This unique book on the Cherokee feature's children's stories and a sobering, firsthand account of the Trail of Tears by a U.S. soldier who was there. The story is written on the soldier's 80th birthday to his children and recounts his relationship with the Cherokee beginning in 1829, and through 1838 to 1839 when he was part of the infantry that took part in the Trail of Tears. Classic Cherokee legends will delight and entertain children and families include: How the Earth was Made, The Rattlesnake's Vengeance, How The Milky Way Came to Be, Why the Possum's Tale Is Bare, Ataga'hi, The Magic Lake, The Race Between The Crane and The Hummingbird, Why the Buzzard's Head is Bare, Why The Mink Smells, The Katydid's Warning, and The First Fire.