He was perched on a branch, head tilted to one side, as he watched the
two below. They bickered incessantly, choosing another thing to argue once they
had finished their previous argument, neither wishing to concede to the other’s
will. It was not an angry sort of arguing, but one of wits, for both were Tricksters
in their own right, and both enjoyed challenges. Raven sat a few branches below
him, oblivious to the observer above, while Coyote gazed upward in his man
form, a cunning glint passing through his eye as he noticed. Assuming his coyote
appearance, he boasted “Ha, nothing can surprise me. I am the great warrior who
protects Man from the People-Devourers. I, who am entrusted this work by the
Creator, cannot be surprised by anything.”
To this, Raven, who did not want to be out-done replied, “Neither am I
Brother! Nothing can surprise me, for I am far too clever.”
At that moment, Whiskey Jack dropped down beside him. Raven, caught
unaware, squawked in surprise, flapping his wings to avoid falling from his seat.
Meanwhile below, Coyote yipped with laughter, his eyes dancing with
amusement at Raven’s plight. Made a fool, Raven’s embarrassment turned to
anger and rounding on Whiskey Jack he demanded, “Who are you to come here
unannounced?”
“I thought that you said that you could not be surprised Brother, or did I
take you off guard?” replied Whiskey Jack, chuckling as he did.
Acrylic on canvas, Three Tricksters, by Carmen Lockhart, 2013.
Now Raven would not allow himself to admit that they had gotten the
better of him; he would show them who the true fools were. “Who was surprised?
You cannot think that it was me!”
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“Was it not you who almost fell off that branch?” asked Coyote, containing
his laughter, though it still showed if one looked into his eyes.
Three tricksters
“My wings were getting stiff, so I was just stretching them out,” he
replied quickly, while making a show of stretching them out to their full width.
“Was it not you who squawked?” countered Whiskey Jack, knowing
Raven was just making an excuse.
Written by Carmen Lockhart
Since they were all Tricksters, they understood that he did not want to
admit it, but Whiskey Jack and Coyote both were having great fun teasing Raven.
“ You misheard. I had some fish bones in my throat, and was trying to
cough them out!” Raven retorted, unhappy with this new game that they seemed
to be playing on him.
Relenting, Whiskey Jack said, “Alright Brother, if you say so,” though
they all knew the truth.
Three Tricksters, read by Carmen Lockhart, 2013.
This appeased Raven for the moment, though he would soon begin to
think of ways to return the favour.
19
mixed tribez
mixed tribez