How the Sun Was Brought Back to the Sky

A brood of fluffy young chicks sets out to find the sun and bring it back to the sky in this folktale from Slovenia, published in 1975, and translated by the prolific Mirra Ginsburg, who has made so many Eastern European works available to American readers. Outfitted by the mother hen with a grain

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of rye and a poppy-seed each (sounds like slim rations for a long quest to me...), they wander about, asking each animal they meet whether they know where the sun lives, and picking up quite an entourage in the meantime. It falls to the local hedgehog to guide them all up to the local mountain peak, where they hop on a cloud that takes them to the moon, who in turn guides them to the sun's dwelling. Here the animal companions must convince the sun to emerge once more, all pitching in to get him ready.

Although I wouldn't describe How the Sun Was Brought Back to the Sky as a particularly scintillating read, I did find it a sweet, gentle little story, perfect for younger children who enjoy a good quest story, sans blood, guts and mayhem. The scene in which the animals clean up the sun was particularly charming! As someone with an interest in folklore, moreover, I appreciated the fact that this tale was from Slovenia, as I have not had a chance to read much from the folk tradition of that country. The colorful artwork is a little cartoon-like, but is cheerful and appealing all the same. I liked the scene in which the chicks are confronted by the magpie - it was quite charming! All in all, a solid folkloric retelling, although I do wish that Ginsburg had listed her sources, or given some information about the story.

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