Why There Are Falling Stars

An American Indian Folktale

By: Bill Gordh

Narrated by: Bill Gordh

Length: 14 mins

Publisher's summary

Award-winning storyteller Bill Gordh (Film Advisory Board Award of Excellence winner, National Association of Parenting Periodicals Gold Award winner) presents this folk tale live with no script, accompanied only by his own dynamic banjo playing.

The stars used to sing and dance in the nighttime sky. Coyote brags that he sings with the stars. The other animals laugh. Then he asks them if they ever hear him howling at night. They say yes, and he announces that that is him singing with the stars. He has their attention now and he doesn't want to lose it, so he adds some more to his story. He says he also dances with the stars. They laugh. He swears that he does. Then they say that of course he dances on the prairie with the stars in the sky. He says that he dances up in the sky.

The animals say they will come back later that night to see him dance. Coyote doesn't know what to do. He goes out in the prairie and calls up to the stars and begs them to let him dance with them. They say, "OK" that he can dance down there. He says he needs to be up in the sky. They laugh. Morning Star feels sorry for him and says he can come up and dance but that he must dance all night before he can come down safely. Otherwise, if he stops, he will fall out of the sky and that will be the end of Coyote. He says he can dance all night and knows his friends are coming soon. Morning Star brings him up. Coyote is a great dancer.

When his friends see him, he dances even more because he likes them to like his moves. He gets tired and asks Morning Star if he can take a break. The star tells him that he will fall if he stops. He tries but he can't make it. The first falling Star. The next night Coyote is out there again singing to the stars to be able to come up and dance. That's why there periods of the summer why you see falling stars night after night.

©2013 Bill Gordh (P)2014 Audible Inc.

The Ambitious Coyote

This is a very fun American Indian folktale of an ambitious coyote who wanted to sing and dance with the stars. The coyote tells his animal friends some tall tales of his singing and dancing in the sky with the stars . . . who quickly tell him, no, we hear you howling at night, but you are dancing on the ground, not in the sky. His friends who normally turn in early each night, strike a deal with coyote, they will go home, take a nap and return at midnight to see him sing and dance with the stars. While his friends are home napping, the coyote calls out to the stars for help. He tells them that he needs to come up to the sky to sing and dance with them. They begin to laugh at him. After much cajoling, the Morning Star finally has pity on him. But Morning Star says that he can only join the stars in the sky if he can dance all night. Coyote agrees . . . but reluctantly, as he knows that he will soon grow tired. But his hide is on the line with his friends. 😂 So just before midnight, coyote joins the stars in the sky. And indeed he is a wonderful dancer. His friends are amazed. He keeps up his singing and dancing as long as he can, then asks Morning Star if he can take a break. Morning Star say, no, if you do, you will fall to the earth. Coyote tries to keep dancing . . . but soon he comes crashing to the ground . . . becoming the first falling star.