Background: “Sun and Moon in a Box” is a Zuni Folk Tale.

The Zuni are an

ancient American Indian people who live in the American Southwest.

Sun and Moon in a Box

Retold By: Alfonso Ortiz and Richard Erdoes

Coyote and Eagle were hunting. Eagle caught rabbits. Coyote caught nothing
but grasshoppers. Coyote said: “Friend Eagle, my chief, we make a great
hunting pair.” “Good, let us stay together, said Eagle. They went toward the
west. They came to a deep canyon. “Let us fly over it,” said Eagle. “My chief, I
cannot fly, “said Coyote. “You must carry me across.” “Yes, I see that I have
to,” said Eagle. He took Coyote on his back and flew across the canyon. They
came to a river. “Well,” said Eagle, “you cannot fly, but you certainly can swim.
This time I do not have to carry you.” Eagle flew over the stream, and Coyote
swam across. He was a bad swimmer. He almost drowned. He coughed up a
lot of water. “My chief,” he said, “when we come to another river, you must
carry me.” Eagle regretted to have Coyote for a companion.

They came to Kachina Pueblo. The Kachinas were dancing. Now, at this time,
the earth was still soft and new. There was as yet no sun and no moon. Eagle
and Coyote sat down and watched the dance. They saw that the Kachinas
had a square box. In it they kept the sun and the moon. Whenever they
wanted light they opened the lid and let the sun peek out. Then it was day.
When they wanted less light, they opened the box just a little for the moon to
look out. “This is something wonderful,” Coyote whispered to Eagle. “This must
be the sun and the moon they are keeping in that box,” said Eagle. “I have
heard about these two wonderful beings.” “Let us steal the box,” said Coyote.
“No, that would be wrong,” said Eagle. “Let us just borrow it.”

When the Kachinas were not looking, Eagle grabbed the box and flew off.
Coyote ran after him on the ground. After a while Coyote called Eagle: “My
chief, let me have the box. I am ashamed to let you do all the carrying.” “No,”
said the Eagle, “you are not reliable. You might be curious and open the box
and then we could lose the wonderful things we borrowed.”

For some time they were on as before – Eagle flying above the box, Coyote
running below, trying to keep us. Then once again Coyote called Eagle: “My
chief, I am ashamed to let you carry the box. I should do this for you. People
will talk badly about me, letting you carry this burden.” “No, I don’t trust you,”
Eagle repeated. “You won’t be able to refrain from opening the box. Curiosity
will get the better of you.”

“No,” cried Coyote, “do not fear, my chief, I won’t even think of opening the
box.” Still, Eagle would not give it to him, continuing to fly above, holding the
box in his talons. But Coyote went on pestering Eagle: “My chief, I am really
embarrassed. People will say: “That lazy, disrespectful Coyote lets his chief do all
the carrying.” “No, I won’t give this box to you,” Eagle objected. “It is too
precious to entrust to somebody like you.”

They continued as before, Eagle flying, Coyote running. Then Coyote begged
for the fourth time: “My chief, let me carry the box for a while. My wife will scold
me, and my children will no longer respect me, when they find out that I did not
help carry this load.”

Then Eagle relented, saying: “Will you promise not to drop the box and under no
circumstances to open it?” “I promise, my chief, I promise,” cried Coyote. “You
can rely upon me. I shall not betray your trust.”

Then Eagle allowed Coyote to carry the box. They went on as before, Eagle
flying, Coyote running, carrying the box in his mouth. They came to a wooded
area, full of trees and bushes. Coyote pretended to lag behind, hiding himself
behind some bushes where Eagle could not see him. He could not curb his
curiosity. Quickly he sat down and opened the box. In a flash, Sun came out of
the box and flew away, to the very edge of the sky, and at once the world grew
cold, the leaves fell from the tree branches, the grass turned brown, and icy
winds made all living things shiver.

Then, before Coyote could put the lid back on the box, Moon jumped out and
flew away to the outer rim of the sky, and at once snow fell down from heaven
and covered the plains and the mountains.

Eagle said, “I should have known better. I should not have let you persuade me.
I knew what kind of low, cunning, stupid creature you are. I should have
remembered that you never keep a promise. Now we have winter. If you had
not opened the box, then we could have kept Sun and Moon always close to
us. Then there would be no winter. Then we would have summer all the time.”
1. The first few paragraphs of “Sun and Moon in a Box” describe the abilities of
Eagle and Coyote as hunters. Which character seems more impressive? Use
details from the selection to explain.

2. Near the beginning of “Sun and Moon in a Box,” it becomes clear that Eagle
is sorry to have Coyote as a traveling companion. Why is Eagle displeased? Use
details to support your answer.

3. How does the setting of “Sun and Moon in a Box” show the cultural context of
the story? Think about when and where the story takes place. Use details from
the story to explain.

4. What belief about the sun and the moon is shared by both the Kachinas and
Eagle in “Sun and Moon in a Box”? Use details from the middle of the story to
support your answer.

5. In the middle of “Sun and Moon in a Box,” Eagle says that Coyote is not
reliable. On what actions or qualities does Eagle base this opinion of his
companion? Use your understanding of the word reliable to respond.

6. In the middle of “Sun and Moon in a Box,” why does Coyote say he is
ashamed to have Eagle carry the box? Consider what Coyote really wants. Use
details from the story to answer.

7. In “Sun and Moon in a Box,” Coyote calls Eagle his “chief.” How does this
suggest the cultural context of the story? Explain your answer, using details from
the story.

8. In the middle of “Sun and Moon in a Box,” Coyote asks several times to hold
the box, and Eagle repeatedly refuses. How do Eagle’s refusals reveal his
opinions of both Coyote and himself? Use details from the middle of the
selection to support your response.

9. Toward the end of “Sun and Moon in a Box,” Eagle relented to Coyote’s
many requests to carry the box. Does relented give the idea that Eagle is happy
about giving Coyote the box? Explain, using the definition of relented.

10. The Zuni people used stories like “Sun and Moon in a Box” to show their
beliefs. Use the chart to compare the Zuni to our modern culture. Read the
quotation from the story. Then, write a question based on your prior knowledge.
Write a comparison or contrast that shows how we are similar to or different from
the Zuni.