Borreguita and the Coyote (Reading Rainbow Books)

Borreguita and the Coyote has very cute illustrations and I like the idea that a little lamb is able to cunningly outsmart a stalking coyote (the coyote reminds me a bit of the big bad wolf, so common in European folktales and culture). Borreguita and the Coyote also appears to be somewhat of an inversion of the Native American trickster tale, and because Coyote is often just such a trickster, it is rather amusing to read a Mexican folktale where Coyote the trickster is outsmarted. In many if not most of the Native American trickster tales however, Coyote is generally depicted as a noble trickster, a Prometheus-like figure who uses tricks and subterfuge for good, even noble purposes. In Borreguita and the Coyote though, the coyote is neither good nor noble, just a hungry carnivore intent on consuming some fresh meat (Borreguita).

While I generally enjoyed the tale of Borreguita using her wits to outsmart her coyote stalker, and thought that the illustrations were endearing and fun, I would not consider this tale a personal favourite. As I have always had a soft spot for wolves and coyotes, I tend to have some problems with folktales depicting these animals as inherently bad and cunningly evil (and certainly, many folkltales about wolves and other canids do this). I am actually quite convinced that the generally negative attitude many humans had/have regarding wolves has contributed greatly to their indiscriminate slaughter and subsequent extirpation from much of Europe and North America (brought about partially, no doubt, by the often negative description of these animals in both culture and lore). One must also remember that wolves and coyotes are carnivores, so they are generally supposed to consume meat. Hunting and stalking a lamb or another type of domestic animal is therefore not evil, it is part of the nature of these animals. However, this is never (or hardly ever) mentioned in the Big Bad Wolf type of folk and fairy tale. No, the wolves (or other canids) are more often than not portrayed as evil (or at least, evilly cunning) and not as natural predators, hunting their prey. I know that in some of these tales, the "evil" wolves might, in fact, be symbols for something or someone else, but it still tends to bother me somewhat.

Furthermore, by portraying the wolf (or in this tale, the coyote) as the only culprit, responsibility for the plight of the victims is also often taken from those who are meant to care for and protect those in their charge. I know that the mother goat in the Grimm's tale of The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids does warn her children about the wolf, but she also leaves them home alone. And Little Red Riding Hood's mother actually sends her daughter on a solo errand through a dark forest rumoured to be full of wolves (which is just asking for potential trouble, potential danger). Similarly, the farmer/owner of Borreguita, the little lamb (and we actually only encounter him on the first page of the story) basically abandons her to her own devices. She must face the coyote by herself because the farmer is either unable or unwilling to even attempt to protect her.

What I really did enjoy about Borreguita and the Coyote is the fact that the coyote is not killed or slaughtered. He will never bother Borreguita again, but he does not have to pay for hunting and stalking the lamb with his life. This makes this tale so much more acceptable to/for me than many of the other Big Bad Wolf folktales, where the wolf is more often than not brutally slaughtered in the end. ( )

Traditional Literature, trickster tale from Mexico
Borreguita "little lamb" outsmarts Coyote in ways that cause him to howl at the moon. Folksy full page paintings in bright tones add to the charm of lamb's cleverness.

This Mexican folktale tells of a little lamb (Borreguita) who tricks a hungry coyote into not eating her four times. Aardema, incorporates Spanish words into the story giving it a more authentic flair and the dialogue between the two characters is lively, keeping the action of the story moving. The illustrations are equally charming, matching the story line and giving a bit more insight into the characters' emotions. One cannot help to enjoy how a clever coyote is the one who is getting outsmarted!

Age Appropriate: Preschool to 2nd grade

Aardema, V. (1998). Borreguita and the coyote. New York: Dragonfly Books. ( )

9564

This is a Mexican folktale about Borreguita, the little lamb, who is tied up in a pasture one day and is approached by the coyote who wishes to eat her. Borreguita, being quite clever, persuades the coyote to forgo eating her as she is not fat yet and thus will not fill him up. Coyote is convinced but returns later, after Borreguita has eaten the entire pasture, to try again. This time the lamb tricks coyote into following her to a round of cheese her master keeps for coyote to eat. Instead of a round of cheese however, Coyote is lured into a pond to the moon’s reflection where he almost drowns. Borreguita’s trickery continues until coyote realizes he will not defeat the small animal and surrenders his attempts.