The New World Literature

The first story that I read from the American literature anthology was "The Iroquois Creation Story." It is different in some ways, but bears some similarities to the story of creation according to Christianity as well. I find it very interesting, and it says a lot about what was important to the Iroquois. There is the element of good versus evil, but nature is the main theme.



"The good mind continued the works of creation, and he formed numerous creeks and rivers on the Great Island, and then created numerous species of animals of the smallest and the greatest, to inhabit the forests, and fishes of all kinds to inhabit the waters. When he had made the universe he was in doubt respecting some being to possess the Great Island; and he formed two images of the dust of the ground in his own likeness, male and female, and by his breathing into their nostrils he gave them the living souls, and named them Ea-gwe-howe, i.e., a real people; and he gave the Great Island all the animals of game for their maintenance and he appointed thunder to water the earth by frequent rains, agreeable of the nature of the system; after this the Island became fruitful and vegetation afforded the animals subsistence."

Do you know any other Native American stories or literature?