The Classic Tales of Brer Rabbit
by Joel Chandler Harris
A collection of short stories about this trickster from American folklore.
Tricksters - so often featured in a wide variety of literature - are intriguing because they can be good or evil, or both. In many tales, the trickster is cast as the hero who uses their wits and guile to out fox the stronger and faster foe. A classic example would be Odysseus, the ancient Greek who used cunning and trickery to fool his enemies and conquer Troy with his wooden horse. Another example comes in Watership Down where Richard Adams describes rabbit folklore centered on El-ahrairah – a clever rabbit devoted to trickery who infuriates his enemies but repeatedly saves his warren.
At other times, the trickster blurs the line between that of a childlike prankster and someone who happily causes malicious harm. The German trickster Till Eulenspiegel does exactly this, he sees people as being no better than any animal and delights in revealing their follies and inadequacies. The moral being we should realize our faults, but Till feels that humiliation is necessary to really teach the lesson.
Tricksters come from all walks of life and are found in ancient mythology, folk tales handed down by aural tradition, simple stories and modern literature like Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox and Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys. Every culture around the world has their own type of tricksters. They could be gods who meddle in the affairs of mortals, to the anthropomorphic Brer Rabbit who entertains our children with wit and guile.
by Neil Gaiman
A modern tale concerning the west African spider god, Anansi.
by Christopher Moore
A Californian salesman has his life turned upside down by the Native American trickster-god Coyote.
Sungura and Leopard
by Barbara Knutson
A Swahili folk tale about a rabbit and a leopard who both want to live in a house on the hill.
The Lost Gate
by Orson Scott Card
In the ancient world pantheons of gods ruled over man until the Norse trickster, Loki, sealed off the source of their power.
To Reign in Hell
by Steven Brust
Lilith, a love interest of both Lucifer and Satan, plays a central role in this story about the revolt of heaven’s angels.
Puck of Pook’s Hill
by Rudyard Kipling
A classic series of stories mostly narrated by the trickster elf Puck.
Journey to the West
by Wu Cheng'en
Sun Wukong, the Monkey king, is a trickster in this epic Chinese novel.
by Neil Gaiman
Cree god Wisakedjak is portrayed as being responsible for the great flood and appears in this book along with Loki and Anansi.
Soldier of Sidon
by Gene Wolfe
Ancient Egyptian god Set, known as a drunkard and instigator of confusion, plays a major role in this book about a soldier’s journey.
Reynard the Fox
by Alain Vaes
This trickster is an anthropomorphic red fox found in Dutch, French, English and German fables.
Odysseus may be the most famous trickster in history and he needed all his guile to return home from Troy.
The Fox Woman
by Kij Johnson
Kitsune, Japanese for fox, are intelligent beings with magical abilities, including becoming human.
Iktomi and The Buzzard
by Paul Goble
The Lakota in North and South Dakota have Iktomi the spider spirit, who like Anansi, enjoys mischief.
by Tom Robbins
Tanuki is a raccoon dog who features in Japanese mythology. Tanuki can shapeshift and has a lust for sake and women.
Tales of Nanabozho
by Dorothy M. Reid
Nanabozho is the trickster figure of the Ojibwa people in North Mexico.
by Gerald McDermott
A native American folk tale from the Pacific Northwest where the trickster Raven steals the sun.
Zomo the Rabbit
by Gerald McDermott
A picture book featuring a west African trickster who must complete three tasks.
by Marcia Brown
Three hungry soldiers trick a village into sharing their food by showing them how to make soup with three stones.
by Zohra Greenhalgh
This novel features an Olympian-style trickster who enjoys toying with the lives of mortals.
by Mourning Dove
First published in 1933, this collection describes the adventures of Coyote in native American mythology.
by Astrid Lindgren
This crafty quick thinking child frequently dupes adults, who she finds pompous and condescending making.