Reading Notes: American Indian Fairy Tales Part A
This week I chose to read from American Indian Fairy Tales. Within Reading A, the story that most grabbed my attention was the third, The Little Boy and Girl in the Clouds. First, the title itself was very intriguing to me because it appeared that the story would would have to do with heaven and the afterlife. However, as has been the case with multiple stories throughout the course, I was mislead by it. The title was actually m want to be taken literally, as it is a story about a normal boy and girl who end up in the clouds. The imagery that the story paints is one of the best things about it. Beginning with its depiction of the scene with Iagoo and the children waiting for a story then going into a description of the valley in which the boy and girl lived. The story is about a boy and girl who lived in a beautiful valley harmoniously with the animals who also occupied it. One day after a swim, the two decided to sleep on top of a rock that was short enough for them to climb. Without any explanation, the rock began to grow, rising so high that the top of it disappeared into the clouds. When the children's parents came looking for them, Coyote was able to help by identifying that the two were somehow on top of what was now a mountain. Many of the animals bravely volunteered to attempt to jump up and spot the children, but all of them failed. Just when the parents and the animals were feeling defeated, a small Measuring Worm came out of the grass and told the group that he could climb to the top and retrieve the children. The other, more physically gifted animals laughed and made fun of the worm, but nonetheless he began his ascent. More than a month later, the worm heroically returned to the valley with both of the children.
The main theme of this story is similar to the classic American folk tale of the tortoise and the hare, a story that stresses the importance of determination over speed. Even though this Measuring worm is the smallest and slowest of the creatures, it was his skills of patience and perseverance that allowed him to become the hero of this story. This similarity to the tortoise and the hare was another reason that I chose this story as my favorite of this reading group.
Bibliography: American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae (1921). The Boy and Girl in the Coulds.
This week I chose to read from American Indian Fairy Tales. Within Reading A, the story that most grabbed my attention was the third, The Little Boy and Girl in the Clouds. First, the title itself was very intriguing to me because it appeared that the story would would have to do with heaven and the afterlife. However, as has been the case with multiple stories throughout the course, I was mislead by it. The title was actually m want to be taken literally, as it is a story about a normal boy and girl who end up in the clouds. The imagery that the story paints is one of the best things about it. Beginning with its depiction of the scene with Iagoo and the children waiting for a story then going into a description of the valley in which the boy and girl lived. The story is about a boy and girl who lived in a beautiful valley harmoniously with the animals who also occupied it. One day after a swim, the two decided to sleep on top of a rock that was short enough for them to climb. Without any explanation, the rock began to grow, rising so high that the top of it disappeared into the clouds. When the children's parents came looking for them, Coyote was able to help by identifying that the two were somehow on top of what was now a mountain. Many of the animals bravely volunteered to attempt to jump up and spot the children, but all of them failed. Just when the parents and the animals were feeling defeated, a small Measuring Worm came out of the grass and told the group that he could climb to the top and retrieve the children. The other, more physically gifted animals laughed and made fun of the worm, but nonetheless he began his ascent. More than a month later, the worm heroically returned to the valley with both of the children.
The main theme of this story is similar to the classic American folk tale of the tortoise and the hare, a story that stresses the importance of determination over speed. Even though this Measuring worm is the smallest and slowest of the creatures, it was his skills of patience and perseverance that allowed him to become the hero of this story. This similarity to the tortoise and the hare was another reason that I chose this story as my favorite of this reading group.
Bibliography: American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae (1921). The Boy and Girl in the Coulds.
The Little Boy and Girl in the Clouds,plaground.jpg
Comments
Post a Comment