Whisper n Thunder
The Whisper of Native American stories, the Thunder of stories that demand to be told.
The Stories from Elders
How the Coyote Obtained Fire
A re-telling
~ Jerry Pope ~
"Back in the day before all knowledge was gifted to men and before men walked & talked, there was a funny old animal living in his wigwam. When all the children came to him to listen to his stories he had gifts to hand out to each and everyone. The children always loved and appreciated the gifts, but what they really loved were the stories. He
always wore his best regalia when the kids came around, and they all loved to see him in them because they were so colorful & fitted him very well. He would always laud praise on the man who made the clothing saying that he prayed the man would go to the Spirit Trail in the sky if he died. This old man’s name was Kinnesasis. The children who were very smart would ask him why he always praised the man who made the clothing. Kinnessasis for his part said, “You should always praise and say thank you for all gifts.” One very smart child said, “But you paid to have them made.” The old man
replied, “Doesn’t matter. They were still a gift from spirit.” He was also very proud of his beautiful clothing. The clothing held beautiful hues of gray, rust, black, and white.Kinnessasis’ wife was also a respected elder. Always joyful and thankful for all her gifts. His wife’s name was Sagastao. Her best friend Minnehaha gifted her a set of very warm clothing for the colder weather. Sagastao thanked Minnehaha profusely for her gift and sang her a song that went like this:
“The Great Spirit has pity on me
Though for days I had little to eat
I was wretched and sad in my heart
I was cold & wretched and so cold, so cold, my feet!
But now I have plenty of meat,
Clothing for my old body and shoes for my feet
I will not grumble, nor sorrow, but praise
The Great Spirit the rest of my days.”
Minnehaha loved the pretty song and the children in her care seemed to love it too. They shouted, “Well done.”
Sagastao was so pleased she sang it again and danced! Though her husband was displeased with the showing of such joy in front of the children, no one else present showed any displeasure, thinking there was nothing wrong.
Pretty soon a distinguished guest arrived. He wore a colorful broadcloth outfit. Kinnessasis was very envious. The children were delighted with such a colorful display and danced and greeted the visitor with much glee. The visitor then presented Kinnessasis with a likewise decorated outfit. The children got even more excited, while the old elder was upset with the show the kids put on.
The children then asked the visitor if he had a story of how Nanahboohoo, now sometimes called Coyote, stole the fire & bringing it
to the people. First the visitor built a fire to keep the cold back. Though a bit reluctant, the visitor then began his tale. It began a long time ago. I heard this story from the old-ones and I am re-telling it how I remember it was told to me…
That there was such a thing as fire was well known. It had been seen bursting out of the tops of distant mountains, and there had been times in great thunderstorms, when the lightning had set fire to dead trees—and indeed in this latter way the Indians had become acquainted with its value to the human race. But they had not taken care to keep it burning, and no one had been appointed to specially look after it.
The reason why fire had not been given to men from the first was because when the race was created, fire was not needed the same as it is now. The earth was much warmer then. There was no snow or ice ever seen except on the tops of the very highest mountains. Great animals (now all dead) and others that could only live in the hottest countries lived all over these great lands. Back then there was an abundance of fruit and nuts and roots that were all very good for food.
In time a great disaster happened to the world and soon it began to grow colder and many animals, even families, perished. Snow and ice appeared where it had never been seen before. There was great suffering from the cold. The hunters began to kill the animals for food. They were now not satisfied with the fruit and roots, they wanted something better.
So the fire was much needed. But where it was, or how to get it, was the question. Fortunately an old dreamer dreamed a dream about it. As the council assembled to hear his dream he told them that the fire was preserved in the heart of the earth by a magician called Sistinakoo, and that it was kept very carefully surrounded by four walls, one within the other. In each wall was a single door. At the first door a great snake kept guard. At the second door a mountain lion or panther was the guardian. A grizzly bear guarded the third door, and at the fourth and last door Sistinakoo himself kept watchful care over the precious fire that smoldered on a stone altar just inside this last wall.
When the council heard all this they were almost discouraged. They thought it would be impossible for anyone to get by all of these guards and steal the fire.
They first asked the fox to try, but he only reached the first door when the great snake nearly made a meal of him. Thoroughly frightened, he rushed back to the top of the earth and told of his narrow escape.
For a time nothing more was done to try and get the fire. The people continued to suffer, for the earth kept getting colder and colder and ice and snow were now to be found in lands that had previously been comfortably warm. So the council was called again, and the question again raised as to what could be done.
It happened that there came to the council a very old elder who remembered a tradition, handed down from his forefathers, which said that part of the earth beneath us was hollow, and that some of the animals, even the great buffalo, had dwelt in those underground regions before they came to dwell on the surface of the earth. He said that the coyote, the prairie wolf, was the last one to leave, and that he was sure that he still remembered the route to the very spot where Sistinakoo, the head chief of the regions, guarded the fire so jealously.
