From the Back Cover
Recorded by Assiniboine storytellers and illustrated by Indian artists from the Fort Peck and Fort Belknap reservations in northern Montana, these Assiniboine stories were originally intended to help educate young tribal members about their history and culture. Enter into the legendary world of the Assiniboine of long ago through six traditional tales.
"How the Summer Season Came" - An Assiniboine tribe living where there is always snow recruits the help of lynx, the red fox, the antelope, the coyote and the wolf to bring the summer season.
"Assiniboine Woman Making Grease" - When her people move to a new encampment, an old Assiniboine woman stays behind to make grease. She is discovered by enemy warriors, but she cleverly lures them to their death.
"Indian Love Story" - In this Assiniboine ghost story, the soul of a young woman, who died of loneliness when her sweetheart went to war, is reunited with the young man she missed. After living with him and aiding him with her supernatural powers, she leaves him with final instructions before she enters the spirit world.
"How the Big Dipper and North Star Came to Be" - Long ago monsters roamed the earth and hunted for people to eat. Here is the story of one girl's escape from those monsters and her family's decision to leave the earth for a safer place.
"True Story of a Ghost" - When four teenage boys molest a gravesite, they get more than they bargained for.
"Duckhead Necklace" - An orphaned boy of a man from the stars and an Indian woman grows up under the protection of a powerful amulet given him by an old woman. With the amulet's help and through acts of his own courage, he saves a village from starvation.
A book in the Indian Reading Series, How the Summer Season Came offers authentic Indian stories, created in cooperation with tribal culture committees. Written at an elementary reading level, these stories provide insights into tribal culture that will be appreciated by both children and adults.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
From "The True Story of a Ghost: "
A ghost is a spirit of someone who has died and is earth bound. This story is about a ghost who chased four teenage boys. It happened long before the white man came.
The Plains Indians buried their dead by placing the body on a scaffold. It was customary to bury the person with their most valuable possessions.
A man had died and he was buried in the traditional way of the Plains Indians. At the same time the burial was taking place, there was a celebration going on about eight miles away.
At the celebration were four teenage boys. The oldest boy was about sixteen. Although they were all having a good time at the celebration, the oldest boy wanted to leave and ride out to the burial grounds. He was curious about the dead man's belongings. He really didn't want to go alone and he knew his friends would never agree to go there with him. It was a scary place and would be a long ride to get home before dark.
He decided to make up a story about going hunting. He knew his friends would leave the celebration for that. They all liked to hunt and they would be anxious to go along.
The boys left the celebration and rode their horses toward the burial grounds. The oldest boy did not tell them where they were going. He just told them they would hunt in a secret place. The boys rode along and did not ask any questions. They took their time and only walked their horses."
