Core Myths

The links between myths when taken as a set form a network that exemplifies the system of interconnections that subsist among the individual stories contained in the encyclopedia. The number of links that each myth has can function as a rough index of its importance in the system as a whole, which allows us to gain a sense of the extent to which its contents lie at the core of the system. Here is the ranking of the top 25 myths according to the number of times each is cited in other myths (links IN) and the number of times each cites other myths (links OUT).

Story IN Links OUT Links
1. The Medicine Rite Foundation Myth 253 210
2. The Baldheaded Warclub Origin Myth 220 185
3. Waruǧápara 220 175
4. Redhorn's Sons 181 201
5. Spear Shaft and Lacrosse 193 169
6. The Spirit of Gambling 194 142
7. Turtle's Warparty 175 161
8. The Dipper 148 187
9. The Thunderbird 176 151
10. Old Man and Wears White Feather 173 152
11. Eats the Stinking Part of the Deer Ankle 172 152
12. The Shaggy Man 177 144
13. Holy One and His Brother 168 147
14. Ocean Duck 173 141
15. Įčorúšika and His Brothers 167 144
16. The Race for the Chief's Daughter 163 147
17. How the Thunders Met the Nights 164 142
18. The Chief of the Heroka 155 146
19. Porcupine and His Brothers 162 132
20. The Green Man 138 155
21. The Hočąk Migration Myth 160 129
22. The Boy who was Captured by the Bad Thunderbirds 156 133
23. Wears White Feather on His Head 155 129
24. Bluehorn's Nephews 149 131
25. The Red Man 159 120
25. The Markings on the Moon 155 124

Revised: January 31, 2001