Tales of the Missouri Indians

By Dennis Edwards Ph.D

Tales of the Missouri Indians reflects the folklore, values, and tales of the lost Missouri. Having no written language, verbal traditions passed down the important stories of this lost culture. Rich in Native American values, these tales carry both practical and spiritual tales meant to guide the members of tribe. Readers will find beautiful tales that weave stories of the past into practical guides for modern living.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 24, 2020
• ISBN: 9781646709830

Book preview

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Tales of the

Missouri Indians

Dennis R. Edwards Ph.D

ISBN 978-1-64670-982-3 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64670-983-0 (Digital)

Copyright © 2020 Dennis R. Edwards Ph.D

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

Prologue

Introduction

Why the Mockingbird Doesn’t Have Its Own Song

The Woodpecker’s Head

Why the Coyote Cries

First Mother Learns the Ways of Making Things

The Great Fire

The Value of a Name

The River of Life

The Spirit Life

About the Author

Prologue

Who were the Missouri Indians? This is a difficult question in that many tribes occupied the lands in present day Missouri. Although multiple tribes lived in Missouri, primarily along the rivers, one tribe, whose name meant Big Muddy, were the Missouri. Much in the same way the Illini lived in present day Illinois, the Missouri became the namesake of the state. They moved between various tribes until European settlers pushed them into extinction, and the stories and customs became lost.

Some of the Missouri joined the Sioux and Fox tribes. Still, others joined the Osage and eventually lost the distinction of a single tribe. The presence of Native Americans fall into a time line from ancient peoples using stone tool and weapons to those settled along rivers in small villages. They knew neither the horse nor the wheel until settlers brought them.

Records of the late 1800s, and in particular, reports around the war of 1812 show pockets of Native Americans caught in the conflict between settlers and English troops. Peaceful by nature, Missouri Indians did not join either side and moved away from the river areas into the deep woods. Many survived and are talked about in the folk tales of Missouri.

They had no written language and faded into history. Like many Native tribes, all that remains of them are vapors, wrapped in stories and tales told by the people in the Ozark Mountains, the last locale of a brave and noble people. This book is a collection of the lost stories told by the last of a brave and gallant people.

Introduction

Ronald

Ronald was as thin as a number two pencil. He wore the same flannel shirt year round. The pockets had torn