Old Indian Legends: 16 books

“Wunzh, The Father Of Indian Corn” is the Indian legend, explained the emergence of corn into the world. The story tells about a son of poor Indian, named Wunzh, who was kind and thankful of heart, and he longed greatly to do something for his people. The time came that Wunzh reached the age when...

"Bokwewa the Humpback" is the Indian fairy tale about two brothers. Bokwewa and his brother Kwasynd lived in a wild area. Bokwewa was the elder brother. He was considered a manito in the mortal shape. His younger brother was inquisitive and strong. They hadn't neighbors and lived happily....

Indian fairy tales are full of allegory and wisdom, a triumph of the truth above lies, tricks over insidiousness, savvy and patience. During wandering through the forest Iktomi saw a bird which was sitting at the top of a tree. The bird was beautiful and its tale was bright and colored in all beautiful...

There was a hunting season. Indian men, with bows and arrows, were wading waist deep amid the wild rice. In the largest teepee sat a young mother next to her laid a black-eyed baby who was laughing. When his mother stopped to wrap red porcupine quills about the long fringes of a buckskin cushion the...

An old legend “Iktomi and the Muskrat” is a very wise, instructive and funny story about hospitality and greed. Iktomi was having some delicious boiled fish when he heard “How, how my friend”. It was a muskrat standing and asking Iktomi to share some food with it because it was an old Dakota...

Once upon a time there was a man who had ten daughters. They were beautiful, but the youngest was more beautiful than her sisters. She loved romantic places and spent much time with different flowers in the open air. She didn't pay attention to various handsome young men who came to her. Her elder...

An old native legend “Iktomi’s Blanket” tells us a story of Iktomi whose nice fat ducks were eaten by gray wolves. He was so hungry and angry that the only way to get food was going to Inyan, the great-grandfather. With his blanket over one shoulder he drew nigh to a huge rock on a hillside....

Two hunters heard the voice of a crying child. One of them went to the tall grass and picked up a crying baby. He called the baby Wood-child. Another hunter was annoyed by scream of the baby and told: "At times it sounds like an old man's voice" - he was afraid of a bad spirit that could...

The story “The Toad-Woman” tells us about a young woman who was living alone in the woods met a handsome young man who was providing her with meat. They got married soon and had a son. One day her husband didn’t return from hunting. She waited till late at night, but he came no more. The next...

Once upon a time the hunter stood over a newly slain deer. He looked at the arrow which was inside the deer. This arrow didn't belong to him - another hunter had killed the deer. The hunter was upset - he had been hunting all day long without any success. He was tired and he hadn't any meal for his...

One day a famous hunter who lived in a remote part of the North went for hunting. He had a wife and two sons. The two sons were still too young to follow their father in the hunt, and they were in the habit of diverting themselves within reach of the lodge. One day the eldest son told his mother:...

One man with a long bow sat upon the top of a little hillock. He was waiting for the chieftain's men to spy him. He heard far voices: "He is the avenger come to shoot the red eagle!" Soon four strong men ran forth from the center wigwam toward the hillock, where this man was sitting with...

White Hawk was a hunter. He lived in the forest where were different kinds of animals. He was one of the most skillful and lucky hunters and every day he returned from the chase with a large spoil. There was no forest too gloomy for him to enter, and no trace made by the beast of any kind which he...

“Leelinau, the Lost Daughter” is a story about a little girl who passed much of her time in solitude and seemed ever to prefer the companionship of her own shadow to the society. Whenever she could leave her father's lodge she would fly to remote haunts and recesses in the woods, or sit in lonely...