Stories the Iroquois Tell Their Children - Softcover

Powers, Mabel

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1490445153 ISBN 13: 9781490445151

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013

Synopsis

“These are stories that the Indians have told their children from generation to generation in the long winter months when they sat around their fires. She learned them from the Indians themselves, traveling from tribe to tribe, listening to the stories of one and retelling them to the next. In this way she soon learned all their legends and was called Yeh sen noh wehs, ‘one who carries and tells the stories.’ They are mostly legends of animals and men in their relations to each other and to the Great Spirit – why the hermit thrush is so shy, why the woodpecker bores for his food, why the eagle defends Americans, are some of the subjects. The Indian is shown as possessing much the same traits of man as any other race, though he differs in being sensibly grateful for the bounties of nature, which the white man accepts as his due. In preparing these red men’s stories for white men’s children Miss Powers has preserved their simplicity. They are written in words of one and two syllables....Any child will enjoy the book and at the same time will learn to observe and love nature.” -Reedy's Mirror, Volume 26, January, 1917

“Wonderful stories; first how these stories came to be, then the story of ‘Little People,’ ‘Why the Cuckoo Is Lazy,’ ‘Why the Indian Loves His Dog,’ and many others which will greatly please the red children, who see with wonder eyes, and all other children who believe in fairies.” -The Progressive Teacher and Southwestern School Journal, Volume 23, February, 1917

“Welcomed to the Lodges of the Senecas, the Onondagas, the Tuscaroras, the Oneidas, Cayugas, and Mohawks by their chiefs, Miss Powers has been bidden to tell these Indian stories to the Pale Faces...These wonder stories, nature stories, fairy stories show that children are much the same all the world over. The Indian Fox, we are glad to see, is not so universally successful as Reynard, but to learn this and many other secrets, children must consult ‘Yeh sen noh wehs’ alias Mabel Powers.” -Catholic World, Volume 107, 1918

“Mabel Powers tells us that after making a number of Indian friends she was adopted by the Snipe clan of the Senecas and was given the name of Yeh sen noh wehs, ‘One who carries and tells the stories.’ I have always held the Indians to be shrewd judges of character. In the case of this adopted daughter of the Senecas I am again vindicated in my belief; Yeh sen noh wehs certainly can tell folk stories with success.” -The Public School Journal, Volume 37, September, 1917

“Miss Mabel Powers has collected and given the world thirty or more tales of genuine charm. They are divided into two classifications, Iroquois wonder stories and Iroquois fairy stories. Miss Powers has been adopted the Senecas and is known as Yeh sen noh wehs. The book has a foreword of approval signed by the chiefs of the six tribes.” -American Forestry, Volume 23, January, 1917

About this title

About the Author:

Mabel Powers was a white woman who went from wigwam to wigwam listening to and recording the stories of the Iroquois. She was even made an honorary member of the Iroquois and given the Indian name, Yeh sen noh wehs, which means "one who carries and tells the stories." First published in 1917, these entertaining short stories are authentic Native American folk tales.

About this edition

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1490445153
• ISBN 13: 9781490445151
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 122