Little Brother Real Snake is the coming-of-age tale of Red Squirrel, a Plains Indian youth. Though the son of a respected warrior who died bravely in battle, Red Squirrel is slight of stature and a daydreamer who faces several trials on his way to manhood—with two unfriendly members of his own tribe, an Apache warrior, and in a moving final scene with a much-feared snake. In accepting these challenges, Red Squirrel grows in self-knowledge, learns the lessons of his elders, and wins the hand of the lovely Pale Moon.