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WORLD FOLKTALES TO TALK ABOUT

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J 398 Earth 1999
Earth care world
:

folktales to talk about

31111022384844

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Printed in USA
55 137 001
Brodart Co.
Also by Margaret Read MacDonald

Peace Tales: World Folktales to Talk About

The Round Book: Rounds Kinds Love to Sing
Look Back and See: Twenty Lively Tales for Gentle Tellers
Thai Tales: Folktales of Thailand (with Supraporn Vathanaprida)
The Girl Who Wore Too Much: A Folktale from Thailand
Tuck-Me-In Tales: Bedtime Stories from Around the World
The Storytellers Start-Up Book
EARTH
CARE
WORLD FOLKTALES TO TALK ABOUT

BY MAROARET REAP MACDONALD

LINNET BOOKS 1999
© 1999 Margaret Read MacDonald.
All rights reserved. First published 1999
by Linnet Books, an imprint of
The Shoe String Press, Inc., 2 Linsley Street,
North Haven, Connecticut 06473.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Earth care : world folktales to talk about / [compiled] by
Margaret Read MacDonald.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
Summary: A collection of traditional tales and proverbs from over
twenty countries or ethnic groups, touching upon both human and
ecological themes such as environmental protection, the care of
other creatures, and the connection of all things in nature.
ISBN 0-208-02416-6 (lib. cloth : alk. paper).

ISBN 0-208-02426-3 (lib. pbk. : alk. paper)

1. Tales. (1. Folklore.] I. MacDonald, Margaret Read, 1940-

PZ8.1.E125 1999
398.2— dc21 99-29785
CIP

The paper in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American

National Standard of Information Sciences —
Permanence of Paper
for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48— 1984. ©

Design by Abigail Johnston

Illustration by Zobra Anasazi

Printed in the United States of America

For Diantha Thorpe, editor and publisher,

who lays her all on the line year after year

to make these books come true.

 Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2011

http://www.archive.org/details/earthcareworldfoOOmacd
Contents ^
Introduction xi

^ Caring for Our Land

* Three Green Ladies 1
A FOLKTALE FROM DERBYSHIFiE. ENGLAND

* Treasure in the Vineyard 8

A FABLE BY AESOP

* The Farmer and His Crops 10

A HMONG FOLKTALE

^ Caring for Our Forests

* Beast and Tree 16
INSPIRED BY A FABLE BY JAMES DILLET FREEMAN

Who Is King of the World? 19

A FABLE BY JAMES DILLET FREEMAN

* Mikku and the Trees 22

A FOLKTALE FROM ESTONIA

Hold Tight and Stick Tight 28

A FOLKTALE FROM JAPAN

Spider and the Palm-Nut Tree 32

A DAN FOLKTALE FROM LIBERL\

*An asterisk marks titles formatted by Margaret Read MacDonald for easy
storytelling.

\ni
t^ Caring for Our Wetlands
* The Tiddy Mun 35
A FOLK LKGEND FROM ENGLAND

* The New Lake 43

A FOLKTALE FROM CHINA

* Fox Rules the Streams 44

A FOLKTALE FROM THAILAND

* Papa God's Well 51

A FOLKTALE FROM HAITI

e^ Caring for Our Creatures

* Two Women Hunt for Ground Squirrels 57
A TANAINA ATHABASKAN TALE

* Gluskabe Traps the Animals 62

A PENOBSCOT LEGEND

* The Mountain Goats of Temlahan 66

A TSIMSHL^dM TALE

* The Alligator and the Hunter 71

A CHOCTAW TALE

* The Curupira 75
A FOLKTALE FROM BRAZIL

^ Ail Things Are Connected

* The Mosquito Extermination Project 79
A FOLKTALE FROM INDL\

* Gecko Cannot Sleep 81

A FOLKTALE FROM BALI

* The Golden Plow 86

A FOLKTALE FROM RUMANL\

Botany in the Rain Forest 88

A POEM BY LIZA HOBBS

viii Earth Care

^ Our Place in Earth's Sacred Space
Finding the Center 89
AN OJIBWAY LEGEND

Awaiyar's Rest 92
A LEGEND FROM TAMIL NADU, SOUTH INDIA

* Hidden Divinity 93
A LEGEND FROM INDL^

^ No Thing is Without Value

* The Tailor's Jacket 94
A JEWISH FOLKTALE

* Love the Weeds 98

A FOLKTALE FROM IRAN

* The Useless Tree lOO

AN ANECDOTE FROM CHINA

^ The Folly of Human Greed

* Too Much Sky 101
A BINI FOLKTALE FROM NIGERL\

Just a Little More 104

A FOLKTALE FROM PORTUGAL

* The Origin of Puget Sound

and the Cascade Range 108
A QUINAULT-CHEHALIS-COWLITZ TALE

^ Pollution Returns to the Polluter

* Sharing the Wine 110
A FOLKTALE FROM CHINA

* Don't Throw Stones from "Not Yours" to "Yours" 112

A JEWISH FOLKTALE

^ Planning for the Future

* The Tamarind Tree 1 14
A FOLKTALE FROM THAILAND

* Emptying the Granary 117

A EUROPEAN FOLKTALE

Contents ix
 Planting for the Next Generation 118
A FOLKTALE FROM TURKEY

*The Past and the Future 1 19

A MBAKA I'OLKTALE FF-(OM ANGOLA

cA The Wisdom of the Elders

Plowing Up the Road 121
A FOLKTALE FROM RUMANL^

*In Your Hands 124

A FOLKTALE FROM INDIA

.^ Many Voices Bring Results

Frog and Lx)cust 125
A PUEBLO TALE

^ One Person's Dream Can Make a Difference

*The Magic Garden of the Poor 129
A KAZAKH FOLKTALE

^ Afterword
The End of the Owls 138
A POEM BY HANS MAGNUS ENZENSBERGER

Tale Collections with Ecological Themes 141

More Ecological Tales to Tell or Read Aloud 143
Proverb Sources 145
Tale Notes 146
Acknowledgments 1 57
Cultural and Geographic Index 1 59

X Earth Care
Introduction ^
While working on my collection Peace Tales: World Folktales to
Talk About, 1 began keep a folder of stories about our relation-
to
ship to the Earth. In the years since then 1 have read through many
folktale collections, searching always for those stories which would
speak pointedly to us. 1 found collections of nature tales already
available for readers. But while many of these have fine stories
about plants and animals, only a few of those tales seemed to focus
on the problems in our relationship with nature.
In selecting material for this book, I chose only stories that
make specific points. Harvest wisely, take care of the land, do not
pollute, respect all life, seek the balance in nature, believe you can
make a difference —these are a few of the themes you will find ad-
dressed in story here.
Several more fine tales that could not be included in this book
are listed on page 143. And you will find a bibliography of other
folktale collections on ecological themes on page 141.
Our most serious concern today is the preservation of this
planet. Each of us must do whatever we can to help. Share these
stories and help others think about ways in which our human ac-
tions affect all life.

XI
All the flowers of all the tomorrows
are in the seeds of today.
— ^A CHINESE PROVERB
 CARING FOR OUR LAND

Three Green Ladies ^

I open this collection with a tale of oar responsibility to the land. The

farmer in this story sees himself as a mere steward of the land dur-
ing his lifetime. His job is to preserve it well and pass it on to the next
generation.

On a hill England there once stood three huge trees.

in
Those trees were hundreds and hundreds of years old.
No one knew for certain just how old they might be.

The farmer on whose property they stood thought of them

as being in his care for his life span.
He never spoke of owning the land.
He spoke of taking care of the land.
"This land is my responsibility," he said.

"During my life I will care for it the best 1 can.

As my father did before me
and his father before him.

And after I am gone,

my sons will care for this land."
 Now there was a custom in this family.
Every year on Midsummer Eve
the head of the family would climb the hill with a fistful of

primroses from the garden.

He would place a few flowers at the root of each huge tree.

The farmer had done this every year

£ind his father before him
and his father before him.
It was a family tradition.

When this farmer was dying

he spoke to his sons.
"Remember to care well for this land.
It isyour responsibility now
as it was mine during my life.
And don't forget to take a bit of primrose to the
Three Green Ladies on Midsummer Eve."

When the father died, the eldest son inherited most of the land.
To him went the huge farm and the hill with the Three Green
Ladies.
To the second son went a smaller piece of land.
But the youngest received only a patch of rocky soil behind
the hill.

As soon as that eldest son inherited the land, he began to brag.

"I OWN all this land!
Look at all that I OWN.
It is MINE to do with as I want."
He never said a thing about taking care of the land.

And on Midsummer Eve that son didn't set one foot on the hill

to take flowers to the Three Green Ladies.

"That old superstition.
Those old traditions should be buried with my father."

2 Earth Care
But the youngest son remembered.
He picked three small bouquets of primroses and climbing the hill
he set flowers at the root of each tree.
Then he sat for a while in the shade of those great trees.
He felt so comfortable sitting there in the presence of those old
living things.

When he came down the hill his elder brother was waiting
for him.
'What were you doing up there on my hill?"

T was taking primroses for the trees,

as our father taught us."

'Well, those trees belong to ME.

1 don't want you setting foot on my property again!"

'But I love to sit up there in the shade of those

three great trees."

you won't sit there again.

'Well,

Besides, after tomorrow there won't be three trees there.

There will only be two.
Because I'm cutting one down for lumber to build a barn."

And the next day . . .

on Midsummer Day itself . . .

that elder brother climbed the hill with his axe.

And he chopped
and he chopped
cind he chopped
at the heart of that tree.

Caring for Our Land 3

And he chopped
and he chopped
and he chopped
at the heart of that tree.

And he chopped
and he chopped
and he chopped
through the heart of that tree.

And at dusk the tree was ready to fall.

But when that tree fell it screamed like a dying woman.
And a wind came up out of nowhere
and whirled that tree round on its roots . . .

and it fell . . .

on top of the elder brother.

And killed him there.

So the servants came and carried off his body.

And they sawed up the tree for lumber
and carried her away.

Now the second son inherited.

All the land became his.

And the two remaining Green Ladies were his, too.

But like his brother he bragged . . .

'All this is MINE!

All this property ... it is MINE now!
I can do with it whatever I want."
And he never thought a thing about taking care of the land.

Next year on Midsummer Eve,

the youngest son again picked primroses
and climbed the hill to the Two Green Ladies.
He put flowers at their roots,
and sat for a while in their shade,
enjoying the presence of those old living things.

4 Earth Care
But when he came down from the hill

the second brother was waiting for him.

'What were you doing up on MY hill?"

"I was taking primroses for the Two Green Ladies.
Just as our father always did,
and his father before him,
and his father before him."

'Well, those Green Ladies belong to ME now.

So stay off my property."

'But I enjoy sitting in the shade of those two old trees."

'Well, there won't be two trees there after tomorrow.

I'm cutting one of them down for wood to build a fence.

And the next day . . .

on Midsummer's Day itself . . .

the second brother went up the hill with his axe.

And he chopped
and he chopped
and he chopped
at the heart of that tree.

And he chopped
and he chopped
and he chopped
at the heart of that tree.

And he chopped
and he chopped
and he chopped
through the heart of that tree.

Caring for Our Land 5

And at dusk the tree was ready to fall.
And when that tree fell it screamed like a dying lady.

And a wind came up out of nowhere

and whirled that tree round on its roots
and it fell ...
down on the second brother.
And killed him there.

The servants came and carried his body away.

And they cut up the tree for fence posts
and carried her away, too.

Now the youngest brother inherited all the land.

He looked on it kindly and said,
'Now I will care for you,
as my father did before me
and his father before him.
And my sons after me . . .

they will care for you, too."

And so he did.
He worked the land well and it prospered.
And every evening he would climb the hill
and sit for a while in the shade of the One Green Lady.

When he died his sons cared for the land after him.
And their sons after them.
And that One Green Lady is standing there still,

alone on her hilltop in England.

But I fear that one day soon

another young man will come to that hill.

He will take his axe and climb to the top.

And he will say, "All this is MINE.
I OWN it.

To do with as 1 want."

6 Earth Care
And he will begin to chop . . .

and chop . . .

and chop . . .

at the heart of that last Green Lady.

— ^A FOLKTALE FROM DERBYSHIRE, ENGIJKND

Toitu he Kaainga,
whatu ngarongara he tangata.

The land still remains when the people have disappeared.

— ^A MAORI SAYING

Caring for Our Land 7

Treasure in the Vineyard ^
Many variants of this tale exist All suggest the same thing: In order

for land to prosper, the farmer's eye mast be over all.

There once was a farmer with three lazy sons.

There is nothing new in that!
This farmer worried about his vineyards.
He feared that once he was gone, the sons would neglect the
vines.
He knew that the prosperous farm could easily fall into ruin.

Sensing that he was near to his death,

the old man called his sons to him.

"There is something I must tell you," he whispered.

"In the vineyard is buried a pot of gold.
It is buried within a foot of the surface,
so you should have no trouble finding it.

But I fear I cannot remember just where it is buried."

And without saying more, the old man passed on.

The sons worked hard that year in the vineyards.

They spaded here and there.
They spaded up the entire vineyard, in fact.
But they did not find the gold.
Still, because of their hard work,
the vineyard flourished.
The farm made more money than ever.

8 Earth Care
Understanding now what their effort could bring about,
the sons became fine custodians of the vineyards.
And the vineyards in turn
supported them well all of their days.
—A fablp: by aksof'

It is the farmer's care that makes the fields beair.

—AN ENGLISH SAYING

Caring for Our Land 9

The Farmer and His Crops ^
In this lively tale the vegetables require only a little help from the
farmer but he is too lazy even to give that.

The Hmong farmer made his farm far up in the hills.

With his big machete knife that farmer chopped down all the wild
plants there.
He beat down the bamboos.
He cut to pieces the liana vines.
Those wild plants cried when he chopped them up.
'Don't do that, Mr. Farmer.
Leave us alone!"
But he kept right on working.
The farmer cleared out a nice garden patch.
He planted rice.
He planted corn.
Then he took his machete and went back down the mountain to
his home.

That had seemed like a lot of work to this farmer.

He spent most of his time lying in front of his house napping.

After a while the rice and corn began to grow.

