Professor Vaughan
World Mythology 201
12th October, 2014
Trickster Essay
The Tricksters of Light and Fire
Trickster tales can express culture and can also be folklores from beliefs. These stories tell us how the tricksters behaved and in most cases convey a lesson or moral. A trickster is a character who does not follow rules and tricks others for their benefit. They can be animals, humans, or other characters. They can also be good or bad, clever or unintelligent, tough or fragile, caring or cruel, and so on. Tricksters are often untrustworthy trouble makers who try to manipulate others to get what they want. Through contrasting tales, Anansi, Coyote and Raven, all had similarities and differences revolved around the …show more content…
Coyote has many heroic attributes like alteration, traveling, high deeds, and authority. He also is known for changing landscapes, and also getting ahold of many things sacred. Even when Coyote could have been defeated his courage kept him going and in many instances helped him get what he wanted. He knew what to do to alter things and irritate things in ways to defeat them. In the tale Coyote steals fire; he shows passion to help out the human. It was winter and the humans were without warmth. It was often so cold babies and the elders could survive. Coyote passed the tribe and hears the women crying due to the loss of their infants. He thought for a little and knew there was something he could do. The Fire Beings lived on top of the mountain and guarded. The only source of warmth was inside a huge rock that belonged to Thunder. Thunder was very frightening but Coyote, who was about the only one, was not afraid of him. Thunder roared and sent everyone into hiding, during this time Coyote realized it was time to get the fire. He went up to him and asked him to play a game of dice. If Thunder won he would kill Coyote and if Coyote won Thunder would give him fire. Coyote tricked Thunder and won, Thunder knew this but could not prove it. Coyote tricked Thunder leaving his body there and messing with Thunder; meanwhile all the animals grabbed some fire and stuck it under their armpits, bringing fire to all tribes. He then tricked the hunter acting like a piece of wood. He also used magic to make the chief drowsy. The Coyote walked away with the sun and the moon in his basket. Messing with the sun and the moon, he established that the sun would be out during the day and the moon at night. He did not really like it but the people told Coyote he did well and made him