Description
Book Synopsis An agent of chaos and deceit, the trickster has been a favorite character spanning thousands of years and multiple peoples. From legends belonging to Native Americans such as the Creek, Natchez, Seminole and Catawba, to tales borrowed from Africa and Europe, this work discusses 73 trickster tales.
Beginning with Creek tales, this book continues with a blend of Native American and African American folktales, organized according to the indigenous people who told them. These stories include the American Southeast''s most notorious trickster, Rabbit; his gullible victims such as Alligator, Wildcat and Wolf; and other tricksters such as Buzzard, Pig, Possum and more.
Trade ReviewNorton has produced a collection of trickster tales from Indigenous cultures in the Southeastern U.S., including Creek, Natchez, Cherokee, and Catawba; chapters are arranged by cultural origin. An interesting feature is the interweaving of stories between Indigenous and African American traditions, as both traditions employ trickster rabbits.... The author also provides historical sketches of the Indigenous nations included in the book and discusses various perspectives on the retelling of their stories by non-Indigenous people.... This fine collection of Indigenous stories from Southeastern U.S. tribes adds a cultural depth to folklore collections, fitting for both scholarly anthropology as well as for use in classrooms."—
Library JournalTable of Contents
- Table of Contents
- Preface
- Purpose
- Origins and Organization of the Selections
- Issues of Authentication and Sovereignty
- Additional Information
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction to the Trickster
- A Ubiquitous Character
- Key Attributes
- Gender Issues
- Conclusion
- Creek Tales
- The Way of Rabbit
- Why Rabbit Steals
- The People Discover Rabbit's Ways
- Rabbit Gets Lion Across the Ocean
- Rabbit Plays Scratch with Wildcat
- Rabbit Challenges Two Tie-Snakes
- Rabbit and the Buffaloes' Tug-o-War
- Rabbit Fools Alligator
- Terrapin Fools Rabbit
- Raccoon, Panther, and the Deer
- Rabbit and the Woman's Only Son
- Rabbit and Wolf
- How Rabbit Married the Widow's Daughter
- Rabbit Tricks Coyote
- Rabbit Deceives the Other Animals
- Rabbit Escapes from the Box
- How Rabbit Won a Second Wife
- The Boy Who Outwitted the Buffaloes
- The Boy and the Lion
- Hitchiti Tales
- The Wolves Try to Trick the Dogs
- Rabbit Does the Old Man's Bidding
- Rabbit, Wolf, and Buzzard
- Rabbit, Wildcat, the Big Tree, and the Nuts
- Rabbit, Wildcat, and the Buffalo
- Bear, Rabbit, and Buzzard (or, The Bungling Host)
- Rabbit and the Medicine
- Rabbit and the Vegetable Garden
- Rabbit's False Talk
- Rabbit and the Old Man's Daughters
- Alabama Tales
- Big Man-Eater's Wife Gets Fed Up
- Rabbit Kills Big Man-Eater
- Rabbit Frees the Sun
- An Orphan Outdoes Rabbit
- Skunk Deceives the Wolves
- Koasati/Coushatta Tales
- Rabbit Provides Fire
- Rabbit and Big Man-Eater Trade Shoes
- Rabbit, Big Man-Eater, and the River
- Rabbit Plays Pranks on Elephant
- Rabbit's Grandmother Punishes Buzzard
- Rabbit, the Turkeys, and Spunk Soup
- Possum and Panther Become Partners
- Natchez Tales
- Perch Fools Owl
- Wolf and Rabbit Cannot Get Along
- Rabbit Kills Alligator
- The Young Hunter's Adventures
- Why Possum Hangs by His Tail
- Fox and Crawfish Have a Race
- Turkey Tricks Wildcat
- The Fawn, the Wolves, the Skunk, and the Terrapin
- Seminole Tales
- Rabbit Brings Back Fire
- Rabbit Wants a Wife
- The Thunder Boys Deceive and Kill an Old Woman
- Catawba Tales
- Rabbit Steals Fire from Buzzard
- The Woman Who Stole a Boy and Became a Comet
- How Possum Tricked Deer and Wolf
- Pig and Wolf
- How Fox Took Turtle's Water
- How Rooster Tricked Fox
- The Cherokee Hunter Outwitted
- Cherokee Tales
- How Turkey Took Terrapin's Scalp
- Terrapin Outwits the Wolves
- How Partridge Got His Whistle
- Rabbit Steals Otter's Coat
- Why Possum's Tail Has No Hair
- Rabbit Hunts Ducks
- Rabbit and Possum Try to Get a Wife
- Rabbit Escapes from Wolves
- Rabbit and Tar Wolf
- Rabbit Escapes from Wildcat
- How Rabbit Got a Split Lip
- Deer Gets Horns
- Why Deer Has Blunt Teeth
- What Happened to Rabbit
- Appendix A: Story Adaptations and Authentication of Sources
- Appendix B: Sovereignty and Appropriation
- Appendix C: Social Climate and Swanton's Use of Latin
- Appendix D: Historical Sketches of Southeastern Native Groups and Commentary on Selected Variants
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
