The Trail Book

Mary Austin

• Publisher: University of Nevada Press
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9780874175882
• eBook ISBN: 9781943859535
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literature General
• Index: Literature

The Trail Book is a classic of American nature writing. First published in 1918, it is a collection of children's tales, framed by its setting in New York's Museum of Natural History. For two children, Oliver and his sister Dorcas, the museum's famed dioramas (which were new at that time) come to life and admit them into a series of exciting adventures that include talking animals and magical travels. Along the way, the children discover the ways of the ancient Native Americans and the landscapes of the pre-Columbian continent, as well as the impact on both Indians and wildlife from contact with European explorers and Euro-Americans. Told by a variety of narrators, including some of the animals, the stories offer a perceptive and sympathetic view of the natural history of North America and of Native American–white relations.

This edition of The Trail Book includes an afterword by Austin scholar Melody Graulich that addresses Austin's motives in writing the book and its significance as an early example of interdisciplinary multicultural literature. The illustrations by Milo Winter that enlivened the original edition are included, as are Austin's appendix giving historical background and a glossary of Indian and Spanish names.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• List Of Illustrations
• 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
• Afterword