They grew and grew,
but when they were about as high as a roostertail,
the wild plants began to grow back too.
The bamboos began to beat at that corn and rice.
The liana vines began to wrap around the corn
and rice to choke them.

10 Earth Care
 1

"We don't want you, corn and rice," they said.

"You don't belong up here in the forest."

Poor corn and rice.

They jumped out of the ground and ran down to the farmer's
house.
"You've got to come help us," they said.
"Those wild plants are trying to kill us.
That bamboo just beats us down.
And those lianas want to choke us."
The farmer was sleeping in his bed.
He did not like to be disturbed by these bothersome plants.
"Well, go back up to the field," he said.
"Tell those weeds to leave you alone.

Tell them 1 will come up one of these days and deal with them.
But I am sleeping now. Just wait a bit."

Rice and corn were relieved.

They ran back up the hill and sat down in their field again.
"You weeds had better watch out," said rice and corn,
"Our farmer is coming up here.
And then you will be sorry you bothered us."
The wild plants were a little bit worried at this news.
"What does your farmer look like?"

"Oh, he is very STRONG.

He will be wearing black pants.
And a black shirt.
And a black hat.
He will be smoking a pipe.
And he will be carrying a big machete!"
The weeds were distressed at this.
They backed off and left the rice and corn alone that day.

Caring for Our Land 1

Next morning the plants all heard something
coming up the forest path.
Til bet that is our farmer coming," said rice and corn.
'You are going to have trouble NOW, you weeds."
The weeds began to tremble.
But just then the path opened . . .

and a tiger came out.

'Is that your farmer?" asked the weeds.

'No. That's not him."
The weeds were relieved.
They started to choke at the rice and corn again.

Next day the plants heard something coming up the path.

'Here he comes now," said rice and corn.
'Just wait. He'll fix you weeds."

But the path opened . . .

and a pig came out.

'Oh, is THAT your big farmer?

We are REALLY scared," said the weeds.

'No, that's not him.

He must still be sleeping.
He will come soon though."

The weeds just laughed.

'Oh,SURE.
We are really scared.
He'll be here an3rtime now."
Those weeds began to beat on the rice and corn again.

Next day they again heard something coming up the path.

'Oh, HERE HE COMES!" cried rice and corn.
The weeds waited to see.
The path opened . . . and out came a chicken.

12 Earth Care
 3

"Oh, SCARY," laughed the weeds.

THAT your FARMER?
"Is

We are really terrified."

And those bamboos began to beat on the rice and corn.
Those lianas began to choke them.

"Don't do that.
Our farmer is really coming.
He's just sleeping today.
He'll be here soon."

Next day the plants heard something coming again.

"This is HIM.
Just you wait, you weeds."
But the path opened . . .

and out came a mouse. . . .

"This farmer is really going to GET us," said the weeds.

Those weeds laughed and kept beating on rice and corn.

Next day the plants heard something large coming up the path.
Rice and corn hardly dared to hope.
Had their farmer finally got tired of sleeping?
Had he come to take care of them?
"You'd better look out, weeds.
This might be him coming right now!"

The weeds weren't even scared anymore.

"Sure, anytime now.
That farmer is going to sleep all year.
HE won't save you."

But just then the path opened

and out stepped THE FARMER!
THEN those weeds were frightened!
That farmer took out his machete.
He began to chop down those bamboos.
He began to cut up those liana vines.

Caring for Our Land 1

'Take THAT, you bamboo!
Leave my rice alone!

Here's for YOU, liana vine!

Stop choking my corn!"
Those poor weeds cried bitterly then.
And rice and corn cheered.
'Thank you, Mr. Farmer!
That is all we needed.
You just had to come look after us a bit.
Now we can do fine by ourselves.
You won't have to come up here again.
Just go down to your house and wait for us.
As soon as we are ripe, we will come to you.
But build us a little house to stay in at your place.
Just a little storage shed to keep us dry during the rain."

The farmer went back down to his home.

But he was so lazy.
That farmer just went back to bed.
He laid there so long his ear stuck to his head.
That lazy man.
He didn't bother to build a storage shed for his crops at all.

When and corn were ripe they JUMPED out of the ground
rice
and began to run down the path to the farmer's house.
Just like a river they ran, right down the mountain.
But when they came to the farmer's house they couldn't
little storage house anywhere.
see their
"Didn'tyou build us a little house to stay in?
Where can we rest?
We will get wet and rot if we have to stay out in the open."

Those crops just turned around and started back up the

mountain.
"We only come to you once," they said.

14 Earth Care
 5

"When you get your storage shed built,

you will just come up and get us yourself."
have to
And rice and corn climbed back up to the mountain,
and sat down in their field again.

Since that day, the farmer has to take his baskets,

climb the mountain, harvest his crops,
and carry them home again.
So much work.
Allbecause that one farmer was too lazy.

—A HMONG FOLKTALE

Tay lam ham nhai,

Tay quai mieng ire.
If the hands work, the mouth has something to chew.
If they remain idle, the mouth will, too
— ^A VIETNAMESE PROVERB

Caring for Our Land 1

 CARING FOR OUR FORESTS

Beast and Tree ^

This story shows the ecological disaster which can be caused by
even a well-meaning consumer

I he tree was old

and beautiful.
Who knows how long it waited there,
content in dark
and proud in day.
Who knows how long?
Until Beast came.

The beast came snuffling, nose to ground.

It nearly rammed the tree before it looked.
Then, suddenly, wild GREEN!
Green light.
Green smells.
Green sounds of swish and sway.

'oh."

A small sound of awe.

16
 7

And now Beast knew what it loved most.

Green.

Then Crunch! a fragrant mouthful.

Smunch! joyously another.
The Beast munched lovingly around the tree,
then wandered off to smile and sleep and dream
of green and leaf and tree.

Next day Beast hurried back

to lie against Tree's trunk,
groan sweet, adoring songs,
then round and Crunch! and Smunch!
and back to dream some more.

Here comes the beast.

Munch! Crunch!
Now back it goes.
Here comes the beast.
Crunch! Smunch!
There home it goes.

How happy are these days.

Till one day coming, habit now,

the beast can't find its tree.

It snuffles up. Down and around.

Nothing green here.
No scent.
No light.

No rustlings in the air.

Only an ugly stick

that whispers ... "I need ... I need ..."

Tree?"

'I need ... I need . .

."

Caring for Our Forests 1

"oh."
A pang of dread.
"I took. I took from Tree.
I never gave one thing."

Now Beast is rushing to the waterhole,

scooping up mud to carry to the tree.
Packing good dirt around the poor tree's roots.
Then going for clear water from the stream.

Bring mud.
Bring water.
Leaves to mulch the roots.
No munching now.
Just saving, graceful acts.

Beast learned this lesson.

We might learn it, too.
you will take.
If

You also must give back.

'I take . . .

I give.

'I take . . .

I give."

Beast's way.
—
INSPIRED BY A FABLE
BY JAMES DILLET FREEMAN
AS TOLD BY JIM WOLF

A man who kills a tree to feed his camel once,

deprives the herds of his fellowmen of food forever.
—A KUSHMAN SAYING

18 Earth Care
Who Is King of the World? ^
Here is the fable of an animal, who, like many humans, wants to
dominate nature— in this case, one plant. "Beast and Tree", the pre-
vious tale, was based on this story. But it had passed through the
hands of three tellers before I heard it Notice how the oral tradition
changes tales.

A plant and an animal once lived together in a small place that

was theirs alone. The plant pressed its long roots down into the
moist earth and thrust its long stems up into the warm air. The an-
imal ate the fruit of the plant. This the plant did not mind; it pro-
duced its fruit in hope that it would be eaten.
So the two lived together for a long time, sharing their world.
But one day the animal fell to thinking about how superior it
was to the plant.
"This plant," said the animal to itself, "does not show me the
proper respect. It treats me almost as if it and as
were my equal,
anyone can plainly see, that idea is ridiculous. I, the animal, am
strong and active, and this plant is weak and passive. I can move
about freely and it is helplessly fastened to one spot."
So the animal announced to the plant, "Nothing is clearer than
that I was made to be the natural ruler of our world. Henceforth
whenever 1 approach, you will acknowledge my supremacy by bow-
ing down and prostrating your stems upon the earth."
Now the plant was not a quarrelsome creature and was willing
for the animal to consider itself superior, but to bow down and
prostrate itself on the earth would be a hard and unnatural thing
for it to do.

Caring for Our Forests 19

 'The only thing that makes me bow down is a very strong wind,"
thought the plant animal is a blowhard, it is
to itself. "While this
certainly not a strong wind." So the plant continued to send its
branches up toward the sun, which was its natural way of growth.
When the animal saw that the plant had no intention of bow-
ing down and acknowledging that it was the ruler of their world, it
flew into a terrible rage. It bared its teeth, flexed its claws, and let
out a ferocious roar.
The plant paid no heed, but kept right on growing upright.
Then the animal shouted, "I'll show you who has dominion
here," and fell upon the plant with tooth and claw. It hacked at the
stems and tore at the leaves until nothing remained but a heap of
broken branches on the ground.
The animal felt so pleased with its total demonstration of its
superior power that it strutted back and forth, pausing only to roar
occasionally so that the whole world might know who was the
mightiest of all. That night, when it fell asleep, it dreamed happy
dreams of dominion and contentment.
The next day when it awoke it was hungry and immediately
thought about eating. It took a little while before it realized that its
only source of food was now a rubbish heap upon the ground.
The animal ran from side to side in the place the plant and it
had shared. But there was no question as to what had happened.
It had torn up the plant that had sent forth the branches that had

borne the fruit that had been its food.

Then it stopped strutting and it stopped roaring and it sat
down dismally on its haunches. "I have made a very grave mis-
take," the animal said to itself. It lay down on the remains of the
plant and wept that it had been so foolish and so proud.
Its tears trickled down onto the earth and watered the roots of

the plant. For the roots of the plant were still there, deep in the
earth, waiting patiently and acquiescently for their time to grow
again.
The animal had hacked down stems and chewed up branches
and leaves. But the roots of the plant grew deep down where the

20 Earth Care
animal had no power and when they fell the animal's wa-
to reach,
tering tears they began to stir in the earth and to thrust up new
stems. The stems sent out new branches. The branches put forth
new leaves. And in a short time the plant was heavy again with
fruit.

But although the plant grew quickly, by the time the fruit ap-
peared, the animal was scarcely skin and bones and its legs were
too weak to hold it erect; it lay,an impotent huddle of hunger on
the ground, helpless to lift up to grasp the fruit.
itself

But the plant, swelling with new life, grew so luxuriantly and
gave itself so freely that its fruit bent the branches clear to the

ground so that the animal could eat.

When the animal had eaten and felt the life come coursing
back through its emaciated frame, it realized how freely the plant
gave of its fruit with no thought of holding back because of what
the animal had done to it. Then the animal hung its head in shame.
"I had only the power to take life," it said to itself. "1 can see now

how little that is compared to the power to give life."

— ^A FABLE BY JAMES DILLET FREEMAN

Do not soil the shade of a tree that has been hospitable to you.
— ^A LAO PROVERB

Caring for Our Forests 21

 Mikku and the Trees ^
Here is a tale to help us think of the iisejulness of our many trees.
See the tale notes for suggestions on using audience participation as
you tell this story.

One day Mikku went to gather firewood.

He could have walked into the forest and gathered fallen
branches.
But that was a lot of trouble.
Instead he decided to just chop down the first tree he saw.

Mikku raised his axe and

CHOP!

But the tree screamed out.

"STOP! STOP!
Don't cut ME!"

"What ... a talking tree?

Why shouldn't I chop you down?"

what kind of tree am?

"Don't you see 1

I amBIRCH TREE.
a
You use my bark to make baskets.
You use my twigs to make brooms.
Don't cut ME."

"You are right," said Mikku.

"The birch tree is a very useful tree.
I won't cut you after all."

22 Earth Care
"Thanks, Mikku.
Remember . . . you care for us
and we will care for you."

So Mikku went on into the forest.

"Here is a good tree for firewood."

He raised his axe and

CHOP!

"Stop! Stop!
Don't cut ME!"

"Why not?"

"I am a CHERRY TREE.

I know you love cherry pies.
If you cut me there will be no more pies for Mikku,

"You are right.

I won't cut you after all, Cherry Tree."

"Thanks, Mikku.
Remember . . .

You care for us and we will care for you."

So Mikku went on into the forest.

Soon he found a broad, leafy tree.
He raised his axe and
CHOP!
"Stop! Stop!
Don't cut ME!"

"Whyever not?"

"1am a MAPLE TREE.

You make maple syrup from my sap.
And maple sugar too.
You don't want to cut ME down."

Caring for Our Fores ts 23

"You are right. Maple Tree.
I won't cut YOU."

Thanks, Mikku.
You care for us and we will care for you."

Mikku went on through the forest,

but every tree had a good reason

why he should NOT cut it down.
Pine Tree gave its cones for Mikku's fires.

Cedar sheltered deer on winter nights.

Walnut gave its nuts.
Each tree gave something.

At last Mikku sat down to think.

'I'll just gather branches from the forest floor for my fire.

All of these trees serve a purpose.

It would be a mistake to cut any of them down."

No sooner had he uttered these words

than a little man jumped out from behind a tree.

The little man was such a strange sight.

He was wearing a coat made of birchbark.
His hat was made of acorns.
And his shoes were made of thistledown.
'Mikku! I see you respect and care for my trees!"
said the little man.

'I want to thank you, Mikku."

And he handed Mikku a little wooden wand.

'Whenever you need something from nature,

just show this wand and ask.
All of the birds and beasts will be glad to help you
in return for your kindness to our trees.
If you want honey, show it to the bees.

24 Earth Care
 If you want berries, show it to the birds.
When you are ready to plow your fields, show it to the moles.
All of these creatures will help you, Mikku.

"Just one thing, though.

Never use the wand to ask for something
that goes against nature.
Never ask for something that should be impossible.
NEVER do that."

Mikku took the little wand and went home.

"I wonder if this will really work."

He held out the wand and showed it to the bees.

"Bees ... I would love to have some honey."

Bzzzzzzzz. "We'll bring it!" Bzzzzz.

The bees flew away.

In a moment they were back with a honeycomb

dripping with honey.

"Why, THANK YOU, bees!

"Birds ... I would like some berries."

