Seabreeze 1508 Traditional Literature Assignment MECHANICS -2 96/108
Schlossern S.E.
Traditional Literature: Tall Tale
Brer Rabbit Fools Sis Cow.
http://www.americanfolklore.net/folktales/ga5.html , (10-1-2007).
Summary: Brer Rabbit fooled Sis Cow by asking her to if she could help him get some
persimmons out of a tree. He does this by asking her to butt her head against the tree a
few times. Sis Cow agreed, and she butted the tree as hard as she could. Her large horns
end up getting stuck in the tree. Brer Rabbit pretends to go and get Brer Bull to help, but
instead he gets his family. They milked the trapped Sis Cow, until not a drop of milk was
left., Sis Cow was very upset, and attempts to get her revenge on Brer Rabbit.
Concepts/values:
1. Be careful of who you trust.
2. The rabbit was unkind to the cow. This made her sad. We need to be kind to others.
Reaction: This is a fun story to read. It was hilarious to imagine a family of rabbits
milking a cow. Children (3-10) will enjoy the story because of the humor and picture you
can imagine.
Discussion questions:
1. What is a tall tale?
2. Why was Brer Rabbit so mean to sis cow?
3. Do you think animals really play tricks like this to each other? -1
Murphy, Frances Barnes
Traditional Literature: Aesops Fables
The Ass in the Lion's Skin
http://www.ivyjoy.com/fables/lionskin.html(10-1-2007).
Summary: An ass finds a lion’s skin and puts it on. The ass has fun going around the
country side scaring the other animals. Then he tries to scare the fox.
Concepts/values:
1. You are still you, no matter what you put on.
2. The Ass became over confident of his scaring abilities.
Reaction: This is another fun story to read. It was hilarious to imagine an ass wearing a
lion skin. Children (3-10) will enjoy the story because of the humor and picture you can
imagine.
Discussion questions:
1. What is a tall tale?
2. Why did the Ass want to scare the fox?
3. Do you think the other animals felt foolish, after they realized they had been tricked?
Traditional Literature: Fables
The Lion, the Fox, and the Ass
http://www.ivyjoy.com/fables/foxlionass.html(10-1-2007). -1
Summary: A Lion, a Fox and an Ass decided to help each other hunt. After they collect
a large booty, the Lion asked the Ass to allot his due portion to each of the three partners
in the treaty. The Lion does not like the way the Ass divides so he eats the Ass. Then the
Lion asks the Fox to divide the Ass between them.
Concepts/values:
1. Be careful with whom you make an agreement with.
2. It might be better to get your own food.
Reaction: This is an interesting story to read. It was hilarious to imagine all the different
animals partnering up together. I like the last line, “Happy is she who learns from the
misfortunes of others.” Children (6-10) will enjoy the story.
Discussion questions:
1. Why did the animals partner together?
2. Why didn’t they get their own food?
3. Why didn’t the fox run away when the lion ate the ass?
Traditional Literature: Native American Fables
Ross, Gayle
The legend of the Windigo
Dial Books for Young Readers.
Text copyright 1996 Ross. Painting 1996 Jacob.
Summary: A village in the North Woodlands experience trouble one day, when people
begin to disappear one after another. The villagers realized that the Windigo was
responsible. A Windigo is a monster that is stone with eyes that hypnotize humans, so
that he could eat them. Because he is made out of stone he can not be defeated, or so
some thought. A young boy tending the fiery rocks in the elder's sacred lodge realizes the
way they can defeat the Windigo.
Concepts/values:
1. You can help solve the problems of your village no matter how young you are.
2. If you work together you can solve your problems.
Reaction: This was interesting to me because in the ‘flap’ of the book it says that this
story came from the Tlingit of the Northwest. My grandma was a Tlingit Indian. I don’t
think she ever told me this story. I like the end of the story, when the Windigo changes
into mosquitoes. So he still eats people, only now one bite at a time!  
Discussion questions:
1. How long do you think it took to dig the great pit?
2. Do you think the people were scared? -1
3. Do you think the people stayed even though now they had pesky mosquitoes? -1
Traditional Literature: Egyptian Myths
Egyptian Creation
http://mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/2_eng_myths.htm(10-1-2007).
