Huehuecoyotl

In Aztec mythology, Huehuecoyotl is the god of music, dance and song. He is depicted in the Codex Borbonicus as a dancing coyote with human hands and feet, accompanied by a human drummer.

Huehuecoyotl shares many characteristics with the trickster Coyote of the North American tribes, including storytelling and choral singing. In both cultures he is a prankster, whose tricks are often played on other gods but frequently backfire and cause more trouble for himself than the intended victims. A great party-giver, he also was alleged to foment wars between humans to relieve his boredom. He is a part of the Tezcatlipoca family of the Mexica gods, and has their shapeshifting powers. Those who had indications of evil fates from the gods would sometimes appeal to Huehuecoyotl to mitigate or reverse their fate.

The fourth day of the thirteen day Mexican week belonged to Huehuecoyotl.

He is often associated with Xolotl.

Huehuecoyotl is also the name of an ecovillage in Tepoztlan, Mexico.

References

* [http://www.tezcatlipoca.org/TezMyth/ky-ab1.htm Karl Young, The Continuum of Life in Codex Borbonicus]