"We'll bring them, Mikku."

In a flash the birds were back with beaks full of berries.

They dropped them in Mikku's bowl.

Now Mikku had life so easy.

Whenever he wanted something,
he had only to show the little wand to the creatures
and they would help him out.

In the spring he took the wand out to the field.

"Moles ... I would like my field plowed."

Caring for Our Fores ts 25

"We can do it, Mikku."

The moles dug up and down until the field was plowed.

Then he showed the wand to the ants.

"Ants ... I have some seed to sow."

"We can do it, Mikku."

The ants scurried about and sowed all of the seed.

Mikku's life was easy indeed.

He became rich.
He became lazy.
And he became proud and boastful.
He got in the habit of giving orders.

One day in the middle of winter,

Mikku happened to be out in the field.
It was VERY cold.

The sky was cloudy and gray.

Mikku HATED this cold weather.
He was accustomed to having his own way by now.
Without thinking he held up his wand to the sky.
Mikku commanded:

"Sun come out from behind that cloud and shine on me.
1 want to be HOT HOT HOT."

Hot sun in the middle of winter?

That is going against nature.
Mikku should never have spoken those words.

Immediately the clouds parted and the sun began to shine.

Its rays burnt down and Mikku grew HOT HOT HOT.

That sun's intense heat focused on Mikku and ZAP/ . . .

Mikku was gone.

Nothing was left. Not even the magic wand.

26 Earth Care
Since that day the trees have never spoken to another hiiiiian
being.
Though they say that if you walk through the woods and listen,
you can hear them whispering high up in the treetops . . .

'You care for us . . . and we'll care for you.

You care for us . . . and we'll care for you."
—A FOLKTALE FROM ESTONIA

Do not burn the tree that bears the fruit.

—^A WOLOF PROVERB

Caring for Our Forests 27

Hold Tight and Stick Tigiit ^
In this story the wanton destruction of trees reaps its Just reward,
while caring for a broken tree brings good fortune. Look in Japanese
folktale collections for more stories about the kind old man and the
mean old man next door

Many stories are told of the kind old man and the mean old man.
In these stories the kind old man is married to a kind old woman,
the mean old man is married to a mean old woman,
and the two couples are neighbors.
And always the kind old man is very poor,
and the mean old man is very rich!

Here is one such story.

tvery day the Kind Old Man would go in the forest to gather
wood.
He would pick up branches and twigs that had fallen from the
trees.
Then he would tie them in a bundle, and sell firewood in the
town.

One day the Kind Old Man went deeper than usual into the
forest.

There he discovered a huge old pine tree.

It was a marvelous being.

But some careless person had broken one of the pine's branches.
The old man heard the tree's needles rustling.
It seemed to be speaking.

28 Earth Care
 "Ssaaap . . . ssaaap is drip-pin^ . . . drip-pin^ .

Ssaaap . . . ssaaap is dripping . . . dripping . . .

Pine Tree feels so ssaad. ..."

'Ican help," said the Kind Old Man. "I can help."
Quickly he tore off a strip from his clothing.
He reached up and tied the cloth around the broken branch.
He bound it firmly back in place.
'Now it will mend, Tree. Do not be sad."

All of the trees' branches began to rustle and move.

And high up in the tree he heard a voice:

"Hold tight or stick tight?

Hold tight or stick tight?
Which shall it be?"

'Well . . . hold tight OR stick tight.

Whatever you like, Tree," said the Kind Old Man.
He couldn't imagine what the tree meant.

Suddenly, round golden objects began to fall from the tree.

They stuck to the old man's clothing.

They covered his body from head to toe!

He could hardly move.

He was covered with GOLD COINS!
'Aaahhhh! Thank you. Tree!"

The Kind Old Man stumbled home clanking with coins.

His Kind Old Wife spent the evening picking gold from his
clothing.
When she had piled up the coins, they were rich!

Of course it wasn't long before

the Mean Old Man next door heard about this.

He hurried off to the forest in search of the magic pine.

After much searching, he found the huge old tree.

Caring for Our Forests 29

There was the branch that the Kind Old Man had mended.
'This is the place! Now 1 get RICHER!"

The Mean Old Man reached up and broke one . . .

two . . . three branches!

"If mending ONE branch brings all that gold,
just think what mending THREE branches will bring!"

But before he could reach to tie the first branch,

he heard a rustling in the pine above his head.

"Hold tight or stick tight?

Hold tight or stick tight?
Which shall it be?"

"Hold tight AND stick tight!

Hold tight AND stick tight!
I'm READY!" shouted the Mean Old Man.

And sure enough, round golden objects began to hail down.

They stuck to his arms they stuck to his head.
. . .

They covered his entire body!

But THIS was not gold!
The Mean Old Man was covered from head to toe with . . .

Globs of sticky pine sap!

"Oooohhhh. ."He was even stuck TO the pine

. . tree.

Try as he might, he could not pull himself free.

And there he stuck for one two three days. . . . . . . . . .

One day for each of the branches he had broken.

On the third day the sun warmed the sap.
So the Mean Old Man was able to pull himself free and stagger
home.

Out came Mean Old Wife.

his
"Husband, where on earth were you?
Here you are with the GOLD at last!"

30 Earth Care
But when he came closer she saw that it was definitely NOT ^okl.
He was covered with globs and globs of sticky pine sap.

So the Mean Old Woman spent the evening

pulling sap from her husband.

They say that kindness has its rewards.

Well, so does unkindness.

At least that's what always happens in these stories

of the Kind Old Man and the Mean Old Man.
—A FOLKTALE FROM JAPAN

I^ndness is remembered, meanness is felt.

—A YIDDISH SAYING

Caring for Our Fores ts 31

Spider and the Palm-Nut Tree ^
Liberian teller Won-Ldy Paye recalls this story from his youth. In his

Dan village, taking care of the environment was the responsibility of

every community member

One evening, when the moon was full, the chief called everyone in
the village together for a meeting. Someone was not following the
rules of the village. There were rules for hunting, so that too many
animals would not be killed, and there were rules for fishing, to

give the fish time to grow. There were rules to protect the farms and
the gardens and the people in the village, and there were rules
about the trees in the forest.

This night the chiefs main concern was palm trees. "Too many
palm trees are dying," he said. "We need the palm trees for shade.
The roofs for all our houses are made from palm tree leaves, and we
use the stringy fibers to make ropes and mats and baskets. What
would we do without palm oil for cooking and palm nuts to eat?"
The chief explained that palm trees were dying because people
were tapping them to get the sweet palm sap. Beetles would go in
through the hole and eat a tree from the inside and, after a year or
two, that killed the tree. "So," the chief said, "from this day on, no
one is to tap another palm tree."
Spider sat with the people and acted like he was listening to
the whole meeting. But he was thinking, "Rules, rules, rules. I'm
sick of all these rules. I like drinking palm sap. That rule isn't for
me."
Very early the next morning. Spider sneaked out to the forest
and marked several trees to tap. He cut sections of bamboo and

32 Earth Care
made hollow tubes with sharp points. Then he fathered empty cal-
abash gourds to hang on each tube for collecting the sap. Finally
he tied reeds together to make a long ladder.
Spider worked allday getting everything ready. "Tomorrow Dl
tap my trees," he thought. He could almost taste the sweet palm
sap trickling down his throat. On his way home he walked back-
wards, brushing a palm leaf over his tracks, so no one could see
where he had been.
The palm trees had been watching Spider all day. "I can't be-
lieve it," one said. "We give Spider so much, and now he wants our

sap, too. He's going to kill us."

have an idea," one palm tree
"I said. "I'm going to make sharp
thorns that will stick him when he tries to get my sap."
shake him off if he climbs on me," said another.
"I'll

"I'm going to grow so tall that he can't climb down," said a third.
Each one had a different plan.
When the sun came up voices like a gentle breeze whispered
through their leaves. ''Shhhh," they warned. "He's coming. Spider's
coming."
Spider set up his ladder and climbed to the top of the nearest
tree, the one that had decided to grow. He looked around happily.

"This tree is mine," he thought, "and that one over there, and the
other one too." He was so busy pointing to and thinking about
trees
how smart he was that he didn't notice he was moving farther and
farther away from the ground. The tree was growing taller with . . .

spider in its top!

Suddenly the wind started to blow. That tall palm was swaying
back and forth. Spider was swinging swinging
. . suddenly he
. . . .

fell! But as he fell, he grabbed at a palm leaf and held on. Now Spi-

der was dangling far above the ground. And then the palm leaf . . .

split! Its fibers pulled apart and Spider began to fall jerkily toward

the ground. Now Spider was halfvvay to the ground and hanging in
mid-air, swinging back and forth. "Save me," he screamed. "I can't
hold on much longer!"
No one came. But he heard a rustling voice quite close by. "Spi-

Caringfor Our Forests 33

der, you are stuck. I've grown so fast you can't reach the ground. If
you let go, you will be very badly hurt."
"Who's that?" asked Spider.
"It's me, Palm Tree. Now hang on and listen."

"Can you help me?" begged Spider.

"I've been helping you all through your life," said the palm tree.

"I have given you oil for cooking, a roof for your house, and nuts to

eat. And you're still not satisfied. You went to the meeting in the vil-
lage. You know that if you tap me it will kill me, but for a drink of
sweet sap you're willing to take my life."
"Let me down," pleaded Spider. "I'll go away."
"If I let you down now, you'll just come back tomorrow to tap me
and my friends," said the palm tree.

"I'm slipping," Spider said. "I'll do an3Athing you say."

"Listen carefully then," the palm tree said. "I will make a deal
with you. Iwill help you, but you have to take care of me. You have
to promise you will just use the things that don't hurt me—my
leaves and my nuts. And you have to promise you won't ever tap
me again."
"I promise," said Spider.
"Then I'll down my thread," said the palm tree.
continue letting
"You can keep my thread. Use it when you want to climb on me
again. But don't forget your promise not to harm me."
That was the beginning of Spider's web. He still uses Palm
Tree's thread. And he never breaks his promise.
— ^A DAN FOLKTALE, TOLD BY WON-LDY PAYE
AND MARGARET H. LIPPERT

Strong desire is the origin of pain.

— FROM THE LOTUS SUTRA, INDIA

34 Earth Care
 CARING FOR
OUR WETLANDS

The Tiddy Mun ^

A story of man's relationship to the marsh, full of magical elements
and The story was told by an old woman who lived in the
cautions.
Cars of the Ancholme Valley in England in the late 1800s. She had
performed these rites herself when young, but thought no one now
even remembered the Tiddy Mun. He was called 'Tiddy Mun" be-
cause he was so small, and had no other name. In this story people
mourn for the mythical creatures of their marsh which are displaced
when men try to drain the marsh and alter nature. I have kept much
of the tale's unusual dialect

A while back, before the dikes were made, and the riverbed
changed, when the Cars were nothing but bog-lands, and full of

water holes; they were teeming, as you have heard, with boggarts
and will-of-the-wykes, and such like; voices of dead folks, and
hounds without arms, that came in the darklins, moaning and cry-
ing and beckoning all night through; todlowries dancing on the
tussocks, and witches riding on the great black snags, that turned

35
to snakes, and raced about with them in the water; my word! It

twas a strange and ill come evening.

place to be in,

For were scared of them naturally and would not go near with-
out a charm of some sort, just a witches pink or a Bible-ball, or the
likes of that. I'll tell you about them another time. They shook with
fright, I'll tell you, when they found themselves in the Cars at dark-

lins. For certain, they were shaking in their time; for the ague and

fever were terrible bad, and there were poor weak folk fit for noth-
ing. In my young days, we all had the augue, the men out in the
fields, even the babes had the shakes regularly. Ay maybe, things

are better off now, but I don't know, I don't know. We've lost Tiddy
Mun. Well well. They understood fine that the fever and augue
. . .

came from the bogs, but so come as they heard tell, that the
marshes must be drained as the cause of it, they were sore mis-
contented, for they were used to them, and their fathers before
them and they thought, as the saying goes, bad's bad, but med-
dling's worse.
They'd tell them fine tales, that the mist would lift, and that the
bogs would come in the molds, and there would be no more augue;
but they disliked the change, and were main fratched with the
Dutchmen, who came across the sea for their delving.
The folk would not give the Dutchmen vittels or bedding or fair
words; no one let them cross the doorsill; and they said to each
other, they said, as it would be ill days for the Cars, and the poor
Car -folk, if the bog-holes were meddled with, and Tiddy Mun was
made unhappy.
For you know, Tiddy Mun dwelt in the water -holes down deep
in the green still water, and he came out only in evening, when
the mist rose. Then he came creeping out in the darklins,
limpelty lobelty, like a dearie wee auld grandfather, with long
white hair, and a long white beard, all clotted and tangled
together; limpelty-lobelty, and gowned in gray, while they could
scarce see him through the mist, and he came with a sound of
running water, and a sighing of the wind, and a laughing like a
pyewipe screech. They were not so scared of Tiddy Mun as of the

36 Earth Care
 —

boggarts and such however. He wasn't wicked and tantrummy

like the water-wives; and he wasn't white and creepy like the
Dead Hands. But nonetheless, it was sort of shivery-like when
they set round the fire, to hear the screeching laugh out by the
door, passing in a skirl of wind and water; still they only pulled
in a bit closer together, and whispered with a peek over the
shoulder, "Harken to Tiddy Mun!"
Mind you, the Old Man hurt no one, nay, he was real good to
one at times.When the year was getting wet, and the water rose in
the marshes, while it crept up to the doorsill, and covered the pads,
come the first New Moon, the father and mother, and the brats,
would go out in the darklins, and looking over the bog, call out to-
gether, though perhaps a bit scared and quavery-like;

"Tiddy Mun, without a name.

Thy waters THRUFF!"

and all holding on together and trembling, they'd stand shaking

and shivering, while they heard the pyewipe screech across the
swamp; it was the Old Man's holla! And in the morn, sure enough,
the water would be down, and the pads dry. Tiddy Mun had done
the job for them.
What's that? Ay, they called him Tiddy Mun, for he was not
bigger than a three-year's bairn, but he had no right sort of name
never had one. Someday I'll tell you how that happened.

