Myths of the Cherokee is an ethnographic collection of Cherokee myths, stories, and historical sketches, compiled by James Mooney and published in 1902 as part of a Bureau of American Ethnology report. It presents traditional tales of creation, origins, and culture, offering insight into Cherokee oral literature and belief.
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Cover of the original edition (Project Gutenberg, public domain).
Text source: gutenberg.org · The work is in the public domain.
Opening of the book
Original Title Page. MYTHS OF THE CHEROKEE BY JAMES MOONEY EXTRACT FROM THE NINETEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
Decorative Logo. WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1902 MYTHS OF THE CHEROKEE BY JAMES MOONEY
CONTENTS Page I—Introduction 11 II—Historical sketch of the Cherokee 14 ○ The traditionary period 14 ○ The period of Spanish exploration—1540–? 23 ○ The Colonial and Revolutionary period—1654–1784 29 ○ Relations with the United States 61 ■ From the first treaty to the Removal—1785–1838 61 ■ The Removal—1838–1839 130 ■ The Arkansas band—1817–1838 135 ■ The Texas band—1817–1900 143 ■ The Cherokee Nation of the West—1840–1900 146 ■ The East Cherokee—1838–1900 157 III—Notes to the historical sketch 182 IV—Stories and story-tellers 229 V—The myths 239 ○ Cosmogonic myths 239 ■ 1. How the world was made 239 ■ 2. The first fire 240 ■ 3. Kana′tĭ and Selu: Origin of corn and game 242 ■ 4. Origin of disease and medicine 250 ■ 5. The Daughter of the Sun: Origin of death 252 ■ 6. How they brought back the Tobacco 254 ■ 7. The journey to the sunrise 255 ■ 8. The Moon and the Thunders 256 ■ 9. What the Stars are like 257 ■ 10. Origin of the Pleiades and the Pine 258 ■ 11. The milky way 259 ■ 12. Origin of strawberries 259 ■ 13. The Great Yellow-jacket: Origin of fish and frogs 260 ■ 14. The Deluge 261
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