One Thing...
Feb. 20th, 2011 07:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
realsorien... That the game did yesterday was recharge my creative batteries. After a goodly time I'm in the mood to write again! I've started on a short story based on the backstory info we have to develop for our characters, so far titled 'Mad As A Wet... Cat?' and I wrote three little faux-myth stories for possible origins of the belt that (maybe, maybe not) cursed my character. Any or none of these could be true, or even all of them. Who says there's only ONE belt? Anyway, here are the three myths. They're done following what I recall of the styles of actual Native American tales.
One Origin of the Belt
Coyote’s Belt isn’t nearly as old as it’s purported to be, if you believe this tale. Its not the only tale of its origin, but its as likely as any of the others.
Sometime in the early portion of the 20th century, a young man of the Plains Tribes who was gifted in the magical arts determined to create a ‘safe’ transformative belt. He’d seen the evil of the more traditional European wolf-belts, and wanted to create something better. To this end, he sought out Coyote.
He found Coyote, perhaps because the Old One was amused by his quest and the hubris thereof. Coyote said, “I will tell you how to make a belt like and unlike your desire; it shall give the gifts of a coyote to the wearer, and a gift of deception from myself, to protect the wearer and confuse his foes.” The young man was ecstatic and thanked Coyote, who simply laughed at him and vanished.
Immediately he set to the creation of his belt. It took a full turning of the moon, but he succeeded. He put it on, and as Coyote promised it gave the enhanced speed and senses of a coyote, and the ability to deceive the senses of those around him. What happened to the young man after this is unknown, but the belt is real. Someone made it, and whether Coyote had a hand in it’s creation or now it he’s laughing loud and hard.
Another Origin of the Belt
Long ago, when the sun was still young in the sky, Coyote roamed the Earth. Many were the people of the world, and the people were of many kinds. People known as Men had the favor of Old Father, but they were only one people. The animals too had people, who were able to talk and walk on their hind legs like men. Over time, some men grew suspicious and jealous of the Animal People, and sometimes they even killed them; this led to the Animal People leaving for hidden places, and many Men were saddened by this- the world was smaller without all the people in their proper places.
Coyote knew a secret though. Not all of the Animal People had left. Some hid amongst men, living as Men did. These lay with women, and they had children who seemed to be men, but truly were otherwise. Knowing that the Animal People were not willing to return and that they were needed for the world to be happy, Coyote made a magic belt that would return these lost children of the Animal People to their true forms, but leave them able to hide amongst Men. In this way Coyote mended the world a little bit, and was able to laugh as well.
...And One More!
Coyote was always one to play tricks on people, especially those who were thought too much of themselves. One day, he was walking along a trail when he came across a man.
“Hello!” Coyote said.
The man looked at Coyote, who at the time looked like any other young brave. Instead of returning the greeting, the man simply walked past. “Hm.” Thought Coyote. “Perhaps his mind is occupied.” And so he ran fast as the wind so that he got well ahead of the man once again. This time he appeared as an older man, leaning on a stick. He smiled at the man and politely greeted him. Again, the man merely glanced at him, then continued on without a word.
Now, this angered Coyote. It was arrogant and wrong to simply ignore people being polite on the trail! He changed again, this time to a young maiden and got ahead of the man for a third time.
“Good day,” Coyote said, and the man STILL ignored the greeting!
Now Coyote was truly ready to spit. He changed right there into his true, coyote shape and got ahead of the man once again. Without showing his anger, he asked, “Why would you not return the greetings of those people?”
The man stopped and looked down at Coyote, who of course looked like a little bedraggled coyote, hardly a threat to anyone. “I have no time for your silly games, Coyote.”
“What games do you speak of?”
“You were those people, of course.” And the man started to walk around Coyote.
Now this shocked Coyote. Burning with curiosity, he once again got before the man. “How do you know this thing?”
“Your tail was wagging behind you as the brave, the old man and the girl.”
Coyote was horribly embarrassed. He’d forgotten that! And in his embarrassment the man passed him and walked on. Of course Coyote was prideful, but he hated that in Men greatly. He started to think of a way to teach the man a lesson.
The man finally reached his village. As Coyote watched from a hut, the man proved that he’d been in no hurry- he’d lied in his simple pride and impatience. The day went by, and another, until it was time for the braves to go out and hunt.
Coyote had spent his time listening. The man he’d spoken with was arrogant to those around him as well, but was held in high esteem because he was a great hunter and provider for the tribe. There were better hunters, who wished not the conflict that surpassing him would cause. And so Coyote grinned, knowing what he would do.