Summary:
This is the Egyptian myth of how creation happened. Nu was the name of the dark,
swirling chaos before the beginning of time. Atum created himself using his thoughts and
the sheer force of his will. I think he is the example of God. Since he was neither male
nor female, and with his shadow, he produce a son and a daughter. He gave birth to his
son by spitting him out, and then vomited up his daughter. Then the story goes on and
Atum loses his children. When Atum sees them again, he was so happy he cried. His
tears became the first men.
Concepts/values:
1. There are many of which gods can be created.
2. The order; Maat, formed the principles of life for all time.
Reaction: I didn’t like this story. It was so weird. It would be so confusing to have so
many gods. How would you know you are worshipping the right god? I don’t like the
picture of birth given in the story.
Discussion questions:
1. What happened to Nu?
2. Why did Atum give birth to his son by spitting him out, and vomiting up his daughter?
3. What do you think of this idea of creation?
Traditional Literature: Chinese Myths
Chinese Creation
http://mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_chinese_full.htm(10-1-2007).
Summary: In the Chinese version of creation the beginning started with an enormous
egg holding chaos. Inside this egg both yin and yang, along with all the other opposites
were mixing together. When the egg opened there was a giant dragon named Pan-gu. He
pushed the two egg shells apart and opposites were separated and the earth began to take
shape. The half-dragon goddess Nuwa decided to create humans to have some other
beings to talk to and share ideas with and to love.
Concepts/values:
1. The concept of creation in this story is based on yin and yang, good and evil.
2. Humans do need to have some others to talk to. And share ideas with. And to
love. We do better when we have each other.
Reaction:
Discussion questions:
1. What do you think about this theory?
2. How did everything get into the egg?
3. How would you feel if you were created this way?
Traditional Literature: African Myths
Yoruba Creation
http://mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_yoruba_full.htm(10-1-2007).
Summary: In the beginning, there was only the sky and water. All was ruled by the
mighty Orisha (the council of gods). Olorun ruled the sky above and Olokun was master
of all that was in the waters below. A god named Obatala created dry land with a long
gold chain, a snail’s shell filled with sand, a white hen, a black cat, and a palm nut.
Concepts/values:
1. The concept of creation in this story is based on a god creating dry land with a
long gold chain, a snail’s shell filled with sand, a white hen, a black cat, and a
palm nut.
2. Don’t drink if you are doing something important. Obatala was drinking palm
wine as he was making people figures. The next day when he was sober, he saw
his living, breathing work. And he realized that they were all deformed and ugly!
Reaction: For me, this was another weird story. This story did have humor in it. To
imagine Obatala drinking while he is working away. And later when he was sober,
see his that all of his work was all deformed and ugly! I wouldn’t be happy either.
Discussion questions:
1. What do you think about this theory?
2. How would you feel if you were created this way?
3. What do you think of the idea of Olokun, the master of the sea, causing the flood?
Traditional Literature: American Legend
Schlosser, S.E.
Tommy Knockers
http://www.americanfolklore.net/folktales/ca4.html(10-1-2007).
Summary: Tommy Knockers are the spirits of dead miners. They either will help the
miners by helping them find ore, or letting the miner know to get out fast. The other thing
about Tommy Knockers is the possibility of being haunted. They can be very spiteful.
This story is about a spiteful one. Poor Eddie was being driven crazy, because his tools
were being stolen. And rocks were being thrown at him, and his light would go out. This
Tommy Knocker turned out to be a friend who had died a few months before. Eddie
owed him money.
Concepts/values:
1. You must always pay your debts.
2. You must be kind to those around you. Live your life so that you will have no regrets.
Reaction: This is a fun story to read. I can imagine being in the ground, and being
scared without a light. I bet Eddie wished that he had been kind to Joe, while he was still
living. It would have been much more convenient to have Joe as a friend, and ally.
Discussion questions:
1.
1. What is a Tommy Knocker?
2. Why did the Tommy Knocker want his five dollars?
3. Can Tommy Knockers spend money? -1
Traditional Literature: Native American Legends
McLaughlin, Marie L.
