The Martians and the Coys

"The Martians and the Coys" by Mack Reynolds is a science fiction story that mixes down-home country living with an out-of-this-world alien invasion. It's all about how different folks can misunderstand each other, especially when those folks are a family of Kentucky moonshiners, the Coys, and some Martians trying to take over Earth. The Coys, especially young Lem, are obsessed with hunting "Martins," which the Martians mistake for Earth's warriors; meanwhile, Commander Seegeel Wan intends to knock out Earth using advanced weapons, but the aliens' plans go hilariously sideways as they bump into the Coys, leading to a series of absurd situations. The story ends with the Martians giving up because they can't figure out the humans, turning the idea of an alien takeover into a funny joke.