Choctaw Tales
The stories in this landmark volume were collected from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, one of eight Choctaw bands in the state, by Mould, a professor of folklore, and his fieldworkers. Teachers, health workers, counselors at a Choctaw language camp, artists, basket makers, and elders--some speaking only Choctaw--contributed stories that have been passed on for centuries. These include two creation stories, one telling of the tribe's migration to Mississippi from the west, the other telling of its emergence from a sacred mound, led by divine providence. Then there are theshukha anumpa("hog talk"), humorous stories that are either exaggerations of human foibles, often with a Christian moral, or animal stories, where cleverness is rewarded and pride punished. There are supernatural stories revolving around the devil, historical legends recounting the Choctaw removal to Oklahoma in 1830, and prophetic tales telling of coming disasters. Included are short biographies of all the storytellers and 16 tales transcribed in Choctaw as well as English--making them especially valuable for future scholars.Deborah DonovanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.