"Originated with a series entitled 'The Folklore of America' which appeared intermittently in Life from August 31, 1959, to August 22, 1960."

Includes bibliographical references (pages 344-345).

The explorers. Sea of darkness -- The Vikings and their traces -- The lost continent of Atlantis -- The islands of the Amazons -- St. Elmo's fire -- St. Brendan's Isles of the Blest -- The fountain of youth -- The search for the golden cities -- Coronado and the Indian guide -- Madoc -- Mermaids -- A map of myths of early America.

The Indians. Sky woman -- Evil-minded and good-minded -- The dance of the corn maidens -- Hiawatha -- Blood Clot boy -- Manabozho, the trickster -- The white buffalo -- Escape from the underworld -- Sedna and the Fulmar -- Island of the dead -- The singing river -- Raven's deed -- How fire came to the Earth -- The rocks of Bryce Canyon -- The twins' journey to the sun.

The colonists. Father Marquette and the Manitou -- Drop star -- The blacksmith of Brandywine -- The pirates and the Palatines -- Tom Quick, the Indian slayer -- Ichabod, Crook-Jaw, and the witch -- The monster of Leeds -- The pirate women -- Black Sam and the haunted treasure -- Evangeline -- The witch of Wellfleet -- The white doe -- The angel of Hadley.

Backwoodsmen and borderers. How Daniel Boone met his wife -- Johnny Appleseed -- Mike Fink, last keelboatman -- Corpse maker and calamity's child -- Brady's leap -- The tragedy of Potts' Hill -- Davy Crockett's boast.

Yankees, Yorkers, and their neighbors. Peter Rugg -- Thar she blows -- Joe Hamelin and the "loup-garou" [werewolf] -- The Gloucester sea serpent -- Block Island wreckers -- Esau and the gorbey -- Jumping Sam Patch -- Rip Van Winkle -- How Sam Hart beat the devil -- Yankee peddlers -- Big Mose, the Bowery boy -- "Mary Celeste" -- Manhattan hoax -- Old Stormalong and the octopus.

Southerners. The rebel belle -- Daddy mention -- The brave drummer boys -- The rattlesnake that played Dixie -- The lovers of Dismal Swamp -- John Henry -- Alas for Theodosia -- De witch woman -- Joe John and the carpenter -- Joe Baldwin's light -- It's a long time between drinks -- Gossamer wedding -- Blue Johnny and the pilot -- Bras coupe -- The army of the dead -- The Hatfields and the McCoys.

Westerners. The phantom train of Marshall Pass -- Jesse James and the widow -- Skeleton Cliff of Montana. -- Sam Bass, Texas Robin Hood -- Gretchen and the white stallion -- Black Bart, Bandit, and "Po8" [poet] -- The McCanles fight as Hickok told it -- Roy Bean, necktie justice -- Wise, wise burros -- Bigfoot Wallace and the hickory nuts -- Julia Bulette of Virginia City -- The miracle of the mail -- The hole in the back wall -- Sweet Betsy -- The Indians' secret -- Calamity Jane, the loud canary -- The ordeal of Hugh Glass -- How Kate Shelley saved the Express -- The death of Billy the Kid.

Modern folklore. The man in the middle -- Snake Magee's rotary boiler -- Silent Cal -- Frankie and Albert -- The Fabulous Wilson Mizner -- The telltale seaweed -- John McGraw's jinx killer -- The girl in the lavender dress -- The legend of Lizzie Borden -- The trail of the white cat -- Room for one more -- Joe Magarac, the man of steel -- Casey Jones -- The ghosts in the White House -- Murgatroyd, the kluge maker.

Wit, wisdom, and whoppers. Lorenzo Dow raises the devil -- The talking turtle -- Blood stoppers -- The swapper -- Pecos Bill and the mountain lion -- High winds and funny weather -- "That's once" -- Fables of animals and friends -- Ole Sis Goose -- The doodang -- Dry farming -- A little piece of thread -- The sissy from Anaconda -- Paul Bunyan -- Febold Feboldson -- How hoop snakes can sting -- Frozen people -- Snipe hunters -- Fur-bearing trout -- Slappy Hooper -- Jim Bridger overcomes gravity -- The Seabees -- Yarns, tall tales, and practical jokes -- A regional guide to American folklore.

A collection of more than 150 stories, legends, and sayings, and is designed to be a book of reference, with a glossary of people, places, and events in American folklore.

Also issued online.