*The Coyote and the Monster

A long time ago, people did not yet inhabit the Earth. A monster walked upon the land, eating all the animals-except the Coyote. The Coyote was very angry that all his friends were gone. One day he climbed to the tallest mountain and tied himself to the top with rope. The Coyote called upon the monster, challenging him to eat him. The monster sucked in the air, hoping to pull the Coyote off the mountain with his powerful breath, but the ropes were too strong. The monster tried many other ways to blow the Coyote off the mountain, but it was no use.

Realizing that the Coyote was sly and cleaver, the monster thought of a new plan. It would be friend the Coyote and invite him to stay in his home, on his land. Before the visit began, the Coyote said that he wanted to visit his friends and asked if he could enter the monster's stomach to see them. The monster allowed this, and the Coyote ended up cutting out the monsters heart to set his friends free.

Then the Coyote decided to make a new animal. He flung pieces of the monster in all four directions; wherever the pieces landed, a new tribe of Indians emerged.

This is a short summary of ta Nez Perce tale of Coyote as Creater-father, as told by Terri Andrews. The tales of the Trickster were wide spread in Native American culture and became very famous stories that were passed down from generation to generation.

The Trickster was a survivor and he or she would use his wits and instincts to adapt to different situations to always walk away uninjured, I often wondered if "Willie Coyote" was a modern day trickster told to children of all races in a series of cartoons that almost any parent would not object to their children watching. I use to watch this "Willie Coyote" and often I hoped that the Coyote was going to finally catch the road runner, that never happened in my childhood, well I grew up, and a couple of days ago, after so many years this Coyote still has not caught the road runner, so I guess I should be happy that the trickster still lives.