American Indian languages American Indian cultures Native nations

Native American Stories About Impatience

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

Legends About Impatience

Gluskonba and the Four Wishes

Glooskap Grants Three Wishes:
Wabanaki stories about a patient hunter and his impatient friends.

How the Turtle Flew South for the Winter:
Oneida legend about Turtle's impatience getting him into trouble.

Coyote, the Deer, and the Wind:
Caddo legend about Coyote rashly losing a power given to him by Wind.

Baby Rattlesnake:
Charming picture book about an impatient young rattlesnake learning a lesson, told by a Chickasaw storyteller.

Nanabosho Grants a Wish:
A nice retelling of a Chippewa Indian legend about a man whose impatience turns him into a tree.