Scope and Contents

Contains legends concerning the length of the day, the existence and motions of the sun and moon, the origin of constellations and the evening star, the source of winds, and the appearance of the Northern Lights. Legends' origins are ascribed to Chinese, Polynesian, Native American/Alaskan Native, and family tradition. Items were collected by students in folklore classes at Brigham Young University, Utah State University, and the University of Utah from 1967 to 2005.

Scope and Contents

Contains legends concerning stones, mountains, islands, rapids, and the black quartz pebbles known as Apache tears come into being. Traditions cited include Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Micronesian, Polynesian, Native American, post-contact American, Irish, Danish, and Nigerian. Items were collected by students in folklore classes at Brigham Young University, Utah State University, and the University of Utah from 1961 to 1995.

Scope and Contents

Contains legends concerning how birds, monkeys, crabs, coyotes, and other creatures acquire distinctive characteristics (or have them; some of the content is questionably etiological). Also contains legends on people turning into turtles, sharks, dolphins, and lake-dwelling monsters. Items were collected by students in folklore classes at Brigham Young University, Utah State University, and the University of Utah from 1961 to 2000.

Scope and Contents

Contains legends concerning the origins of the human race, of specific peoples, of customs (including the cessation of previous customs), and of physical traits (including size, hands, sexes, and especially skin color). Items were collected by students in folklore classes at Brigham Young University, Utah State University, and the University of Utah from 1966 to 1997.

Scope and Contents Contains legends concerning how flowers come to commemorate events, mostly tragedies, for example, how the dogwood is changed by its use in crucifixion. Also contains legends on the qualities of trees in general, particular species, and particular trees are acquired; coconuts and other food plants; plant foods; and plant-derived ingredients come into use. Items were collected by students in folklore classes at Brigham Young University, Utah State University, and the University of Utah from...

Scope and Contents

Contains reports on beliefs regarding the creation of humanity (including a four-page typescript of Navajo creation myths), a divine teacher who promised to return to Native Americans, ghosts, crackling fire, climbing a mountain, Ganesh, and many other topics. Items were collected by students in folklore classes at Brigham Young University, Utah State University, and the University of Utah from 1962 to 1994.

Scope and Contents

Contains legends on the origin of symbols, traditional artifacts, ceremonial dances, words, pronunciations, songs. Discontinuance of former customs. Items were collected by students in folklore classes at Brigham Young University, Utah State University, and the University of Utah from 1951 to 2005.

Scope and Contents Numerous legends currently filed in this section do not actually describe the naming of a place. Those that remain include a substantial concentration in Utah and other parts of the intermountain West, including a great many from Star Valley, Wyoming (some brought into this collection by Nancy Kay Wolfley from a 1951 collection by a University of Wyoming extension). Some legends are in historic times, others prehistoric or legendary. Many center on puns, often employing nonstandard English...