Why Coyote Wanted People To Die For Their Own Good – A Caddo Nation Legend

Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com – Coyote is an adorable character one encounters in many Native American myths and legends.

Sometimes, Coyote is presented as a tricker, while on other occasions, the animal comes as a wisdom bringer. Coyote can teach, guide, or deceive depending on the circumstances.

“The basis of his character is the same in all myths; however, certain character traits of this extraordinary figure vary widely from region to region. Like real coyotes, mythological coyotes are usually notable for their crafty intelligence, stealth, and voracious appetite.

In some Native American myths, Coyote is a respected and admired culture hero helping people; in others, he demonstrates many negative behaviors like arrogance, greed, recklessness; in still others, he is a comic trickster character, whose lack of wisdom gets him into trouble while his cleverness gets him back out. In some Native Coyote stories, he is even some sort of combination of all three at once.” ¹

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