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 |  | Monday November 23, 2009 2:56 AM |
 | | Native American Myths and Legends | |
How Coyote got his special power
In the beginning of the world, Spirit Chief called a meeting of
all the animal people.
"Some of you do not have names yet," he said when they had gathered
together. "And some of you do not like the names you have now.
Tomorrow, before the sun rises I will give a name to everyone.
And I will give each an arrow also.
"Come to my lodge as soon as the darkness is gone. The one who gets
there first may choose any name he wants, and I will give him the
longest arrow. The longest arrow will mean that he will have the most
power.
As the people left the meeting, Coyote said to his friend Fox,
"I'm going to be there first. I don't like my name. I want to be
called Grizzly Bear or Eagle."
Fox laughed. "No one wants your name. You may have to keep it."
"I'II be there first," repeated Coyote. "I won't go to sleep tonight."
That night he sat by his fire and stayed awake for a long time.
Owl hooted at him. Frog croaked in the marshes. Coyote heard them all.
But after the stars had closed their eyes, he became very sleepy.
His eyelids grew heavy.
"I will have to prop my eyes open."
So he took two small sticks and propped his eyelids apart.
"Now I can stay awake."
But soon he was fast asleep, and when he awoke, the sun was making
shadows. His eyes were dry from being propped open, but he ran to
the lodge of the Spirit Chief.
"I want to be Grizzly Bear," he
said, thinking he was the first one there. The lodge was empty
except for Spirit Chief.
"That name is taken, and Grizzly Bear
has the longest arrow. He will be chief of the animals on the
earth."
"Then I will be Eagle."
"That name is taken, and Eagle has the second arrow. Eagle will be
the chief of the birds."
"Then I will be Salmon."
"That name is taken, and Salmon has the third arrow. Salmon will be
the chief of all the fish. Only the shortest arrow is left, and
only one name--Coyote."
And the Spirit Chief gave Coyote the shortest arrow. Coyote sank
down beside the fire of the Spirit Chief. His eyes were still dry.
The Spirit Chief felt sorry and put water in his eyes. Then Coyote
had an idea.
"I will ask Grizzly Bear to change with me."
"No," said Grizzly, "I cannot. Spirit Chief gave my name to me."
Coyote came back and sank down again beside the fire in the big
lodge. Then Spirit Chief spoke to him.
"I have special power for you. I wanted you to be the last one to
come. I have work for you to do, and you will need this special
power. With it you can change yourself into any form. When you
need help, call on your power.
"Fox will be your brother. He will help you when you need help.
If you die, he will have the power to bring you to life again.
"Go to the lake and get four tules. Your power is in the rules.
Then do well the work I will give you to do."
So that is how Coyote got his special power.
Mr. Seymore gave a unique account of the end of Coyote. Coyote
and the Spirit Chief - whom Mr. Seymore always referred to as
"God" - had a power contest. Unable to move a mountain except
when Spirit Chief wanted him to do so, Coyote was thus defeated
and was taken to an island in the ocean. He and his wife and
four children can be seen there now, through a spyglass, but
no one can get to them. When the world changes again - in the
year 2000 - Coyote will come back.
(Inland Northwest - Lake)
This variant of a widely told tale was related by Eneas Seymore,
a Lake Indian on the Colville Reservation. but a similar Okanogan
story, the chief gave Coyote special power, which was to be in
his stomach. In a Karok version, Old-Man-Above made him the
most cunning of animals because newly created Man had
sympathy for his disappointment; in gratitude, Coyote
became the friend of Man and his children.
from
Indian Legends of the Pacific Northwest
, edited by Ella E. Clark,
University of California Press, 1953
Last Updated
December 23, 2004
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