Book: Hill, K. Glooscap and His Magic: Legends of the Wabanaki Indians. 1973
Characters: Ableegumooch (rabbit), Noogumee ("Old Woman," rabbit's grandmother), Glooscap, Keoonik (otter), Antawaa (woodpecker), Mooin (bear)
Plot: Rabbit was being lazy, not gathering food for himself or his grandmother Noogumee. Glooscap decided to teach him a lesson. Invisible Glooscap said, "Take care, Ableegumooch, or your lazy ways will bring you pain and sorrow." That goes rabbit's attention! But then he got lazy again. Meanwhile, Keoonik the Otter invited him to dinner; he plunged in icy water, caught eels, and fed Rabbit. Rabbit was impressed and invited Otter to dinner, planning to do the same, and he nearly drowned. Koonik rescued him and went home hungry and angry. Next: he saw woodpeckers (Antawaas) get worms from trees, so he imitated them and failed again. Noogumee keeps warning him, but he never listens. Finally he saw Mooin the bear cut food off his feet (it's because bears squash berries which dry into cakes on their feet that they can carve off), but rabbit's feet just bleed when he cuts them. Finally rabbit resolved to gather food in his own way, and he stayed busy, winning Glooscap's approval.
illustration by Robert Frankenberg
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are limited to Google accounts. You can also email me at laurakgibbs@gmail.com or find me at Twitter, @OnlineCrsLady.