Native Languages of the Americas: Lenape Delaware Indian Legends
This is our collection of Delaware (Lenape) 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 Lenape (Unami) Delawares, the traditional stories of
related tribes like the
Nanticoke and Munsee Delawares are very similar.
Enjoy the stories! If you would like to recommend a Lenape legend for this page or think one of the ones on here
should be removed, please contact us and let us know.
The Walam Olum (also spelled Walum Olum, Wallum Olam, and several other ways.)
This was the name given to a book of Lenape mythological pictographs supposedly discovered by the European eccentric C.S. Rafinesque.
It turned out to be a hoax-- Rafinesque drew the pictures himself-- but he clearly did base the book on real Algonquian myths. Unfortunately, since Rafinesque was
so intent on pretending he had discovered an original Lenape writing system, he didn't properly source any of the myths he recorded in the Walum Olum, at least some of
which definitely came from tribes other than the Lenape; so even though some of this work must have come from real Lenape storytellers, it's impossible to
be certain which parts those are, and the Walam Olum can't be treated as a reliable source for Lenape folklore.
Ketanėtuwit (also spelled Kittanitowet, Ketanitowet,
Kitanitowit, and several other ways.)
This means "Great Spirit" in the Lenape language, and is the Lenape name for the Creator (God,) who is sometimes also referred to as Kishelėmukonkw
(Kishelemukonk, Kishelamakank, Gicelemu'kaong, etc.) or Kickerom. Unlike most other Algonquian folklore, Lenape stories often personified the Great Spirit
as a human interacting with the Lenapes; other Lenape myths treated Ketanėtuwit as a divine spirit with no human form or attributes.
Ketanėtuwit is pronounced similar to keh-tah-nuh-tuh-wit, and Kishelėmukonkw similar
to keesh-shay-luh-mook-kawnk, with a slight whistle at the end.
Mahtantu (also spelled Matantu, Muttontoe, and other ways.)
The manėtu (spirit) of death. A destructive, often evil being usually in opposition to Ketanėtuwit. After the introduction of Christianity, Lenape people
frequently identified Mahtantu with the Devil. Pronounced muh-tun-toh.
Moskim or Tschimammus.
Rabbit, the benevolent culture hero of the Wabanaki tribes (sometimes referred to as a "transformer" by folklorists.) Not many stories about Moskim
are still told today, but he seems to have shared some similarities with other Algonquian heroes such as the Wabanaki
Glooskap, Anishinabe
Nanabozho, and Cree
Wesakaychak. "Moskim" is pronounced moh-skeem and "Tschimammus" is pronounced
chuh-mah-muss.
Nanapush (also spelled Nanabush, Manabush, Nanabozho, and other ways.)
Nanapush was not a Lenape character at all but the culture hero of the Anishinabe tribes.
This is one of several confusions introduced by Rafinesque's "Walam Olum" book. Lenape stories featuring Nanabush were probably originally about
Moskim/Tschimammus, or else may actually be Chippewa stories mistaken for Lenape ones.
Crazy Jack (Wehixamukes, Kupahweese, etc.)
Human trickster figures, notable for foolishness and laziness, but usually escaping serious peril through moments of intuitive wisdom and good luck.
Mesingw (also spelled Misingw, Msingw, Mesingwe, Misinkhalikan,
Misinghalikun, and other ways.) This is the Lenape Mask Spirit, a powerful medicine spirit who appears to Lenape men in dreams and is the focus of certain
traditional Lenape religious rituals. Some non-Lenape people have recently been claiming Mesingw has something to do with Bigfoot for some reason. This is a
total fabrication as far as any of us know. Many Native American tribes do have bigfoot/sasquatch/hairy man legends but the Lenape Mask Spirit is not one of them.
The name is pronounced in between muh-seeng and muh-seeng-wuh.
Mhuwe (also spelled Mhuiwe, Mehuwe, and other ways.)
A man-eating giant, like the Windigo of the Ojibway and Cree tribes or the Chenoo of the Mi'kmaq and Maliseet.
Native culture
Lenape Stories:
The Lenapé Creation Story: 
