Mythology and Folklore UN-Textbook: native1

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Myth-Folklore Unit: California and the Old Southwest

Overview. The readings for this unit come from Judson's Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest. You will read myths and legends from tribes of New Mexico (Navajo and Pueblo Indians), Arizona (Pima), and California (Karok, Miwok, Yokuts and many others). There are creation stories, along with many tales of Coyote the trickster. Both the creation stories and trickster stories explain how the world came to be: where the stars come from and why the sun is brighter than the moon, and why frogs have no tails and why the bluebird is blue, and so on. There is also a Navajo hero legend: the story of a boy who became a sheep and thus lived with the gods, learning their songs and medicine.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. All of the stories are single-page stories (and a few are very short).

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: California and the Old Southwest. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

(free audiobook at LibriVox)

READING A:

Three Coyote Creation Stories
The Creation of the World
Spider's Creation
The Great Fire; The Origin of Light
Creation of Man
Old Man Above and the Grizzlies
The Creation of Man-kind and the Flood
The Great Flood
The Fable of the Animals
The Course of the Sun
The Theft of Fire
Coyote, Tortillas, and Mesquite Beans

READING B:

Origin of the Sierra Nevadas and Coast Range
Legend of Tu-tok-a-nu'-la (El Capitan)
The Children of Cloud
The Boy who Became a God
Origin of the Raven and the Macaw
Coyote and Hare; Coyote and Fawns
Coyote and the Quails
How the Bluebird Got its Color
Coyote's Eyes
Coyote as a Hunter
How the Rattlesnake Learned to Bite
Coyote and the Rattlesnake

(Pima grain basket)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Great Plains

Overview. About half of the stories in this selection from Judson's Myths and Legends of the Great Plains come from the Omaha people, and there are also stories from about a dozen or so other tribes. You will read some creation stories about the creation of the world, along with stories that explain the origins of things, such as why the possum plays dead and how the deer got its horns. There are trickster stories about Unktomi (Spider), along with other tricksters such as Coyote and Rabbit. Finally, this unit also includes many ghost stories and tales of the spirit lands, along with a marvelous fairytale-type story about a young boy who went to seek Wakan-Tanka, the "Great Mystery," a journey that led to his own transformation.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories here are on the short side, and all of them are single-page stories.

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: Great Plains. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

(free audiobook at LibriVox)

READING A:

READING B:

(tipi)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes

Overview. This unit contains stories from Judson's anthology of Myths and Legends of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes. The land of the Great Lakes is represented by many stories from the Menomini people, along with Ojibwa and other tribes, while the Mississippi Valley is represented by stories from the Biloxi, Choctaw and Chitimacha peoples. You will find stories here of the trickster-hero Manabozho, including his battle with the evil manitous who had killed his wolf-brother. From the Biloxi people, there are many Rabbit tales including a story of Rabbit and the tar-baby. There are creation stories about the beginnings of the earth, along with sky stories about the sun and moon, the star creatures, and the Northern Lights. You will also read the famous legend of Mondamin, an Ojibwa story of how the people first found corn.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories here are on the short side, and all of them are single-page stories.

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: Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

(free audiobook at LibriVox)

READING A:

READING B:

Myth-Folklore Unit: Alaskan Legends

Overview. If you want to learn about the many myths and legends about Raven, one of the great trickster-creators of world mythology, this collection of Alaskan stories — Myths and Legends of Alaska — is the unit for you: fifteen of the stories are about Raven, as told by Inuit (Eskimo) storytellers of the Bering Straits and Lower Yukon, along with stories from the Tlingit, Tsimshian, and Haida peoples. There are stories about other animals, too — wolves, foxes, wolverines, killer whales, and thunderbirds, to name just a few. The collection also includes creation stories about the origin of the winds, the light, and the sun and moon. And, finally, there are also great tales of human drama, including supernatural visits to the land of the dead.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories here are quite short, and all of them are single-page stories.

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: Alaskan Legends. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

Free audiobook available!

READING A:

READING B:

(illustration from Judson's book)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Pacific Northwest

Overview. As the title of Judson's book explains, there are Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest, especially of Washington and Oregon, and the stories come from a variety of different tribes, including the Klamath, Kwakiutl, Shasta, and Nez Perce, among others. You will find creation stories here, along with origin stories, such as why there are no snakes on Mount Takhoma (a.k.a. Mount Rainier). There are many stories about Coyote, the great trickster who once thought he could travel into the sky by riding on the star, and also Raven, giver of gifts and player of tricks. You will meet the creator god Kemush, the mighty Thunder Bird whose wings make the thunder and whose glance is lightning, and Whishpoosh, the monster-beaver. There are ghost stories, too, including a legend of the Memaloose Islands, the mysterious realm of the dead on the Columbia River.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories here are quite short, and all of them are single-page stories.

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: Pacific Northwest. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

(free audiobook at LibriVox)

READING A:

READING B:

(Mount Shasta)

Myth-Folklore Unit: British North America

Overview. This selection of legends told by First Nations people of Canada is drawn from Judson's Myths and Legends of British North America, featuring stories of the Haida, Shuswap, and Inuit peoples, along with many more. There are creation stories about the beginnings of the world and about the origins of light, the stars, and the wind, and how the seals and the salmon came to be. In fact, from the Dakelh legend about the creation of light, you will finally learn what the fox says: "Fox kept singing, 'Khain, khain, khain' because he thought in that way he would gain light." In these stories you will meet the formidable Nuxalk goddess Qamaits, "Afraid of Nothing," and the hero Manabozho with his grandmother, plus the animal tricksters Raven, Coyote and, last but not least, Wolverine.

Language. Judson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories here are quite short, and all of them are single-page stories.

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: British North America. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

(free audiobook at LibriVox)

READING A:

READING B:

(illustration in the book)

Myth-Folklore Unit: Native American Marriage Tales

Overview. Stith Thompson's anthology, Tales of the North American Indians, was a pioneering work in comparative studies of Native American storytelling. This reading selection contains Thompson's stories of animal brides and animal husbands, along with some fairytale-type stories that are a blending of European and Native American storytelling styles. The tales come from a variety of different tribes, including Inuit, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Zuni, and other traditions as well. Among the animal brides are a mysterious she-fox, plus a she-buffalo who lives for a time with her human husband, along with a deer who brings her human husband to live among the deer people. There are animal husbands too, including a dog, a buffalo, an eagle, and even a killer whale!

Language. Thompson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. This unit contains stories of various lengths, including stories that are just one page long, as well as stories that are two or three pages long, and one four-page-long story.

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: Native American Marriage Tales. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

READING A:

READING B:

Myth-Folklore Unit: Native American Hero Tales

Overview. Stith Thompson's anthology, Tales of the North American Indians, was a pioneering work in comparative studies of Native American storytelling. This reading selection contains Thompson's collection of hero tales from many different tribal traditions including Hupa, Apache, Crow, Cree, and more. Some of the stories are about human heroes, like the boy who challenges "Unnatural Uncle" and defeats him with the help of the Eagle people. Other heroes are the children who come from the gods, like Jonayaíyin, who is sent to the Apache in order to rescue them from the deadly predations of Giant Elk and Great Eagle. There are also animal heroes, like Bluejay and his companions who find themselves swept out to sea and facing many challenges in their long journey back to their home.

Language. Thompson's book is an anthology of stories takes from various anthropological sources, written in a variety of styles. Some of the stories are told in a more traditional oral style, while other stories are edited in a style more like literary prose.

Story Length. Most of the stories in this unit are two or three 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: Native American Hero Tales. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

READING A:

READING B:

(Crow horsemen, photo by E. Curtis)

Pages