Native American Myths and Legends

Stories From the Many Traditions of Native North America

The myths and legends of Native North American peoples encompass an extraordinary range of cultures, languages, landscapes, and traditions.

Native American Myths and Legends brings together classic retellings collected by historian Katharine Berry Judson, offering readers stories from communities across the continent. From creation stories and powerful gods and heroes to tricksters such as Coyote and Raven, these tales provide a window into the rich storytelling traditions of many different Indigenous cultures.

The collection ranges geographically from the Tlingit of Alaska to the Sioux and Cherokee of the Great Plains and the Seneca of the Atlantic coast.

Stories of Creation, Heroes, and the Natural World

Among the tales included are:

• How the World Was Made — Cherokee
• Origin of the Winds — Inuit
• Why the Aspen Leaves are Never Still — Blackfoot
• How the Seasons Came to Be — Ojibwa
• War with the Sky People — Thompson River
• The Northern Lights — Wabanski
• Stories featuring Coyote and Raven
• Tales concerning the origins of the world and the nature of the cosmos
• Adventures involving gods, heroes, and supernatural beings

These stories reflect the extraordinary diversity of Indigenous storytelling traditions and the different ways cultures have used mythology to understand the natural world, human experience, and the mysteries of existence.

A Beautiful Gilded Edition

This edition is part of the Arcturus Gilded Classics series, a collection of luxury gift editions designed for both reading and display.

The hardcover features Wibalin binding, a foil-embossed cover, beautifully designed endpapers, and gilded page edges, making it an especially attractive addition to a mythology or folklore collection.

About the Author

Katharine Berry Judson (1871–1956) was a historian, librarian, and author who compiled collections of Native American myths and legends. She studied at the University of Washington and worked as a librarian in Montana and Seattle before becoming an assistant in history at the University of Washington. Her work brought together traditional stories from numerous Indigenous cultures for wider audiences.