[Contents]INTRODUCTORY—INDIAN STORIESINTRODUCTORY—INDIAN STORIESThe Indians, when trying to speak English, often use very short sentences with easy words, just as foreigners do. They will repeat a statement in different ways, so that their listeners will be sure to understand; this makes the stories they tell sound very queer sometimes.The Indians do not like to have any one laugh at them. It is not an easy matter to get them to tell their legends about trees, rocks, or living creatures. They once believed that everything had its manitou, or spirit, which took care of it, but by their contact with the white people they have lost much of their fear of these manitous, and also much of their faith in their power.The paleface must show himself a very good friend indeed before he is allowed to hear the stories told to native guests or to the children. The white friend may be a hunter, and then his Indian guide will tell in his own way stories connected with objects seen by them in the forest, on the plain, or on the mountain.[80]Henry R. Schoolcraft, an American geologist, was much among the red men, from eastern New York to the source of the Mississippi, which he discovered. He married the granddaughter of a chief. He was allowed to hear the ancient legends, and published them in prose form in 1830.Henry W. Longfellow read them with so much interest that he told them again in his beautiful poem ofHiawatha, weaving into the story the bride Minnehaha of whom the Indians have no legend.The Ojibways, or Chippewas, tell stories of a hero called by them Menabozho. He is called the Foolish or Sly One; he is always playing tricks, for which he is usually punished. Many of these Chippewa stories which they are telling of him even now are woven into the poem ofHiawatha, as the poet thought that Iroquois name more musical than Menabozho, and, like many others, supposed the Iroquois and the Chippewas to be the same people.As they have no written language, their legends may change a little; the same story may be told in different ways, and the words they use may have various forms.[81]
[Contents]INTRODUCTORY—INDIAN STORIESINTRODUCTORY—INDIAN STORIESThe Indians, when trying to speak English, often use very short sentences with easy words, just as foreigners do. They will repeat a statement in different ways, so that their listeners will be sure to understand; this makes the stories they tell sound very queer sometimes.The Indians do not like to have any one laugh at them. It is not an easy matter to get them to tell their legends about trees, rocks, or living creatures. They once believed that everything had its manitou, or spirit, which took care of it, but by their contact with the white people they have lost much of their fear of these manitous, and also much of their faith in their power.The paleface must show himself a very good friend indeed before he is allowed to hear the stories told to native guests or to the children. The white friend may be a hunter, and then his Indian guide will tell in his own way stories connected with objects seen by them in the forest, on the plain, or on the mountain.[80]Henry R. Schoolcraft, an American geologist, was much among the red men, from eastern New York to the source of the Mississippi, which he discovered. He married the granddaughter of a chief. He was allowed to hear the ancient legends, and published them in prose form in 1830.Henry W. Longfellow read them with so much interest that he told them again in his beautiful poem ofHiawatha, weaving into the story the bride Minnehaha of whom the Indians have no legend.The Ojibways, or Chippewas, tell stories of a hero called by them Menabozho. He is called the Foolish or Sly One; he is always playing tricks, for which he is usually punished. Many of these Chippewa stories which they are telling of him even now are woven into the poem ofHiawatha, as the poet thought that Iroquois name more musical than Menabozho, and, like many others, supposed the Iroquois and the Chippewas to be the same people.As they have no written language, their legends may change a little; the same story may be told in different ways, and the words they use may have various forms.[81]
[Contents]INTRODUCTORY—INDIAN STORIESINTRODUCTORY—INDIAN STORIESThe Indians, when trying to speak English, often use very short sentences with easy words, just as foreigners do. They will repeat a statement in different ways, so that their listeners will be sure to understand; this makes the stories they tell sound very queer sometimes.The Indians do not like to have any one laugh at them. It is not an easy matter to get them to tell their legends about trees, rocks, or living creatures. They once believed that everything had its manitou, or spirit, which took care of it, but by their contact with the white people they have lost much of their fear of these manitous, and also much of their faith in their power.The paleface must show himself a very good friend indeed before he is allowed to hear the stories told to native guests or to the children. The white friend may be a hunter, and then his Indian guide will tell in his own way stories connected with objects seen by them in the forest, on the plain, or on the mountain.