In this renowned collection of fourteen Native stories, the noted Yankton Sioux writer Zitkala-Ša (1876–1938) shares tales learned during her childhood in the late nineteenth century. Told for generations, these stories are part of both the heritage and the legacy of the Yankton Sioux, reflecting an active, continually revitalized storytelling tradition.

Power, wonder, and a distinctive understanding of the world infuse these tales. Featured here are the classic adventures of the trickster spider Iktomi, as well as the exploits of formidable animal beings and such legendary characters as Iya the glutton, the giant Anuk-ite, and the hero Blood Clot boy. P. Jane Hafen provides a new introduction for this edition.

Zitkala-Ša’s other books include American Indian Stories and Dreams and Thunder: Stories, Poems, and “The Sun Dance Opera,” both published by the University of Nebraska Press. P. Jane Hafen is an associate professor of English at the University of Nevada–Las Vegas. She is the editor of Dreams and Thunder and coeditor of A Great Plains Reader (Nebraska 2003). Agnes Picotte is a teacher at the Red Cloud Indian School and has contributed to many volumes, including Ella Deloria’s Waterlily, available in a Bison Books edition.

“These stories are told in a delightfully personable manner, and often illustrate important life-lessons. Iktomi and the Ducks is an excellent book for children, as well as for anyone interested in teaching stories from the Native American oral tradition. We highly recommend this book!”—Susan and David Jennys, Smoke & Fire News