Before the hunting party left, Coyote made his own way out into the plains. He became a magnificent antelope, and waited for the hunters to see him. As soon as they did, he bolted! The chase was on, but he easily lost them. He waited a while, then circled back and once again revealed himself, this time as a female antelope. This time, he let them almost touch with their spears before dashing away.
Again and again he did this, until the other hunters turned back to gather smaller game for the tribe. All but one.
Of course, it was the arrogant man from the road. He returned to his coyote shape and approached the man, who’s ribs heaved with the force of his breath. “Why do you pant so, warrior?”
Any prideful young man would be gladdened to be called warrior, and he replied, “We have had a hard day’s hunt- the game seems to taunt us, and even when our strikes seem to land the beasts escape. The others have turned back to gather rabbits when we need an antelope or bison!”
Coyote nodded gravely, biting his cheek so that he would not grin. “I can see you are a great hunter; I can give you magic to make you hunt better than any of your fellows if you but ask.”
The warrior was no fool; he knew that Coyote was a tricksy fellow... But he also saw what he wanted to see. “What would this gift be?”
“All you need do is kill me and make a belt from my hide. When you chant the prayer I teach you and then wear it, you will be a true hunter for all time!”
Greed took the man’s wisdom, and he agreed to Coyote’s proposal. Of course Old Coyote could bring himself back to life. It was a trick he had learned before the sun first rose. Coyote carefully taught him the magic chant, then calmly let the man kill him.
Doing as Coyote had bade him, the man skinned Coyote, scraped and prepared the hide, then carefully stitched the hide into a fine, soft-furred belt. Over this he chanted the words given by the Old One beneath the light of the moon, and the belt was complete. He held up his prize and shouted his joy, then ran back to the tribe.
The other braves had long before returned, having found a great bounty of rabbits an other small game. Coyote had done this, of course. He’d not let so many bellies go empty for one of his tricks! The cookpots were already steaming when the prideful man jogged back into camp. “I have been blessed!” He said. “Coyote has given me this belt that I might be the finest hunter on the plains!” With that, he tied it on.
After a moment he felt strange, then he heard the tribe laughing. But why? And then he knew- he was a coyote himself! His clothes were strewn about, and the belt was nowhere to be seen. Coyote himself appeared then. “I kept my promise. You ARE the greatest hunter on the plains. But you will now only hunt the mice and rabbits! Coyote laughed and laughed, and the mortified new coyote slunk out of the village with his tail between his legs.
Did Coyote make him a man again? I don’t know, but my grandfather did.
One Origin of the Belt
Coyote’s Belt isn’t nearly as old as it’s purported to be, if you believe this tale. Its not the only tale of its origin, but its as likely as any of the others.
Sometime in the early portion of the 20th century, a young man of the Plains Tribes who was gifted in the magical arts determined to create a ‘safe’ transformative belt. He’d seen the evil of the more traditional European wolf-belts, and wanted to create something better. To this end, he sought out Coyote.
He found Coyote, perhaps because the Old One was amused by his quest and the hubris thereof. Coyote said, “I will tell you how to make a belt like and unlike your desire; it shall give the gifts of a coyote to the wearer, and a gift of deception from myself, to protect the wearer and confuse his foes.” The young man was ecstatic and thanked Coyote, who simply laughed at him and vanished.
Immediately he set to the creation of his belt. It took a full turning of the moon, but he succeeded. He put it on, and as Coyote promised it gave the enhanced speed and senses of a coyote, and the ability to deceive the senses of those around him. What happened to the young man after this is unknown, but the belt is real. Someone made it, and whether Coyote had a hand in it’s creation or now it he’s laughing loud and hard.
Another Origin of the Belt
Long ago, when the sun was still young in the sky, Coyote roamed the Earth. Many were the people of the world, and the people were of many kinds. People known as Men had the favor of Old Father, but they were only one people. The animals too had people, who were able to talk and walk on their hind legs like men. Over time, some men grew suspicious and jealous of the Animal People, and sometimes they even killed them; this led to the Animal People leaving for hidden places, and many Men were saddened by this- the world was smaller without all the people in their proper places.
Coyote knew a secret though. Not all of the Animal People had left. Some hid amongst men, living as Men did. These lay with women, and they had children who seemed to be men, but truly were otherwise. Knowing that the Animal People were not willing to return and that they were needed for the world to be happy, Coyote made a magic belt that would return these lost children of the Animal People to their true forms, but leave them able to hide amongst Men. In this way Coyote mended the world a little bit, and was able to laugh as well.
