Genova Darby

Prof. Dalva Church

Culture 443
11/10/13
Truth and Lies: Life lessons from a Trickster
Many myths all over the world contain an element of good versus evil. The good in the myth
could be represented by a hero while the evil could be represented by the villain in the myth. In
these myths the good is separated from the evil, but in myths where there is a Trickster involved
the good and evil are combined within the character of the Trickster. The Trickster in myths can j
be viewed as just a practical joker; however, the Trickster can also be viewed as someone who
teaches people valuable lessons. One lesson that the Trickster teaches people is a particular set of
values that is specific to the culture.
In many Native American cultures it is taught that people should be grateful for what they
have and not be envious of others. In Why Coyote looks so Dirty the Trickster Coyotes envy
leads him to lose what he already has. In the myth, Coyote is a beautiful green color, but he
wants to be blue like the Bluebird. Instead of enjoying what he has, Coyote envies what the
Bluebird has and tries to take it for himself. Coyote succeeds at first, but then he ends up running
into a tree and getting really muddy. The mud was stuck and matted deep, deep in his fur. It was
so bad that no-one could possibly see the beautiful blue underneath [] ever since that day and
every day, Old Man Coyote has looked as dull and horrible as dirt(50). If Coyote had just
valued what he had he would not have lost it, and this is Why Coyote looks so Dirty teaches
people to value the things that they have and not be envious of others possessions. Second lesson
that the Trickster teaches people is how to cope with the chaos of nature.
People have used myths to explain everything from violence to why it rains. Having an
explanation for why something is the way it is helps people to cope with the issue at hand,
especially when it comes to explaining the disorder of nature. In the myth How the Coyote
made Winter, it explains why it is not summer all the time and why people have to deal with
cold and harsh winters. In the myth Coyote wants some light so that he can catch his food.
Coyote and the Eagle go to the Village of Light and steal a box that contains the moon and sun.
Eagle holds the box so it will not get broken, but Coyote begs Eagle to let him hold. Eagle agrees
to let Coyote hold it, but first Coyote must agree to not open the box. Coyote thinks that Eagle is
hiding something from him in the box and decides to open it. When he opens it the moon and
the sun went, all the light, every last drop, disappeared from the Earth. And all the warmth went
too. So it was very cold, very dark. The flowers and leaves and crops shriveled up and died, the
lakes froze and it began to snow (56). If Coyote had not opened the box then it would be
summer all of the time, but since he decided to open the box everyone must suffer from his
mischief. A third lesson that the Trickster teaches people the value of following their desires.
In Why We Tell Stories about Spider Anaanu, the Spider wants to have stories told about
him. The myth says, One day, Anaanu felt a very strong desire to have stories told about him.
So he went to God and said, Dear God, I want to have stories told about me (255). God tells
Anaanu that he must prove himself by completing three tasks. Anaanu completes all three tasks
and is rewarded by having stories told about him. This myth teaches people that if someone put
some effort into the things they desire they are more than likely to get the things that they desire.
A fourth lesson that the Trickster teaches people is about maturity.
Some Tricksters can act very mature in myths and this teaches people how to act mature;
however, there are also a lot of Tricksters that act immature. The Tricksters that act immature
teach people what to avoid doing, so they can act more mature. In Coyote and the Acorns,
Coyote acts very immature by pouting about not being able to make sour acorns. Coyote begs his
friends to tell him how to make the sour acorns and they explain to Coyote how to make the
acorns, but Coyote does not believe them. Coyotes friends tell Coyote they have told him the
truth. Coyote wanting the truth whines like a baby saying, Ow-ow-ow![] tell me, tell me,
tell me!(57). This myth shows people that acting immature will not get someone want they
want. If Coyote had acted mature and listened to his friends and later his grandmother he would
not have had nothing to be ashamed of at the end of the myth and he would have learned to make
the sour acorns. A fifth lesson the Trickster teaches people is to defy social power structures.
Social power structures are usually not fair to the people that are at the bottom of the structure.
Tricksters show people that these structures can be corrupt and that it is okay to defy these
corrupt power structures, but some Tricksters teach this lesson by falling victim to the social
power structure themselves. In The Building of Asgards Wall, Loki is blamed for Freya
almost being married the giant that was building the wall. All the gods and goddesses had agreed
to let the giant have whatever he wanted as payment for him building them a wall for protection.
When Odin finds out that the giant wants Freya Odin and the other Gods blame Loki. Loki says,
How was I to know? protested Loki. We all agreed. [] Who suggested the mason should
be allowed to have the use of his horse? Odin asked. You got us into this trouble and you must
get us out of it.(13). Even though all of the gods and goddesses had agreed with the plans
regarding the mason, Loki ended up acting as their scape goat because he is on the lower end of
the social power structures. Since Odin is on top of the social power structure he has complete
control over the social structure and he uses the structure for his own benefit, which in itself, is
rather corrupt. Loki takes the blame and solves the problem even though it was not entirely his
fault. Another lesson the Trickster teaches is the lesson of respecting social norms.
Tricksters often rebel against social norms and by rebelling Tricksters usually end up
suffering from the consequences of their actions. In Why Coyote howls at the Sky, Coyote
rebels against the social norm of offering help to the small and the weak when they need it. In the
myth Coyote does not help the small and weaker creatures create their portraits in the sky
because he thinks that it will take too long. Coyote opens the bag of stones and throws them into
the sky and then he laughs at the mess he has made. Coyote soon becomes angry, for he had
been so eager to get rid of all the star stones that he had forgotten to make a picture of himself
(54). If Coyote would have respected the social norm of helping those less fortunate then he
would have gotten a constellation. This myth teaches people to respect their social norms
because breaking the social norm can have very negative consequences.
The Trickster myth is omnipresent in most societies and the Trickster myths themselves have
many lessons that they can teach people. Some of these lessons are good and some of these
lessons are bad, but the Trickster, unlike heroes and villains, can teach people a lot about the
dark and light sides of their personality and Tricksters teach people to simply laugh at their
mistakes.






Works Cited
"Why Coyote Looks so Dirty." Myth and Knowing: An Introduction to World Mythology. By
Scott A. Leonard and Michael McClure. New York: McGraw, 2004. 49-50. Print.
How Coyote made Winter." Myth and Knowing: An Introduction to World Mythology. By Scott
A. Leonard and Michael McClure. New York: McGraw, 2004. 55-56. Print.
Why We Tell Stories about Spider." Myth and Knowing: An Introduction to World Mythology.
By Scott A. Leonard and Michael McClure. New York: McGraw, 2004. 255-256. Print.
Why Coyote howls at the Sky." Myth and Knowing: An Introduction to World Mythology. By
Scott A. Leonard and Michael McClure. New York: McGraw, 2004. 53-54. Print.
Coyote and the Acorns." Myth and Knowing: An Introduction to World Mythology. By Scott A.
Leonard and Michael McClure. New York: McGraw, 2004. 57-58. Print.
The Building of Asgards Wall." Myth and Knowing: An Introduction to World Mythology. By
Scott A. Leonard and Michael McClure. New York: McGraw, 2004.9-14. Print.











Genova Darby
Prof. Dalva Church
Culture 443
11/10/13
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