Tales from the American Indians

by Samuel DenHartog

Step into the rich tapestry of Native American culture with "Tales from the American Indians." This collection of stories from various tribes across North America invites you to explore the profound legends, deities, and myths that have shaped the spiritual and cultural landscapes of these communities. From the wisdom of the Apache Gahe Mountain Spirits to the life-giving Changing Woman of the Navajo, each tale offers a glimpse into the values, beliefs, and traditions that have been passed down through generations.

Discover the fascinating narratives of heroic figures like the Cheyenne's Sweet Medicine and the Sioux's White Buffalo Calf Woman, whose stories of bravery and resilience continue to inspire. Encounter the mystical beings such as the Cherokee Uktena, a powerful horned serpent, and the Hopi Kachinas, spirit beings that connect the natural and spiritual worlds. These stories, filled with adventure, morality, and supernatural elements, provide a deeper understanding of the diverse heritage and enduring wisdom of the American Indian tribes.

"Tales from the American Indians" is a journey into the heart of America's indigenous peoples. Whether you are a student of history, a lover of mythology, or someone seeking to broaden their cultural horizons, this anthology promises to enrich your knowledge and appreciation of Native American traditions. Let these timeless tales captivate your imagination and offer a window into the sacred and storied past of the original inhabitants of this land.

236 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 5, 2024

About the author

Samuel DenHartog is a versatile and imaginative author whose works span a wide array of genres, including mythology, fables, fairy tales, fantasy, romance, mystery, science fiction, and children's books. His stories captivate readers of all ages, blending wonder with rich, timeless narratives.

What sets Samuel apart is his ability to breathe new life into ancient tales while preserving their core essence. Whether it's mythology, folklore, or fairy tales from various cultures, by carefully balancing tradition with modern touches, he creates stories that resonate with contemporary audiences, making historical and mythical narratives feel fresh, relevant, and engaging.

Off the page, Samuel is a lifelong learner, constantly expanding his creative horizons and engaging with innovative ideas. His journey is a continual pursuit of knowledge and creativity, bridging the worlds of tradition and imagination.

Reviews

[Marc *Dark Reader with a Thousand Young! Iä!* · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, another "Tales from" product from Samuel DenHartog, it must be literally any day of the week. Because these are churned out every 2-3 days, going on for months, with every word and image generated by A.I.

No matter what culture's myths are being raided from whatever internet mythology database is being fed into ChatGPT to produce these collections of crap, the result is always the same: dozens of two page "tales" stuffed with banality, overwrought self-importance, repetitive words and phrasing because that's what generative A.I. fiction is all about, and an utter lack of actual storytelling or honoring the presented culture or providing any useful information to the reader other than "this thing exists." I've read enough them to make it clear that these stories offer nothing, literally NOTHING beyond the brief wikipedia entry on the subject, and actively detract from the source material with the vapid text that forms the epitome of nothingburgers.

Take this collection's opening story, about Adekagagwaa, a spirit of summer. This is how it goes: The land is warming up. The people attributed this to Adekagagwaa. Tahote, a useless blank character if ever there was one, decides to meet Adekagagwaa. He meets him and goes home. The land is warming up, which it was already fucking doing at the start of the passage.

This is my favorite part of the story:

His journey was filled with challenges.

Oh was it? Name one. Name one single challenge. Show me anything remotely challenging. Here is the full passage so you can see how empty the whole thing is:

His journey was filled with challenges. The forest was dense and alive with the rustling of creatures unseen. He moved with the grace of a deer, his senses attuned to the subtle changes around him.

Days turned into nights, and just as Tahote's hope began to wane, he stumbled upon a glade bathed in golden light. At its center stood a figure, tall and radiant, with a crown of flowers and vines entwined in his hair. His eyes sparkled like sunlight on water, and a warm smile spread across his face.

"Adekagagwaa," Tahote whispered, awe-struck.

The spirit turned, his voice as melodious as the birdsong. "Welcome, young hunter. I have been expecting you."

Tahote bowed low. "Great Spirit, I seek your blessing for my people. The winter has been long, and we are in need of your warmth." [I note that at the story's opening, everything was already warming up, flowers were blooming, they're fine.]

Adekagagwaa's laughter was like a breeze rustling through the leaves. "Rise, Tahote. The warmth you seek is already on its way. But tell me, what have you learned on your journey?"

Tahote thought for a moment. "I have learned patience, perseverance, and the value of hope. I have seen the resilience of the forest and the beauty of nature's balance."

Oh you fucking did, did you? When? When did you learn any of that shit? We just read the entirety of the "journey" and none of that fucking happened. "Filled with challenges," my ass.

As stated, the only thing one can possibly draw from this story is: Adekagagwaa is a spirit of summer. The end. That information is free.

So anyway, that's what this AI-slinging "author" is foisting on people, for cash money, while pretending that it's not A.I. And it's selling; the Amazon sales ranks for his books are painfully depressing. Wake up and smell the A.I. garbage, people.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

White dude with no connection to indigenous people uses AI to rehash stories and then publishes them as if he wrote something meaningful, and doesn't even bother to use modern, respectful, and accurate terminology for the people he's exploiting.

[Professor P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tales From the American Indians is an enjoyable anthology of stories from the various tribes that once lived in the United States.

The tales range from creation myths to warrior legends to trickster tales. Each are enjoyably told, with lively language and original vocabulary for important characters and objects.

I particularly liked reading these tales because I learned a great deal about the narrative flow in Native American myth. We expect rising action and a climax in most modern fiction. In these writings, learning and wisdom seemed to replace the climax. It was interesting to read tales where the goal seemed to be to learn from the natural world rather than conquer it.

I took off one point because the tales are not grouped in any particular way (by theme or tribe). The lack of organizing principle made it hard to really learn a great deal about any one people.

A good read.

4 stars.

[Nora Staal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally love reading folktales, legends, and myths from different countries and cultures, and this book of short stories is a nice collection from American Indians. Some of the stories don’t quite follow the typical story arc that is most familiar in Western literature, so they feel like they end very suddenly, but I think those are a good opportunity to learn a different style of telling a story. I can’t comment on the accuracy of the translation from the original oral narrative, so I just assume that they are close. I’m enjoying reading it, and I appreciate that the short length makes it very easy to read one or two stories at a time.

[Natelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shares stories from the traditions of various Native American tribes. As these were usually shared orally around a fire, they lose some of their power by being read wherever one happens to be. I feel these are a good introduction and hope to someday hear some of them as they are meant to be told by a tribal elder.

[J And · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanting Tales from Native Cultures

There are more than 60 stories in this book from a number of Native cultures. Each is interesting and communicates the importance of community and of living in harmony with nature. We Non-Natives have much to learn from our Native neighbors.

[Cheyenne Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since school I have always had interest in Native American customs and came to learn I have a Native ancestor from late 1800s early 1900s from a PA tribe while the name couldn’t be recalled as it’s in a book made for history of ancestors I felt drawn to enter and I appreciate my win

[Vicky Peplow · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read!

I read enjoyed reading this book as I've always had an interest in Mythology and American Indians. The only downfall I found in this book is that a lot of the stories are quiet similar which makes it quite repetitive. I enjoyed it all the same.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Algorithmically generated slop, like everything else this "author" "writes". Do not read.