DEFINITION/SUMMARY:
In mythology,
- A trickster is a character in a story (god, goddess, spirit, man, woman, or anthropomorphisation), which exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge, and uses it to play tricks or otherwise disobey normal rules and conventional behaviour
- Violate principles of social and natural order, playfully disrupting normal life and then re-establishing it on a new basis
- Fond of breaking rules, boasting, and playing tricks on both humans and gods
- The story of the Jade Rabbit or Rabbit of the moon, The main character sacrificed himself and proved to be worthy of the gods and was brought to the moon to help make the elixir of life for all mortals
- The story of Rabbit tricksters are prevalent in western culture as well such as Peter Rabbit and Briar Rabbit
- In some Native American lore, the rabbit is credited with killing the sun (after going on a rampage of his own) through trickery but also for bringing fire to man
EXPANDED INFO:
Trickster as a Coyote
The Trickster, often represented as a coyote is no fool. There the duality often gets expressed in the trickster god being viewed both as hero and villain
Trickster is a figure whose physical appetites and senses dominate his actions and decisions.
Trickster is also another name for a Fool or a Clown
- Aka Jester