What Is the Main Idea in the Short Story "Coyote & the Buffalo" by Mourning Dove?

The indigenous legend "Coyote and Buffalo" explains that Swaioneck qhu lacks Buffalo due to the recklessness and selfish behavior of Coyote. Because Coyote neglected the lives of others, he almost lost his life and his greed brought about the death of others. This legend shows the importance of shiningly suggesting the results of greediness and vanity.

When Coyote did not respect his previous enemy Buffalo, the Buffalo ghost appeared and threatened to kill Coyote. Coyote made a new set of horns that Buffalo used to kill him and beat the animals that stole his cow, so he escaped the coyote's life. Buffalo gave Coyote a cow as payment and if he did not kill her, he told him that he would offer him food. In any case, Coyote killed her and threw food for someone who used flattery to deceive prisoners and him. When the Coyote visited Buffalo, the cow was still alive, but she refused to go with the coyotes. He returned to his land without a cow. As a result, I have never seen buffalos again at Swah-netk'-qhu.

Kimberly Heffernan teaches at public school for 25 years. Her specialized work includes many course documents and project suggestions. She has a bachelor's degree in English literature at UT Austin and a master's degree in education at Sam Houston State University and has obtained a qualification as a school counselor.

The fairy 'coyotes and buffalo' provides a wealth of information to readers in the native American story. The overall theme of the short story is trust and loyalty. Throughout the story, Buffalo is a good example of these two characteristics. In addition to killing Coyote, he believes that Coyote gives him a new corner. Then he trusted Coyotes to hear his instructions about giving Coyotes a cow. Buffalo bull is faithful to coyotes. Because he keeps his promises and gives unlimited meals through cattle. However, Coyote shows the function opposite to these functions. When he breaks his promise and kills the cow, Coyote is neither reliable nor faithful to Buffalo. Coyote thinks Buffalo will not notice him only by giving him another cow, but the gift is a test of loyalty of coyotes failure.

One day, Coyote was traveling and met his old enemy Buffalo Bull except that it was just a skull. As a revenge, he kicked and destroyed the skull, but he knew that the Buffalo Bulls will soon recover and began searching for him. Coyote called Squas-tenk to help him, but Squas-tenk replied by dropping three trees. Coyote grabbed a tree branch and came out of the Buffalo Bulls, but Buffalo began cutting trees. Coyote changed trees, but when Coyote promised to give him a new corner, Buffalo almost found him. Coyote called for him to get a stone knife, and directed the fir and made a corner for Buffalo Bull. At the time, Buffalo Bulls regained his cow at Coyote and allowed the youngest cow to reward the coyotes for a new horn. Buffalo's cow did not kill him to the cow but to cut off the fat and to ash the wound and instruct him to heal it as soon as possible.