Short Stories for Children ages 5 - 14
“I’ll have to walk home ’cause I sure can’t fight this wind any longer,”
thought Julie. “Hank was right. I wish he were here with me.”
Heading toward home, Julie hiked along the winding
paths through Murder Mountain. She knew the general direction, but the
dark sky turned the day to dusk. Thunder rumbled in the distance.
She felt the temperature drop.
As Julie hiked, she remembered the Indian legend that
her Dad told her.
In the early 1800’s, some pioneers settled on the crest
of this high mountain. One night a tribe of Indians quietly paddled
their canoes across the lake to the foothills. They crept silently up
the paths and, while the settlers were sleeping, raided and set fire to the
camp. The Indians killed all, except for one old pioneer named Jake
Hancock. Wounded in the leg, he escaped. The legend states that
Jake is believed still wandering around Murder Mountain looking and calling
for his loved ones.
In remembering this, Julie wished more than ever that
she had listened to Hank. The storm was worsening. The sky was
getting darker. The thunder cracked loudly, and the lightening pierced
the skies. The stillness of the forest was spooky except for
occasional chirps of birds and the crackling of rotted bark under her feet.
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