So although the tricksters in both these tales entertain themselves and their audiences, they also end up in situations which are not to be taken light-heartedly. The Winnebago Trickster Cycle ends in the trickster nearly drowning in his own ‘dung’ (Norton Anthology, 2011, 110), a situation which is surely universally undesirable. 7).īeneath the comedy, whether light-hearted or vicious, the punishment or humiliation of the trickster teaches those who are listening to the tale how to behave, and warns them to comply with cultural rules. This is an example of a common feature of trickster tales, which ‘can be seen as moral examples re-affirming the rules of society’ (Hynes, W. Eventually, the trickster is reduced to ‘begging but to no avail’ for the food belonging to Shilna’ash, formerly inferior to Coyote throughout the tale. This sympathy is subtle but noticeable, and can be seen to foreshadow the Coyote’s downfall in the tale.Ĭoyote is later punished for his crime against nature, when he flings the dead dogs to the ‘east…south…west… north’, demonstrating a lack of care for his food, a show of great disrespect according to Navajo culture. The former reading of the description of ‘laughter’ is more likely in speculation, however, as the narrator appears to later take pity on the animals that the trickster has killed, referring to them as ‘little’, a noun which emphasises vulnerability. In this case, one may be given insight into the sinister potential of Navajo humour, which could reinforce the stereotype of Native Americans as savages. As it is physically written on the page, the laughter may present the trickster himself laughing about the tricks he has played on ‘those small animals’ (Norton Anthology, 2011, 118), or it may exemplify the laughter of those who are telling and hearing the story. The ‘laughter’ described can be taken in two different ways. To the modern reader, this presents a dark and almost hysterical comedy, emphasised by the continuing repetition of ‘’ (Norton Anthology, 2011, 118) as the trickster ‘used the clubs on them…they were all clubbed to death’(Norton Anthology, 2011, 118). The trickster himself, the Coyote, fakes his own death in order to trick others and ultimately kill them. Comedy is also present in the Navajo tale of the Coyote, Skunk and the Prairie Dogs, although in essence the witticisms present are slightly more sadistic. Moreover, the tone of the tale will induce those who are listening to it, making it’s later moral message more valuable. This bizarre transformation and the following intercourse with ‘the fox…then the jay-bird and finally the nit’ (Norton Anthology, 2011, 106) creates a jocular tone hich will have contributed to the oral effect of the tale to those who were listening to it, many of whom would have been children. The Winnebago Trickster Cycle is no exception to this rule, presenting an elaborate and comical transformation of the trickster into ‘a handsome woman’ (Norton Anthology, 2011, 106) using various organs of an elk to create sexual female parts. It is difficult to deny the amusing and entertaining nature of many Trickster tales, even when one does appreciate the moral messages that lie behind the comedy. Doty’s Mythical Trickster Figures in order to analyse this universal yet culture specific fictional figure to a satisfying extent. The ambiguity of the trickster has ensured excessive scholarly analysis, and I plan to examine specific essays in William J. As well as exploring the trickster itself, the ways in which the trickster character educates the reader/listener is also important, contributing further to its wide role in the culture of Native Americans. Cooper in Coyote in Navajo Religion and Cosmology, an article to which I will reference. This is especially prominent in the Coyote trickster, who is discussed by Guy H. Often the trickster appears to hold superiority and wisdom over others, presenting its commonly perceived role as a powerful creator, present since time began. The appearance as a powerful and potentially dangerous figure is emphasised in the texts which I have studied. This amusement does, however, create moral messages, potentially forming an educational portrayal, widening the perspective of the trickster’s role.
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