Coyote – A Costanoan Legend

Coyote’s wife once said to him, “I do not want you to marry other women.” At that time, they had only one child together. Coyote, however, expressed his desire for many children, saying, “I want many children. We alone cannot have many children. Let me marry another woman so that there may be more of us.” His wife then agreed, saying, “Well, go.”

As a result, Coyote had five children. His children asked him, “Where shall we make our houses? Where shall we marry?” Coyote instructed them, “Go out over the world.” Following his advice, they traveled and established five different communities, each with its own language. These communities became known as Ensen, Rumsien, Ekkheya, Kakonta, and the Wacharones.

Coyote provided for his people by giving them the carrying net, and he equipped them with bows and arrows to hunt rabbits. He advised them, “You will have acorn mush for your food. Gather acorns and you will have acorn bread to eat. Go down to the ocean and gather seaweed that you may eat it with your acorn mush and acorn bread. Gather it when the tide is low, and kill rabbits. At low tide, pick abalones and mussels to eat. When you can find nothing else, gather buckeyes for food. If the acorns are bitter, wash them out; and gather ‘wild oat’ seeds for pinole, carrying them on your back in a basket. Look for these things of which I have told you. I have shown you what is good.”

Having shared his wisdom, Coyote announced, “Now I will leave you. You have learned. I have shown you how to gather food, and even though it rains for a long time, people will not die of hunger. Now I am getting old. I cannot walk. Alas for me! Now I go.”

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