So as we were saying. Tiddy Mun dwelled in the water-holes,

and now that the Dutchmen were emptying them out, while they
—
were dry as a two-year-old Motherin cake and you'll not take
much of that. Have you heard the old rhyme, that says;
"Tiddy Mun, wi-out a name
White head, walkin' lame;
While tha water teems tha fen
Tiddy Mun'll harm nane."

And was the bother! For the water -holes were most dried,
this
and the water was drawn off into big dikes, so that the soppy, quiv-

Caringjor Our Wetlands 37

ering bog was turning into form molds, and where'd the Tiddy Mun
be then? Everybody said, that ill times were coming for the Cars.
But, however, there was no help for it; the Dutchmen delved,
and the Dutchmen drawed the water off, and the dikes got ever
longer and longer, and deeper and deeper; the water ran away, and
ran away down to the river, and the black soft bog-lands would
soon be turned to fields.
But though the work was getting done, it was not without trou-
ble. At the Inn of Nights, on the great settle, and in the kitchens at

home, they whispered strange and queer tales, ay dearie me,

strange and queer, but true as death! And the old folk wagged their
heads, and the young ones wagged their tongues, and the some
thought, and the others said:

"Ay, and for sure, it's ill comes of crossing Tiddy Mun!"

For mark my words! It was first one and then another of the
Dutchmen was gone, clean spirited away! Not a sight of him any-
wheres! They sought for him, and sought for him, but not a shadow
of him was ever seen more, and the Car-folk knew fine, that they'd
never find him, nay, not if they sought till the golden Beasts of
Judgment came a-roaring and a-ramping over the land, for to fetch
the sinners.
Tiddy Mun had them away, and drowned them
fetched in the
mud holes, where they hadn't drawn off all the water!

And the Car -folk nodded and said:

"Ay, that comes o' crossin' Tiddy Mun!"

But they brought more Dutchmen for the work, and though
Tiddy Mun fetched on, and fetched on, the work got on nonetheless
and there was no help for it.
And soon the poor Car -folk knew that the Old Man was sore
fratched with everybody.
For soon he sneepit all cows pined, the pigs
in turn; the
starved, and the ponies went lame; the brats took sick, the lamps
dimmed, the meal burnt itself, and the new milk curdled; the

38 Earth Care
thatch fell in, and the walls burst out, and all an anders went
arsy-varsy.
At first Man would
the Car-folk couldn't think that the Old
worry his own people such a way; and they thought mayhap it was
the witches or the todlowries, that had done it. So the lads stoned
the wall-eyed witch up to Gorby out of the Market-Place, and Sally
to Wadham with the Evil Eye, she that charmed the dead men out
of their graves, in the churchyards; they ducked she in the horse-
pond until she was nearly dead; and they all said "Our Father"
backwards and spat to the east to keep the todlowries pranks off;
but it was not helping; for Tiddy Mun himself was angered, and he
was visiting it on his poor Car -folks. And what could they do?
The bairns sickened in their mothers' arms; and their poor
white faces never brightened up; and the fathers sat and smoked,
while the mothers cried over the wee innocent babies lying there so
white an smiling and peaceful. It was like a frost that comes cind
kills the bonniest flowers. But the hearts were sore and their ,

stomachs empty, with all this sickness and bad harvest and what
not; and something must be done, or the Car -folk would soon be
all dead and gone.

In the end, some one minded how, when the waters rose in the
marshes, before the delving; and the folk called out to Tiddy Mun,
come New Moon in the darklins; he heard and did as he was asked.
And they thought, mayhap if they called him again, so as to show
him like, him well, and that they'd give him
as the Car-folk wished
—
back the water if they only could maybe he'd take the bad spell
undone, and forgive them again.
So they fixed that they should meet together come the next
New Moon down by the cross dike, by the old stoop next to John
Ratton's field.

Well, it was a regular gathering, there was old Tom of the Hatch,
and Wellem, his sister's son, from Priestrigg; and crooked Fred
Lidgitt, and Brock of Hell-gate, and Ted Badley, that were father's

brothers to me; and lots more of them, with women-folk and babes.
I'll not say I was not there myself, just maychance you know it!

Caring for Our Wetlands 39

 They came in threes and fours, jumping at every sight of the
wind, and screeching at every snag, but they didn't need, for the
poor old boggarts and Jack O'Lanterns were clean delved away.
They came, every one with a stoup of fresh water in their hand;
and while it darkened, they stood all together, whisperin' and flus-
terin,' peekin' at the shades over their shoulders, and harkenin'

uneasy-like to the skirlin' of the wind, and the liplap of the runnin'
water.
Come the darklins at long last, and they stood all of them at
the dike-edge, and lookin' over to the new river, they called out all

together, strange and loud,

"Tiddy Mun, wi-out a name.

Here's water for thee,
take thy spell undone!"

And they poured the water out of their stoups into the dike.
Splash! Sploppert!
It was scareful, standin' holdin' on together, in the stillness.
They barkened with all their might, to hear if Tiddy Mun answered
them; but there was nothing but unnatural stillness. And then,
just when they thought it was no good, there broke out the aw-

fullest wailin' and whimperin' all round about them; it came back-
wards and forwards, for all the world like a lot of little ciyin' babies
greetin' as if to break their hearts, and no one to comfort 'em; who
sobbed and sobbed themselves most quiet, and then began again
louder than ever, wailin' and moanin' till it made one's heart break
to hear them.
And all at once the mothers cried out as if it were their dead
babes, calling on Tiddy Mun to take the spell undone, and let their

children live and grow strong; and the poor innocents, fleeing
above us in the darklins, moaned and whimpered softlike, as if

theyknew their mothers' voices and were tiyin' to reach their bo-
som. And there were women who said that tiny hands touched
them, and cold lips kissed them, and soft wings fluttered round
them that night, as they stood waitin' and harkenin'; to that woe-

40 Earth Care
ful greetin'. Then all at once, there was stillness again, and they
could hear the water lappin' at their feet, and the dog yelping in the
fields. But then came and fond-like from the river itself, the old
soft
pyewipe screech, once and again it came, and for true, it was the
Old Man's holler. And they knew he had taken the spell undone, for
it was so kind and broodlin' and sorry-like as never was.

Ay dearie day! How they laughed and cried together, runnin'

an' jumpin' about, like a pack of brats coming out o' school, as they
set off home, with light hearts, and never a thought on the bog-
garts. Only the mothers thought of their dead babies and their
arms felt empty and their hearts lonesome and wearyin' for the
cold kiss and the flutterin' o' the tiny fingers, an' the grief wi'
thinkin' on their poor wee bodies, driftin' about in the sighin' o'
that night wind.
But from that day, mark my words! It was strong and thrivin'
in the Cars. The sick babes got well, and the cattle thrived, and the
bacon-pigs fattened; the men folk made good wages, and bread was
plenty; for Tiddy Mun had taken the bad spell undone. But every
New Moon as was, out they went in the darklins, to the nearest
dike edge, father and mother and brats; and they tipped the water
in the dike ciyin';

"Tiddy Mun wi-out a name

Here's water for thee!"

And the pyev^pe screech would come back, soft and tender
and pleased.
But the day is gone by, and folks now know nought about him.
Ay, faith, it is true for all that; I've seen him myself, limpin' by in
the fog, all gray an' white', an' screechin' like the pyewipe, but tis

long since he's been by, and I've tipped the water out of the stoup
too, but I'm too old now, thou see, and cannot walk, since years
gone. But guess Tiddy Mun's been frighted away with all the new
I

ways and gear, for folk dinna know him any more, and you never
hear say now, as we used to say when we were young, and anybody
had a might of trouble and mischance, and wry luck, as said.

Caring for Our Wetlands 41

 "Ah, thou haven't been out in the New Moon lately, and for cer-
tain-sure, it's ill to cross Tiddy Mun wi-out a name!"
— ^A FOLK LEGEND FROM ENGLAND

If a carabao with its four feet can make a wrong step,

how much more easily a man.
— ^A PROVERB FROM THE PHILIPPINES

42 Earth Care
The New Lake ^
This ill-conceived "improvement" project of an ancient Chinese gov-
ernment reminds us of some of today's governmental schemes.

Ouring the Sung Dynasty, Wang An-shih was prime minister. He

was always eager to start new public works projects. One day Lee
Kung-fu came to court to promote a great new project.
"I suggest that we drain Liang- shanpo Lake. I, myself, will be

glad to organize this project. Once the lake is drained we will gain
eight hundred square li of fertile land!"
Wang An-shih was eager to begin at once on this new project.
But something occurred to him. "Where will all of the water from
the lake go?
"Oh, that is simple. 1 will handle that project also. We will just

dig another lake of the same size beside it and funnel the water
over."
Wang Ah-shih laughed and declined the project.
— ^A FOLKTALE FROM CHINA

A fool always comes short of his reckoning.

— ^AN ENGLISH SAYING

Caring for Our Wetlands 43

Fox Rules the Streams ^
Fox here the power-hungry administrator, bending nature to his
is

own The brave little Pla Moo fish is the lone fighter for environ-
will
mental needs. The story resonated among my students in Thailand,
where well-meaning governmental dam projects spell disaster for
many small farmers.

vJnce Fox was made supervisor of the stream.

He took this to mean that he could do just as he liked with the
stream, its creatures, and all who lived on its banks.

The fish and other living things in the stream's waters were for
HIM to eat.
The animals who drank from the stream were HIS servants.

One day Fox saw tiny shrimp swimming in the shallow pool where
he was drinking.
"LUNCH!" thought Fox.

The shrimp saw at once that they must be clever to save their
lives.

This pool was so shallow that there was nowhere they could
escape.
But the shrimp made a plan.

Several of the shrimp poked their heads out of the water and
began to flatter Fox.
'Mr. Fox, you are soooo beautiful!
Your fur is soooo soft and shiny!"

44 Earth Care
 Fox stopped and looked at himself. He WAS beaulilul.
While Fox was admiring his coat, the shrimp dove to the bottom
of the shallow pool and rolled themselves in mud.
Now they popped to the top.

"Mr. Fox, we can see you would enjoy eating us.

But look how MUDDY we are.
Surely you will want to wash us before you have your lunch."

"Oh, you ARE muddy.

I will wash you right now
and THEN I will eat you."

"Mr. Fox, you cannot wash us HERE.

This pool is too muddy."

"Then what can I do?"

"Come into the water and we will jump into your fur.
Then you can carry us downstream to a clear pool.
There you can wash us and EAT us."

So the fox waded into the stream

and the little shrimp all jumped into his fur.

The fox splashed downstream until he came to another shallow

pool.

"I will wash you here and EAT you, little shrimp."

"Oh no, Mr. Fox,

This pool is too muddy.
You must find a deeper pool."

Fox splashed on downstream to another shallow pool.

"I v^ll wash you here, little shrimp.

And then I v^ll EAT you."
But this pool was also too shallow for the shrimp to escape.

Caring for Our Wetlands 45

"Oh NO, Mr. Fox.
The water here is too muddy!
Go on downstream a bit."
Fox splashed on down the stream.
At last he came to a deep pool.

'This is the spot, Mr. Fox!

The water here is clear.
Wade right in and you can wash us and EAT us."

So the foolish fox waded in.

As soon as the water touched his fur, the little shrimp jumped off.

They dove deep to the bottom of the pool, giggling.

"Goodbye, Mr. Fox, thanks for the RIDE!"

Fox was furious.

'Those little shrimp!
They TRICKED me!
But I will show THEM who rules this stream!"

Fox began to call his servants from the forest.

"ELEPHANTS! If you want to keep drinking from this stream,

get out here, RIGHT NOW!"
"PYTHONS! If you want to keep drinking from this stream,
get out here, RIGHT NOW!"
The animals hurried to see what the Stream Boss wanted.

"Pythons, half of you go down below the pool.

Stack your bodies up across the river and make a DAM!
We will trap those shrimp right here!"

The pjrthons hurried to squeeze their long bodies together across

the stream.
They made a strong dam and no water could flow out of that pool.

46 Earth Care
"Pythons, the rest of you go upstream and make a dam just above
this pool."
The other pythons lined their bodies up and squeezed close
together.
They made a strong dam above the pool.
Now no water could flow into the pool and no water could flow out
of the pool.
The shrimp were trapped.

'All RIGHT!" said Fox.

'Now ELEPHANTS, slurp up the water and spit it over the dam!"

The elephants all dropped their long trunks into the pool and be-
gan to slurp.
They stretched their long trunks over the dam and squirted water
out.

Slurp . . . squirt . . . slurp . , . squirt . . . slurp . . . squirt. . . .

Slowly the water level of the pool began to drop.

Lower and lower sank the water.
The little shrimp were hiding in the mud at the very bottom of the
pool.
Fox still couldn't reach them.
But the fish in the pool were stranded in the mud as the water
level dropped.
They were flopping and dying in the hot sun.

Now in this pool there was one little fish who was braver than all

the others.
The tiny Pla Moo fish had a very brave heart!

Little Pla Moo saw that the stream creatures would soon all be
dead.
'Fox is killing ALL of the creatures in this stream!
These fish will not live to have children.
Their generations will die out.
All of the creatures in this stream are going to become extinct!

Caring for Our Wetlands 47

 One or two fish Fox may eat, yes . . . but he must not kill them
ALL!
I cannot let this happen."

And that brave began to squirm

little fish
right between two of the snake bodies in that snake-dam.
He squirmed and squirmed and held his breath and squirmed
some more and . . .

POP, he was out on the other side, swimming downstream in

search of help.

Pla Moo swam downstream as fast as he could.

At every pool he would stand on his tail and call to anyone who
might hear,
"Chuay Duay! Chuay Daay! Chaay Daay!"
"Help! Help! Help!"
But no one was around to help.

So he swam on downstream.
"Chuay Duay! Chuay Duay! Chuay Duay!"

Stillno one in sight.

On and on he swam.
"Chuay Duay! Chuay Duay! Chuay Duay!"
At last! There was Rabbit nibbling by the side of the stream.

'Little Pla Moo? What is wrong?"

is FOX! He has dammed up the stream.

'It

The elephants are draining the pool!

All of the stream creatures are going to die!
They will never live to have children.
Their generations will become extinct!"

'We cannot ALLOW this!" said Rabbit.

'I will help you, Pla Moo."

Rabbit left off his munching and began to hop back upstream.
Little Pla Moo struggled bravely upstream too.

