Myths and Legends of Our Own Land

America's own folklore, collected county by county: the treasure and the cats at Harry Main's, the headless skeleton of Swamptown, the storm ship of New Haven, and several hundred more.

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God on the Mountains: Master

In his vision he saw a beautiful mountain country where birds and beasts and fruits were plenty, and, awaking from his sleep, he found that day had come. Looking about the frozen wilderness in despair, he cried, "Great Master of Life, where is this country that I have seen?" And even as he spoke the Master appeared and gave to him a spear and a coal. The hunter dropped the coal on the ground, when a fire spread from it, the rocks burning with dense smoke, out of which came the Master's voice, in thunder tones, bidding the mountains rise. The earth heaved and through the reek the terrified man saw hills and crags lifting-liftinguntil their tops reached above the clouds, and from the far summits sounded the promise, "Here shall the Great Spirit live and watch over his children."

Water now burst from the rocks and came laughing down the hollows in a thousand brooks and rills, the valleys unfolded in leaf and bloom, birds sang in the branches, butterflies-like winged flowers- Storied Waters, Cliffs, and Mountains flitted to and fro, the faint and cheerful noise of insect life came from the herbage, the smoke rolled away, a genial sun blazed out, and, as the hunter looked in rapture on the mighty peaks of the Agiochooks, God stood upon their crest.

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