American Indians consider the coyote to be a trickster and co-creator of the world.
As a trickster, he always gives false information, and always gets into trouble in everything he tries to accomplish. For instance, if he stands out in the rain to see a lightening strike, he will get hit by a lightening bolt and die, but as co-creator he is immortal and cannot be killed, so he will come back to life afraid of lightening and rain.
As co-creator it is said that he brought fire, the sun, and stars to creation, items that were stolen from the creator. It’s said that he entered creator’s teepee and saw a shiny jar and wanted to play with it. Creator told him to leave the jar alone. When creator went for a walk, coyote couldn’t contain himself and took the jar. While playing with it, he tossed it up in the air; it opened up and the stars were scattered in the sky.
Creator banned coyote from his teepee and exiled him to the earth, where coyote wreaks havoc upon everyone and everything with which he comes into contact.
Coyote constantly slinks about, looking for whatever trouble he can get himself into, or who he can get to join him in his misadventures. Coyote is just trying to have fun, enjoying the creation he helped bring into existence, making a game out of everything that he does.
