Native American myths

Parchment-style artwork of white crow flying with burning coal, Cherokee folktale of courage and fire.

Why the Crow Is Black: Cherokee Folktale

by Ayomide Adekilekun

October 20, 2025

American Myths·Native American Nature & Animal Myths

In the time before memory, when the earth was still young and filled with wonder, the crow was not black as we know it today. His feathers shone white as winter snow, and when he sang, his voice carried through the valleys, soft and sweet like the songs of spring. Among all birds, Crow was the most beautiful and the

Parchment-style illustration of Iktomi tricking dancing ducks by a river, Lakota folktale scene.

American Folktales·Native American Folktales

Iktomi and the Dancing Ducks: A Lakota Folktale that Teaches Lessons on Greed and Deceit

On the wide, wind-swept plains of the Lakota people lived Iktomi, the great trickster spirit. He was clever and full of schemes, yet his cunning often brought him more trouble than reward. One chilly morning, Iktomi wandered across the prairie with an empty belly and a mischievous glint in his

Parchment-style artwork of Aataentsic falling with the Sky Tree toward Turtle, Iroquois creation folktale.

The Sky Tree: Iroquois Folktale

In the beginning, when the world was still new and unshaped, there

Parchment-style art of Water Spider carrying fire across the lake, Cherokee folktale scene.

The Origin of Fire: A Cherokee Folktale That Teaches Courage and Cooperation

Long ago, before fire came to the world, the land was cold,

Parchment-style art of Lakota warrior calling to Thunder Beings amid lightning and rain, Native American folktale.

Thunder Beings and the Rain of Renewal: Lakota Sioux Folktale

October 21, 2025

American Traditions & Beliefs·American Weather Lore

In the vast grasslands of the Northern Plains, where the winds whisper across endless fields and the sky stretches like an ocean of blue, the Lakota Sioux people carried an ancient understanding of thunder. To them, it was not simply a sound, it was a spirit, alive and powerful, the

Native American myths

Why the Crow Is Black: Cherokee Folktale

Iktomi and the Dancing Ducks: A Lakota Folktale that Teaches Lessons on Greed and Deceit

The Sky Tree: Iroquois Folktale

The Origin of Fire: A Cherokee Folktale That Teaches Courage and Cooperation

Thunder Beings and the Rain of Renewal: Lakota Sioux Folktale

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