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This is our collection of links to Mandan folktales and traditional stories that can be read online. We have indexed our Native American myths 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 Mandan tribe, the traditional stories of related tribes like the Hidatsa and Sioux are very similar.
Lone Man
(also known as Numank Maxana, Numakmaxena, or Numak-mahana in Mandan, or
Only Man or One Man in English):
Mythical first human and culture hero of the Mandan tribe. He worked together with
Coyote to shape the earth and teach the people how to live.
Coyote
(also known as Ki-numakshi in Mandan and First Coyote, First Creator, He Becomes Chief,
or Elder Brother in English): Unlike most Siouan tribes, the Mandans did not consider Coyote
as a buffoon or trickster character, but as a powerful creator god. So although there are still
a few humorous Mandan coyote stories to be told, the majority of them are considered sacred
just as the stories about Lone Man are.
First Creator and Lone Man
Creation of the World:
Mandan Myth of Emergence:
The Great Flood
Mandan Flood Myth:
The Cedar Basket:
The Buffalo Dance:
The Bird That Turned The Meat Bitter:
Legends and Folklore of the Northern Lights:
Mandan Social and Ceremonial Organization: 
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