Coyote Stories

Mourning Dove, relates these stories just as if the reader is sitting by the fire on a winter evening.Caution: many of Coyote's adventures are of the PG-13 level.

Cleverly rendered Coyote stories by a Salish Grandmother, full of lively monologues by the hero/jerk Coyote and his encounters with others and life as he prepares for the arrival of those who walk on two legs. Funny when Coyote justifies his behavior to himself, sad when the treatment of his woman, Mole, is described, and respectful when The Great Spirit is present, the stories trace Coyote's successful and less successful evolution as he carries out his assignment from the Great Spirit.Great stories to read to children - the stories are fun and suggest, for example, that arrogance is usually a bad idea along the way to finding out that you (if you identify with Coyote) are merely Coyote but also have an important mission, and you may not always succeed. Good stories for adults - sneaky humor abut family relationships and poignant mention of victims otherwise unnoticed.Five stars - short read that you can consider all your life.

I purchased a number of books on this subject some time ago, and this is one of my favorites. The stories were compiled by Christine Quintasket, writing under the name of Mourning Dove. Here, she has collected a number of my favorite Coyote stories, as well as many that I've never heard. The stories are very well told (although, as the foreword warns, Mourning Dove herself sanitized them to remove the tales or specifics that she found "ugly") and the notes that accompany them are just as interesting.

The author provides us a look into life in the Northwest at the early 20th Century. Her own life story is inspiring as well. Remarkable

Anyone interested in the history of North America and native people needs this book.

I personally enjoyed the stories. Very similar to the Coyote stories my Grandfather told to me as a child!

This book was a gift. I did not read it beyond the first few pages.

This should be mandatory reading for any American Literature class...seriously...this is where lit in the US all began.

Wonderful tales of the most charismatic of North American mythic figures. Beautifully told and very accessible, a great introduction to this very under appreciated area of storytelling.

Very good short stories. We read these to our little one every night before bed.