Browse Category

American Folktales

At OldFolktales.com, we celebrate the rich oral traditions of countries across North, Central, South America, and the Caribbean, sharing timeless tales that continue to inspire generations. We feature folktales from: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Chile, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. These stories include:. Native American legends. Caribbean trickster tales. Amazonian myths. Southern ghost stories. Moral tales and colonial-era fables

How the Coyote Stole Fire – A Native American Folktale

by Aanu Adegun

July 20, 2025

American Folktales

In the beginning of time, when the earth was young, there was no fire. The nights were bitter cold, and the animals huddled together under leaves and stones. Only the Fire People, who lived atop a sacred mountain, had fire, and they guarded it fiercely. The animals held a council deep in the forest. Bear roared, “We need fire, or

American Folktales

The Hummingbird and the Wind – A Mexican Folktale About Hope

Once, in the high valleys of Mexico, drought gripped the land. Flowers wilted, rivers thinned to trickles, and the great wind blew harshly across the hills. The people and animals despaired. A tiny hummingbird, no bigger than a thumb, looked around at the withered petals and sagging leaves. “Why has

The Girl and the Hidden Lake – A Canadian Folktale About Respect for Nature

In the northern reaches of Canada, nestled between jagged peaks and silent

Go toTop

American Folktales

How the Coyote Stole Fire – A Native American Folktale

The Hummingbird and the Wind – A Mexican Folktale About Hope

The Girl and the Hidden Lake – A Canadian Folktale About Respect for Nature

Categories

Banner

Subscribe