Old Indian Legends

Old Indian Legends is a collection of retold Dakota stories published in 1901 by Zitkala-Sa. Zitkala-Sa, born Gertrude Simmons, was a writer and reformer dedicated to expanding opportunities for Native Americans and preserving their cultures.1

The book draws from traditional Native American storytelling, a practice integral to the social and cultural life of Indigenous peoples. These tales often feature repetition and can be considered myths if they describe events from a time when the world was still forming, or folktales if they involve more recent occurrences. The stories within Old Indian Legends likely reflect themes common in Plains Native American mythology, such as creation stories, trickster figures like Coyote, and the significance of natural elements and animals. Zitkala-Sa's work aimed to share these cultural narratives while also highlighting her own struggle to maintain her Native American identity amidst pressure to assimilate into dominant American culture.231