48 Earth Care
 Hopping and struggling, the two small animals al last reached the
dam.

'Wait." Rabbit thought a moment. Then he had a plan.

Rabbit picked a large green leaf.

He it around until he had made a shape just like a

rolled
megaphone.
He hid himself behind a tree, and putting the leaf horn to his
mouth.
Rabbit began to call:

''HAAAM POK!
HAAAM POK!
Hit the head of the fox!

Pull the trunks off the elephants!

Tie the snakes into knots!
HAAAM POK!
The YAAK is COMING!
The GIANT is COMING!"

'It's the YAAK!

It's the GIANT!
We'd better RUN!" cried the elephants and pythons.

But Fox ordered them to stay in place.

'Elephants! Keep on working!"

'Snakes! Don't you move!"
'I am the BOSS.
Do as I say!"

So the elephants kept on slurping. But they were trembling as

they did it.

Slurp . . . squirt . . slurp . . . squirt . . . slurp. . . .

The snakes stayed in place but they were nervous. . . .

Those snake dams were beginning to wobble.

Caring for Our Wetlands 49

Rabbit came a little closer.

He called even louder, and the leaf horn made his voice boom out.

"HAAAM POK!
HAAAM POK!
Hit the fox on the head!
Pull the trunks off the elephants!
Tie the snakes into knots!
HAAAM POK!
The YAAK is HERE!"

Now the animals were terrified.

"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"
Those elephants stampeded off in every direction.
The snakes began to writhe and squirm and the dam broke.
While the snakes slithered off into the forest, the water rushed
downstream.
And with it swam the happy fishes.
Behind them swept the little shrimp, giggling,
'Goodbye, Mr. Fox," as they drifted away.

So ended Fox's rule of the stream.

Since he didn't know how to rule with care, he was not allowed to
rule at all.

These stream creatures were all saved by just two tiny fellows,
the little Pla Moo fish with the brave heart,
and the small but clever rabbit who cared enough to help his
water neighbors.
— ^A FOLKTALE FROM THAILAND

^
Where there is greed,
what love can be there?
—SIKH WISDOM

50 Earth Care
Papa God's Well ^
In this Haitian tale the caretaker of a well lets his power go to his

head. We need to ask: Just who does our ground water belong to?

There was a time when the streams dried up.

There was a time when the rivers dried up.

The animals became very thirsty.

Some were even dying of thirst.

The animals held a meeting to talk about their problem,

"Perhaps we should call Papa God.
He put us here.
He ought to look after us.
Maybe Papa God can help."

So all of the animals began to call as loudly as they could.

"PAPA GOD!
PAPA GOD!
PAPA GOD!
WE NEED HELP!"
When Papa God heard that he came right away.
"You animals look terrible.

What on earth is wrong here?"

'Papa God, the streams have dried up.

The rivers have dried up.
We don't have any water to drink."

Caring for Our Wetlands 51

"Why didn'tyou call me sooner?" said Papa God.
Don't you worry about this one minute more.
They don't call me Papa God for nothing.
I'll give you a WELL!"

Papa God sunk a deep well in the earth.

Papa God filled it with cool clear water.
"I think make this real pretty," said Papa God.
I'll

He planted mango trees all around the well, a whole mango grove.
It was a beautiful spot.

"Now drink all you want, animals.

This well is for YOU."

The animals rushed up and took turns drinking the cool water.
'Thank you Papa God."
'Thank you Papa God."
"Thank you Papa God."

'You're welcome, animals.

But just one thing about this well.
Someone is going to have to stay by the well to guard it.
I don't want wild animals making this water dirty.

I don't want humans getting around here and throwing

trash in.

This guard will have to stay by the well all the time.
Do I have any volunteers?"

Lizard spoke up.

"I'll do that. Papa God.
I like water.

Let ME guard the well."

'All right," said Papa God.

"Lizard is the Guardian of the Well."

Papa God left and the animals all went home.

Lizard settled down to guard the well.
Next morning Lizard heard someone coming.

52 Earth Care
 "Who's that walking through Papa God's Grove?"
Lizard called in his loudest, most official voice.

"It's me, Cow."

"What are you DOING in Papa God's Grove?"

"I'm coming to get a drink of water."

"Go AWAY.
I'm GUARDING this well."

'I thought Papa God said we could all drink the water."

Tapa God put ME in charge.

decide who gets to drink.
I

You might dirty the water with your muddy tail.

Go away!"
'That's not fair," said Cow.
"I wouldn't dirty the water with my tail."

Cow went away, very thirsty.

Soon Lizard heard another animal coming.

"Who's that walking through Papa God's Grove?"

'It's me. Horse."

'What do you want?"

'I'm coming to get a drink of water from the well."

'GO AWAY.
I'm GUAF^ING the well.
You can't drink here."

'I thought Papa God said we could drink from the well.

'Papa God put ME in charge here.

I decide who gets to drink.
You might knock dirt into the water with your sharp hooves.
. Go away."

Caring for Our Wetlands 53

'That's not fair," said Horse.
"I wouldn't knock dirt into the water."
Horse went away, very thirsty.

Here came Dog down to the well.

"Who's that walking in Papa God's Grove?"

"It's me. Dog."

"What do you want?"

"I'm coming to get a drink of water."

"GO AWAY.
I'm GUARDING the well.
You can't drink here."

"But Papa- God said we could drink the water."

"Papa God put ME in charge.

I decide who gets to drink.
Fleas might jump off your back into the water.
Go away."
"That's not fair," said Dog.
"I don't have any fleas."

Dog went away, very thirsty.

All of the animals were thirsty again.

They began to get sick and look just terrible.
Only Lizard had any water to drink.

One day Papa God came by.

"What is wrong with these animals?
They look terrible.
They look really thirsty.
Is something wrong with the well I gave them?'

54 Earth Care
Papa God walked over to have a look at his well.
Lizard heard someone coming.
"Who's that walking in Papa God's Grove?"

'It's ME."

'Who is ME and what do you want?"

'I've come to check on the water."

'GO AWAY!
This is PAPA GOD'S well.
You can't have any water."

Papa God stepped out from behind a mango tree.

"This IS Papa God."

Papa God was NOT happy.

"I told you to TAKE CARE OF the well.

I didn't tell you to OWN it.

This water was meant to be shared.

You are fired, Lizard."

Papa God called the animals.

"Come on in here and get yourselves a drink."

When the animals had all had a good long drink,

Papa God looked them over.
"I need someone else to guard this well.

This has to be someone who knows how to guard.

And this has to be someone who knows how to GFVE}.
Papa God made this well
and Papa God wants EVERYONE to enjoy it."

Frog spoke up.

"I like water, Papa God.
I would guard the well.
I would share the water.
I would never forget that the well belongs to you."

Caring for Our Wetlands 55

So Frog was put into the well.
He sits today at the bottom of the well, still guarding it.

If you come near a well just listen.

You will hear Frog calling:

"Papa God's well.
Papa God's well.
Papa God's well."

In Haiti there is a saying:

The well may belong to you, but the water belongs to GOD.
—
^A FOLKTALE FROM HAITI

More than we use, is more than we want.

—^AN ENGLISH SAYING

56 Earth Care
 CARING FOR
OUR CREATURES

Two Women Hunt for

Ground Squirrels ^
In this poignant story a woman learns the pain felt by a mother
ground squirrel when her young is wounded. From this small animal
the woman learns that slaughtering the young is not a proper way to
harvest game.

In summer time Athabaskan women go up into the mountains to

hunt forground squirrels.
This is a ground squirrel story.

Two women were hunting ground squirrels.

They went up in the mountains.
They built a little shelter to live in.
Every day they set their snares.
Every evening they checked them.
One woman caught big ground squirrels.
The other woman caught only small ground squirrels.

57
She was angry at the small size of those ground squirrels,
but she kept them anyway.
Just threw them in her basket to dry for winter food,
even though they were really too small to keep.
One day she saw a baby ground squirrel leg sticking out of her
snare.
"Now it's BABY ground squirrels!
Why can't catch big fat ground squirrels like my friend?"
I

She was so mad she snatched that baby ground squirrel out of
the hole, snare and all, and threw it into the brush.
Then she started walking away.

She walked and walked, fuming with anger.

Suddenly she realized she was walking in a fog.

It got very cold.

She felt wet all over.
She had lost her way.
She wandered and wandered in the fog,
feeling wetter and damper every minute.

Then she heard a voice.

"Shighinidu . . . nigada.
Come here . . . come here.
Shighinidu . . . nigada.
Come here . . . come here."

She followed the singing

down the hill.

She felt her way with her walking stick.

Then she bumped into something.
She felt all around it.
It was a ground squirrel house!

A big hummock of grass.

From inside the house she heard the voice singing.
"Shighinidu . . . nigada.
Come to me . . . come to me.

58 Earth Care
 Shighinidu . . . nigada.
Come to me . . . come to me."

Then she heard,

"Put your sleeve over your eyes,
and lean your head against the house."

She put her sleeve over her eyes.

She leaned her head against the house . . .

and TUMBLED right inside!

She landed with a jolt.

That's what happened!

She sat up and opened her eyes.

She was inside a ground squirrel house.
A fire was burning in the center of the floor.
She sat down and tried to warm herself.
There was a mother ground squirrel sitting on the bed,
holding a ground squirrel child in her lap.
This mother ground squirrel had been singing,
"Shighinidu . . . nigada.
Come to me . . . come to me."

Now she began to rock her child and sing to it sadly.

"My little ground squirrel, little child . . .

Why can't you stand up?

My little ground squirrel, little child . . .

Why can't you stand up?"

The woman saw
a string was hanging from the ground squirrel child.

It was a snare, fastened around his waist.

Now she understood.

This was the baby ground squirrel she had heartlessly thrown
away.
The woman went to the ground squirrel mother.
She gently removed the snare from the child's waist.

Caring for Our Creatures 59

When she pulled the snare loose the ground squirrel child
gasped,
''Aaaaahhhh."

The ground squirrel mother looked at the woman.

"You humans come here every summer.
You are strangers.
You don't know our ways.
Please be more considerate.
Do not be so cruel.
Our children like to play.
They keep running about.
Don't be angry with them if they trip into your snares."

The ground squirrel child looked up at her.

"Nghani Nghuni Ndaya!
Nghuni Nghuni Ndaya!"

'1 understand," said the woman.

'Now, you may go," said the ground squirrel woman.

"Put your sleeve over your eyes.
Lean your head against the wall again."

The woman put her sleeve up over her eyes.

She leaned her head against the wall . . . and tumbled back
outside.
The sun was shining.
The fog was gone.
She was standing in the meadow.

The woman started back along her snare lines.

In every snare she found a big ground squirrel.
From that time on, every summer
this woman found big ground squirrels in her snares.

60 Earth Care
But by accident a ground squirrel child was caught,
if

unwound the snare and set it free.

she carefully
She had learned from the ground squirrel people how to behave.

That is what happened.

That is a ground squirrel story.
—A TANAINA ATHABASKAN TALE

Waga mi wo tsunette hito no itasa wo shire.

Pinch yourself and you will know the pain of others.

— ^A JAPANESE PROVERB

Caring for Our Creatures 61

Gluskabe Traps the Animals i*^

This Penobscot tale warns of the dangers of over-harvesting our

wildlife. If Grandmother Woodchuck hadn't given her grandson such

good advice, we might not have any fish or animals lefi to eat today!

Gluskabe lived with his grandmother, Woodchuck.

Grandmother Woodchuck raised him and taught him everything.
She taught him how to hunt.
She taught him how to fish.
She taught him all about how to make his living.

When Gluskabe grew larger he said,

'Grandmother make me a bow and arrows!
I want to hunt DEER.
I am tired of eating rabbit and fish all the time."

So Grandmother Woodchuck made Gluskabe a bow and arrows.

Off he went into the forest and he came back with a DEER!
. . .

Grandmother was so proud of him.

'What a fine grandson!"

The next day he roamed off and killed a BEAR.

'What a great grandson 1 have!"

But Gluskabe wasn't finished.

'Show me how to make a canoe so 1 can hunt ducks."
So Grandmother Woodchuck showed him how to make a canoe.
Off he went paddling after ducks.
He came back with many ducks!

62 Earth Care
But then the wind came up and he couldn't paddle against it.
He tried hunting in the woods, but he couldn't catch any game.
So he went back home.

Gluskabe lay down on his bed aind began to sing a wishing song.
He sang,

"I wishhad a game bag made of hair.

I

I wishhad a game bag made of hair.

I

Iwish I had a game bag made of hair

So I could catch the beasts more easily."

So Grandmother Woodchuck took some deer hair.

She made a strong game bag of deer hair and tossed it to him.

But Gluskabe kept on singing.

"I wish I had a game bag made of hair.

I wish I had a game bag made of hair.
I wish I had a game bag made of hair.
Then I could catch the beasts more easily.
A STRONG game bag!"

So Grandmother Woodchuck took some moose hair.

She made a game bag of moose hair and tossed it to him.

But Gluskabe kept on singing.

"I wish I had a game bag made of hair.

I wish I had a game bag made of hair.
I wish I had a game bag made of hair.
Then I could catch the beasts more easily.

A STRONGER game bag!"

Grandmother Woodchuck pulled woodchuck hairs from her belly.

And she wove a strong, strong game bag of woodchuck hair.
Then she tossed this to him.

"Thank you, Grandmother Woodchuck!" said Gluskabe.

Caring for Our Creatures 63

And off he went to hunt game.

In the woods,Gluskabe held open his game bag.

'Come quick, you animals!" he called.
The world is coming to an end!
You will all perish!

Better run into my game bag here.

Then you will not see the world come to an end."

The animals all ran into his game bag.

He tied it up and carried it home to Grandmother.

Tvook what I have here!

I won't have to hunt for game anymore.
I have ALL the animals trapped right here!"

Grandmother Woodchuck looked into the bag.

'Oh,my grandson, what have you done?
You must not take ALL the animals.
What will happen to our descendants?
There will be nothing left for them to eat.
No, grandson. You must let these animals go."

'Oh, well then . . .

." Gluskabe opened his bag.
'Go on home, animals.
The danger is over.
Run on home now."
Now Gluskabe noticed how hard his grandmother worked fishing.
He saw that she caught very few fish.
*I could help out," he thought.
'There must be an easier way to get fish."

