Weather in North Louisiana

As a little girl my granddaddy lived with us off and on... less off and more on.  Since my parents worked when we had a question it was Granddaddy we asked.  Also, through my entire life I was told of my Indian heritage, on both my parents sides. I remember asking him why other parts of north Louisiana had tornadoes and I was scared.  He told me, "Baby, you don't hvae to worry about that because Indians always built their camps on a river.  The reason they told was that when a tornado came within so close to a river it would jump over the water thus leaving those close to the water unharmed.  So, whether this is true or unfounded, I have never been scared of a tornado in the area where we live.  We live just 5 blocks from the Ouachita River in North Louisiana.  Thanks Granddaddy, for being a very important of my life.