2 h 3 minAudiobook5 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 2 h 3 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What happens when a hungry trickster meets creatures whose wits are sharper than he expects?
In Old Indian Legends, Zitkala-Sa brings together Dakota tales she hears from elders in childhood. At their heart is Iktomi, the spider trickster: clever, vain, and always hungry. He sees a chance to get what he wants and sets his schemes in motion. But animals have plans of their own, and confidence offers no protection from being fooled.
The collection includes Iktomi’s encounters with the Ducks and the Muskrat, alongside stories of human characters and other beings. Animals speak, quarrel, and boast; some tales bring laughter, while others take a more serious turn. Zitkala-Sa’s plain, direct words keep the action close, with a firm sense of right and wrong and careful attention to land, sky, and creatures.
What you’ll discover
- A trickster worth watching Follow Iktomi’s eager schemes and discover how easily cleverness can trip over greed.
- Animals with their own wits Meet ducks, muskrats, rabbits, and bears who speak, argue, boast, and make plans.
- Stories rooted in listening Enter a Dakota storytelling tradition in which elders share tales aloud with younger listeners.
- Humour with a serious edge Find laughter beside lessons about right and wrong, without leaving the story behind.
- One tale at a time Enjoy short, self-contained stories whose clear images keep the natural world close.
Who will love it
Readers who love trickster stories, fireside tales and animal fables will feel at home here. These short Dakota tales invite sharing aloud, with lively voices, playful humor and the sounds of the plains.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Iktomi is clever but never wise
- Greed and selfishness cost Iktomi his meals
- Tricksters meet sharper wits and kinder hearts
- Wanting to be someone else brings trouble
- A bear's greed calls for a young avenger
- A magic arrow, a red eagle and a thief
- Lost children, monsters and small creatures
Who’s who
- IktomiA vain spider fairy in beaded buckskins who plays tricks for a free meal and keeps landing in trouble.
- The CoyoteA sleek prairie wolf who pretends to be dead and enjoys a ride on Iktomi's back.
- The MuskratA water creature who comes looking for a shared meal and finds a stingy host.
- Father BadgerA kind hunter who feeds a hungry bear, loses his home to him, and prays for justice.
- The Black BearA greedy guest who grows strong on the badgers' food and then drives them from their home.
- Patkasa the TurtleA hunter who finds a deer, wants to feed his children, and is tempted by Iktomi's flattery.
- Manstin the RabbitA kindhearted young hunter who frees a stolen baby and later swaps eyes with a blind old man.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
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- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- Audiobook
- 2 h 3 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 5 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
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Read and hear Alte Indianerlegenden in 25 languages and switch at any time. Or read two side by side, paragraph by paragraph: the way to learn a language with a book you love.
Alte Indianerlegenden
by Zitkala-Sa · 1901
A hungry spider fairy in beaded buckskins offers curious ducks a mysterious bundle of songs.
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In short
What happens when the cleverest fellow on the plain is also the vainest? Old Indian Legends, set down by Zitkala-Sa, gathers Dakota tales.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Iktomi is clever but never wise
Iktomi is a spider fairy who dresses like a Dakota brave, with painted face, fringed leggings and a beaded jacket. He lives alone in a teepee on the plain. He has no friends, because his vain talk and heartless laughter drive people off.
In the first tale, he stuffs a blanket with dry grass and tells a flock of dancing ducks it holds a bundle of songs. He builds a straw hut and makes them dance with their eyes shut. His songs promise a dance, but his hungry eyes are on the dancers.
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What is Old Indian Legends about?
It is a collection of Dakota tales told by Zitkala-Sa. Most feature Iktomi, a vain spider trickster, while others tell of a badger and a bear, a young avenger with a magic arrow, and monsters and animals.
Who is Iktomi?
Iktomi is a spider fairy and trickster in Dakota storytelling. He dresses like a brave, loves schemes, and lacks friends. His tricks usually backfire, which makes him a warning as well as a figure of fun.
Are these stories true or traditional?
They are Dakota legends told by Zitkala-Sa. They are legends and teaching stories, with animals who talk and spirits who help or hinder.
The author
Zitkala-Sa
1876–1938 · Yankton Dakota writer
Zitkala-Sa (1876–1938) was a Yankton Dakota writer, also known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin. She was born on the Yankton Indian Reservation in South Dakota and died in Washington, D.C. She published Old Indian Legends in 1901 and American Indian Stories in 1921. She also worked for Native American rights.
More by Zitkala-Sa
All 2 booksMore like this
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