In this unit, students will become familiar with fables and trickster tales from different cultural traditions and will see how stories change when transferred orally between generations and cultures. They will learn how both types of folktales employ various animals in different ways to portray human strengths and weaknesses and to pass down wisdom from one generation to the next. Use the following lessons to introduce students to world folklore and to explore how folktales convey the perspectives of different world cultures.

This is a story from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. The purpose of Native American stories is not only to entertain, their primary purpose is to educate. Our story teaches a lesson about what happens to Coyote when he chooses to be irresponsible. Coyote is a trickster. He tries to trick the people, but they already know what he is capable of doing and how far he will go to get his way. He has a bag full of tricks. This story and all other Coyote Stories should only be told during the winter months.

Following the model of N. Scott Momaday's The Way To Rainy Mountain, students write three-voice narratives based on Kiowa folktales, an interview with an Elder, and personal connections to theme.