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Native American Stories About Imitation
Here is our collection of Native American legends and traditional stories about imitation.
Legends About Imitation
The Lazy Rabbit
Rabbit Goes Duck Hunting
How Rabbit Got His Split Lip
Rabbit and Otter:
"Bungling host" stories from many different eastern tribes, in which Rabbit unsuccessfully tries to mimic how other animals
procure food. Often, though not always, these stories end in Rabbit's death.
How Wolverine Was Frozen To Death:
Micmac-Maliseet legend about Loks the Wolverine badly mimicking the magic of his brother Bear.
Veeho's Eyeballs
The Eye Juggler:
Cheyenne legends about the trickster hero losing his eyeballs trying to imitate a medicine man.
The Theft from Sun
The Fire-Leggings
Sun Teaches Veeho A Lesson:
Blackfoot and Cheyenne stories about tricksters trying to imitate the sun's powers by stealing his pants.
Silver-Fox and Coyote:
Achumawi myth about Silver-Fox creating people and Coyote trying to imitate him.
Why Coyote Stopped Imitating His Friends:
Coyote Imitates His Hosts:
When Coyote Imitated Woodpecker:
Legends from the Caddo tribe, in which Coyote tries to provide meals for his friends by imitating them in foolish ways.
Recommended Books of Related Native American Legends
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The Little Duck Sikihpsis:
Charming picture book illustrating a Cree folktale about a duck learning to stop imitating others and accept himself as he is.
Nanabosho and the Woodpecker:
A nice retelling of a Chippewa Indian legend about a trickster hero unsuccessfully imitating Woodpecker.

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