Gluskabe built a trap clear across the river mouth.

He left an opening for the fish to get in.
Then he went out on the ocean and shouted as he moved about,
'The ocean is going to dry up!
Come quick, fish of every kind who hear me.

64 Earth Care
Swim into my river and you will be safe!
All who hear me hurry now!"

Then fish of all kinds swam into the river and entered his fish trap.
When all of the fish were in, he closed the trap and carried it home.

'Grandmother, you won't have to work hard at fishing anymore.

I have ALL the fish right here for you!"

Grandmother Woodchuck saw that fish trap teeming with lish.

There were so many that they were crowding each other out.

'Grandson, you have not done well.

All of the fish will be killed.

What fish will be left for our descendants in the future?

This is not the way to act.
You must let them go."

Then Gluskabe understood.

'You speak the truth, Grandmother.
I didn't think about the future."

'Okay, fish, the danger is over.

Swim along home now."

He opened his fish trap and let the fish go.

Gluskabe had some wisdom,

After that
though he still had much to learn.
How fortunate that he had a wise Grandmother Woodchuck
to teach him!
—A PENOBSCOT TALE

Wa Van k'oufu erh tzu sha sheung ch'in.

Don't think immoderately of food,

and so slay living things without restraint.
— ^A CHINESE SAYING

Caring for Our Creatures 65

The Mountain Goats
of Temlahan ^
A tale about human's cruelty to animals. A kind-hearted boy shows
a better way to deal with wild creatures.

Itwas at Temlahan, on the Skeena River.

Many mountain goats lived near that place.
The young men would slaughter them by the scores.
They wanted only the fat from the goats' kidneys and intestines.
The rest of the meat and bones they left to rot.

Cruelty was the way of these young men,

and even of their children.
One day young kid by its dead mother's side.
the hunters found a
They carried the baby goat home as a toy
and handed it over to the children.
But the cruel children considered this kid only a plaything to
torture.
They threw it into the cold stream.
They laughed when it struggled out shivering.
They tossed it into the fire.

They laughed when it scrambled out scorched.

But one young man could not abide this torture.

He picked up the kid and rubbed red ointment on its burns.
Then he carried it off to the edge of the mountain and turned it

loose.

66 Earth Care
"Here young one, go back to your mountain home.
And do not come again to the place of men."
Next day the Temlahan people saw a group of strangers approach.
These men looked strong.
They wore blankets of mountain goat skins.
They wore mountain goat headdresses.
The strangers invited the Temlahan people to a feast
at their home high in the mountains.

The villagers of Temlahan were pleased.

They prepared a feast for these strangers.
The Temlahan chief danced to show acceptance of the invitation.
But there was something strange.
The guests hid their mouths with their blankets when they ate.
They Just shoved the food behind their blankets.
Later, when the feast was over and the villagers could not see,
the guests went outside and threw the food away.

A small boy told the people that he had seen the guests eating
grass.
"They have their heads down on the ground.
Those people are eating GRASS!"
But no one listened to the child.

Next day the hunters followed the strangers high into the
mountains.
There they were greeted by many men wearing
mountain goat headdresses and mountain goat blankets.
They were seated in a large house and the feast began.
All of the guests sat on one side of the house.
All of the hosts sat at the rear and sang for the dancers.
But the young man who had been kind to the kid was taken
aside.
'Come sitby me," said a young man in a mountain goat blanket.
'Sit here by the house post.

If the dancing chief kicks the wall . . . hold on to me tight."

Caring for Oar Creatures 67

Now the chief began to dance.
He jumped over the fire.

He kicked!
He jumped over the fire.

He kicked!

He sang,

"On the side of the mountain I lay my hoof.

The Chief of the Mountain Goats kicks down the mountain!"

Suddenly he kicked at the wall of the house!

The wall fell outward.
He leaped and kicked at the other wall!
The wall fell outward.
The house shattered and everyone fell screaming into a deep
abyss.
Right down the sheer mountain cliff they fell.

Only the hosts leaped to safety,

turning back into mountain goats as they leapt.

This was the revenge of the Mountain Goat People.

Revenge on those who had tortured and killed them so wantonly.

The young man who had shown kindness clung to his

companion.
He alone did not fall.

But now he found himself on a ledge of the steep mountainside.

He would die yet, for there was no way down.
And he was clinging to a goat!
The goat said, "Do not be afraid.
I am the kid you saved.
See, there is a red mark on my back where you rubbed the
ointment.

68 Earth Care
"I will lend you my mountain goat cloak and my mountain ^oat
shoes.
With them you can leap down the mountain."

The young man put on the mountain goat cloak.

He put on the mountain goat shoes.
Then he looked down from the cliff.
He did not dare leap.

"Watch me," said his mountain goat friend.

The mountain goat put back on his cloak and shoes.
Then he leapt from the ledge and landed easily on another.
. . .

From ledge to ledge he leapt.

"See, it is easy!
But as you leap you must say,
To the ledge!
To the sand!
To the ledge!
To the sand!'"

So the young man put on the cloak.

He put on the shoes.
He gathered his courage
and he leapt!
"To the ledge!" He landed on a ledge!
"To the sand!" He landed on the sand!

And so down the mountain he went, leaping from ledge to ledge

until he reached the bottom.

There he took off the cloak and shoes,

and left them on a bush for his mountain goat friend.

But what sadness when he reached his village.

Only the women, children, and old men were left.
Every hunter had been killed in the vengeance of the mountain
goats.

Caring for Our Creatures 69

The young man gathered his people.
He told them of their cruelty to the Mountain Goat People.
He taught them never to slay mountain goats wastefully again.
He taught them never again to treat animals unkindly.

And to remember these lessons, the clan took as their emblem

the S3mibol of the mountain goat.
—A TSIMSHIAN TALE

Greed will take you where you would not be.

—^A FULANI PROVERB

70 Earth Care
 1

The Alligator and the Hunter ^^

If harvested properly, the game of an area will continue to be plenti-

ful Here one man learns this lesson.

When a man was out hunting he came across an alligator far

from water.
The alligator had crawled inland too far and become stranded.
The poor creature was so shriveled and dried that it could hardly
speak.
In a cracked voice it begged the hunter for help.

The hunter kept his distance from the beast.

But he did offer advice.
"Travel through the forest in that direction," suggested the hunter.
"There is a pool just a short journey away."

"No, please do not leave me," pleaded the animal.

"I am too weak to crawl even that distance.
I shall surely die.
Come closer and let me talk to you."

Cautiously, the hunter came nearer.

"I know about you," said the alligator.

"You are a hunter,
but the deer always escape you.
Is that not true?"

Caring for Our Creatures 7

 It was true.
This hunter had very bad luck in the hunt.

"If you will aid me now," continued the alligator.

"I will tellyou how to become a great hunter.

Will you do it?"

The hunter still feared to come close.

"If 1 were to carry you to the pool,
Iwould have to bind your legs so you could not scratch,
and tie your mouth so you could not bite me."

"Tie me up," said the alligator.

"Then you will not be afraid."
The alligator rolled over on his back and held up his legs to be
tied.

So the hunter bound the alligator's legs with a cord.

He bound the beast's mouth tight.
Then he lifted the heavy animal onto his back.
After struggling under this weight for a long time,
he reached the river.

The hunter unbound the alligator and jumped back.

The alligator plunged into the river.

He sank to the bottom.

Then he swam to the top.
He dove to the bottom again.
And swam back to the top.
Three times the alligator dove and surfaced.
Then he sank again and stayed down for a long time.

At last the alligator swam back to the top and spoke.

"You have brought me to water and have saved my life.
Now listen carefully to my counsel.

"When you go back through the forest,

you will meet a small doe.

72 Earth Care
Do not kill the small doe.
She has many children yet to bear.

'When you go through the forest,

you will meet a large doe.
Do not kill the large doe.
She has children yet to raise.

'When you go through the forest,

you will meet a young buck.
Do not kill the young buck.
He has many descendants yet to sire.

'When you go through the forest,

you will meet an old buck.
This buck has lived long.
He has sired many young.
Now his time may end.
Aim your arrow at this buck.

'In the future remember to take deer as I have taught you,

and you will never lack for venison in your camp."

The hunter did just as the alligator had instructed him.

The young doe he passed by.
The old doe he passed by.
The young buck he passed by.
But when he saw the old buck,
he went close and took that buck.

From then on, the hunter took game just as the alligator had
said.
And throughout his long life,

that hunter never lacked for venison.

— ^A CHOCTAW TALE

Caring for Our Creatures 73

The best horse needs a whip,
and the smartest person needs advice.
—A YIDDISH SAYING

74 Earth Care
The Curupira ^
The Curupira is protector of the forests. Stories are told throughout
Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina by hunters who have en-
countered this creature when they abused their hunting rights and
took more game than was necessary for their own subsistence.

Some say the Curupira is a man. Others say he looks like a

little

little wild boy. He rides through the forest on the back of a wild
boar. he walks you cannot follow his tracks because his feet are
If

on backwards! So if you try to chase him you are really . . .

running away from him. And if you follow his tracks, you are go-
ing in the opposite direction from the Curupira. With his large,
pointy ears, the Curupira listens for the sound of hunters or
woodsmen in his forest. At the first sound of a Chopl on one of his
trees he is off on his boar, hurrying to chase that man off. And
when the Curupira is resting, hidden in his home in a huge forest
tree, he loves to smoke his pipe! Here is a Curupira stoiy.

warlos had no luck whatsoever at hunting.

He went into the forest,
spent the entire day,
and came back with one small bird.

Finally he realized that if he wanted to find game,

he would have to ask favor of the Curupira.
Everyone knows that the Curupira is guardian of the animals.
He looks after them all.

Caring for Our Creatures 75

Whenever game from his forest is taken,
the Curupira is there, watching . . .

checking to make sure that hunter does not abuse the forest.
Each hunter is welcome to take enough to feed his family.
To the Curupira that seems fair.
But more than needed?
That the Curupira will not allow.

This Curupira is a small fellow.

He loves to smoke his pipe and hang out with his animals.
When he wants to get around, he rides his pet wild boar!
Curupira's feet are placed on backwards.
This helps him trick the hunters in the forest.
They and follow them
find footprints . . .

but the Curupira went the other way.

Carlos knew gifts please the Curupira.

He brought tobacco, and sweet honey.
He left these on a fallen tree, then went away.
When he came back the gifts were gone.
. . .

Carlos had good luck hunting, now.

He came home with a paca and two birds.
From then on every day he took a gift.
From then on every time he brought back game.
But after a while, Carlos began to dislike bringing gifts.

"Maybe, I could just leave the honey.

I'd rather keep the tobacco and smoke it myself."
So Carlos left the honey for a gift.

And he still had luck in the hunt.

Then, after a while, Carlos began to think,

"Maybe I don't really have to leave the honey
I've become a good hunter.

I don't need that Curupira's help anymore."

So Carlos stopped leaving even the honey as a gift.

Still, he continued to catch game.

76 Earth Care
 About this time, a man came offering to buy things.
This man would pay money for the skins ol" some animals,
for the meat of others,
for the feathers of some birds.

"I can hunt," thought Carlos.

"I could bring in lots of game.
could get this money."
I

So Carlos spent a long day in the forest hunting.

He found parrots, he killed them.
He found pacas, he killed them.
He found peccary pigs, he killed them.
He found deer, he killed them.
He found a rabbit, even that he killed.

Carlos laid his game out in a forest clearing to skin it.

He would pack out the meat first,

then the skins.

He was counting up the money he would make.
But just as he lifted his knife to slice open the first paca
a startling sight made him stop.

A tiny chick came marching out of the forest!

But this chick didn't have any feathers at all on it!

This was a totally NAKED chicken!

The chick glared crossly at Carlos.

It walked up and down looking at the dead birds and animals and

shaking its head.

Then a voice boomed out of the forest.
"Estefan! Are my animals there?"
The chick turned head toward the voice and called back,
its little

"Yes, Curupira!They are all here."

"Then bring them back to me!" ordered the voice.
The featherless chick marched right down the line of dead animals.
It stopped at the foot of each animal, pecked on it, and called:

Caring for Our Creatures 77

 "Pacas!Wake up! Curupira wants you to come!
Peccaries! Wake up! Curupira is waiting!
Deer! Wake up! Curupira wants you on your feet!
Parrots! Wake up! Curupira needs you!
Rabbit! You wake up too! The Boss wants you!"

As the little chick called . . .

each animal began to breathe and jumped onto its feet again.
The birds ruffled their feathers.
The animals stretched their legs.
Then, with the little naked chick in the lead,
the animals marched off into the forest towards the voice.
But before they left the clearing, the chick turned and stared at
Carlos.

'Hey, Boss! What about HIM?"

There was a long silence.
Then the voice boomed out again.
"Leave him for now.
We'll take him NEXT TIME."
Then the little chick vanished into the forest
with the line of animals behind.

Carlos RAN from that forest.

He even left the territory.
They say he never hunted again.
But he left behind this story . . .

to warn others about the dangers of angering . . .

the Curupira.
— ^A FOLKTALE FROM BRAZIL

You should look what you can swallow,

and what can swallow you.
— ^A PROVERB FROM INDIA

78 Earth Care
 ALL THINGS
ARE CONNECTED

The Mosquito
Extermination Project ^
This story reminds us of some contemporary governmental schemes.
The leaders thought they had come up with a good plan. But they
didn't think their project through to see what altering nature would
really cause.

A city was once beset by mosquitoes.

They bit and buzzed until the residents could stand it no longer.
The ruler met with his counselors and considered the problem.
His chief advisor recommended a Mosquito Extermination Project.
They would bring in buckets of frogs and drop them all over the
city.

These frogs would soon put an end to the mosquitoes.

Project Mosquito Extermination was soon put into effect.

Within days there was not a mosquito left in the city.
But a worse problem had ensued.
Now there were FROGS everywhere.
Erogs in milk jars. Frogs in wells. Frogs in cooking pots.

79
The situation was impossible.
The ruler met with his advisors and considered what to do.

His chief advisor suggested a Frog Extermination Project.

They would bring in baskets of snakes.
These would soon eat the frogs and the problem would be ended.

So Project Frog Extermination was put into effect.

