Prometheus: The first three stops on our trickster journey around the world will be in Mesoamerica, Australia and India. Our first selection is from the Popol Vuh- The Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life. This story recounts the adventures of the Hero Twins , Hanahpu and Xbalague. These twins are consummate ball players, (Sport being Sacred Ritual) whose constant victories generate jealousy and anger among the gods of the underworld. The gods challenge the brothers to play against them. The brothers’ egotism and enthusiasm for the game prompt them to accept even though they recognize the unfair homecourt advantage of the gods.
The Heroic Twins use their intelligence and cleverness to even the odds and avoid the death traps set for them. First the brothers send a mosquito to spy and learn the correct assignment and pronunciation of the deities’ names. This knowledge prevents the brothers from offending the god’s dignity or committing errors of protocol. The brothers also use their wits to avoid pitfalls in the various houses of horror. They survive freezing to death in the House of Cold by building fires. In the House of Jaguars they appease the beast by feeding them bones. Latter in the House of Bats, Hunahpu is decapitated; his head hangs trophy-like over the ball court during Xbalague’s match with the underworld gods. The Twins’ luck returns when an errant rabbit distracts the gods’ attention long enough for Xbalangue to retrieve his brother’s severed head and reunite it with his body. The brothers’ good fortune continues in the next episode when they magically reassemble their bodies’ severed parts; they promise to teach this trick to the underworld gods. Needless to say once the gods permit their own dismemberment the brothers renege on their promise and reign victorious. Later the brothers are transformed and reborn as sun and moon. Mayan scholars claim the Heroic Twins’ new stature in the cosmos is to remind Mayan Royalty that they too will become fixtures in the heavens after death. It also suggest that the tales of the Heroic Twins like the sun and the moon brighten the gloomy nights and days of man. The Twins also represent the importance of family loyalty, team work and the need to use intelligence and wit along with physical strength to overcome life’s challenges. In summary – TWO TRICKSTER HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE TAIL!
Our journey continues south on foot until we reach South America. Willis’ Mythology is now our guide book. After South America we will travel across the Pacific Ocean via balsa wood raft. @$:
Willis’ book takes readers to and from Peru to Oceania and Australia. In Australia we meet two distinct and diametrically-opposed trickster types; first the Mimi, who are graceful, agile and benign. They appear in Western Arnhem Land, and live in the cracks of cliffs along the Arnhem Land escarpments. They are even tempered but are angered if suddenly surprised by strangers wandering through the bush. To avoid antagonizing the Mimi, people foraging through rock country sing out continually to the tricksters to make them aware of their presence. The Mimi will punish people who appear without warning; however they are credited with teaching man how to hunt , and are usually gregarious and can be heard singing and beating rhythm with clapsticks from the caves they dwell in at night. The other tricksters who dwell in Western Arnhem Land are sinister. They are the Namorodo. These tricksters are composed of skin and bones and held together by sinew. They travel at night by flying and kill their victims with their long razor like claws. The Namorodo are associated with shooting stars and sorcery.
Willis’ book Mythology presents colorful pictures and drawings which accompany his fact filled narratives rather than “story” stories. This information can be a “storyhouse” of ideas for young aspiring students, writers and illustrators. The information on the Mimi and the Namorodo Australian tricksters is from this magnificent book. Both Epimetheus and I recommend it for your personal library. Although the reading level is advanced the exciting pictures and illustrations will attract many less fluent readers. This book motivates all Readers!
My favorite trickster tale is a dog tale. This tale takes place long ago and far away in high Himalayas of India. After the war between the rival clans of Pandava and Duryodhana on the sacred field of Kurukshetra where Krishna reveals his multiple incarnations to Arjuna, Yudhisthira, a Pandava assumes the throne of India. He is a just and righteous ruler who brings peace and prosperity to the country. However, he aspires for a higher attainment, spiritual enlightenment. Yudhisthira renounces and abdicates his worldly offices and treks through the highest mountains seeking the abode of heaven. His wife, four brothers and dog accompany him on this pilgrimage. However the wife and brothers die before reaching their destination. Only Yudhisthira is pure and determined enough to merit heaven. He encounters Indra, chief god and gate keeper of the heavenly abode. Indra welcomes Yudhisthira but refuses to admit Yudhisthira’s dog. Yudhisthira implores, argues, and pleads for the god to admit his faithful companion. Indra is adamant and rejects all of Yudhisthira’s entreaties. Yudhisthira refuses to abandon his dependent dog and faithful companion just to enter heaven. Indra recognizes Yudhisthira’s resolve and then reveals this is another karmic test and that the simple dog is actually a manifestation and incarnation of Dharma , Himself. The abode of heaven opens for Yudhisthira and his cosmic dog. Read on in the Bhagavad-Gita and you will be enlightened!
