Old Indian Legends · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Old Indian Legends by Zitkála-Šá.
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Chapter 1
Old Indian Legends
A collection of traditional Dakota stories featuring the trickster figure Iktomi, exploring themes of deception, transformation, and cultural values through various adventures and moral lessons.
Chapter 2
Iktomi and the Ducks
Iktomi, a mischievous spider fairy, tricks a group of ducks by pretending to carry songs in his blanket. He builds a straw hut and convinces the ducks to dance with their eyes closed, then twists their heads and breaks their necks. He takes the dead ducks home to roast, but while his foot is caught in a tree, wolves eat his feast.
Chapter 3
Iktomi's Blanket
Iktomi, hungry and cold, prays to Inyan, the great stone grandfather, for food and offers his blanket as a gift. After receiving a freshly wounded deer as an answer, he regrets giving away his blanket when night falls and retrieves it from Inyan. Upon returning, he finds the deer has vanished, leaving only dry bones, and he selfishly laments not having eaten first.
Chapter 4
Iktomi and the Muskrat
Iktomi is eating boiled fish alone when a muskrat appears and, following custom, expects an invitation to share the meal. Instead of offering hospitality, Iktomi proposes a race with a stone on his back to decide who gets the fish. The muskrat agrees but swims across the lake while Iktomi struggles under the weight, then retrieves the pot and climbs a tree. Iktomi arrives to find his meal gone and, looking into the water, sees the muskrat in the tree above. The muskrat drops a bone into Iktomi's throat, teaching him a lesson about generosity.
Chapter 5
Iktomi and the Coyote
Iktomi discovers a seemingly dead coyote on the prairie and carries it home to roast for his evening meal. However, the coyote is only pretending to be dead and, after being thrown into the fire, leaps out and escapes, leaving Iktomi burned and humiliated. The coyote warns Iktomi not to take things for granted.
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