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“Tahoe Tessie”

Context

There is a creature that lives in Lake Tahoe named Tahoe Tessie. The creature hides deep in the water and only appears on specific days but you usually can’t see it because it’s too deep. It has existed for hundreds of years and no one really knows what it looks like. However, many people describe it as having a long neck similar to a sea serpent. The informants dad told him this story when he was a kid while they were on family trip to Lake Tahoe. The father mostly shared it with him and his brothers, making them feel anxious especially before going swimming or skiing on the lake. Every summer his dad would tell this story again and again as it became a special tradition for their family when at the lake. At that time the informant trusted his dad causing him to be afraid of the water. He remembers feeling scared to go too far while water-skiing because he was nervous of the monster hiding underneath the water. As he grew up he understood that this was likely just a story his dad made up to entertain them and make our vacation more enjoyable. When his dad was a kid he heard different versions of this legend from people nearby, so he was able to create his own variation of the story.

Analysis

This story illustrates how myths can be passed down from generation to generation being altered by each person telling it, they don’t always stay the exact same. As the story stated his dad was taught this when he was younger and now he passed it to his son, allowing the legend live on. His whole family is able to enjoy the story, and relate it to a specific trip. Now, when they go to tahoe he is probably reminded of this legend. This legend is a historical legend as water spirits have been a legend for many centuries. The creature itself is a mythical creature while the whole narrative is a legend.