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Native Languages of the Americas:
Cherokee Legends and Traditional Stories

This is our collection of links to Cherokee folktales and traditional stories that can be read online. We have indexed our Native American legends section by tribe to make them easier to locate; however, variants on the same legend are often told by American Indians from different tribes, especially if those tribes are kinfolk or neighbors to each other. In particular, though these legends come from the Cherokee tribe, the traditional stories of related tribes like the Iroquois and Creeks are very similar.

Enjoy the stories! If you would like to recommend a Cherokee legend for this page or think one of the ones on here should be removed, please contact us and let us know.

Important Cherokee Mythological Figures

Cherokee Indian Folklore

*Cherokee Myths:
    Online collection of Cherokee myths and legends.
*Cherokee Stories:
    Video of a Cherokee storyteller relating a legend about Rattlesnake.
*Earth Making * Cherokee Story of the Creation:
    Cherokee myth about the creation of the world.
*The Deluge:
    Cherokee Indian story about the Great Flood.
*Kanati and Selu * The Origin of Game and of Corn * Kanati the Hunter:
    Cherokee Indian legends about Corn Woman and her family.
*Grandmother Spider Steals The Sun: * Spider and the Sun:
    Cherokee version of a typical Southeastern myth about the origin of light.
*The Giant Inchworm:
    Cherokee legend about how the inchworm was defeated, in Cherokee and English.
*Uktena * The Snake Boy * The Tlanuhwa and The Uhktena:
    Cherokee legends about the Uktena serpent.
*The First Strawberries * The Origin of Strawberries:
    Cherokee folktale about the reconciliation of a quarreling couple.
*Origin of the Pleiades:
    Cherokee Indian legend about boys who became stars.
*Origin of Disease and Medicine * The Origin of Medicine:
    Cherokee legends about how herbs came to the people.
*Hummingbird Brings Back Tobacco * How They Brought Back The Tobacco:
    Cherokee legends about the origin of tobacco.
*The Sacred Pipe of the Tsalagi:
    Cherokee legend about the origin of the pipe.
*Why Mole Lives Underground:
    Cherokee legend about Mole's brief career as a matchmaker.
*The Legend of the First Woman:
    Cherokee myth of how women were created.
*Tsvdigewi:
    Cherokee folktales about the Little People.
*Sun and her Daughter * Daughter of the Sun:
    Cherokee legend about the daughter of the Sun.
*Legend of the Cedar Tree:
    Cherokee legend about the origin of day and night.
*Why Rabbit Has A Short Tail:
    Cherokee legend about Fox playing a trick on Rabbit.
*Why the Possum's Tail is Bare * Why The Opossum's Tail Is Bare:
    Cherokee legend about Rabbit playing a trick on Possum.
*How the Milky Way Came to Be:
    Cherokee legend about the origin of the Milky Way.
*Cherokee Bear Legend:
    Cherokee folklore about a clan that turned into bears.
*The Thunder Nation and the Eagle:
    Cherokee legend about Thunder and Eagle giving out powers to the animals.
*How the Cherokee Learned the Rattlesnake Prayer Song:
    Cherokee legend about a woman who paid the price for killing a rattlesnake.
*How The Rabbit Stole The Otter's Coat:
    Cherokee legend about Rabbit masquerading as Otter.
*The Rabbit Goes Duck Hunting:
    Cherokee tale about Rabbit unsuccessfully imitating Otter.
*What the Stars Are Like * The Moon And The Thunders:
    Cherokee legend about the celestial objects.
*How the Cherokee Learned the Rattlesnake Prayer Song:
    Cherokee legend about a woman who paid the price for killing a rattlesnake.
*How the Red Bird Got His Color:
    Cherokee legend about the cardinal, in Cherokee and English.
*Legend of the Cherokee Rose:
    19th-century legend about the origin of the Cherokee Rose.

Additional Resources

 Books of Native American legends
 Native American religion
 Seven Cherokee ceremonies



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Learn more about the Cherokee tribe.



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