Audiobook · read by volunteers
American Indian Fairy Tales
William Trowbridge Larned (1865–1928) · Henry R. Schoolcraft (1793–1864)
Read by Chip · 9 chapters · 2 h 49
About the book
Long before books were common, the peoples who lived around Lake Superior passed down their stories by word of mouth. These tales explained the world: why animals look as they do, how the seasons came to be, what the stars and the winds are doing. They also carried the wisdom of a community, and were told to children and adults alike.
American Indian Fairy Tales retells a selection of such stories for young readers. The book draws on the work of Henry R. Schoolcraft, an Indian Agent and ethnologist who collected tales in the 1830s, and is retold here by William Trowbridge Larned. In nine short sections and under three hours, this recording is a gentle and often funny introduction to a rich oral tradition, to be enjoyed by families, teachers and anyone curious about the stories of the Great Lakes.
Introduction
This collection draws on the stories of the Native peoples of the Lake Superior region, which were handed down by word of mouth from one generation to the next. They were far more than entertainment for children: they carried the shared wisdom of a community. In the 1830s the government Indian Agent and ethnologist Henry R. Schoolcraft (1793–1864) collected many of them, and his work formed the basis for the retellings in this book.
The book was published in 1921 under the name of William Trowbridge Larned (1865–1928), who adapted the material for young readers. It is useful to bear in mind that this is a retelling for children by non-Native writers in the early twentieth century, based on material gathered by an outsider. The stories have been simplified and shaped to suit the tastes of the time, and they do not necessarily reflect how they would have been told in their original setting. Today, readers who are interested in Indigenous storytelling will want to approach them as one stage in a longer history, and, where possible, to look for tellings by Native authors.
Within these limits, the tales are charming. They feature clever animals, spirits of the forest and lake, and humans who learn by trial and error. Many have a gentle humour and a close attention to the natural world.
The recording has nine sections and lasts about two hours and forty-five minutes. It is read by a single LibriVox volunteer. Why listen today? Because stories are one of the best ways to approach a culture, and because these ones are brief and enjoyable. They make a good starting point for conversation, especially with children.
Public domain
William Trowbridge Larned died in 1928: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
Henry R. Schoolcraft died in 1864: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive