The myths and legends in this collection have been selected both for their excellence as stories and because they illustrate the distinctive nature of Native American storytelling. They are drawn from oral traditions of the major culture areas of aboriginal North America, and include trickster tales, origin myths and stories of domestic sexual conflict.
In a substantial introduction and headnotes to each story, editor Karl Kroeber highlights the otherness of Native American narratives, in which suspense is insignificant, metaphors hardly used, protagonists are often unnamed and ambiguity of motives is stressed. He reveals the highly practical functions of myths and legends in Native American societies, demonstrating how they helped listeners to explore the efficacy of social practices and cultural institutions, and how they reinforced American Indians' profound spiritual engagement with their natural environment.

This collection makes accessible to any reader the uniqueness and diversity of Native American storytelling.