
"'Arr-rr-ump!' I said" - THE TRAIL BOOK - BY - MARY AUSTIN - WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY MILO WINTER - 1918
TO MARY, MY NIECE - IN THE HOPE THAT SHE MAY FIND THROUGH THE TRAILS OF HER OWN COUNTRY THE ROAD TO WONDERLAND CONTENTS
I HOW OLIVER AND DORCAS JANE FOUND THE TRAIL - II WHAT THE BUFFALO CHIEF TOLD - III HOW THE MASTODON HAPPENED FIRST TO BELONG TO A MAN, AS TOLD BY ARRUMPA - IV THE SECOND PART OF THE MASTODON STORY, CONCERNING THE TRAIL TO THE SEA AND THE TALKING STICK OF TAKU-WAKIN - V HOW HOWKAWANDA AND FRIEND-AT-THE-BACK FOUND THE TRAIL TO THE BUFFALO COUNTRY; TOLD BY THE COYOTE - VI DORCAS JANE HEARS HOW THE CORN CAME TO THE VALLEY OF THE MISSI-SIPPU; TOLD BY THE CORN WOMAN - VII A TELLING OF THE SALT TRAIL, OF TSE-TSE-YOTE AND THE DELIGHT-MAKERS; TOLD BY MOKE-ICHA - VIII YOUNG-MAN-WHO-NEVER-TURNS-BACK: A TELLING OF THE TALLEGEWI, BY ONE OF THEM - IX HOW THE LENNI-LENAPE CAME FROM SHINAKI AND THE TALLEGEWI FOUGHT THEM: THE SECOND PART OF THE MOUND-BUILDER'S STORY - X THE MAKING OF A SHAMAN: A TELLING OF THE IROQUOIS TRAIL, BY THE ONONDAGA - XI THE PEARLS OF COFACHIQUE: HOW LUCAS DE AYLLON CAME TO LOOK FOR THEM AND WHAT THE CACICA FAR-LOOKING DID TO HIM; TOLD BY THE PELICAN. - XII HOW THE IRON SHIRTS CAME TO TUSCALOOSA: A TELLING OF THE TRIBUTE ROAD BY THE LADY OF COFACHIQUE. - XIII HOW THE IRON SHIRTS CAME LOOKING FOR THE SEVEN CITIES OF CIBOLA; TOLD BY THE ROAD-RUNNER. - XIV HOW THE MAN OF TWO HEARTS KEPT THE SECRET OF THE HOLY PLACES; TOLD BY THE CONDOR. - XV HOW THE MEDICINE OF THE ARROWS WAS BROKEN AT REPUBLICAN RIVER; TOLD BY THE CHIEF OFFICER OF THE DOG SOLDIERS - APPENDIX - GLOSSARY
ILLUSTRATIONS - "'ARR-RR-UMP!' I SAID" - THE BUFFALO CHIEF - THE MASTODON - TAKU AND ARRUMPA - THE TRAIL TO THE SEA - THE TRAIL TO THE BUFFALO COUNTRY - SHOT DOWNWARD TO THE LEDGE WHERE HOWKAWANDA AND YOUNGER BROTHER HUGGED THEMSELVES (in color) - THE CORN WOMEN - SIGN OF THE SUN AND THE FOUR QUARTERS - MOKE-ICHA - TSE-TSE-YOTE AND MOKE-ICHA (in Color) - TSE-TSE-YOTE AND MOKE-ICHA - THE MOUND-BUILDERS - THE IROQUOIS TRAIL - THE GOLD-SEEKERS - SHE COULD SEE THE THOUGHTS OF A MAN WHILE THEY WERE STILL IN HIS HEART (in Color) - THE CACICA FAR-LOOKING MEETS THE IRON SHIRTS - THE DESERT - THE CONDOR THAT HAS HIS NEST ON EL MORRO - THE DOG SOLDIERS
THE TRAIL BOOK
I. HOW OLIVER AND DORCAS JANE FOUND THE TRAIL
II. WHAT THE BUFFALO CHIEF TOLD
III. HOW THE MASTODON HAPPENED FIRST TO BELONG TO A MAN, AS TOLD BY ARRUMPA
IV. THE SECOND PART OF THE MASTODON STORY CONCERNING THE TRAIL TO THE SEA AND THE TALKING STICK OF TAKU-WAKIN
V. HOW HOWKAWANDA AND FRIEND-AT-THE-BACK FOUND THE TRAIL TO THE BUFFALO COUNTRY TOLD BY THE COYOTE
A curious young boy named Oliver discovers a hidden trail winding out from the museum’s Mammal room, where the stuffed buffalo and other creatures seem to stir when the lights go out. He shares the secret with his skeptical sister Dorcas Jane, sparking a playful debate about whether the animals truly come alive after dark. Their imagination turns the quiet hall into a gateway to endless prairie horizons, inviting listeners to wonder what might lie beyond the glass cases.
From that first glimpse, the book unfolds a series of short, richly illustrated tales told by the spirits of the land—buffalo chiefs, mastodon hunters, talking sticks, corn women, and even a coyote guide. Each vignette offers a glimpse of Native legends, mysterious trails, and the timeless relationship between people and the natural world, all framed as a gentle adventure for the eager ear.
With a warm, conversational tone, the narrator addresses a beloved niece, hoping the stories will become her own path to wonderland. The collection blends folklore and childhood curiosity, making it a perfect listen for anyone who loves to follow a trail of imagination into the heart of the prairie.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (386K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Eric Eldred, Debra Storr, and Project Gutenberg Distributed Proofreaders
Release date
2006-02-01
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1868–1934
An early voice of the American Southwest, this novelist and essayist wrote with unusual feeling about desert landscapes, Native American life, and the social questions of her time. Her best-known book, The Land of Little Rain, helped turn the region into a lasting subject of American literature.
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