# Myths and legends about landforms for kids **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742 "2014-04-09T19:03:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/1 "2014-04-09T19:03:12Z")
In a few weeks I’m starting a unit for my third graders in which we’ll study the science of various landforms (at a very basic level–in our last unit I had multiple students draw rivers than ran around the borders of oceanic islands, so we’ve working on some definitional stuff here). At the same time, we’ll be reading myths and legends about land forms; students will finish the unit by writing their own myth or legend about a specific landform. What I’m looking for are myths or legends that I can give kids access to. I have some funds for ordering books. Here’s what would be ideal: -Specific book titles are better than general myths (I know about the ice-cow that was buddies with Ymir, but I don’t know a picture book about this story, for example). -Stories from around the world are great: I know about Mt. Atlas, but I don’t know much about stories about African mountains. -Books that are appropriate for third-graders is an absolute must. -The landforms we’ll talk about include mountains, volcanoes, valleys, canyons, caves, and islands. Stories that focus on these landforms are perfect. -If you include a URL where it can be found for sale, you’re the best. What thoughts do folks have? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/2 "2014-04-09T19:17:59Z")
[D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths](http://www.amazon.com/DAulaires-Greek-Myths-Ingri-dAulaire/dp/0440406943) [D’Aulaire’s Book of Norse Myths](http://www.amazon.com/DAulaires-Norse-Myths-Ingri-dAulaire/dp/159017125X/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0SYDD5A6Y4VVK1DQAJ4N) [From Sea to Shining Sea](http://www.amazon.com/Shining-Treasury-American-Folklore-Songs/dp/0590428683) has some Native American stories about creation and illustrations as well. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/3 "2014-04-09T19:22:27Z")
You can’t go wrong with [The Legend Of The Sleeping Bear Dunes and the Manitou Islands.](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/879300.The_Legend_of_Sleeping_Bear) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/4 "2014-04-09T19:36:11Z")
Paul Bunyan’s tale includes an explanation of the formation of the Rocky Mountains. The Kojiki includes a description of the creation of the Japanese islands by the gods. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/5 "2014-04-09T19:54:35Z")
[The legend of Devil’s Tower](http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/article/the-legend-of-devils-tower-3273) ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/6 "2014-04-09T20:51:56Z")
Maori myths are full of stories like this. [The Fish of Maui](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZVKu4pRWqw) based on [this book.](http://www.penguin.co.nz/products/9780143505174/fish-maui) The [battle of the Mountains](http://www.penguin.co.nz/products/9780143505631/battle-mountains)is another good one. Many Maori place names are records of myths such as this (or even abbreviated retellings of the [entire myth](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu)). ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/7 "2014-04-10T05:27:34Z")
Indigenous Australians have lots of landscape stories, too. In fact, [songlines](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songline) are the paths that creator spirits take/took over the land, sea and sky, and are the way these stories have been passed on through generations. A very famous one is the [Rainbow Serpent](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Serpent). ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/8 "2014-04-10T07:44:42Z")
We used to get the story of [Gurangatch and Mirragan](http://www.jenolancaves.org.au/about/aboriginal-culture/dreamtime-story-of-gurrangatch-mirrigan) from the library all the time. I doubt you can buy it in the US but there is a web version at least. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/9 "2014-04-10T09:26:49Z")
Specifically for Cape Town, there’s the Cape of Storms-as-Titan legend of [Adamastor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adamastor) and there’s [Van Hunks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s_Peak_%28Cape_Town%29#Origins_of_the_name) and [His Pipe](http://www.historicalmedia.co.za/?p=694) (although [Rosetti](http://www.rossettiarchive.org/docs/3-1846.texas.rad.html) gets the legend wrong as to who was the victor in the smoking contest) ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/10 "2014-04-10T09:35:46Z")
[The Legend of the Parson and the Clerk.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legend_of_the_Parson_and_Clerk) (I heard this, and saw the sea stacks in question, when on vacation in the area when I was a boy.) ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/11 "2014-04-10T09:43:11Z")
[The Devil’s Punch Bowl.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s_Punch_Bowl#Local_legends) [The Giant’s Causeway.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant%27s_Causeway#Legend) ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/12 "2014-04-10T09:50:12Z")
The Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland was built to facilitate a fight between local boy Finn McCool and Scottish challenger Benandonner,[it says here](http://www.amazon.com/MacCool-Giants-Causeway-Hopscotch-Adventures/dp/074968562X). ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/13 "2014-04-10T09:51:40Z")
And that is why we always preview before posting. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/14 "2014-04-10T11:48:18Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Paul Bunyan’s tale includes an explanation of the formation of the Rocky Mountains. Also the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, if lakes and rivers count. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/15 "2014-04-10T11:50:56Z")
Thank you all for the suggestions–I much appreciate them! I’ll take some time this afternoon to go through them and make some purchases. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/16 "2014-04-10T11:58:13Z")
I read landforms, but immediately [thought of this.](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gZ7fLyumqtA/R7HBtLaId-I/AAAAAAAAE2Q/JVZCdCILDHM/s400/colorforms2.jpg)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/17 "2014-04-10T14:22:13Z")
I have no idea if [this book](http://www.loowitslegend.com/) is any good - but it claims to be about the legend about the northwest volcanoes and looks to be for that age range (or a little younger). ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/18 "2014-04-10T14:40:44Z")
In _The Silmarillion_, major transformations in the landscape seem to be an inescapable by-product of clashes between the Valar and Morgoth. Mortals should probably stay the hell away from said clashes. ---
**Author:** ![Nauplius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nauplius/32/51_2.png) [@Nauplius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nauplius)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/19 "2014-04-10T17:34:40Z")
[Mt St Helens](http://www.mtsthelens.net/MtStHelensNet/bridgeofgods.html) ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742/20 "2014-04-10T23:57:58Z")
The Devil bit the top off a mountain in Co. Tipperary and now it is the [Devil’s Bit](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil's_Bit). He dropped the piece of mountain and it became the[Rock Of Cashel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_of_Cashel). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/myths-and-legends-about-landforms-for-kids/685742.md?page=2)