Lesson 3: Tricksters
Ah, and now we come to my favorite Lesson. Tricksters are so fun to learn about, you just never know what kind of mischief they will get into. Tricksters can use their cleverness for good and for bad mostly depending on their mood at the time. Though Coyote is one of the most prominent tricksters in myths really any animal with a keen wit and a streak of mischievousness can fall in the trickster category. Some other well known tricksters are Rabbit, Fox, and Raven. One reason that people have loved tricksters for generations is that it usually involves a weak or out cast person or animal that uses his cunning to out wit the rich, powerful, or just plain egotistical. The trickster is a cross between buffoon and sheer genius.
This is the story of how Coyote tricked the Fire People into giving up their sacred flame. One day after the sun set Coyote saw a flickering of light in the distance and decided to investigate. First he gathered Deer, Wolf, Bear, and Fox and told them he wanted to explore the strange light. They all agreed and soon found themselves in the home of the Fire People. Coyote decided that he wanted the flame that they protected and decided to trick them out of it. He went up to the Fire People and made a big show of being exhausted and complained he could walk no further. The Fire People were gracious and decided to throw a dance in the honor of their visitors. Coyote made himself a special headdress for the event made up long pieces of bark that hung to the ground and all kinds of pine shavings. After the Fire People danced they prompted Coyote to go next but he refused saying it was too dark and that he might trip and break his leg. So the Fire people added more legs making the fire even bigger. He kept complaining until the fire got bigger and bigger until all the Fire People and animals had to leave to escape the heat. Coyote hung back though and begin to dance round, and round the fire until his headdress caught fire. He ran outside and tossed it to the nearest animal and the Fire people came after them killing each animal right after it passed the fire on. Finally, it came back to Coyote and with no animals left he gave the gift of fire to the trees. That is why when ever we need fire it must be kindled from the wood of trees.
Sometimes Coyote is a little to smart and proud for his own good. A long time ago Bluebird was a very plain unattractive bird. Bluebird found a lovely lake one day that was a pure blue and immediately he bathed in it singing
There’s a blue water, it lies there.
I went in.
I am all blue.
He did this every morning and then on the fourth morning he emerged from the lake and all his feathers fell off. Still he went in again on the fifth morning and this time he’s feathers where a brilliant blue. Coyote had been watching the entire time and became jealous. So on the fifth day he went up to Bluebird and asked how he managed to become such a beautiful blue. So Bluebird told him how he went in the water every morning singing his song. So Coyote followed his advice and sure enough on the fifth day he came out blue. He was so proud that he pranced down the road to show everyone how lovely he looked, but sadly he didn’t look were he was walking and tripped landing in the dust. Now all Coyotes are dust colored to this day.
Now for fun I scanned some pages from the Graphic novel “Trickster”. “Trickster” is a fun collection of stories by different artists. The one you are going to view is the story of how Rabbit got the better of Wolf. Hopefully, this might give some ideas to the people choosing to do a comic for their Term Project J. i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/vampkestrel/Guw12.jpg
https://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/vampkestrel/Guw1.jpg
https://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/vampkestrel/Guw2.jpg
https://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/vampkestrel/Guw3.jpg
https://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/vampkestrel/Guw4.jpg
https://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/vampkestrel/Guw5.jpg
https://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/vampkestrel/Guw6.jpg
https://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/vampkestrel/Guw7.jpg
https://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/vampkestrel/Guw8.jpg
https://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/vampkestrel/Guw9.jpg
https://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/vampkestrel/Guw10.jpg
https://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/vampkestrel/Guw11.jpg
https://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/vampkestrel/Guw12.jpg
Phew, that's it for this lesson folks.