Myths and LegendsNature and Animals

Native Americans believed in-

myths and legends

heroes and tricksters

Social order and appropriate behavior

Creation stories and animal spirits

Each Indian tribe had its own beliefs about the origin of light.

And the origin of the Earth.

or just the origin of life itself.

The opossum’s tail wasn’t always bare. The opossum was known for his bushy, beautiful tail.

Giraffes did not always have long necks.

Bears had long tails.

Coyote was very nosey and often caused trouble.

Raven and Spider were

trickster heroes.

Animals were extremely important.

Some animals were considered spirit guides.

Animals are wondrous happy creatures. There is no doubt that animals have beautiful, balanced emotions. They love and defend one another. They feel sorrow and melancholy. Yet, there has never been a war between animal species. They know nothing about greed, envy, and hate. They live their entire lives without sin.

They have many amazing powers and use those powers only to benefit their kind and not to overcome their opponents. There is a reason why the Creator put all of us together on the same planet. A part of that reason is to learn from one another.

Animals are here to teach humans. They have many powerful lessons to give. They remind us that we are only a small part of creation; that each part of creation has a place; that each creature has its own skill and wisdom.

A Messenger Guide quickly comes into your life and then leaves once a message is understood.

A Shadow Animal Guide is one that invades you with fear. Its purpose it to teach a lesson you have not learned from repeated mistakes because of anger, avarice, greed, insecurity, or other negative thoughts. A Shadow Guide will return again and again bearing strong feelings of fear until its message is acted upon or a change in lifestyle or actions are incorporated into your life.

A Journey Animal Guide appears at the fork in the road of your life. When a decision is made to follow a certain path in life, the Journey Guide is there to serve as a guide along the way. It represents a path that may take months or years to complete. It can be a friendly traveling companion if the path is right. If you become lost along the way, the Journey Guide is there help lead the way back. Unlike a Messenger Guide who comes and leaves quickly, the Journey Guide remains at your side until the current cycle in your life has changed. appears at the fork in the road of your life.

A Life Animal Guide is also called a Spirit Guide as it remains a part of you throughout life and reflects your inner-spiritual self. You may have more than one Life Guide and new ones may come during an expected time. Usually a Life Guide does not move away or disappear but remains an integral part of your life, however, there are instances when a particular Life Guide is no longer needed and is replaced with a new one.

Each individual Indian tribe had its own stories and tales about creation and transformations.

* These stories and tales have become part of oral literature.

• Stories were told to teach a moral lesson and to convey practical information about the natural world.

* All stories, poems, narratives, and songs are filled with a deep respect for nature and animals.