Cherokee Legends Exhibit
Find each legend throughout the town of Cherokee, NC
Read their stories on CherokeeSpeaks.com
The Bear Tail Tale
The Bear once had the nicest, bushiest tail of
all the animals until the day the Fox tricked
the Bear into sticking his tail into a hole in a
frozen lake, causing the Bear to lose his tail.
Bear Tail Tale
The Three Sisters
The Three Sisters represents three crops
planted by the Cherokee. The oldest sister
represents corn, the middle sister represents
squash, and the youngest represents beans.
The crops were planted together and each
plant helps the others grow.
The Seven Clans
There are seven clans in Cherokee society:
the Bird Clan, the Blue Clan, the Deer Clan,
the Long Hair Clan, the Paint Clan, the Wild
Potato Clan, and the Wolf Clan. Each clan
has it’s own duties and roles in the society.
The Seven Clans
The Panther & The Owl
The plants and animals were told to stay awake
for seven days but only the Panther, the Owl, and
a few plants and trees were able to stay awake
that long. The Panther and the Owl were granted
the ability to see at night and the trees that stayed
awake were able to stay green for the winter while
the others would turn orange and die.
The Panther & The Owl
