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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.
List of contents
Table of ContentsPreface
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
About the author
Terry L. Norton is professor emeritus of education at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he taught courses in literacy education and children's and adolescent literature. He lives in Rock Hill.