The snakes were released into the city.
And within days, the frog problem was ended.
However, now there were snakes everywhere.
Once the snakes had finished off the frogs,
they began to eat the smaller animals.
And once those were gone, they began to swallow small children.

In the end the snakes were so numerous,

the people had to abandon that city and move elsewhere.

Project upon project.

Too many projects caused the city to be abandoned.
—
^A FOLKTALE FROM INDIA

He fled from the rain

and sat down under the waterspout.
— ^A SAYING FROM SAUDI ARABIA

80 Earth Care
 1

Gecko Cannot Sleep ^

This Balinese story shows the interconnectedness of all things. It
also points out that some natural nuisances just have to be endured.

tine night the chief was awakened by a loud noise right under
his window.
"GECK-O! GECKO! GECK-O!"
The chief got out of bed and leaned out the window.
There was Gecko.
"Gecko, what are you doing here?
It is the middle of the night.
Go home and go to bed."

"I can't sleep," said Gecko.

"The fireflies are flitting all around my house.
They are blinking their lights on and off on and
. . . off . . .

You've got to make them stop.

You're the chief. Do something about it."

"I'll talk to the fireflies in the morning," said the chief.

"Now go home and go to bed."

Gecko dragged himself grumpily home.

"Geck-o . . . geck-o . . . geck-o ..."

Next morning the chief called the fireflies.

"Is it true that you have been flashing your lights

on and off on and off . all night long?
. . . . .

Have you been keeping Gecko awake?"

All Things Are Connected 8

"Oh yes," said the fireflies.
"We have to blink our lights on and off all night.

Buffcilo leaves manure all over the road.

Without our lights, people would step in the poop!"

"Why that is very thoughtful of you," said the chief.

"Just keep on doing what you've been doing.
You can go home now."

So the fireflies went home.

That night at midnight the chief was awakened again.

"GECKO! GECK-O! GECK-O!"
The chief leaned out his window.
"Gecko, go home and go to bed."

"But I can't, sleep.

The fireflies are still blinking their lights

on and off and on and off . . .

You said you'd make them stop."

"Gecko, the fireflies need to blink their lights.

Buffalo leaves manure in the road.
Without the fireflies' lights people might step in it."

'Then talk to Buffalo.

You're the chief.
Do something about it!"

Gecko went home so grumpily.

"Geck-o . . . geck-o . . . gecko ..."

In the morning the chief called Buffalo.

"Buffalo, is it true you have been dropping manure on the roads?'

"Oh yes.
Rain washes holes in the roads every afternoon.
So I fill them up with manure every day.

82 Earth Care
 If I didn'l to that, people would stumble in the holes and get
hurt."

"That is very thoughtful of you, Buffalo.

Just keep on doing what you have been doing.
You can go home now."

So Buffalo went home.

That night at midnight the chief was awakened again.

"GECK-O! GECKO! GECK-O!"

The chief leaned out his window.

"Gecko, will you please go home and go to bed."

"I can't sleep.

The fireflies are still blinking their lights
on and off and on and off . . .

You said you'd DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT."

"Buffalo fills up the holes that Rain washes out.

The fireflies light the road so people don't step in Buffalo's
mcinure.
You'll just have to put up with the fireflies."

"Talk to Rain!
You're the chief.
Do something about it!"
Gecko went home grumbling.
"GECK-O GECK-O . .GECK-O
. . . . . .
."

In the morning the chief called Rain.

"Is it true that you wash holes in the road every afternoon?"

"Oh yes.
I rain very hard every afternoon to make puddles for the

mosquitoes.
If the puddles dried up the mosquitoes would die.

All Things Are Connected 83

 If the mosquitoes died there would be nothing for Gecko to eat.
So I rain hard every day."

*I see," said the chief.

'Rain, you may go home."

That night at midnight the chief heard,

'GECKO! GECK-O! GECK-O!"
He leaned out his window.

'Gecko, go home and go to bed!"

'I still can't sleep.

The fireflies are blinking their lights
on and off and on and off . . .

You said you'd DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!"

'Gecko, listen carefully.

If Rain doesn't rain every afternoon, there will be no puddles.
If there are no puddles, there will be no mosquitoes.
If there are no mosquitoes YOU, Gecko, will have nothing to eat.
Now what do you think of that?"

Gecko thought.
If the chief told Rain to stop raining,
Buffalo could stop filling the holes,
and the fireflies could stop flashing their lights...

but GECKO wouldn't have MOSQUITOES to eat.

'Gecko," said the chief.

some things you just have
'There are to put up with.
Now go home and go to sleep."
So Gecko went home.
'Geck-o . . . geck-o . . . geck-o ..."

He closed his shutters.

He closed his eyes.
And he went to sleep.

84 Earth Care
Outside the fireflies blinked
on and and on and off
off . . .

Some things you just have to put up with.

—A FOLKTALK FROM BAIJ

Vai mbua tie umua.

There is no rainfall that doesn't bring mosquitoes.
—A KITUMBA PROVERB

All Things Are Connected 85

The Golden Plow ^
It helps to know where true value lies. Clearly, even vast riches are
of little use unless we take into account our connection with the nat-
ural world. This is one of many tales of the wisdom of Solomon.

iolomon was once an advisor at a king's court.

the Wise
Solomon's wisdom was respected throughout the whole country.
But there came a day when Solomon the Wise tired of royal life.
He walked out of the king's palace and took to the road.
No one knew where he had gone.

Without his advisor on hand, the king was afraid to make

decisions.
He sent servants to try and find Solomon the Wise.
It was thought that he was wandering the country as a

commoner.
But no one knew how to find him.

At last the king devised a test.

He had a plow made entirely of gold.

Then he sent his men to carry the plow throughout the
countryside.
Everywhere they went they said,
'The king offers a challenge.
He wagers that no man in this country can correctly guess
the worth of his golden plow."

86 Earth Care
 Everyone came to try and guess the plow's worth.
But no matter what they guessed,
no one could come up with the correct answer.

At last they came to a poor man by the side of the road.

sitting
He was eating a crust of bread and appeared to be a beggar.
Yet they asked him too,
"Would you like to guess the value of the king's golden plow?"

The man looked up. Then he looked down again.

"Do you really want to know what your plow is worth?"

"Yes, yes. We do."

"Well, I can tell you this," said the man.

"If it doesn't rain in May,
your plow isn't worth my crust of bread."

The king's men looked at one another.

Then the wisdom of his answer sunk in.

"This is surely Solomon the Wise," they agreed.

So they took him back to the king again.

And the country was once more ruled with wisdom.
— ^A FOLKTALE FROM RUMANIA

A tray full of money is not worth a mind full of knowledge.

— ^A LAO PROVERB

All Things Are Connected 87

Botany in the Rain Forest ^
This author reminds us of the cyclical nature of ourforests ... a cycle
that humans often break.

rirst, the nurse tree must die.

It must fall,
no matter slow or fast,
it must let go of sky,

lie forever lengthwise

in deadly moist embrace.
It must rot,

beautifully, pungently,
opening spores to seed.
Its straightline nurselings
will confound the innocent:
'What planted such a row
in these chaotic woodlands?"
There will be no trace.
After the final consummation,
the line of new trees will remain.
But first, and long before, the nurse must die.
— ©LIZA HOBBS

88 Earth Care
 OUR PLACE IN
EARTHS SACRED SPACE

Finding tlie Center ^

This Ojibway tale shows us the importance of keeping ourselves
centered in the universe and achieving balance in our lives.

In the early years, the first humans were living on the island home
that had been created for them on the back of a great turtle. For a
long time, things went well there. But then a disease came, spread-
ing sickness among them. Many people died. Among those who
died was a young boy. The Great Spirit took pity on the child and
called for Manabozho.
"Manabozho," said the Great Spirit, "take this boy back to the
land of the living, and give the people there the medicine they need
to live." The Great Spirit then handed Manabozho and the boy a
bundle in which was tied up the wisdom and healing that humans
needed in order to live healthy lives.
Manabozho set out with the young child. They went into a deep
forest and at nightfall lay down to sleep. Manabozho had a dream.
In the dream he saw an otter carrying a branch in its mouth. When
Manabozho awoke, he knew he must search for an otter who would
help him take healing to the people. Manabozho and the boy trav-

89
eled for a long time; the boy was almost a young man when they
came to a great lake. There, swimming plaj^ully along the banks,
they saw an otter. They called to the otter, but at first it paid no at-
tention to them. They called and called, making noises such as an
otter makes. At last, they got the otter to notice them. "You must
come along with us, Otter," said Manabozho. "It is up to us to bring
the healing ways to the people." And Manabozho convinced the ot-
ter to come along with them.
The three traveled on their long journey. They had many ad-
ventures and had to stop many times. The youth became a mature
man. At last they came to a vast body of water and in it was the is-
land home of the humans. Manabozho, the man, and the otter
could see that the people looked sickly and weak. Many appeared
to be starving and were wandering aimlessly around.
"They do not have the power of the four directions," said Otter.
Otter dove into the water and swam close to the island, calling out
to the people, "Look carefully at what I am doing." Otter swam to
the east and then back to the center of the lake. Otter swam to the
south and then back to the center. Otter swam to the west and
then back to the center. Otter swam to the north and then back to
the center. Otter showed the people how to always find the center,
and how to be aware of the four directions, so that they could al-
ways be in harmony with the space they lived in.
Then Otter swam away and returned to its original home. Man-
abozho took the man back to his people, and they rejoiced to see
him back among the living. Manabozho and the man took out the
healing plants they had brought with them and began to make
medicines to help the sick. They also showed the people how to find
the balance between their bodies and their souls, so that they
would fall sick less often. They shared the wise advice that was in
the bundle sent by the Great Spirit:

90 Earth Care
Cherish wisdom. Live peacefully.
Respect all life. Honor your promises.
Be courageous. Be honest.
Live moderately. Share your gifts.

And for a long time after that the people lived in harmony with
one another and with all that surrounded them.
—AN OJIBWAY TALE

Ch'ongbang chich'ak handa.

He rushes toward heaven and toward the axis of the earth.
(Said of one who makes a hurry-scurry rush about.)
— ^A KOREAN SAYING

Our Place in Earth's Sacred Space 91

Awaiyar's Rest ^
We often feel that we are most holy when we are in a mosque,
church, or temple. But the wise woman in this story reminds us that

all of this earth is sacred space.

One evening Awaiyar walked slowly past coconut palms while

cows returned home for the night. The bells on their horns sang
out as the light softened, threaded with red. Tired now, she
searched for a place to rest and was pleased to find a temple.
Awaiyar sat down, leaned back against a tree, and stretched
her weary legs out. They pointed right toward the statue of a god.
Suddenly a young man, the temple priest, came running up to
her. "Oldwoman," he cried. "Don't you see what you are doing? You
are insulting the god by pointing your feet right toward him. Move
them at once."
"My son," she said with a sigh. "1 will be delighted to move them
away from the god. Simply tell me in which direction there is no
god, and there will 1 point my feet."
— ^A LEGEND FROM TAMIL NADU, SOUTH INDIA,

RETOLD BY CATHY SPAGNOLI AND PARAMASIVAM SAVANNA

Even in a single leaf of a tree, or a tender blade of grass,

the awe-inspiring deity manifests itself.

—FROM URABE-NO KANEKUNI, JAPAN

92 Earth Care
Hidden Divinity ^
This story suggests that our better nature may lie deep within our-
selves and need some digging to discover

I hey say there was once a time when all humans were gods. But
those humans abused these rights so much that Brahma decided
to take their divinity from them. All of the gods discussed this mat-
ter.They must hide the human's divinity in a place where the hu-
mans would never find it. Some suggested the depths of the sea.
But they knew humans would dive even to the very bottom of the
sea and find it. Some suggested the tops of the highest mountains.
Others were sure that humans would climb even there. Perhaps in
the heart of the earth? Humans were apt to burrow down and dis-
cover it there too. At last Brahma came up with a brilliant plan.
"We will place human divinity deep inside of each human. They will
never think of looking there."
The plan worked perfectly. Humans climb mountains, dive into
the ocean, burrow into the earth. They race about from continent
to continent, ever searching. But few think to stand still and
search deep inside themselves.
— ^A LEGEND FROM INDIA

Man knows much more than he understands.

— ^A JEWISH SAYING

Our Place in Earth's Sacred Space 93

 NO THING IS
WITHOUT VALUE

The Tailor's Jacket ^

It seems ure throw things away nowadays the moment they become
a bit worn. We could learn a lot from the tailor in this story. I have
heard this story told in many delightful ways by other storytellers.
This is my very short version, which any beginner can tell with ease.

A poor tailor was once given a bolt of cloth by a rich customer.

"You must use this for yourself," said the customer.
"You deserve a fine coat for the winter."

The tailor was overjoyed.

He set to work at once.

He measured and he cut,

and he measured and he cut.
Then he sewed and he sewed,
he sewed and he sewed . . .

and he made himself a fine new coat!

How the tailor loved that coat!

He wore that coat

94
and he wore that coat
and he wore that coat . . .

until the coat was all worn out.

The tailor could see that, even though it was worn in places,
there was still plenty of good material left in the coat.

So he measured and he cut,

and he measured and he cut.
Then he sewed and he sewed,
and he sewed and he sewed . . .

and he made himself a fine new JACKET!

The tailor was very proud of his new jacket.

He wore that jacket everywhere.
He wore that jacket,
and he wore that jacket . . .

until the jacket was all worn out.

The tailor looked at the ragged jacket.

And he saw that there was some good cloth still left there.

So he measured and he cut,

he measured and he cut.
Then he sewed and he sewed,
he sewed and he sewed . . .

and he made himself a fine new VEST!

How the tailor loved that vest!

He wore that vest everywhere.
He wore that vest,
and he wore that vest . . .

until the vest was all worn out.

Well, the tailor turned that vest this way and that.
And he saw that, yes, there was still some good material
left there.

No Thing Is Without Value 95

So he measured and he cut,
and he measured and he cut.
Then he sewed and he sewed,
he sewed and he sewed . . .

and he made himself a fine new CAP!

The tailor loved that cap!

He wore that cap everywhere.
He wore that cap,
and he wore that cap,
until even the cap . . .

was all worn out.

He turned the cap around and around,

and when he looked closely and he saw. . .

there was just enough good fabric left . . .

to make a button!

