Coyote Tales from the Indian Pueblos

Evelyn Dahl Reed

• Publisher: Sunstone Press
• Year: 2021
• eBook ISBN: 9781611399738
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Folklore & Mythology
• Index: Social Sciences

One of the most constant symbols of North American Indian mythology is coyote, a figure that has not only persisted but successfully crossed cultural barriers. Coyote survives both as an animal and a myth in literature and art. Why have coyote stories lasted so long? Although they are entertaining, one of the purposes of the legends is to point up a moral. Coyote serves as a model of what to do and what not to do. In many of the stories his anti-social behavior results in misfortune. And some of the stories provide a relief from serious and tense concerns. Listeners or readers are also able to take a vicarious delight in Coyote's irreverent attitude toward authority. In the end, coyote has the power to draw us all into his magic circle and, in his own way, he serves to reinforce our human identity. This book is an ideal companion to "Kachina Tales from the Indian Pueblos, " American Indian legends collected by Gene Meany Hodge from authentic sources in the 1930s, also published by Sunstone Press. "Booklist" reported: "This collection includes a good sampling of the stories as told in a variety of different pueblos.... They also make comprehensible the moral and cultural heritage of the Indians of the Southwest."

TRICKSTER STORIES

THE PLAYFUL FAWNS

(Jémez)

There is a telling about Coyote’s habit of wanting everything he saw. One morning, he was traveling just above the canyon and heard some fawns singing. He crouched in the brush to listen and then crept close enough to see what was going on.

In the warm sand between the cedars, the Fawn Children were playing. Coyote ambled out of hiding and spoke to them.

“Good morning, Fawn Children. You sound very happy today. What is that game you are playing?”

“Oh, we were admiring our new antlers.”

Now Coyote had always envied the beautiful antlers worn by the deer, so he said, “Please tell me where you got them.”

“They were fastened to our heads by our mother. It is very simple.”

“Do you think that if I found some antlers, they could be fastened to my head?” asked Coyote hopefully.

“We will gladly do it for you,” said the fawns. And they began to sing again.

Coyote hurried off. But he was soon back with a pair of large antlers. He put his head down for the fawns to fasten them on.

“Of course, we are much younger than you,” they said. “This may hurt your tough old head a little.”

“But think how handsome I shall be,” said Coyote.

“Very well, then, hold still.” So the fawns took a large stone and drove the antlers into Coyote’s head.

He howled with pain while the fawns ran away, laughing. That is how it happened that deer and coyotes are no longer friends.

THE TURKEY’S MESSAGE

(San Juan)

There is a telling about Coyote’s habit of laziness. A little snow had fallen in the night, so Coyote said to his wife, “I had better go out hunting.”

He went up the hill to the top of the mesa. There he met Old Turkey.

"What luck,” he said to himself. “I am not yet tired, and here I find a turkey.” He told Old Turkey to go to his house and tell his wife to make some turkey stew.

“But how shall I find your house that your wife may cook me?” asked Old Turkey.

“You can follow my tracks in the snow,” said Coyote. “I will go on hunting.”

After Old Turkey had gone, Coyote said to himself, “There is no need to hunt anymore. I will sleep a while in the sun.”

When Old Turkey came to where Coyote lived, he said to Coyote Woman, “I met your husband on the mesa, and he told me you had hanging up some sinew that you should take down and cook for supper.”

“I wonder why he wants me to cook that. What will he make moccasins with? Well, Old Turkey has brought me that message. I had better cook it.”

Then Old Turkey flew away to his range.

Coyote slept soundly in the sunshine all day. In the evening, he got up. “I am very hungry,” he said, “but I shall have a good supper.” So he went straight to his house. He saw the turkey tracks up to the entrance.

His wife put out the stew, and he began to eat. "this turkey is as tough as sinew,” he complained.

“Old Turkey came here today,” said is wife. "He told me you wanted that sinew cooked for supper.”

“That Old Turkey cheated me,” grumbled Coyote.

And that is how it happened that living on expectation led him only to disappointment.

THE WORLD CATCHES FIRE

(Taos)

There is a telling about Flycatcher, who lived on the dry prairie. She had her nest on the ground. Coyote was out hunting as usual and saw the young birds in the nest. He stopped and looked at them. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“Nothing,” they replied.

“You look nice and fat. Where is your mother?”

Now Flycatcher had told them that if Coyote should come along, they were to open their mouths wide so as to scare him away. So they opened their mouths as wide as they could.

Coyote ran off to his house in a great fright. Before entering, he looked back and saw the spot where the nest was and the birds with their mouths still wide open and red as fire.

“The world is on fire,” he shouted from his roof top to all the other animals. To his family, he cried, “Come, we must go to the river where we shall be safe.”

When they arrived, he made all his family jump into the water. They swam around until they became tired and drowned.

The other animals waited, but nothing could be seen of the burning world. So they decided to see where Coyote and his family had gone. They followed the footprints to the river.

Then they said, “Because Coyote is so cowardly, he always finds trouble before it can find him. That is how Thought Woman said it would be.” And that is how it all happened.

THE DISCONTENTED FARMER

(Isleta)

There is a telling that one time Coyote was ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• The Story Sources
• Coyote — The Enduring Symbol
• How It Happened Stories
• Fire Stories
• Race Stories
• Song Stories
• Trickster Stories
• Bibliography