The ‘laughter’ described can be taken in two different ways. To the modern reader, this presents a dark and almost hysterical comedy, emphasised by the continuing repetition of ‘’ (Norton Anthology, 2011, 118) as the trickster ‘used the clubs on them…they were all clubbed to death’(Norton Anthology, 2011, 118). The trickster himself, the Coyote, fakes his own death in order to trick others and ultimately kill them. Comedy is also present in the Navajo tale of the Coyote, Skunk and the Prairie Dogs, although in essence the witticisms present are slightly more sadistic. Moreover, the tone of the tale will induce those who are listening to it, making it’s later moral message more valuable. This bizarre transformation and the following intercourse with ‘the fox…then the jay-bird and finally the nit’ (Norton Anthology, 2011, 106) creates a jocular tone hich will have contributed to the oral effect of the tale to those who were listening to it, many of whom would have been children. The Winnebago Trickster Cycle is no exception to this rule, presenting an elaborate and comical transformation of the trickster into ‘a handsome woman’ (Norton Anthology, 2011, 106) using various organs of an elk to create sexual female parts. It is difficult to deny the amusing and entertaining nature of many Trickster tales, even when one does appreciate the moral messages that lie behind the comedy. Doty’s Mythical Trickster Figures in order to analyse this universal yet culture specific fictional figure to a satisfying extent. The ambiguity of the trickster has ensured excessive scholarly analysis, and I plan to examine specific essays in William J. As well as exploring the trickster itself, the ways in which the trickster character educates the reader/listener is also important, contributing further to its wide role in the culture of Native Americans. Cooper in Coyote in Navajo Religion and Cosmology, an article to which I will reference. This is especially prominent in the Coyote trickster, who is discussed by Guy H. Often the trickster appears to hold superiority and wisdom over others, presenting its commonly perceived role as a powerful creator, present since time began. The appearance as a powerful and potentially dangerous figure is emphasised in the texts which I have studied. This amusement does, however, create moral messages, potentially forming an educational portrayal, widening the perspective of the trickster’s role.
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