Chase, if you read the histories of the Indian Tribes you will find lots of stories of people interacting with all sorts of animals. The Arapahoe tell a story of the Beaver being the creator and the Coyote being the Devil. The many tribes also tell of spirits coming to them in the form of plants and animals.

Do I beieve the stories? I don't doubt any of God's abilities, it could have been the only way he could teach the Tribes of North America without scaring their moccasins off.