9 Legends of American Folklore, 7-9

While Pecos Bill and Johnny Appleseed seem to have lived extraordinary lives according to legend, read on to find out about the amazing childhoods of Old Stormalong and Davy Crockett.

7. Geronimo

Geronimo, an Apache leader from the Arizona area, was captured and forced onto a reservation by the U.S. Army in 1876. The persecuted Apache leader fled to Mexico, but after that, things get murky and exaggerated. The story goes that Geronimo's wrath toward the white man was such that he killed thousands over the years, using magical powers and ESP to seek them out. It's said that it took many thousands of soldiers and scouts to track the warrior down. By the time Geronimo finally surrendered in 1886, his group consisted of only 16 warriors, 12 women, and 6 children. Geronimo and his people were shipped to Florida, then relocated to Alabama and Oklahoma where they were placed in prisons and reservations. Geronimo died a prisoner of war in 1909.

8. Old Stormalong

Though stories about Stormalong vary, most place him in Cape Cod as a big baby -- a baby more than 18 feet tall! Stormalong, a gifted sailor, joined the crew of a ship. When the ship had an encounter with a kraken -- a beast from Norse mythology -- Storm-along fought back but didn't kill the sea giant. Eventually, he wound up back on the high seas in search of the kraken that had escaped him. The ship he used was said to have slammed into the coast of Panama, forming the Panama Canal. According to legend, the same boat supposedly got stuck in the English Channel, requiring the crew to slick it up with soap in order to get it out. The soap and the scraping action turned the White Cliffs of Dover white.

9. Davy Crockett

Born in 1796, Davy Crockett was nearly a legend without fictitious additions to his story, but they came nonetheless. By Crockett's own account, he killed a bear when he was only three years old. True? Maybe not, but Crockett swore it happened. More stories emerged of Crockett's rough and tough childhood with lots of bear, bully, and snake encounters that all ended with him as the victor -- whether or not these stories are true is unclear. What is true is that Crockett represented Tennessee in Congress, but when he was defeated for reelection, he went off to explore Texas. His travels led him into battle at the Alamo, where he was shot and killed. Tales of Davy Crockett show him wearing a coonskin cap and carrying his rifle, which he lovingly called "Old Betsy."

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Helen Davies, Marjorie Dorfman, Mary Fons, Deborah Hawkins, Martin Hintz, Linnea Lundgren, David Priess, Julia Clark Robinson, Paul Seaburn, Heidi Stevens, and Steve Theunissen