did you eat??

Haras: deer, raccoon, possum. whatever could be caught.

Paul: (sickened) raw??

Haras: of course raw! coyotes are smart enough not to build fires in woods! not that they could build one in the first place. meat is just as good raw as it is cookes! of course now that I can get around on my own I eat berries, mushrooms and plants in addition to meat.

Paul: (shudders and mutters something indistinct about raw meat) haven't you ever thought about coming and living in civilization?

Haras: Of course I have thought about it plenty-not that it really takes much thought to realize civilization is the worst thing that ever happened to man. now we have leader and wars, cars and pollution, hate and discrimination. no one cares for any human or animal but himself. in the wild there is one law: eat or be eaten. you kill when you are hungry and let live when you are not. some day when I am old and weak my brothers and sisters the coyotes will bring me down and sleep on full stomachs, then I will have completed the cycle of life and therefore lived to the fullest.

Paul: (looking horrified but still curious about this wild girl) what about a husband? will you not take a husband and have childeren of your own?

Haras: (scornfully) no! I will not contribute to the human population! there are already too many of us! we have eliminated all our natural enemies. we are the only ones who can stop ourselves now!

Paul: wouldn't you come back to civilization with me for a while?

Haras: no! I have already talked too long, fairwell!

Paul: wait!...

but Haras had slipped into the water as smoothly as an otter.

Paul: (trails off) ... but will I ever see you again?

Haras: (resurfacing) no.

then she disappeared beneath the water and Paul never saw her again.