Reading Diary Week 10- American Indian Fairytales

American Indian Fairytales

I only read the second half of this unit.

The Boy Who Snared the Sun

I am curious as to what exactly a Iagoo is. Is it a tribe storyteller? I had no idea that in Native American lore the Coyote gave the people fire. I don't usually think of them as heroic or significant. They are just scavengers. What is a Mastoden? Sounds huge! It is really weird to think of a dormouse being as big as a mountain. He must have been gnawing on the trap to free the sun for a while for him to shrink to the size of a normal mouse. 

How the Summer Came

So a wild goose brings the summer in Native American lore? I really like the idea of the Summer world. It sounds fantastic. I loved the phrase "that the sky was not only the roof of our own world, but also was the floor of a beautiful world beyond." To me, that was just really great writing. A storm that covered the whole earth with water? Are the Native Americans familiar with the story of noah?

The Fairy Bride

I like how the fairies in this story are described as mischievous. Sometimes they are really nice, but I like the stories where they are a little devious. I can definitely understand Neen-i-zu's concern about height. I am not the tallest girl and am one of the shortest amongst my friends. I dated a guy that was over a foot taller than me and that was always a little strange to me. I am glad that Neen-i-zu found someone that she liked rather than marrying someone her mother wanted.