Legends told in Canada

Sorcerers incanting over boiling cauldrons, a witch disguised as a goose, vicious poltergeists, a woman-warrior, a dangerous enchantress - these are a few of the beings that inhabit Canada's rich folklore tradition. Legends Told in Canada is Edith Fowke's selection of Canadian historical legends, of British and French origin, illustrated with artifacts from the collections of the Royal Ontario Museum. Of historical legends Fowke writes, "They are more apt to be linked to a particular place or situation, and therefore reflect a country's history and culture more than other folktales.". Although native legends are often regarded as a separate study, they sometimes share motifs with non-native lore: Tecumseh, like King Arthur and Charlemagne, is a figure who in legend will one day return to lead his people. Legends Told in Canada combines historical chronicle and artifact to bring to life a vanished past and the voices of those who told the tales.