Indian Legends (Paperback)

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE YOUNG READER THE history of the American Indians, as we know it, begins with the history of the first Spanish, French, and English settlements in the new continent. All that we know of the race before that time is gleaned from the traditions of the Indians themselves, These traditions do not give us the actual dates and facts, which it is one function of history to record, but they do give us an idea of the fundamental rack thought, the instinctive belief, the habits, and the religion of the Iiberal people, and this is an equally important part of history. History is dependent upon stories which are toId by word of mouth, and upon stories or records that are preserved in writing. Some of the Indian tribes had a form of picture writing, but usually this was very simple and did not go much beyond pictures of a buffalo hunt or of a fight between Indian chiefs such as a small child might make. In other cases, with more civilized tribes, the picture writing was composed of symbols that they call ideographs, and these are very difficult for us to understand, because we have lost the key. We could not read our English books if we did not know the alphabet. This Indian writing, whatever form it took, was recorded on the stone walls of cliffs or canyons, which have been worn away by time, or on single pieces of stone or skill which were not preserved in any way, and we have only a few examples to prove that such a form of writing did exist. But in the stories such as Mrs. Nashburne has selected for this book-stories that have been told and retold by succeeding generations -we are able to learn a great deal about the Indian people. From reading these stories you will very quickly gain an impression of the life the Indians led. It was a life very different from our own. There were no schools or books, railroads, stores, theaters, or churches. . ., . .. - Th Indians lived much in the open air. For shelter from the railn or cold they had wigwams or tepees made of skin or bark. Instead of having railroads the Indians went about on foot in place of stores and money, they exchanged blankets arid skins and maize and sometimes they used shells or boats for currency, as we use paper money today.....