Myths and Legends of Our Own Land — Complete

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

6615

Title

Myths and Legends of Our Own Land — Complete

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A rich anthology of American folklore and history, this collection weaves supernatural tales with colonial and indigenous legends. From the Catskills to the Hudson, it explores myths of spirits, witches, and historical figures transformed by legend, offering a haunting glimpse into the nation's mythic past.

Summary up to 500 words

Charles M. Skinner's *Myths and Legends of Our Own Land* challenges the prevailing notion that America lacks a legendary era, arguing instead that its history is deeply steeped in myth. Skinner posits that as a nation grows forward, its legendary era grows backward, transforming historical figures like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin into mythic archetypes comparable to Siegfried and Loki. The work serves as both a historical record and a literary exploration of how early Americans interpreted their landscape through the lens of the supernatural. The collection spans diverse regions, from the Hudson River to the White Mountains and the Great Lakes. It features iconic narratives such as Washington Irving's *Rip Van Winkle*, which bridges the colonial and revolutionary eras through a man's twenty-year slumber in the Catskills. Skinner also reconstructs Native American traditions, detailing the 'Indian Messiah' tales where tribes await the return of figures like Montezuma or Hiawatha to save them from white encroachment. These stories include the 'Ghost Dance' visions experienced by Sitting Bull and the 'Vision of Rescue,' a Sauk legend of divine intervention during a siege. Skinner gathers these tales from oral traditions, historical records, and newspapers, weaving them into a tapestry that includes stories of manitous, ghost dances, and tragic events like the retreat from Mahopac. The book highlights the unique character of American folklore, noting that while traditions thrive in the wilderness, they have largely disappeared from the brick-and-brownstone cities of the colonial era. By assembling these legends, Skinner demonstrates that the United States possesses a rich folklore tradition where the boundaries between fact and fable blur, creating a unique cultural heritage that humanizes the American landscape with a sense of chivalry and faerie comparable to that of the Rhine.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Folklore
• United States