...And One More!
Coyote was always one to play tricks on people, especially those who were thought too much of themselves. One day, he was walking along a trail when he came across a man.
“Hello!” Coyote said.
The man looked at Coyote, who at the time looked like any other young brave. Instead of returning the greeting, the man simply walked past. “Hm.” Thought Coyote. “Perhaps his mind is occupied.” And so he ran fast as the wind so that he got well ahead of the man once again. This time he appeared as an older man, leaning on a stick. He smiled at the man and politely greeted him. Again, the man merely glanced at him, then continued on without a word.
Now, this angered Coyote. It was arrogant and wrong to simply ignore people being polite on the trail! He changed again, this time to a young maiden and got ahead of the man for a third time.
“Good day,” Coyote said, and the man STILL ignored the greeting!
Now Coyote was truly ready to spit. He changed right there into his true, coyote shape and got ahead of the man once again. Without showing his anger, he asked, “Why would you not return the greetings of those people?”
The man stopped and looked down at Coyote, who of course looked like a little bedraggled coyote, hardly a threat to anyone. “I have no time for your silly games, Coyote.”
“What games do you speak of?”
“You were those people, of course.” And the man started to walk around Coyote.
Now this shocked Coyote. Burning with curiosity, he once again got before the man. “How do you know this thing?”
“Your tail was wagging behind you as the brave, the old man and the girl.”
Coyote was horribly embarrassed. He’d forgotten that! And in his embarrassment the man passed him and walked on. Of course Coyote was prideful, but he hated that in Men greatly. He started to think of a way to teach the man a lesson.
The man finally reached his village. As Coyote watched from a hut, the man proved that he’d been in no hurry- he’d lied in his simple pride and impatience. The day went by, and another, until it was time for the braves to go out and hunt.
Coyote had spent his time listening. The man he’d spoken with was arrogant to those around him as well, but was held in high esteem because he was a great hunter and provider for the tribe. There were better hunters, who wished not the conflict that surpassing him would cause. And so Coyote grinned, knowing what he would do.
Before the hunting party left, Coyote made his own way out into the plains. He became a magnificent antelope, and waited for the hunters to see him. As soon as they did, he bolted! The chase was on, but he easily lost them. He waited a while, then circled back and once again revealed himself, this time as a female antelope. This time, he let them almost touch with their spears before dashing away.
Again and again he did this, until the other hunters turned back to gather smaller game for the tribe. All but one.
Of course, it was the arrogant man from the road. He returned to his coyote shape and approached the man, who’s ribs heaved with the force of his breath. “Why do you pant so, warrior?”
Any prideful young man would be gladdened to be called warrior, and he replied, “We have had a hard day’s hunt- the game seems to taunt us, and even when our strikes seem to land the beasts escape. The others have turned back to gather rabbits when we need an antelope or bison!”
Coyote nodded gravely, biting his cheek so that he would not grin. “I can see you are a great hunter; I can give you magic to make you hunt better than any of your fellows if you but ask.”
The warrior was no fool; he knew that Coyote was a tricksy fellow... But he also saw what he wanted to see. “What would this gift be?”
“All you need do is kill me and make a belt from my hide. When you chant the prayer I teach you and then wear it, you will be a true hunter for all time!”
Greed took the man’s wisdom, and he agreed to Coyote’s proposal. Of course Old Coyote could bring himself back to life. It was a trick he had learned before the sun first rose. Coyote carefully taught him the magic chant, then calmly let the man kill him.
Doing as Coyote had bade him, the man skinned Coyote, scraped and prepared the hide, then carefully stitched the hide into a fine, soft-furred belt. Over this he chanted the words given by the Old One beneath the light of the moon, and the belt was complete. He held up his prize and shouted his joy, then ran back to the tribe.
The other braves had long before returned, having found a great bounty of rabbits an other small game. Coyote had done this, of course. He’d not let so many bellies go empty for one of his tricks! The cookpots were already steaming when the prideful man jogged back into camp. “I have been blessed!” He said. “Coyote has given me this belt that I might be the finest hunter on the plains!” With that, he tied it on.
After a moment he felt strange, then he heard the tribe laughing. But why? And then he knew- he was a coyote himself! His clothes were strewn about, and the belt was nowhere to be seen. Coyote himself appeared then. “I kept my promise. You ARE the greatest hunter on the plains. But you will now only hunt the mice and rabbits! Coyote laughed and laughed, and the mortified new coyote slunk out of the village with his tail between his legs.
Did Coyote make him a man again? I don’t know, but my grandfather did.
