American Indian Fairytales - A Forgotten Native American Children's Classic

Initially published in 1895 and again in 1907, American Indian Fairytales is a collection of Native American folklore especially compiled for children and young adults.

The author, Margaret Compton, drew on authentic lore and anthropological research from a wide variety of sources of the day, including the Smithsonian Institute and US government reports. Considering the difficulty and duration of trans-continental travel in the day (the Trans-Continental railroad was only completed in 1869) and the relatively young age of the United States, it's a wonder she managed to collate so much material in such a short space of time. Markedly, she retains some of the most colourful story elements, such as grotesque monsters and cross-dressing characters, which some other authors and publishers of her day (and possibly ours) might have omitted under the banner of Political Correctness.

She further maintained the authenticity of the works by sprinkling throughout stereotypical language references of the time, like "squaw," "papoose," and "wigwam". The late Sir George Webbe Dasent, the famous translator and editor of mainly Norse and Viking sagas and tales, once wrote "the person who, in such a work, wilfully changes or softens, is as guilty as they "who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter." Therefore we can thank Margaret Compton for her perseverance in retaining the stories and tales as she saw them. Something that could not have been easy for a female author in her day.

Originally published under the title Snow Bird and the Water Tiger and other American Indian Tales, this volume includes 17 stories of Magical Feathers, Fighting Hares, Islands of Skeletons, Great Wizards, Bended Rocks, Snow bird and Water Tiger, Star Maidens, Living Statues and more. In addition, and interestingly, a description of the Iagoo, the narator of the stories in this book, also waits within. Each story is embellished with a decorative capital and there are at least 10 exquisite illustrations.

American Indian Fairytales also provides an interesting window into the attitudes of the past; as such we encourage readers to think upon how attitudes have changed in the century since this book was originally published. So join with us and journey back to a time when these stories were told around spitting and crackling campfires, to the delight of young and old alike.

This book is one of seven dedicated to raising funds for the American Indian Education Fund. 33% of the publisher's profit from the sale of this book will be donated to this institution.