The Pi-a-saw Bird

A Native American Indian Fantasy Horror

In 1673 the first European explorers to travel down the Mississippi River spot on the high, sheer bluffs the painting of a huge, winged monster. Where does it come from?

Why did somebody take the trouble and risk to paint it on the bluff face? The Indians told them the terrifying story of a man-eating, dragon-like creature, and the brave chief who killed it.

This historical, Native American dragon fantasy short story previously published in FANTASTIC December 1975, and unavailable since then, until now.

We know dragon stories and legends from Europe and Asia go back thousands of years. Did some such creature prey on people just north of modern-day St. Louis? A dragon in North America?

The French explorers Pere Marquette and Joliet paddle their canoes down the Father of Waters, the first Europeans to journey through the middle of the newly discovered continent of North America.

©1975 Richard Stooker (P)2013 Richard Stooker