In the Americas, the oral tradition has created one of the oldest surviving bodies of literature on earth. Native American storytelling, in particular, stands out for its distinctive honoring of womanly power and the female forces of the universe.

Gathered here are traditional versions of stories and songs that best portray this strength and vitality. Illuminating the scope of human behaviorfrom treacherous mates and medicine men to magical sages and murderous mothersthese tales offer universal truths. And for readers who wish to explore the transformative healing gifts of...