"Why should they so guard the fire, and be so careful about letting people have it, when we know how good it is?" asked Minnehaha.
The visitor replied, “There was a tradition that at some time or other the fire should get the mastery over animal and eventually humans, and the whole world be burned by it, and they thought that they would carefully guard it from getting scattered about by careless people who might set the world on fire."
“Go on with the story” clamored all those who attended the re-telling.
So when the Animal council heard this story they sent for the king of the coyote and told him of their wish that he should return to that underworld and bring up the fire for their use.
To their surprise and great delight the coyote said he would go, and he immediately began his preparations for the journey. So greatly had the cold increased that he found the dark mouth of the entrance under the mountains almost surrounded by snow and ice. After traveling for some time in the darkness he reached the outer wall, where he waited a little distance from the door, until the snake was taking his usual sleep. Then he quickly stepped past him. Knowing the habits of the other animals, he waited until they were asleep and then he noiselessly passed them all. Even Sistinakoo himself was sound asleep. So the coyote crept silently up to the fire and lighted the large brand or torch that was securely fastened to his tail. The instant it began to blaze up, as the coyote rushed out through the first door, Sistinakoo shouted, “Who is there? Some one has been here and has stolen the fire!”
But the tradition was still believed in the days of my grandfather that, good as the fire was to warm us and cook our food, it would yet become our master, and do the world much harm."
The visitor then was thanked profusely for his retelling and accepted all gifts that came his way.
This visitor is now known as Coyote, whose name in the language of the people is known as Nanahboozhoo."
For a time nothing more was done to try and get the fire. The people continued to suffer, for the earth kept getting colder and colder and ice and snow were now to be found in lands that had previously been comfortably warm. So the council was called again, and the question again raised as to what could be done.
It happened that there came to the council a very old elder who remembered a tradition, handed down from his forefathers, which said that part of the earth beneath us was hollow, and that some of the animals, even the great buffalo, had dwelt in those underground regions before they came to dwell on the surface of the earth. He said that the coyote, the prairie wolf, was the last one to leave, and that he was sure that he still remembered the route to the very spot where Sistinakoo, the head chief of the regions, guarded the fire so jealously.
"Why should they so guard the fire, and be so careful about letting people have it, when we know how good it is?" asked Minnehaha.
The visitor replied, “There was a tradition that at some time or other the fire should get the mastery over animal and eventually humans, and the whole world be burned by it, and they thought that they would carefully guard it from getting scattered about by careless people who might set the world on fire."
“Go on with the story” clamored all those who attended the re-telling.
So when the Animal council heard this story they sent for the king of the coyote and told him of their wish that he should return to that underworld and bring up the fire for their use.
To their surprise and great delight the coyote said he would go, and he immediately began his preparations for the journey. So greatly had the cold increased that he found the dark mouth of the entrance under the mountains almost surrounded by snow and ice. After traveling for some time in the darkness he reached the outer wall, where he waited a little distance from the door, until the snake was taking his usual sleep. Then he quickly stepped past him. Knowing the habits of the other animals, he waited until they were asleep and then he noiselessly passed them all. Even Sistinakoo himself was sound asleep. So the coyote crept silently up to the fire and lighted the large brand or torch that was securely fastened to his tail. The instant it began to blaze up, as the coyote rushed out through the first door, Sistinakoo shouted, “Who is there? Some one has been here and has stolen the fire!”
He at once began to make a great row and loudly called to the different keepers to close the doors in the walls. But the coyote was too quick for them all, and ere the sleepers were wide enough awake to do anything he had passed through all the doors and was far on his way to the top of the ground. The fire was gladly received by the people, but after some time, when some big prairies and forests had been burned up by it, the animals got fearful that the world might be destroyed and so they entrusted the fire to the care of the old magician and his two daughters, with orders to be very careful to whom they gave any. It was from them Nanahboozhoo stole it, to scatter it once more freely among the people as we now have it.
But the tradition was still believed in the days of my grandfather that, good as the fire was to warm us and cook our food, it would yet become our master, and do the world much harm."
The visitor then was thanked profusely for his retelling and accepted all gifts that came his way.
By this time, the dogs in their trains were impatiently barking, and longing to get back home for their suppers. So, after farewell greetings to the visitor, one gift after another was loaded, and away the happy ones sped over the icy expanse of the frozen lake.
This visitor is now known as Coyote, whose name in the language of the people is known as Nanahboozhoo."
Photo 1 by Maureen Brucker All Rights Reserved
Photo 2 by Billie K. Fidlin All Rights Reserved
Photo 3 Website Tonight Image Library
Banner Graphic: www.firstpeople.us
