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The
Trickster As seekers
of the spiritual aspects of life, it is only natural that
one would turn to books and people for spiritual guidance.
This is fine. However... beware. Spirituality cannot be
bought. Those who have it, do not sell it. Those who do
not have it, sell as much as the market will bear. Coyote
is always around to remind us of that fact.
Trickster
Coyote was walking with his friend Iktome. By their path
stood Iya the rock. Now Iya was not just any old rock.
Iya was special. This was the kind of rock that tells a
story. Power Iya had. Coyote said, "Hmmm, this is a
pretty good-looking rock. I think it has power." He
took off the heavy blanket he was wearing and placed it
on the rock. "Here, Iya," he said. "Take
this as a present my friend rock. Take my blanket to keep
you from freezing for you must feel cold." "Wow,"
said Iktome. "A giveaway!
You are for sure in a giving mood today my friend."
"Huh," Coyote replied. "It's nothing. I am
always giving things away. Iya looks real nice in my
blanket." Iktome said, "His blanket now."
The two friends moved along. Soon a cold rain began to
fall. The rain turned to hail. The hail turned to slush.
Coyote and Iktome ran into a cave to seek shelter.
The cave was cold and wet. Iktome was fine for he had his
thick buffalo robe. Coyote had only his shirt. By now he
was shivering. He was freezing and his teeth were
chattering. "Kola, friend of mine," said Coyote
to Iktome. "Go back and get me my thick blanket. I
need it and that rock has no use for it. He's been
getting along for ages without a blanket. Hurry. I am
freezing." Iktome went back to Iya and said, "
Can I have that blanket back. Please?" The rock
said, "No, I like it. What is given is given."
Iktome went back and told Coyote, " He won't give it
back." Coyote said, "Why that old, no good,
ungrateful rock! He didn't pay for the blanket. Did he
work for it? Huh, I'll go get it myself." Iktome
replied,"Friend, Tunka, Iya, the rock....there's a
lot of power there! Maybe you should let him keep it."
Coyote snorted, "Are you crazy? This is an expensive
blanket of many colors and great thickness. I'll go talk
to him."
So, Coyote went back and confronted Iya. "Hey, rock!"
he said. "What's the meaning of this? What you need
a blanket for ? Give it back to me right now!"
"No, " said the rock, "what is given is
given." "You are a bad rock!" Coyote
retorted. "Don't you care that I'm freezing? I'll
catch a cold!" Coyote jerked the blanket from Iya
and put it on himself. "So there," Coyote said.
"That's the end of that." "By no means the
end," said the rock.
Coyote went back to the cave. The rain and hail had
stopped and the sun was shining. Coyote and Iktome sat
out front of the cave sunning themselves. They ate
pemmican and fry bread with wojapi. After they finished
eating, they hauled out their pipes and had a smoke. All
of a sudden Iktome said, "What's that noise?"
Coyote said he didn't hear anything. Iktome said, "A
crashing noise. A rumble very far off!" Coyote then
replied, "Yes friend, I hear it now."
"Friend Coyote," Iktome cried, "it is
getting stronger and nearer. It is like thunder or an
earthquake!" To that, Coyote said, "It is
rather strong and loud..hmm, I wonder what it can be?"
Iktome said, "I have a pretty good idea friend."
It was then they saw the great rock. It was Iya. Iya was
rolling and thundering, ready to crash in on them! "Friend,
let's run, Iya means to kill us!" So, the two ran as
fast as they could while the rock rolled after them
coming closer and closer.
They ran to the river absolutely sure that the rock could
not swim. They were positive they would be safe. So, they
swam the river. But Iya, the great rock, swam the river
also. Iya swam as if he had been made of wood. "Into
the woods," cried Coyote. He was sure that Iya could
not get through the forest of trees. They ran among the
trees and Iya rolled right along behind them. The trees
shivered and splintered. Little splinters and chunks flew
left and right. Coyote and Iktoma came out into the flats.
"Uh-oh," said Iktome, the Spider Man. "Coyote,
this is really not my quarrel. I forgot, I have some
stuff I have to attend to. So long, my friend."
Iktome rolled himself into a tiny ball and became a
spider. He disappeared into a hole in the ground. Coyote
ran on and on as the rock thundered at his heels. Then,
Iya rolled right over Coyote and flattened him. Iya took
the blanket and rolled back to his place saying, "So
there." A waischu rancher was riding along and saw
Coyote lying there, flat as could be.
"What a nice rug!" exclaimed the rancher. He
picked Coyote up and took the rug home. The rancher put
Coyote right in front of the fireplace. Now, whenever
Coyote is killed, he can make himself come to life again.
But this time it took him the whole night to puff himself
back up into his usual shape. In the morning, the
rancher's wife said to her husband, "Your rug is
running away."
Friends, hear this. Always be generous in heart. If you
have something to give, give it forever.
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