DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Myths and Legends of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes" by Various. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.
This collection of myths and legends from the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes is a great read that will surely leave you wiser for the experience.
Miss Judson has collected these myths and legends from many printed sources. She disclaims originality, but she has rendered a service that will be appreciated by the many who have sought in vain for legends of the Indians. There is an agreeable surprise in store for any lover of folk-lore who will read these books. Contents: Preface The Earth-Maker Creation The Creation Creation Of The Races Story Of The Creation Creation (A Fragment) Creation Of The Mandans The Flood The Great Flood (A Fragment) The Great Flood Origin Of Fire The Thunderers And The Origin Of Fire The Origin Of Fire The Gifts Of The Sky God Mondamin Mondamin The Corn Woman Discovery Of The Wild Rice Origin Of Wild Rice Origin Of Winnebago The Origin Of Tobacco Origin Of Maple Sugar Manabush And The Moose Origin Of Day And Night Origin Of The Bear Origin Of The Word Chicago The Coming Of Manabush The Story Of Manabush Manabozho And West Manabush And The Great Fish The Departure Of Manabush The Return Of Manabush The Request For Immortality Peboan And Seegwan The Grave Fires The Death Trail The Duck And The North West Wind How The Hunter Destroyed Snow The Pipe Of Peace The Thunder's Nest The Pipestone The Pipestone Pau-Puk-Kee-Wis Iagoo, The Boaster Ojeeg, The Summer-Maker Rabbit Goes Duck Hunting Rabbit And The Tar Baby Rabbit And Tar Wolf Rabbit And Panther How Rabbit Stole Otter's Coat Rabbit And Bear Why Deer Never Eat Men How Rabbit Snared The Sun When The Orphan Trapped The Sun The Hare And The Lynx ... and many more ...
MYSTERY, magic, and manitoes abound in the land of Hiawatha, in the land of the Ojibwas, among the green islands, graceful and beautiful, lying amidst the dancing blue waters when the sun shines over Gitche Gomee, the Great Water. Manitoes, great and mighty, lived in the cool depths of the mighty forests, in the rivers and lakes, and even in the snows of winter. And adventures there were in those early days amongst these islands of the North, when manitoes directed the affairs of men. But the animal fathers lived upon the earth before there came the “two-legged walkers.” There were many animals. There were many beavers. It was the beavers who made Gitche Gomee, the Great Water. They made it by building two dams. The first they built at the Grand Sault, and the second was five leagues below. When Great Hare came up the river, he said, “This must not be so.” Therefore he stepped upon the first dam. But he was in haste. He did not break it down; therefore there are now great falls and whirlpools at that place. But at the second dam, Great Hare stepped upon it mightily; therefore there are now few falls and only a little swirling water at that place. Great Hare was very mighty. When he chased Beaver he stepped across a bay eight leagues wide. Around Michilimackinack was the land of Great Hare. There, amongst the green islets, under the cool shade of wide spreading trees, where fish leaped above the rippling waters, he made the first fish net. He made it after watching Spider weave a web for catching flies.
Collected almost 100 years ago, these timeless tales represent the diversity and richness of American Indian cultures from around the Great Lakes, the Midwest, and the Mississippi River valley. They reveal much about the central beliefs and guiding principles of Winnebago, Ojibwa, Menominee, and other peoples and provide a window into their outlook and aspirations. As Katharine Judson wrote in her original preface, they express the longing to understand the why and how of life. Many of these tales concern Manabush, a culture hero for several peoples and later the inspiration for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Hiawatha. Readers also encounter the elemental forces of Thunder, Rain, and Wind; the wise and foolish actions of Fox, Eagle, and Hare; and legends describing the creation of Earth, Sky, and Mountain. Told in a simple, unencumbered style, these stories and myths grow in depth and complexity upon each reading and provide rich material for understanding the peoples of a region whose cultures have received relatively little attention. An introduction by Peter Iverson highlights the divergent ways American Indian identity has been constructed through such legends. All ages can appreciate the strength, power, and beauty of these timeless legends and tales.
Mystery, magic, and manitoes abound in the land of Hiawatha, in the land of the Ojibwas, among the green islands, graceful and beautiful, lying amidst the dancing blue waters when the sun shines over Gitche Gomee, the Great Water. Manitoes, great and mighty, lived in the cool depths of the mighty forests, in the rivers and lakes, and even in the snows of winter. And adventures there were in those early days amongst these islands of the North, when manitoes directed the affairs of men.