[80]Henry R. Schoolcraft, an American geologist, was much among the red men, from eastern New York to the source of the Mississippi, which he discovered. He married the granddaughter of a chief. He was allowed to hear the ancient legends, and published them in prose form in 1830.Henry W. Longfellow read them with so much interest that he told them again in his beautiful poem ofHiawatha, weaving into the story the bride Minnehaha of whom the Indians have no legend.The Ojibways, or Chippewas, tell stories of a hero called by them Menabozho. He is called the Foolish or Sly One; he is always playing tricks, for which he is usually punished. Many of these Chippewa stories which they are telling of him even now are woven into the poem ofHiawatha, as the poet thought that Iroquois name more musical than Menabozho, and, like many others, supposed the Iroquois and the Chippewas to be the same people.As they have no written language, their legends may change a little; the same story may be told in different ways, and the words they use may have various forms.[81]
INTRODUCTORY—INDIAN STORIESINTRODUCTORY—INDIAN STORIES
INTRODUCTORY—INDIAN STORIES
The Indians, when trying to speak English, often use very short sentences with easy words, just as foreigners do. They will repeat a statement in different ways, so that their listeners will be sure to understand; this makes the stories they tell sound very queer sometimes.The Indians do not like to have any one laugh at them. It is not an easy matter to get them to tell their legends about trees, rocks, or living creatures. They once believed that everything had its manitou, or spirit, which took care of it, but by their contact with the white people they have lost much of their fear of these manitous, and also much of their faith in their power.The paleface must show himself a very good friend indeed before he is allowed to hear the stories told to native guests or to the children. The white friend may be a hunter, and then his Indian guide will tell in his own way stories connected with objects seen by them in the forest, on the plain, or on the mountain.[80]Henry R. Schoolcraft, an American geologist, was much among the red men, from eastern New York to the source of the Mississippi, which he discovered. He married the granddaughter of a chief. He was allowed to hear the ancient legends, and published them in prose form in 1830.Henry W. Longfellow read them with so much interest that he told them again in his beautiful poem ofHiawatha, weaving into the story the bride Minnehaha of whom the Indians have no legend.The Ojibways, or Chippewas, tell stories of a hero called by them Menabozho. He is called the Foolish or Sly One; he is always playing tricks, for which he is usually punished. Many of these Chippewa stories which they are telling of him even now are woven into the poem ofHiawatha, as the poet thought that Iroquois name more musical than Menabozho, and, like many others, supposed the Iroquois and the Chippewas to be the same people.As they have no written language, their legends may change a little; the same story may be told in different ways, and the words they use may have various forms.[81]
The Indians, when trying to speak English, often use very short sentences with easy words, just as foreigners do. They will repeat a statement in different ways, so that their listeners will be sure to understand; this makes the stories they tell sound very queer sometimes.
The Indians do not like to have any one laugh at them. It is not an easy matter to get them to tell their legends about trees, rocks, or living creatures. They once believed that everything had its manitou, or spirit, which took care of it, but by their contact with the white people they have lost much of their fear of these manitous, and also much of their faith in their power.
The paleface must show himself a very good friend indeed before he is allowed to hear the stories told to native guests or to the children. The white friend may be a hunter, and then his Indian guide will tell in his own way stories connected with objects seen by them in the forest, on the plain, or on the mountain.[80]
Henry R. Schoolcraft, an American geologist, was much among the red men, from eastern New York to the source of the Mississippi, which he discovered. He married the granddaughter of a chief. He was allowed to hear the ancient legends, and published them in prose form in 1830.
Henry W. Longfellow read them with so much interest that he told them again in his beautiful poem ofHiawatha, weaving into the story the bride Minnehaha of whom the Indians have no legend.
The Ojibways, or Chippewas, tell stories of a hero called by them Menabozho. He is called the Foolish or Sly One; he is always playing tricks, for which he is usually punished. Many of these Chippewa stories which they are telling of him even now are woven into the poem ofHiawatha, as the poet thought that Iroquois name more musical than Menabozho, and, like many others, supposed the Iroquois and the Chippewas to be the same people.
As they have no written language, their legends may change a little; the same story may be told in different ways, and the words they use may have various forms.[81]