Reading Notes: Tejas Legends, Part A

Cover of the collection of tales.

(Image by Laura Gibbs) 

Tejas legends are tales of eastern Native American tribes. The stories are sweet, direct and clear. The Native Americans gave great credit to the gods or the personified natures events. For example, in “When the Storm God Rides,” they attribute the storm god and his bird, Hurakan to storms, especially hurricanes. They also brought the north and south winds to life, in “How the North Wind Lost His Hair,” which is also a tale about how and why moss grows on trees.

These tales also explain how and why things are the way they are. For example, in “The Plant that Grows in Trees” explains why the mistletoe grows on a tree and that it used to be on the ground. These tales also personify animals, as well as nature.

“Why the Woodpecker Pecks,” is a very interesting tale. It explains that these children, who a god takes pity on, end up hidden in hollow trees to keep them safe. The parents begin to wonder where their children are, so the god turned them into birds in order to find their children. They tap on the trees to look for their children and they eat berries so they do not starve and die.

“A Tribe that left its Shoes” is about a tribe that had to leave their land to find refuge somewhere else. It explains why the orchid at the edge of a swamp points south. It became a way for them to navigate as well. “The Cloud that was Lost, “ explains how some flowers got their colors.  “The Grandmother’s River Trick” was a clever story about how a river tricks the garfish to leave the river and they wind up in their own pools. The other fish were happy to be free of the garfish’ sharp teeth.

Tejas legends focuses a lot on birds. Almost every story is connected to a bird in some way. I’m assuming birds are very important to their culture. Gods are also important. They don’t worship one god, they have many, but they do not worship all of them. However, they do ask for assistance from most of them. Another reoccurring theme is pity. Most of the results of the tales are a result of pity from a god.

Bibliography. Florence Straton. "When the Storm God Rides: Tejas and Other Indian Legends. Web source.