Old Indian Legends
Worried that boarding schools were cutting Sioux children off from their heritage, Zitkala-Sa set down fourteen traditional Dakota tales she had heard as a girl. Five of them follow Iktomi, the trickster spider fairy whose greedy schemes almost always collapse on top of him, while others explain how animals gained their traits or how the world came to work as it does. The retellings keep the humor and rhythm of stories meant to be spoken aloud, making them easy for young readers to enjoy while preserving a record of oral tradition. First published in 1901, the collection remains a warm introduction to Sioux storytelling. The full book can be downloaded as a free PDF and EPUB edition.
About the Author
Zitkala-Sa (1876-1938), also known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, was a Yankton Dakota writer, musician, and activist. She wrote in English to preserve Sioux oral tradition and expose the harm of assimilationist boarding schools, later campaigning for Native American citizenship and rights.
See all books by Zitkala-Sa →
