For thousands of years, vast cultures from around the world have told themselves stories. These stories, often to feed their curiosity of the world’s origins, are called myths. Many myths are similar in the fact that most of them are connected to each other, either by what they say about the world, how it came to be, the people who live in it, their religious rituals, or their traditions. Myths often comfort people in giving them a sense of identity. American Indian literature is home to some of the world’s most colorful myths. Examples of these are “Coyote Finishes His Work” and “The Blackfeet Genesis.” These myths both use personification and present ideas about creation; however, they have completely different storylines.

Personification abounded in Native American literature because of their respect and admiration for nature. In Lopez’s version of “Coyote Finishes His Work,” Coyote is the main character and uses traits such as teaching languages and giving names (22). Further in the story, Coyote uses god-like powers (23). This type of literary expression is presented once again in “The Blackfeet Genesis.” “All of the animals of the Plains at one time heard and knew him, and all birds of the air heard and knew him. All things that he had made understood him…” (Bruchac 24). The animals from this excerpt can also be identified as examples of personification.

The writings of Native Americans almost always included ideas about their tribe’s creation. “Coyote Finishes His Work” and “The Blackfeet Genesis” are no exceptions. According to “Coyote Finishes His Work,” Coyote is sent from Old Man to do work on earth (Lopez 22). Coyote creates the Indians and places tribes all over the world so that Old Man’s earth will be inhabited everywhere (22). In this story, Coyote is the one who made them, but Old Man was the one responsible. For Old Man created Coyote to send him to earth to do his work. “The Blackfeet Genesis” also speaks about a character called Old Man. “Old man was traveling about, south of here, making the people. He came from the south traveling north, making animals and birds as he passed along” (Bruchac 24). Unlike the Old Man in “Coyote Finishes His Work,” this character comes to earth himself to create people, animals, and the landscape.