Indian Legends Retold

"Indian Legends Retold" by Elaine Goodale Eastman is a collection of Native American folklore and fables written in the early 20th century. The book presents retellings of various legends from different tribes, conveying moral lessons and insights into the realities and philosophies of Native American life as seen through the eyes of multiple narrators, mainly human characters interacting with animals and the supernatural. At the start of the collection, the introduction offers a glimpse into the significance of these legends, explaining their role in educating children about nature, morality, and spirituality. In the opening segment that follows, readers are introduced to characters such as the maiden approached by the Cloud, and the mischievous Coyote, setting the tone for the storytelling that combines humor with moral depth. The tales explore themes such as transformation, sacrifice, and the deep connection to nature, providing insights not only into the specific tribes from which the tales originate but also the universal truths that resonate throughout the human experience. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Elaine Goodale Eastman (1863–1953) and Dora Read Goodale (1866–1953) were American poets and sisters from Massachusetts. They published their first poetry as children still living at home, and were included in Edmund Clarence Stedman's classic An American Anthology (1900).