Myth and Folklore Blog

 Photo by  Ant Rozetsky  on  Unsplash Story source:  American Indian Fairy Tales  by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae (1921). A long long time ago, the winds where chaos. They had no dominion over certain land and they roamed free as they pleased. Children feared the North Wind as it was cold and brought snow and ice to their lands. The North Wind was loud and fast, and children ran and hid from it. The South Wind, however, was quite the opposite. He was just a nice guy honestly. The South Wind would walk around enjoying the sun, smelling flowers, and napping on hills. Whenever the South Wind came to town the children rejoiced.  Wherever the South Wind was traveling at that time, it was summer. The North and South balanced each other well, but the North Wind had a plan. He wanted to become more powerful than his nemesis the South Wind. The North Wind knew the South Wind's routine very well. Every night the South Wind would lay down on a hill...

Photo by  Selvan B  on  Unsplash Story source:  American Indian Fairy Tales  by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae (1921). Inside old Iagoo's teepee it was warm and cheerful, even though it was cold in the forest. Iagoo broke the silence to tell a story to Eagle Feather and Morning Glory.  He told them a story of a boy who never grew to be more than three feet high. He had a sister who was much taller and stronger than him, and so she would collect food for both of them and care for him in every way. She did not realize how strange of a boy he was, and how mischievous he could be. She made her brother a bow so he could care for himself.  Winter was coming and to keep himself from freezing he needed to find a warmer garment. He tried to pluck the feathers off of birds to make a coat and keep warm, but as he shot at the birds they got scared and flew away. Each day he tried again, and when he shot 10 birds he knew he had enough. He showed his si...

Photo by  Aaron Burden  on  Unsplash Story source: American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae (1921). Old Iagoo was a well known storyteller. His grandfather had told him many tales and stories that he remembered. He was a favorite of the children, he was able to make beautiful necklaces and bows and arrows. Winter is when he told his stories. The kids were scared of how loud the wind was and they asked old Iagoo if he thought the wind could hurt them. He responded that the north wind could do no hard to those who are brave and cheerful. He realized he should tell the children a story about it.  His story about the North wind began a long long time ago where there dwelt a tribe of fisherman. The land of ice stretched over the top of the world for miles. There was a limit to the wind's power, as strong as he was. He was no match for the south wind. The south wind was in the pleasant land of the sunflower. Where he dwelt, it was always ...