Legend of the Moss Woman

photo taken by a shaken Callie Cobb

The Native American Indians of Olympic Peninsula did not like to go deep within the rain-forest valleys. There were many things roaming the dark woods, like Seatco (spelling is questionable but pronounced Sea-ahck-toe or something close to that,) who is known as Bigfoot in other places. Scary little people lived along river banks. They would throw sticks at the tribal members canoeing the waterways to get them to turn back, and these creatures were called Stick People.  Perhaps the Stick People were cousins to the Nan-a-push, the little people of the forest. There were Thunderbirds too—huge birds that could move massive boulders and create thunder eggs.

But, perhaps the scariest legend of all, and one I have yet to hear told by the Salish people, is the Legend of the Moss Woman. In other parts of North America and even around the world in places such as Germany and Denmark, the Moss Woman steals children who wander too far away from their parents and she puts a “root” on them and thereby, she “roots” them.

Throughout the thousands of years the Olympic Peninsula has been inhabited, how many children have disappeared in or near the Olympic mountains? I would not have believed this Legend of the Moss Woman but, I saw the Moss Woman when I took my daughter and granddaughter hiking in Solduc valley. We all saw her begin to speak in the river’s breeze and it was creepy. We left —although we wanted to run—we walked, but we walked fast.

My daughter took this photo. While there, we did not see there was a child with her. Only after we got home and uploaded the photo to the computer did the child behind her become apparent.  Is there a way we could rescue the child? Can someone please tell us? Perhaps you will see her. Do not let her put a root on you. Stay near your parents or grandparents or grown-ups!

This story is featured in an upcoming book by me but featured here for the Daily Post photo challenge: Magic.