Reading Notes: California and the Old Southwest, Part A

Of the stories in Part A of the California and the Old Southwest unit, the one I think would be the most fun to retell is that of "The Theft of Fire." In this story, a coyote resolves to steal fire for humans. Fire had thus far been denied to humans, and the only place existed on Earth was far to the East where it had been entrusted to a couple of witches. The coyote initially goes to the witches and they allow him to sit by the fire (seeing as he is just a coyote) but no opportunity arises to steal it so he goes and talks with the animals and a human to make a plan. The next time the coyote goes to sit by the fire, the human attacks and while the witches are distracted, the coyote steals a burning branch. The witches give chase, but the animals pass the fire between each other in a sort of relay and eventually outrun the witches, successfully granting fire to humans.

I think this story would be fun to rewrite from the point of view of the coyote. Perhaps as he sits with friends around the campfire and brags about how he brought fire into the world (and invented relay races at the same time!)

Story Source: Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katherine Berry Judson (1912)

Coyote Bronze by Charles M. Russell. Source: Frame of Reference