Whiskers, Tails & Wings: Animal Folktales from Mexico

by Judy Goldman

Hardcover, 2013

Status

Available

Local notes

398.2 Gol

Barcode

3773

Collection

Publication

Charlesbridge (2013), 64 pages

Description

Retells animal folktales from five indigenous peoples of Mexico, including the Tarahumara tale in which a puma meets a grasshopper, and provides information on the culture of each indigenous people.

Language

Original language

English

Physical description

64 p.; 7.88 inches

User reviews

LibraryThing member joycecafe
One day in the forest, grouchy Señor Puma almost squashed a cricket, Señor Grillo. Señor Puma doesn't care and tells him he is good for nothing. Señor Grillo calls him a coward because of his behavior, causing Señor Puma to get so upset that he challenges him to a war the next day. Señor Puma
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recruits bears, bobcats, foxes, skunks, and snakes to fight with him. But Señor Grillo only seems to gather gourds. When Señor Puma gives the order to attack, Señor Grillo whips off the tops of the gourds, which contain wasps. Señor Puma's army dives into a lake for safety, and the crickets still sing their song every night to remember their victory.

Hant Caai, the god of creation, created the sky and the waters, full of life. He decides to create the earth, but needs the sea creatures help in moving the sand. Many creatures hid, too scared to volunteer. Some volunteered, bragging about how strong or fast they were. When Mosni the sea turtle volunteered, the other creatures told her she was too clumsy. The sea snail, triggerfish, and seal all tried and failed in moving the sand. Hant Caai asks Mosni to help and she she did, but only bringing back a few grains. That was all Hant Caai needed as he multiplied it and spread it to form the beaches, deserts, and mountains, allowing Mosni to be the first creature allowed to walk on the sand.

Tlacuache, the opossum, had a bushy tail. And people hadn't discovered fire yet. One night, lightning struck and started a fire, but only the Old Woman managed to keep Bright Thing burning in her hut. She would not share it with anyone. Tlacuache offers to help the people if they promise not to bother or hunt him anymore. They agree and he tricks the Old Woman into letting him sleep by the fire. When she catches him trying to steal Bright Thing, he escapes, but with his tail on fire. He jumps into a pile of branches in the center of the village, giving the people fire, and his tail is put out. He ran away and hid, but found his bald tail to come in handy to hang from tree limbs, and to this day opossums have hairless tails.

When Man and Woman were first created, they were lazy and did nothing all day. The God of Creation wasn't pleased with this and created insects to bother them into getting up and doing something. He sent a bee, spider, lice, wasp, ant, and butterfly, but Man and Woman swatted them all away, returning to sleep. Finally, the littlest insect was sent and bit Man and Woman over and over until they got up and finally built a home, planted crops, and raised a family. That is how the flea came to be.

Pokok the frog could only leap and swim and thought flying would be fun. Xulem the buzzard offers to take him for a ride to see the world. As they flew around, Pokok noticed the bad smell coming from Xulem's head and made a comment about it, which Xulem thought to be rude. So Pokok tries to enjoy the view, but can't stand the smell, and insults Xulem again. Xulem shakes hard, and Pokok slips off his back, falling down, down, down, knocking the wind out of him. His mama and abuela nurse him back to health, but that is why frogs have a flattened shape still today.
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Lexile

930L

Pages

64

Rating

(2 ratings; 3.3)
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