Old Indian Legends quotes
The lines readers remember from Old Indian Legends, by Zitkála-Šá.
17 quotes · About the book
Standout lines
In truth, his paint and deerskins are the best part of him—if ever dress is part of man or fairy.
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He even paints his funny face with red and yellow, and draws big black rings around his eyes. He wears a deerskin jacket, with bright colored beads sewed tightly on it. Iktomi dresses like a real Dakota brave.
In truth, his paint and deerskins are the best part of him—if ever dress is part of man or fairy.
Iktomi is a wily fellow. His hands are always kept in mischief. He prefers to spread a snare rather than to earn the smallest thing with honest hunting. Why!
Iktomi is a wily fellow. His hands are always kept in mischief.
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He wears a deerskin jacket, with bright colored beads sewed tightly on it. Iktomi dresses like a real Dakota brave. In truth, his paint and deerskins are the best part of him—if ever dress is part of man or fairy.
Iktomi is a wily fellow. His hands are always kept in mischief.
He prefers to spread a snare rather than to earn the smallest thing with honest hunting. Why! he laughs outright with wide open mouth when some simple folk are caught in a trap, sure and fast.
A young moon, like a bright bent bow, climbed up from the southwest horizon a little way into the sky.
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He was soon upon the edge of the ravine.
A young moon, like a bright bent bow, climbed up from the southwest horizon a little way into the sky.
In this pale light Iktomi stood motionless as a ghost amid the thicket. His woodpile was not yet kindled. His pointed stakes were still bare as he had left them.
Only the dry rib bones lay on the ground like giant fingers from an open grave.
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His woodpile was not yet kindled. His pointed stakes were still bare as he had left them. But where was the deer—the venison he had felt warm in his hands a moment ago? It was gone.
Only the dry rib bones lay on the ground like giant fingers from an open grave.
Iktomi was troubled. At length, stooping over the white dried bones, he took hold of one and shook it. The bones, loose in their sockets, rattled together at his touch. Iktomi let go his hold. He sprang back amazed.
Sometimes when children grow drowsy they blink blue winks, while others who are too proud to look with friendly eyes upon people blink in this cold bird-manner.
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When a bird stands aloof watching your strange ways, a thin bluish white tissue slips quickly over his eyes and as quickly off again; so quick that you think it was only a mysterious blue wink.
Sometimes when children grow drowsy they blink blue winks, while others who are too proud to look with friendly eyes upon people blink in this cold bird-manner.
The coyote was affected by both sleepiness and pride. His winks were almost as blue as the sky. In the midst of his new pleasure the swaying motion ceased. Iktomi had reached his dwelling place.
There are night people on the plain who love the dark.
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Upon the ground the land was pitchy black.
There are night people on the plain who love the dark.
Amid the black level land they meet to frolic under the stars. Then when their sharp ears hear any strange footfalls nigh they scamper away into the deep shadows of night. There they are safely hid from all dangers, they think.
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Iktomi and the Ducks
In truth, his paint and deerskins are the best part of him—if ever dress is part of man or fairy.
Show the passage
He even paints his funny face with red and yellow, and draws big black rings around his eyes. He wears a deerskin jacket, with bright colored beads sewed tightly on it. Iktomi dresses like a real Dakota brave.
In truth, his paint and deerskins are the best part of him—if ever dress is part of man or fairy.
Iktomi is a wily fellow. His hands are always kept in mischief. He prefers to spread a snare rather than to earn the smallest thing with honest hunting. Why!
Iktomi is a wily fellow. His hands are always kept in mischief.
Show the passage
He wears a deerskin jacket, with bright colored beads sewed tightly on it. Iktomi dresses like a real Dakota brave. In truth, his paint and deerskins are the best part of him—if ever dress is part of man or fairy.
Iktomi is a wily fellow. His hands are always kept in mischief.
He prefers to spread a snare rather than to earn the smallest thing with honest hunting. Why! he laughs outright with wide open mouth when some simple folk are caught in a trap, sure and fast.
Poor Iktomi cannot help being a little imp.
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He never dreams another lives so bright as he. Often his own conceit leads him hard against the common sense of simpler people.
Poor Iktomi cannot help being a little imp.
And so long as he is a naughty fairy, he cannot find a single friend. No one helps him when he is in trouble. No one really loves him.
Iktomi’s Blanket
This was very wrong, yet Iktomi did it, for his wit was not wisdom.
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“Give my blanket back, old grandfather! You do not need it. I do!”
This was very wrong, yet Iktomi did it, for his wit was not wisdom.
Drawing the blanket tight over his shoulders, he descended the hill with hurrying feet.
A young moon, like a bright bent bow, climbed up from the southwest horizon a little way into the sky.
Show the passage
He was soon upon the edge of the ravine.
A young moon, like a bright bent bow, climbed up from the southwest horizon a little way into the sky.
In this pale light Iktomi stood motionless as a ghost amid the thicket. His woodpile was not yet kindled. His pointed stakes were still bare as he had left them.