How the Rabbit Lost His Tail
Myths and Legends of the Sioux
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccernew2?id=MclMyth.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=20&division=div1 (10-1-
2007).
Summary: This is a story about two brothers who are very different. The older one is a
genie and the younger is a mischievous rabbit. The older one always has to rescue the
younger one. Finally the older one is tired of rescuing his sometimes very foolish brother.
Which is how the rabbits ended up with the tails they have. FRAGMENT
Concepts/values:
1. Be kind to others.
2. Be happy with who you are. If you change places with someone else, you very may be
worse off.
Reaction: This is another fun story to read. It was hilarious to read about the adventures
of the rabbit. I think the rabbit would look silly with a fox’s tail
Discussion questions:
1. How would you like to have a genie for a big brother?
2. How would you like to be the rabbit?
3. Why did the rabbit want to trade places so much?
Traditional Literature: Legends
Schlosser, S.E.
Spuyten Duyvil
http://www.americanfolklore.net/folktales/ny.html(10-1-2007).
Summary: There used to be a brave trumpeter, who would blow his trumpet when it was
time to call the people together. When there was word that the English were going to
attack Anthony, the trumpeter attempted to call every one together in order to warn them.
To do so he needed to cross a river. And the ferry man was not answering. So Anthony
had to swim across. Apparently the Devil was in the river, and caught Anthony’s leg.
Anthony blew his trumpet, and startled the devil. And he let go. Anthony didn’t make it
across though, because he had lost so much strength wrestling with the devil.
Concepts/values:
1. Don’t swim across a river if you know the devil is in it. -1
2. -1
Reaction: This is a sad story to read. It was sad that Anthony didn’t make it across, and
had to fight with the devil.
Discussion questions:
1. Why did the Devil want to get Anthony?
2. Where was the ferry man?
3. Do you think you can still hear his trumpet if you went to Manhattan?
Traditional Literature: Trickster Tale
Schlosser, S.E.
Brer Rabbit Earns a Dollar-A-Minute
http://www.americanfolklore.net/folktales/ga7.html(10-1-2007).
Summary: One morning, Brer Fox planted himself some goober peas. Brer Rabbit had
been watching Brer Fox planting the goober peas. As soon as the goober peas were ripe
Brer Rabbit and his family would sneak in and eat up the goobers. They ate so much
there was hardly any left for poor Brer Fox. This made Brer Fox so angry, that he decided
to create a trap to catch who ever had been eating his goober peas.
Concepts/values:
1. Don’t ever trust a rabbit. -1
2. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true.
Reaction: This is another fun story to read. I really like to read the Brer Rabbit stories. I
even liked the mischievous rabbit. I enjoyed how he gets a bear to take his place in the
trap. I read this to my girls, and they even thought it was funny.
Discussion questions:
2.
1. Was Brer Rabbit a trickster? -1
2. Why didn’t Brer Rabbit plant his own goober peas?
3. What do you think goober peas are?
Traditional Literature: Trickster Tale
Raven and Crow's Potlatch, a Salish tale from Washington
http://www.northwestart.com/NorthwestArt/WebPages/StoriesRaven&CrowsPotlatch.htm(10-1-2007).
Summary: at one time Raven lived high up in the upper Skagit River country. He was
very lazy. All during the summer, Raven went around teasing the other animals while
they worked on preparing for the winter. Once winter came, he was in trouble. He was
hungry, and had nothing to eat. Finally, he comes up with a scheme to trick cousin Crow
into feeding him and all the other animals. He tricked Crow into hosting a potlatch. Of
which Raven claims responsibility for. He even gets Crow to sing during the whole event.
Because of this, Crow loses his voice. Poor Crow has never recovered.
Concepts/values:
1. Make sure you work and store up enough for when winter comes.
2. Be careful of flattery
Reaction: This is another fun story to read. I grew up in the Seattle area. I am realizing
how much of the culture I really missed out on. I love stories with animal characters.
Discussion questions:
3.
1. Why was Raven so lazy?
2. Why didn’t the other animals want to share their food with him?
3. Would you share your food with him? -1