Myth-Folklore Unit: American Indian Fairy Tales

Overview. This children's book - American Indian Fairy Tales - contains stories inspired by the Ojibwa and other Native American legends collected and published by Henry Schoolcraft in the early 19th century. Schoolcraft's publications were also the main source for Longfellow's Hiawatha, and some of the stories in this book ("Shin-Ge-Bis Fools the North Wind" and "Child of the Evening Star") also appear in Longfellow's poem. Larned has set up the stories in a frame-tale format with a storyteller named Iagoo (who also appears as a character in Hiawatha) who entertains the children of his tribe by sharing these stories with them. There is a free audiobook available, so you too can let Iagoo tell you the stories if you want, listening to these legends along with Morning Glory and the other children in Iagoo's audience.

Language. While this book is not intended for very young readers (as the Tejas Legends are), it is a book written for a young audience in a literary style, covering in prose many of the same stories conveyed in the verse of Longfellow's Hiawatha. 

Story Length. These are medium-length stories, mostly two or three pages in length, with one story that is four pages long.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: American Indian Fairy Tales. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

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Free audiobook available!

READING A:

1. Iagoo, the Story-Teller
2. Shin-ge-bis Fools the North Wind
3. Shin-ge-bis Fools the North Wind (cont.)
4. The Little Boy and Girl in the Clouds
5. The Little Boy and Girl in the Clouds (cont.)
6. The Child of the Evening Star
7. The Child of the Evening Star (cont.)
8. The Child of the Evening Star (cont. again)
9. The Child of the Evening Star (end)

READING B:

1. The Boy who Snared the Sun
2. The Boy who Snared the Sun (cont.)
3. The Boy who Snared the Sun (end)
4. How the Summer Came
5. How the Summer Came (cont.)
6. How the Summer Came (end)
7. The Fairy Bride
8. The Fairy Bride (cont.)