MANY CULTURES AROUND the world have their legends and folklore about “little people.” Some of these wee folk are friendly, even helpful creatures, but mostly they have a reputation for being mischievous, conniving, and always elusive tricksters — seeming to live just on the edge of our reality.
“My father was and still is an avid hunter. He has heard all kinds of tales through the years of what others have seen while hunting. He said he has never seen anything, but had only one weird experience when he was around 17 years old. He was hunting for elk with his father and brothers in Salmon, Idaho in 1965. They had all split up to chase down an elk herd they spooked by chance, and my dad was sent around the mountain by himself to cut them off.
It was a mildly warm day and he stopped to rest in the shade of some large boulders to strip off some of his gear and have a drink of water. When he sat down to rest, he felt a rock zip right by his head. Thinking it was one of his brothers playing a trick on him, he yelled at them to stop. That’s when he noticed tiny footprints in the soft dust under his feet. And again another rock was thrown in his direction, closer this time.
Now my dad had always been told about the little people who lived in the rocks and crevices of mountains and hills, an ancient band of Native Americans who barely escaped from the white man. They made their home in the hills and if bothered would put a curse on you if you failed to heed their warnings.
Feeling a chill creep up his spine, he slowly rose, gathered his things and said in very slow Shoshone, “I am leaving. I’m sorry I disturbed you.” As he was walking away downhill he heard small feet slapping the rocks behind him, but being a tad afraid he never looked back. He never told his father or brothers and could hardly tell me for fear of me thinking he was crazy.”
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