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Native American Stories About Children

Here is our collection of Native American legends and traditional stories about children.

Legends About Children

*Children Stolen by Cannibal Basket Woman:
    Northwest Coast Native American story about a child who defeats an ogress.
*The Abandoned Children:
    White Mountain Apache legend about a woman punished for neglecting her children.
*Mooin, the Bear's Child:
    Micmac legend of a child adopted by a bear.
*Opichi * The Boy Who Became A Robin:
    Chippewa Indian legends about a child who turned into the first robin.
Glooscap and the Baby * Gluskabe and Dzeedzeez:
    The Wabanaki culture hero Glooskap is outmatched by a baby.
*The Grasshopper War:
    Lenape folktale about quarreling children starting a war.
*The Deserted Children:
    Gros Ventre legend about two abandoned children who escape from a deadly ghost and gain powers.
*The Cannibal Rabbit:
    Cree legend about children who defeat a man-eating rabbit monster.
*Catawba Little People Pick On Children:
    Catawba stories and traditions about the Yehasuri and the tricks they play on children.
*Coyote Dives For Meat:
    Caddo legend about Wild-Cat getting the better of Coyote. (Note that he spares Coyote's children in the end.
    In the folklore of many Native American tribes, this symbolizes not just kindness, but responsible hunting.)
*Splinter-Foot Boy:
    Caddo legend about a child hero.

Recommended Books of Related Native American Legends
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The Magic Hummingbird:
    Beautiful picture book based on a Hopi Indian folktale about two abandoned children who save their people from a drought.
The Hungry Giant of the Tundra:
    Children's book based on Yup'ik Eskimo folktales about children who outwit cannibal giants.



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