Tales from Silver Lands

by Charles J. Finger

Paper Book, 1924

Status

Available

Call number

Genres

Children's Books

Fiction

Publication

Doubleday (1924), Hardcover

Description

Atmospheric woodcuts illustrate this Newbery Award-winning collection of 19 South American folktales. Charles J. Finger heard the tales firsthand from native storytellers, whose fables of talking animals, witches, giants, and ordinary people in supernatural settings provide remarkable insights into regional values and culture. The first of the stories, "A Tale of Three Tails," tells of an age when the rat had a tail like a horse, the rabbit had a tail like a cat, and the deer's tail was plumed like the tail of a dog. "The Magic Dog" recounts an act of kindness to a stray animal that helps overcome a witch's curse. In "The Calabash Man," the creatures of the jungle assist a suitor in winning his bride, and in "El Enano," a greedy troll's insatiable appetite leads to his downfall. Packed with adventure and full of surprises, these and other stories emphasize the importance of hard work, courage, and loyalty. AGES: 7 to 11 AUTHOR: English author Charles J. Finger (1869-1941) traveled extensively, visiting Africa and South America before settling in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In addition to his 1925 Newbery Medal-winning Tales from Silver Lands, Finger's books include Bushrangers, Tales Worth Telling, Courageous Companions, A Dog at His Heel, and an autobiography, Seven Horizons.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member JenJ.

I enjoyed the tales that Finger collected, but I would have been more comfortable with more formal source notes as a supplement to Finger's occasional brief explanations that would open a tale explaining how he came across it. I know this was published before source notes were a standard practice,

but it really does muddy the waters as to what parts really happened to the author and what he created for the purpose of the tale. I also thought the tales could have been better organized within the book - the trio of tales about the three giants was split up and I didn't understand why at all. This could be used as a source for storytellers looking for multicultural tales, but I think most kids won't be interested in reading it anymore. The only audiences I see are kids who are obsessed with fairy tales and folktales (read all of Andrew Lang's stuff and want more like it, for example) or those obsessed with the Newbery.

Show Less

3 more

LibraryThing member tjsjohanna

Gleaned from his travels in South America, these folktales vary in their styles. Some seem very familiar to those of the Brother Grimm, while others are very clearly morality tales where virtue gives great strength. There is a flavor of South America, but also a timeless and placeless quality to

the tales. Some of the funnest stories are the ones that explain things like where monkeys came from and how the flamingo got its red and pink feathers.

Show Less

LibraryThing member sylvatica

I will admit to some trepidation about this book when first I picked it up. The author traveled to South America to collect the fairy-tale equivalents of the people of the “Silver Lands.” The fact that he did this in the 1920s made me nervous (see my post about Dr. Dolittle.) Instead, I found a

wonderful collection, told with respect and honor towards the people whose stories they were. I would highly recommend having a copy of this on your shelf next to H.C. Anderson and the Grimms. However, don’t read it straight through. These are to be savored individually. (pannarrens)

Show Less

LibraryThing member Snukes

I love these stories. They are so different from the fairy tales and legends that were local to my youth, they felt almost completely alien, which is a rather delicious feeling, and one that is hard to recapture as you get older and more experienced in the world.

Fewer