Old Indian Legends

The book Old Indian Legends, written by Yankton Dakota author Zitkala-Sa, is a compilation of Sioux folktales. She wished to keep alive the folktales of her people. This book is made up of 14 legends, according to the University of Virginia Library Electronic Text Center. In her book, Zitkala-Sa argues that stories have a significant role in both American society and American Indian culture. She hoped that through sharing these tales, Americans would be inspired to learn more about American Indians and be reminded of the wonderful brotherhood of mankind. An unlucky trickster character named Iktomi, a spider fairy, appears in the first five legends. Iktomi and the ducks Iktomi befriends a flock of dancing ducks and plays music to deceive them into dancing in such a way that their necks twist and shatter, killing the ducks. After that, he cooks the ducks in his teepee till he hears a tree cracking in the wind and decides to go investigate. Iktomi's Blanket Iktomi, a hunter, asks Inyan, whom he refers to as the great-grandfather, for food in his prayers. Iktomi constructs a fire and prepares deer meat, but he becomes chilly in the process. He makes the decision to return and get the blanket he gave Inyan.