Indian Why Stories

Indian Why Stories : Sparks From War Eagle’s Lodge-Fire

by Frank B.Linderman


The Native American was a true lover of nature and close observer of the sights and sounds about him. He delighted in composing tales that offered imaginative explanations for everything--from simple stories about creation to fanciful accounts of how animals acquired certain physical characteristics. This entertaining collection of 22 stories, compiled nearly a century ago by a devotee of Indian lore who considered them "well-worth saving," recounts many of the legends told to him by members of the Blackfeet, Chippewa and Cree tribes. Here are intriguing explanations of "How the Ducks Got Their Fine Feathers," "Why the Kingfisher Always Wears a War-Bonnet," "Why the Chipmunk's Back Is Striped," "Why Blackfeet Never Kill Mice," "How the Otter Skin Became Great 'Medicine,'" "Why the Mountain-Lion Is Long and Lean," "How the Man Found His Mate," "Why the Birch-Tree Wears the Slashes in Its Bark" and many other tales rich in fanciful characters.