Footsteps of the Mountain Spirits: Appalachia

The highlands of the Appalachian Mountains are among the oldest creations of the Mother Earth and the Holder of the Heavens. None were ever more revered or more blessed with beauty, and the vistas along their time-worn crests have held wayfarers spellbound for unknown genera-tions. This beautifully crafted volume presents a collection of the intricate tapestry of myths, leg-ends, and folklore that surround the peaks, along with breathtaking full-color photographs of the landscapes that inspired them. Beginning with the creation and migration myths of the ancient Cherokee, Creek, Seneca, and other native American groups, the reader is led through the centuries-old tradition which taught that people were only a part of the beloved creatures of the Great Mystery. Added to these stories that explain how the world came to be, and the natural phenomena that control our passage through it, are the exploits of frontier heroes, who gained their strength from the exalted highlands, frequently describing the region as a "New Eden" or "Kingdom of Paradise."