The paradox and irony of Indian trickster tales is that the deities or gods deceive man through the multiple illusions of life but provide man with the opportunities to expand his understanding and climb to higher and higher level of consciousness. Ultimately, it is hoped to divine consciousness! A cosmic thought!
Epimetheus: I’ll summarize three of my favorite trickster tales and include what I consider to be the defining element of each story. The Tricksters are Raven from North America; Ananse from Western Africa; and Loki from North Europe.
These tricksters appear respectively in the following books: Raven, by G. McDermott; Story, Story by G. Haily; and The Children of Odin by Padraic Colum.
Raven , a North American Indian myth, tells and illustrates the transformational nature of tricksters. The story begins with darkness. There is no light in the World, only Darkness. Raven decides he will find light and give the gift to mankind. Raven flies from earth, and flies and flies searching the primordial darkness of the cosmos, Raven finally spots a glimmer in the darkness and races toward it. This magical glimmer comes from the window in the house of the gods. Raven intuitively knows the gods are weary of strangers and protective of their possessions. He cautiously perches on pine branch adjacent to the gods’ house and watches each day as a young maiden baths in a nearby the lake.
Raven magically transforms form a bird into a pinyon seed. He falls in to the girl’s drinking cup and is swallowed. The pinyon seed fertilizes the young maiden, who eventually gives birth to a male child. The elder gods are enchanted by their own offspring. The gods dote on this miraculous child, who is essentially a god, too! The Raven/child god delights his grandparents and all seems perfect in paradise. However, the Raven’s nature still exists in the child . The child tricks the gods into revealing where they hide the gift of light. Raven discovers light is concealed in the box. He transforms from the god child back to Raven and flies off carrying the sun and light in his beak. He flies back to earth and places the sun in the sky for all men to see, and see by.
In my opinion the intriguing aspect of the story is that Raven as a child god could remain happily in paradise with his wife/mother and grandparent gods, but elects to fulfill his initial mission as Raven and bestow the light and warmth of the sun upon mankind. A sacred Bird Story – The Raven , Trickster of the Northwest.
Now on to Africa!
Ananse, the diminutive tribesman of Africa, is present in a time before any stories are known or told among humankind. Ananse recognizes the need for and the value of stories. He fashions a spider web, climbs to heaven and bargains with the gods for their stories. The gods are reluctant to part with such a precious commodity and demand an impossible price for this gift.
Ananse uses his intelligence and cunning to obtain the three impossible demands of the skygod. Ananse then reclimbs the spider web to the heavens, exchanges the barter items for the gods’ stories, and returns to earth. Ananse gives mankind the sacred stories to tell and retell to their children.
In my opinion the defining element is the selfless gift of stories. Interestingly, Ananse ignores the dangers inherit in his quest, capturing the dangerous prey, exchanging them for gifts of the gods, and selflessly gives the stories to mankind. Ananse, a simple man , transforms himself into a godlike gift-giver. The stuff myths are made of: A Story, Story!
My final selection deals with the trickster Loki, the Scandinavian god. Loki is brother to Thor and Son of Odin. Loki delights in transforming into human, animals or the other godlike forms. In an attempt to help his brother Thor locate his missing magical hammer, Loki transforms into a Raven.
Loki/Raven discovers that Thrym, the evil frost giant, has the sacred hammer. Loki suggests and convinces Thyrm to request that the beautiful Freya, a goddess to marry him in exchange for returning the enchanted hammer. Loki is truly mischevious in this story as told by Padria Colum. You can almost hear him laughing as Oden, chief god, demands that Thor dress in a wedding gown and pretend to be Thrym’s intended wife. Loki is a true trickster who delights in the discomfort of his fellow gods. His defining element is his mischievous nature, which adds chaos and confusion to the life of both man and god.