Native American Folk Tales

After Ice Age, the sea level dropped and a land called the Bering Strait was unearthed between Siberia and Alaska. Thousands of years ago, much before the Europeans had discovered American continent, the Asian nomads had trekked across Strait to North America. Hunting was their livelihood. They ate flesh of the animals, used leather for clothing and the bones for making tools. As the population increased they migrated southwards to temperate climate. Thus they spread across the continent and divided into many tribes. They adopted the new environment and made laws, customs and rituals accordingly.

They loved nature, and animals were part of their lives. These tribes believed that the spirits of birds and animals roamed on the earth in human form and guarded the humans as their guardian spirit. These spirits could be evil as well as benevolent. The medicine man and the magic healer of the tribe were highly respected by them. They believed that the man with super power could take any animal form and roam the world of the dead.

According to them, animals and humans were equal in intelligence and bravery in the beginning. Animals were able to understand and talk like humans and take human forms whenever they desired. Then, for some reasons, they lost this ability and were replaced by ordinary animals as we see them today. In folk stories, these animals, not only talk like humans but also communicate with each other like them. Although animals were considered sacred by these nomads, yet they hunted them for food. Hunting was not only a necessity but also a sacred responsibility. Before starting on a hunting expedition, they would fast and observe many customs and rituals.

**Contents and Sample Pages**