Trickster Tales of Southeastern Native Americans

Terry L. Norton is a 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.

• Table of ContentsPrefacePurposeOrigins and Organization of the SelectionsIssues of Authentication and SovereigntyAdditional InformationAcknowledgmentsIntroduction to the TricksterA Ubiquitous CharacterKey AttributesGender IssuesConclusionCreek TalesThe Way of RabbitWhy Rabbit StealsThe People Discover Rabbit’s WaysRabbit Gets Lion Across the OceanRabbit Plays Scratch with WildcatRabbit Challenges Two ­Tie-SnakesRabbit and the Buffaloes’ ­Tug-o-WarRabbit Fools AlligatorTerrapin Fools RabbitRaccoon, Panther, and the DeerRabbit and the Woman’s Only SonRabbit and WolfHow Rabbit Married the Widow’s DaughterRabbit Tricks CoyoteRabbit Deceives the Other AnimalsRabbit Escapes from the BoxHow Rabbit Won a Second WifeThe Boy Who Outwitted the BuffaloesThe Boy and the LionHitchiti TalesThe Wolves Try to Trick the DogsRabbit Does the Old Man’s BiddingRabbit, Wolf, and BuzzardRabbit, Wildcat, the Big Tree, and the NutsRabbit, Wildcat, and the BuffaloBear, Rabbit, and Buzzard (or, The Bungling Host)Rabbit and the MedicineRabbit and the Vegetable GardenRabbit’s False TalkRabbit and the Old Man’s DaughtersAlabama TalesBig ­Man-Eater’s Wife Gets Fed UpRabbit Kills Big ­Man-EaterRabbit Frees the SunAn Orphan Outdoes RabbitSkunk Deceives the WolvesKoasati/Coushatta TalesRabbit Provides FireRabbit and Big ­Man-Eater Trade ShoesRabbit, Big ­Man-Eater, and the RiverRabbit Plays Pranks on ElephantRabbit’s Grandmother Punishes BuzzardRabbit, the Turkeys, and Spunk SoupPossum and Panther Become PartnersNatchez TalesPerch Fools OwlWolf and Rabbit Cannot Get AlongRabbit Kills AlligatorThe Young Hunter’s AdventuresWhy Possum Hangs by His TailFox and Crawfish Have a RaceTurkey Tricks WildcatThe Fawn, the Wolves, the Skunk, and the TerrapinSeminole TalesRabbit Brings Back FireRabbit Wants a WifeThe Thunder Boys Deceive and Kill an Old WomanCatawba TalesRabbit Steals Fire from BuzzardThe Woman Who Stole a Boy and Became a CometHow Possum Tricked Deer and WolfPig and WolfHow Fox Took Turtle’s WaterHow Rooster Tricked FoxThe Cherokee Hunter OutwittedCherokee TalesHow Turkey Took Terrapin’s ScalpTerrapin Outwits the WolvesHow Partridge Got His WhistleRabbit Steals Otter’s CoatWhy Possum’s Tail Has No HairRabbit Hunts DucksRabbit and Possum Try to Get a WifeRabbit Escapes from WolvesRabbit and Tar WolfRabbit Escapes from WildcatHow Rabbit Got a Split LipDeer Gets HornsWhy Deer Has Blunt TeethWhat Happened to RabbitAppendix A: Story Adaptations and Authentication of SourcesAppendix B: Sovereignty and AppropriationAppendix C: Social Climate and Swanton’s Use of LatinAppendix D: Historical Sketches of Southeastern Native Groups and Commentary on Selected VariantsNotesBibliographyIndex

“Norton 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 Journal