Native American Myths & Legends

These stories were collected and preserved by various authors including Katharine Berry Judson, Edward Curtis, James Athearn Jones, Emelyn Newcomb Partridge, Clinton Hart Merriam and George Bird Grinnell. Edward Curtis was also a renowned photographer and his images as well as those of other artists such as George Carlin, Karl Bodmer, and Cornelius Krieghoff illustrate these tales and show the men and women behind these stories.

Introduction? Creation Myths Kuterastan?and Creation (Apache)? The Discovery of the Upper World (Jicarillas)? Creation Myth (Navajo)? How the World Was Made (Cherokee)? The First Fire (Cherokee)? The Flood and the Rainbow (Delaware,?Lenni-Lenapi)? Sacred Legend (Omaha)? The Bird of Ages (Cree)? A Mother of the World (Tlicho)? Alaskan Creation Myths (Inuit)? The Bringing of the Light by Raven (Inuit)? The First Totem Pole (Kwakiutl)? Sakechak, the Hunter (Caddos)? The Earth-maker (Winnebago)? How the Old Man Above Created the World (Shastika) Old Mole's Creation (Shastika)? How?Qawaneca?Created the World (Chemetunne)? Genesis (Blackfoot)? The Creation of the World (Pima)? The Beginning of Newness (Zuni)? The Men of Early Times (Zuni)? Spider's Creation (Sia)? How?Silverfox?Created the World (Atsugewi)? Creation of the World (Wyandot)? Machinitou, the Evil Spirit (Algonquin)? How the People Got Five Fingers and Other Stories (Miwok)? The Evil Maker (Ojibwa)? Legend of the Corn (Arikara)? Yo-Sem-I-Te, Large Grizzly Bear (Yosemite)? Heroes and Tricksters The Raven Myth (Inuit)? The Flood (Tlingit)? How Raven Stole the Lake (Haida)? Origin of Light and Fire (Lillooet)? Raven's Canoe Men (Haida)? Raven and Moon-woman (Haida)? Fable of the Animals (Karok)? How Coyote Stole Fire (Klamath)? Origin of the Tribes (Chinook)? How Ah-ha'-le Stole the Sun (Miwok)? Coyote and Grizzly (Nez?Perce)? Coyote in the Buffalo Country (Flathead)? Coyote and the Salmon (Klamath)? How Coyote Was Killed (Clatsop)? Wiske-djak?and the Geese (Algonquin)? Wiske-djak?and the Partridges (Algonquin)? Wiske-djak?and the?Great Beaver?(Algonquin)? Wek'-wek's?Search for his Father (Miwok)? Wek'-wek's?Search for his?Sister?(Miwok)? Wek'-wek's?Visit to the Underground People?(Miwok)? A Legend of?Manabozho?(Ojibwa)? Manabozho?in the Fish's Stomach?(Ojibwa)? The Sun and the Moon?(Ojibwa)? Manabozho?and the Wolf?(Ojibwa)? How?Glooscap?Found the Summer (Mi'kmaq)? How?Glooscap?Conquered his Enemies?(Mi'kmaq)? How?Glooscap?Defeated the Sorcerers?(Mi'kmaq)? How?Glooscap?was Conquered by?Wasis?(Mi'kmaq)? Origin of the Thunder Bird (Klamath)? Turtle and the Thunder Bird (Ojibwa)? Why Lightning Strikes the Trees (Thompson River)? The Last of the Thunderbirds (Inuit)? The Magic Birth of?nenebuc?and his Four Brothers (Ojibwa)?? Nenebuc?Tempers the Wind?(Ojibwa)? Nenebuc?Gets Caught in the Bear's Skull (Ojibwa)? Nenebuc?Gets Caught in the Bear's Skull?(Ojibwa)? Ictinike?and the Turtle (Omaha)? Ictinike?and the Creators (Omaha)?