Coyote Steals The Sun And Moon And Pandora's Box

Everyone in the world has something they desire. Whether it be to benefit themselves or bring the doom of others. However, only a handful of people have the control to understand the difference between wants and needs. The myths, “Pandora’s Box” which is retold be Louis Untermeyer and “Coyote Steals the Sun and Moon,” which is retold by Richard Erdoes and Alfonso Ortiz shows people to not let go of themselves. In “Pandora’s Box,” Pandora is sent to Epimetheus from the gods and in “Coyote Steals the Sun and Moon,” Coyote is unable hunt and needs to find a solution. However, in both myths, the reader can conclude that one should never let go of their self-control, or else negative consequences are bound to happen.

At the beginning of “Pandora’s

Zeus could not oversee his aggravation on Prometheus and placed consequences on Epimetheus, though he didn’t do anything. Therefore, the theme of self-control is shown because of Zeus’s actions. Because Prometheus had gifted the human world with fire, Zeus plans to doom all of humanity. As the story continues, he gathers many gods and concluded to create a wonderful bride for Epimetheus but the catch is she was sent down with a dowry. Her first meeting with Epimetheus was a warning about the casket as if there may be a puppy or a bomb as explosive as Hiroshima inside. However, Pandora revolts: “‘But this is my dowry,’ murmured Pandora. ‘Zeus himself filled it with magic as a present for us…Look at the silver hinges and the great gold clasp that fastens it’’(Untermeyer 478). Pandora tried reasoning with Epimetheus which is the first example of Pandora losing self-control and letting

One day, Coyote watched Eagle hunt rabbits and became jealous so he proposed and idea to Eagle: “‘we should hunt together. Two can catch more than one’”(Erdoes & Ortiz 903). Realizing the benefits, Eagle accepts Coyote’s offer. However, this is the beggining for Coyotes manipulation of Eagle. The quote results in Eagle and Coyote heading towards a light source where Coyote continuously created a feeling that Eagle had many more advantages than Coyote. Consequently, Eagle is easily persuadable because he easily accepted Coyotes offer so once they reach the village with the sun and moon, Coyote creates a plan. To steal the sun and moon. After reading this part of the text, a reader can infer tha Coyote lost his sense of self-control because he could not stop eagerly desiring light. Even threatening to steal it which Eagle opposed but after a sentence of convincing, he fell victim to the plan. Once they stole the sun and moon, Coyote yelled up to Eagle, “‘Ho, friend, let me carry the box a little way,” However, knowing that Coyote messes everything up, he refuses. But once again, Coyote displays his loss of control by asking four times to hold the box. However, he only wanted to see the light which Eagle knew but submitted the box to Coyote and constant annoyances. Consequently, Eagle flew far ahead wile Coyote went slowly and the