
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, May 16, 1993                   TAG: 9305160109
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JAY TAYLOR
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IN INDIAN LEGEND, COYOTE A TRICKSTER

American Indians believed the coyote was God's dog, sent here to observe man. Coyote was a magician, a trickster who could transform people and objects. Western Indians believed he made fateful decisions; Plains Indians believed he brought fire and daylight.

But Indians also smirked at Coyote, who often was outfoxed by enemies and proved an incompetent hunter.

In "American Indian Myths and Legends," authors Richard Erdoes and Alfonso Ortiz retell some tales involving Coyote.

Here are two:

When life began, there was no death. Soon the world became too crowded. The chiefs held a meeting, and one said people should die temporarily to make room for others. Coyote said they should die forever, so there would be plenty of food. The men protested, saying they did not want the grief and sadness of losing loved ones forever.

The medicine man decided that when a man died, he would be revived in a grass house. One man died, and soon the medicine man called upon the spirit of death, and 10 days later a whirlwind gathered around the grass house. Coyote saw it, and just as the whirlwind was about to enter the house, Coyote shut the door. Blocked, the whirlwind blew past the house. From that day, death was permanent.

Coyote was afraid. He ran away and never came back. Since that day he always has looked over one shoulder, then the other, to see if anybody is following him. He is always hungry, because nobody will give him food.\ Told by the Caddo tribe

Kareya was a god who created the world. He made all animals equal, but soon decided to rank them. He told man to make bows and arrows of different lengths.

Man finished the job in nine days, and Kareya called the animals together. They would get their bows and arrows the next day, he said. The animal who received the longest would have the most power, the shortest the least rank.

Coyote figured he could get the longest bow and arrow if he was the first in line. He would stay up all night and be first. But by midnight he was very tired, so he hopped and skipped to stay awake. He made it until dawn, then put sharp sticks in his eyelids to hold them open and laid down to rest. He fell dead asleep.

Soon the animals went for their bows and arrows.

Cougar got the longest, Bear the next longest, and Frog got the shortest. One bow and arrow was left over.

The animals spotted Coyote sleeping, and they laughed. But the man pitied Coyote, and asked Kareya to help. Kareya gave Coyote cunning, more of it than any other animal.\ Told by the Karok tribe

by CNB