Each of the 27 captivating tales in this rich collection, passed down from generation to generation, long ago provided an evening's entertainment and instruction for Sioux youngsters sitting spellbound around the campfire. Shortened and simplified for young readers and listeners of today, the stories include creation myths, animal fables reminiscent of Aesop, and stories of brave heroes, beautiful princesses, wicked witches, cruel giants, and other universal characters. In these stories, however, the characters unmistakably belong to the fascinating world of the Plains Indians.
Among the memorable tales in this collection are "The Buffalo and the Field-Mouse," "The Raccoon and the Bee-Tree," "Unktomee and His Bundle of Songs," "The Festival of the Little People," "The Little Boy Man," "The First Battle," "The Beloved of the Sun," "The Laugh-Maker," "The Girl Who Married the Star," "North Wind and Star Boy," "The Magic Arrows," "The Ghost-Wife," and 15 more. Chosen by Charles A. Eastman, who was raised as a Sioux in the 1870s and 1880s, the tales include such unforgettable characters as Unktomee, the sly one (much like Br'er Fox of the Uncle Remus stories); Chanotedah (an Indian brownie or gnome); and the cannibal giants Eya and Double-Face. Young readers and students of Native American legend and lore will delight in these authentic, time-honored stories.