Only the dry rib bones lay on the ground like giant fingers from an open grave.
Show the passage
His woodpile was not yet kindled. His pointed stakes were still bare as he had left them. But where was the deer—the venison he had felt warm in his hands a moment ago? It was gone.
Only the dry rib bones lay on the ground like giant fingers from an open grave.
Iktomi was troubled. At length, stooping over the white dried bones, he took hold of one and shook it. The bones, loose in their sockets, rattled together at his touch. Iktomi let go his hold. He sprang back amazed.
Iktomi and the Muskrat
“Next time, say to a visiting friend, ‘Be seated beside me, my friend. Let me share with you my food.’ ”
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“Ha! ha!” laughed the muskrat, and leaning over the limb he sat upon, he let fall a small sharp bone which dropped right into Iktomi’s throat. Iktomi almost choked to death before he could get it out. In the tree the muskrat sat laughing loud.
“Next time, say to a visiting friend, ‘Be seated beside me, my friend. Let me share with you my food.’ ”
Iktomi and the Coyote
Sometimes when children grow drowsy they blink blue winks, while others who are too proud to look with friendly eyes upon people blink in this cold bird-manner.
Show the passage
When a bird stands aloof watching your strange ways, a thin bluish white tissue slips quickly over his eyes and as quickly off again; so quick that you think it was only a mysterious blue wink.
Sometimes when children grow drowsy they blink blue winks, while others who are too proud to look with friendly eyes upon people blink in this cold bird-manner.
The coyote was affected by both sleepiness and pride. His winks were almost as blue as the sky. In the midst of his new pleasure the swaying motion ceased. Iktomi had reached his dwelling place.
“Another day, my friend, do not take too much for granted. Make sure the enemy is stone dead before you make a fire!”
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Sitting on his haunches, on the opposite side of the fire from where Iktomi stood, the coyote began to laugh at him.
“Another day, my friend, do not take too much for granted. Make sure the enemy is stone dead before you make a fire!”
Then off he ran so swiftly that his long bushy tail hung out in a straight line with his back.
Iktomi and the Fawn
Iktomi’s tears were like a spring shower. A new desire dried them quickly away.
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By this time the fawns gathered close around Iktomi. They poked their noses at him trying to know who he was.
Iktomi’s tears were like a spring shower. A new desire dried them quickly away.
Stepping boldly to the largest fawn, he looked closely at the little brown spots all over the furry face.
The Tree-Bound
But Iktomi’s ears were like the fungus on a tree. He did not hear with them.
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“Oh, Iktomi, set me free!” begged the tree-bound Dakota brave.
But Iktomi’s ears were like the fungus on a tree. He did not hear with them.
Wearing the handsome buckskins and carrying proudly the magic arrow in his right hand, he started off eastward. Imitating the swaying strides of the avenger, he walked away with a face turned slightly skyward.
Dance in a Buffalo Skull
There are night people on the plain who love the dark.
Show the passage
Upon the ground the land was pitchy black.
There are night people on the plain who love the dark.
Amid the black level land they meet to frolic under the stars. Then when their sharp ears hear any strange footfalls nigh they scamper away into the deep shadows of night. There they are safely hid from all dangers, they think.
The Toad and the Boy
Not knowing that the syllables of a Dakota’s cry are the names of loved ones gone, the ugly toad mother sought to please the boy’s ear with the names of valuable articles.
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“Hin-hin, doeskin! Hin-hin, Ermine, Ermine! Hin-hin, red blanket, with white border!”
Not knowing that the syllables of a Dakota’s cry are the names of loved ones gone, the ugly toad mother sought to please the boy’s ear with the names of valuable articles.
Having shrieked in a torturing voice and mouthed extravagant names, the old toad rolled her tearless eyes with great satisfaction. Hopping back into her dwelling, she asked:
Iya, the Camp-Eater
“Such spindle legs cannot stand to fight by daylight!”
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“Ha! ha!” laughed all the village people to see Iya made foolish with anger.
“Such spindle legs cannot stand to fight by daylight!”
shouted the brave ones who were terror-struck the night before by the name “Iya.”
Manštin, the Rabbit
“The earth is our common ear, to carry from its uttermost extremes one’s slightest wish for the other!”
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“Henceforth we are friends, to help each other,” said Manštin, shaking a right hand in farewell.
“The earth is our common ear, to carry from its uttermost extremes one’s slightest wish for the other!”
“Ho! Be it so!” answered the newly made man.
“My grandchild, your eyes are your luxury! you would be unhappy without them!”
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“Grandfather, I wish I lived in such sure luxury! I would lean back against a tent pole, and with crossed feet I would smoke sweet willow bark the rest of my days,” sighed Manštin.
“My grandchild, your eyes are your luxury! you would be unhappy without them!”
the old man replied.
“Grandfather, I would give you my two eyes for your place!”
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“My grandchild, your eyes are your luxury! you would be unhappy without them!” the old man replied.
“Grandfather, I would give you my two eyes for your place!”
cried Manštin.
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