Native American Legends
Iktomi
A Lakota Legend
Iktomi is a spider fairy. He wears brown deerskin leggings with
long soft fringes on either side, and tiny beaded moccasins on his
feet.
His long black hair is parted in the middle and wrapped with red,
red bands. Each round braid hangs over a small brown ear and falls
forward over his shoulders.
He even paints his funny face with red and yellow, and draws big
black rings around his eyes. He wears a deerskin jacket, with bright
colored beads sewed tightly on it. Iktomi dresses like a real Lakota
brave. In truth, his paint and deerskins are the best part of him--if
ever dress is part of man or fairy.
Iktomi is a wily fellow. His hands are always kept in mischief.
He prefers to spread a snare rather than to earn the smallest thing
with honest hunting. Why! he laughs outright with wide open mouth
when some simple folk are caught in a trap, sure and fast.
He never dreams another lives so bright as he. Often his own conceit
leads him hard against the common sense of simpler people. Poor
Iktomi cannot help being a little imp. And so long as he is a naughty
fairy, he cannot find a single friend.
No one helps him when he is in trouble. No one really loves him.
Those who come to admire his handsome beaded jacket and long fringed
leggings soon go away sick and tired of his vain, vain words and
heartless laughter.
Thus Iktomi lives alone in a cone-shaped wigwam upon the plain.
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