Navajo Coyote & the Porcupine Story Carving - Marvin Jim & Grace Begay (#332)

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"Marvin Jim and Grace Begay are sharing the metaphorical teachings of the Navajo people through their creative and detailed sculptures.  Coyote is a chaotic figure to the Navajo, and is often credited with forcing the people out of their comfort zones.  The altered states are mostly painful or, at least, terribly uncomfortable but, for the most part beneficial.  In this representation Coyote and Porcupine interact to learn valuable lessons on trust, deception and the balance of power.  This piece is carved from cottonwood root and accented with acrylic paints.  We can all learn something from these stories."--Barry Simpson

About the artist:

Marvin Jim and Grace Begay - Animal Sculptures:
Based upon the Navajo creation tales, the sculptures of Marvin Jim reflect a time long ago, when animals and humans walked and worked together to create a new world. These traditional stories speak of conversations among all beings, of behaving in a manner of mutual respect and of all beings having an equal position in the community. These legends are an essential part of the Navajo culture. The tales are of universal interaction, compassion and tolerance; the things necessary to live a balanced existence. See full biography | See all items by Marvin Jim and Grace Begay

Related categories:

Navajo Folk Art See all items in this category

Related legends:

Coyote, Porcupine and the Elk

A fat porcupine was sitting on the bank of the river one morning, wondering how he could get across to the other side. He was hungry. On the other side of the stream were many pinon trees. The porcupine wanted to eat the bark from the trees, but the river was too wide, and the water was high and swift.

Elk were grazing on the flats behind him. Suddenly one elk came toward the river and stopped on the bank near the porcupine.

"Are you going to cross the river?" the porcupine said.

The elk looked down at him.

"Yes, I'm going to cross the river," the elk said.

"Well, Sister," said the porcupine, "will you carry me across? My legs are very short and yours are very long."

"Yes," said the elk. "You can ride on my back."

"Oh, no," the porcupine cried. "I'd slip off into the water and drown."

"Then you can ride on my horns," the elk told him.

"Oh, no. You'd be sure to shake me off into the water and it would carry me downstream. I'd probably drown," the porcupine objected. "I know a better way. I'll crawl into you from the rear, then I'll crawl out your mouth on the other side."

The elk thought about that.

"No. I don't like that idea," she said. "Your sharp spines might kill me."

"Don't worry about that. Sister," said the porcupine. "Let me show you how easy it will be."

The elk was suspicious at first, then she decided to let the porcupine show how he could do it without hurting her.

The porcupine smoothed his quills down and went in one way and crawled out the other.

"Wasn't that easy?" he asked. "I didn't hurt you at all, did I, Sister?"

More about this legend

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