The Moon-Eyed People

The Moon-Eyed People brings together true tales, tall tales and folk stories linking Wales with Appalachia. Peter Stevenson considers the experiences of Welsh migrants, the Native communities already living in the region, and enslaved people forcibly brought there. The collection follows stories shaped by migration, land enclosures, mining, religious belief and cultural exchange.

Its material ranges from Affrilachian animal fables and Welsh tales of Cattwg the Wise to accounts of the Trail of Tears, Wounded Knee and Welsh weavers making cloth for enslaved people. Appalachian hoodoo, Native healing and Welsh witchcraft appear alongside stories of travellers, preachers, miners, singers and settlers, while the title legend forms part of this wider folklore of connected communities.