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Using Literary Tales

I enjoy telling many literary tales. One of my favorites is Coyote and the Laughing Butterflies by Harriet Peck Taylor.   It’s a delightful tale of how butterflies trick the trickster coyote. The story fits nicely as a nature tale, porquois tale explaining why butterflies don’t fly straight, and as a trickster tale. 

 
When telling literary tales, it is important to either have the book when performing or to give credit to the author. I don’t read from books or show illustrations, but I do display the books to give the author credit. I also explain that I tell my version of the story, but have the book on display for those who wish to read the literary version.
 
Explaining that I will tell my version allows me to share the story rather than try to memorize it or feel as if I have cheated my audience of the literary tale. Some literary tales are too difficult for me to tell because they almost need to be memorized to be told correctly. The most important element is to always give credit to your sources.
 
Coyote and the Laughing Butterflies (summary)
Coyote was lazy, but he needed to go to the river for salt. His wife sent him with the salt bag around his neck. It was such a lovely day he decided to take a nap before gathering the salt.
 
The butterflies wanted to trick coyote so they lifted him by his fur and carried him home. When his wife returned home, she was furious there was no salt for dinner.
 
 She sent him again. This time he filled the salt bag before taking a nap. The butterflies again carried him home, but this time he had salt, so his wife was very happy when she found him napping under the tree.
 
Taylor, Harriet Peck. Coyote and the Laughing Butterflies. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1995.