So he measured and he cut.

And he sewed.
And he made himself a fine new BUTTON!
Well, the tailor was proud of that button!
He wore that button,
and he wore that button,
until at last . . .

the button was all worn out.

The tailor was Just about to throw the button away.

But when he looked closely at it he saw . . .

there was just enough left to make this STORY!

—^A JEWISH FOLKTALE

96 Earth Care
Az men ken mii ariber,
mux men arunter.
If you can't go over, go under.
—A YIDDISH SAYING

No Thing Is Without Value 97

 Love the Weeds ^
Perhaps many of our difficulties with nature could be solved by fol-
lowing this gardener s advice.

Once the Mullah tried gardening.

He planted all sorts of seeds in his garden
and waited for the beautiful flowers to spring up and bloom.
A few did come up.
But alas, the garden was mostly filled with unsightly weeds.
They grew more quickly than the flowers.
And they too budded, bloomed, and distributed wafts of seed.
In desperation the Mullah made his way to the palace
to consult with the palace gardener.
This man was known for his skill with plants.

T have tried everything," complained the Mullah.

T pull them out.
I hoe them out.

I plant more flower seeds.

And what do I end up with?

Weeds! Weeds! Weeds!"

The gardener considered all this for a while.

Then he offered his wise advice:
think the best thing for you to do
'I . . .

is learn to love the weeds."

—A FOLKTALE FROM IRAN

98 Earth Care
Yeu nen tot,

ghet nen xeu.

Love makes everything look good.

Hate makes everything look bad.
—A VIETNAMESE SAYING

No Thing Is Without Value 99

The Useless Tree ^
This fable raises the question, "Is it ever useful to be 'useless'?"

While traveling in the Shang Hills, Tzu-ch'i came upon an enor-

mous tree. The gnarled old tree spread so widely that a thousand
chariots could shelter in its shade. Tzu-ch'i wondered, "What kind
of tree is this? It must be unusually rare and valuable."
But when he examined its branches, he saw that they were too
twisted to niake straight boards. Its trunk was too knotted to yield
smooth planks. And its enough to be used for
roots were not solid
coffins. When he tasted the leaves, his mouth was set afire. And
when he sampled their odor, he found one whiff bad enough to
drive a person mad for days.
"But of course," said Tzu-ch'i, "This is a useless tree. That is

why it survived to grow so large."

It is thus with sages, too. Having mastered uselessness, they
cannot be exploited.
—CHUANG TZU, CHINA (CIRCA 300 BC)

Chih mu hsienfa, kan chin hsien /c'e.

A straight tree may first be chopped down,

a sweet well drained.
— ^A CHINESE SAYING

100 Earth Care

 THE FOLLY OF
HUMAN GREED

Too Much Sky ^

Piles of food taken yet left to rot Does this sound familiar? This
Nigerian folktale definitely echoes today's problems.

In days long ago, the sky was very close to the earth.
And the sky was good to eat!

People did not have to work at all.

They did not have to plant crops or hunt for food.

When they felt hungry,

all they had to do was reach up and break off a delicious piece of
sky.
And that sky food was good, too.

It was simply delicious!

But people were greedy.

Even then.... when they had all they wanted just for free.
They still were trying to see who could break off the biggest piece.

One person would break off a big hunk of sky and start nibbling.
His neighbor would look over and see that piece and think.

101
 want MORE sky than he has."
"I

That neighbor would break off an even BIGGER piece of sky.

Neither of those people could eat ALL the sky they had broken off.

So they would just eat until they were full,

and then toss the rest on the rubbish heap.

The sky looked at that rubbish heap.

It saw pieces of itself piled up there to rot.

It thought, "What a WASTE!

Isacrifice myself everyday for these humans,

and they just toss me on the RUBBISH heap!"

So he gave those folks a stern warning.

'If you do not STOP wasting my good sky food,
I will move so far away that you cannot reach me anymore."

After that the people tried to be more frugal.

They would just break off what they needed to eat for that day.
And if they broke off a little bit too much,
well, they would stuff it down an3rway!

No one wanted to be caught tossing sky food on the rubbish heap.

The sky saw that their greed was still uncontrollable.
Now they were gobbling more food than they really needed.
But he let it pass.

Of course the people couldn't ALL control their greed forever.

One day a woman just rushed out without thinking,
and broke off a HUGE piece of sky.
She realized too late what she had done.
Her husband tried to help her eat it up.
But it was way too much for the two of them.
They called the other villagers,
but the huge piece she had broken off was too much.
Even the entire village could not eat it all.
At last they gave up and tossed the remainder on the rubbish
heap.

102 Earth Care

When the sky saw that it became SO angry.
Sky flew right up into the air higher and higher
. . . . . .

Now no one could break off sky food . . . ever again.

That is why now people have to work for their food.

But even in our day,
folks have not learned to live without taking more than they need.

—A BINI FOLKTAI.E FROM NIGERIA

El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta.

He who grabs much, grasps little.

— ^A MEXICAN PROVERB

The Folly of Human Greed 103

Just a Little More ^
This retelling of a Portuguese folktale might remind us how easy it is
"
to get caught up in greed and keep wanting "just a little more.

He walked each morning as the world turned once more towards

the sun. His mind was was pure and
at its clearest then; the air
cool. While others slept, made his way
snuggled in their dreams, he
through the village streets. He headed towards the hills and the
early morning glow that surrounded them. It was where the wind-
mills worked and the sheep made their home.
As he walked along the ridge he let his thoughts come as they
may. Sometimes they would float up on their own like bubbles in
the water. And sometimes they would leave him quiet and still.
It was simply too early, too peaceful, to put the mind to work

grinding ideas like the wind-driven millstones.

As king, the ruler of all he could see, he gave himself the pre-
cious gift of a day begun privately. It was this time of silence that
gave him the strength to rule himself and the calmness to rule oth-
ers.Up on the ridge that rimmed the village, the same wind that
worked to make flour scrubbed his brain clean.
When the king had reached the top of his favorite hill, he spot-
ted a shepherd sitting far below him. Watching the village sheep,
the shepherd sat without moving on a large gray rock. "From this
distance," laughed the king, "his sheep look like spring clouds
floating on a green sky."
He watched the shepherd for some time and decided that the
two of them should meet. After all, both men had the power of life
and death over those they ruled. "I must visit him," the king ob-

104 Earth Care

served. "Why, he even looks like a kin^ silting there on his throne
of stone."
With that, the king set off to meet the shepherd. He worked his
way down through the brush and stone, following the trail the
sheep had made. His strong stride quickly ate the distance be-
tween them.
Down below on the rock, the shepherd was lost in his daily
dream about all the things he did not have. He was so wrapped up
in his wishes that he did not notice the king's approach. He was
therefore quite confused and startled by a friendly "Good morning,"
which seemed to come from nowhere. He was so puzzled that, for a
moment, he actually thought that one of his sheep had decided to
speak! He soon found the source of the mysterious greeting as his
eyes gathered in the sight of the smiling king. The shepherd, know-
ing very little but his sheep, failed to recognize the king. His simple
eyes saw only a man; a man who would ease the loneliness of his
day.
"And good morning to you," replied the shepherd cheerfully.
"Would you like to share my bread and cheese?" Hungry from the
long hike and curious about the shepherd's life, the king accepted
the invitation. While the king ate the shepherd began to talk and
talk and talk. It reminded the king of a landslide. His words, like
pebbles, rolled and tumbled along, gained speed and freed oth-
ers, until all slid together in one roar.

The king simply chewed his bread and nodded his head as if
listening carefully even though the shepherd's words passed
through his ears like wind through an open window.
Yet, the moment the shepherd finished chattering and began to
speak openly of his beliefs, the king stopped eating and started lis-
tening.
"I'm not like other men," the shepherd said proudly, "1 need
very little to be happy, just a little more is all. Others wish in envy
to have the great riches and power of the King. 1 simply wish for a
little land and just a little more importance so others will respect
me."

The Folly of Human Greed 105

 The shepherd paused and then began again, asking with pas-
sion, "Why must a king own it all? Lx)ok around us: This hill, the
—
valley below us, even this rock we're sitting on it all belongs to
him. Why must he deny me just a little more happiness? He never
uses this land; he's too busy getting fat on the sheep I've raised to
miss any of it!"
The king put down the bread and cheese on the ancient rock
and from his purse removed a shining coin. The shepherd refused
payment, for he had given the meal freely. The king thanked him,
but insisted that he examine the face etched forever on the coin.
The shepherd's eyes lowered as they focused on the coin. The
king watched as the eyes and the light in them grew wide like a
slowly opening shade. The shepherd refused to raise his head for
he had recognized just whose portrait stared back at him from the
gold coin.
"Perhaps I am getting a little too fat," the king said kindly. "It is

rare to meet a man who truly knows what he wants and even more
rare to meet a man of such simple needs. I wish to reward you with
just a little more happiness. All the land from this rock that you
can travel between now and sunset will be yours. But you must be
standing here where you began exactly as the day ends. If not, you
will not even own a single blade of grass."
The shepherd leaped to his feet like a hungry wolf, thanked the
king and was off. Noting that the sun had already passed its high-
est point, the shepherd guessed he had three to four hours left.

"Plenty of time," he said as he reached the top of the hill. "I'll

run along the ridge tops, for I've always loved the view." On and on
he ran, ignoring the ache in his legs and the burning in his lungs.
Seeing a lovely stream that split the valley below him with its
flow, the shepherd decided to run towards it. "I must have it," he
said, "for what good is land without water?"
Since he was running downhill, he reached the stream quickly
and began to race along it. He never paused for a drink, even
though his throat was caked with the dust of his run. "No time to
stop," he thought, "there will be plenty of time for that tomorrow."

106 Earth Care

 Pushing himself he soon reached the source of the
faster,
stream, the point where it bubbled up from a crack in the ground.
Suddenly, he realized he'd made a huge mistake: "What a fool am! I

I've only run along one side of the stream. Why, anyone could come

along to the other side and share my water!"

Crossing to the other side, he ran along its banks, with each
step giving him just a little more land to call his own. He ran until
the stream emptied into a pond, and as he arrived he saw a
little

jump.
fat fish

"What a nice place to catch a meal, and am awfully tired of I

lamb. 1 must have this too." He ran around the pond and as he
neared his starting point his body refused to run further. Though
his mind reason with it, to convince it and finally even
tried to
threaten body didn't care.
it, his
Slowly, the shepherd made his way up the final hill to the ridge
above the rock and the waiting king. With every bit of energy spent
he had to stumble and crawl up that hill.
As he reached the top he saw the many spectacular shades of
sunset glowing on the horizon.
The king looked up just in time to see the exhausted shepherd
collapse. Saddened by the shepherd's failure to overcome greed,
the king remarked to those who would miss him most: "Sheep,
your king is gone." Running in circles for hours around the hills
and fields, the shepherd must have covered miles of land. But in
the end, lying there, he really needed only six feet. Or maybe a lit-
tle more.
— ^A FOLKTALE FROM PORTUGAL,
RETOLD BY GREG GOGGIN

Quien todo lo quiere, todo te pierda.

Who wants it all, looses it all.

— ^A MEXICAN PROVERB

The Folly of Human Greed 107

The Origin of Puget Sound
and tiie Cascade Range ^
A Northwest Coast Native American tale about greed. The argument
in Washington State about who gets to own the water is continued
today by politicians.

tine time when the world was young, the land east of where the
Cascade Mountains now stand became very dry. This was in the
early days before rains came to the earth. In the beginning of the
world, moisture came up through the ground, but for some reason
it stopped coming. Plants and trees withered and died. There were

no roots and no berries for food. The water in the streams became
so low that salmon could no longer live there. The ancient people
were hungry.
At last they sent a group of their people westward to ask Ocean
for water.
"Our land is drying up," they told him. "Send us water lest we
starve and die."

"I will send you my sons and daughters," Ocean promised the
ancient people. 'They will help you."
Ocean's sons and daughters were Clouds and Rain. They
went home with the messengers from the dry country. Soon there
was plenty of moisture. Plants and trees became green and grew
again. Streams flowed with water, and many fish lived in them
again. Roots and berries grew everywhere. There was plenty to
eat.
But the people were not satisfied with plenty. They wanted

108 Earth Care

more. They wanted to be sure they would always have water. So
they dug great pits and asked Clouds and Rain to till them.
Clouds and Rain stayed away from Ocean, so long
their father.
that he became lonely for them. After many moons, he sent mes-
sengers to ask that his sons and daughters be allowed to come
home.
"Let my children return home," he sent word to the ancient
people. "You have enough water for the present, and will see that
1

you have enough in the future."

But the people were selfish and refused to let Clouds and Rain
go. The messengers had to return to Ocean without his sons and
daughters.
Then Ocean told his troubles to the Great Spirit. "Punish the
people for their evil ways," prayed Ocean. "Punish them for always
wanting more and more."
The Great Spirit heard his prayer. He leaned down from the
sky, scooped up a great amount of earth, and made the Cascade
Mountains as a wall between Ocean and the dry country. The long
and deep hole left where the earth had been, Ocean soon filled with
water. Today people call it Puget Sound.
The people east of the mountains are still punished for their
selfishness and greed. Ocean sends so little moisture over the
range that they do not have the plants that grow along the coast.
But they still have the pits their grandfathers dug. They are Lake
Chelan and the lakes south and east of it.
Ocean still grieves for his sons and daughters who did not
come home. All day and all night along the beach he calls to them
and sings his mournful song: ''Ah'tahlah'tahlahl Ah'tahlah^tah
lah'! Ah'tah lah' tah lahl Come home! Come home! Come home!"
— ^A QUINAULT-CHEHALIS-COWLITZ TALE

Greed is never finished.

—A SWAHILI PROVERB

The Folly of Human Greed 109

 POLLUTION RETURNS
TO THE POLLUTER

Sharing the Wine ^

/ —
have heard this story told in many versions wine, beer, lemon-
—
ade the result of too much dilution is always the same. This story
points up the importance of each person's contribution to society.

Several friends agreed to meet on the night of the full moon for an
evening of wine and storytelling. Each person was to bring a Jug of
fine wine. The wine would all be poured into a bowl, and the friends
would share the wine throughout the evening.
As each one planned for the evening, that person began to
think, "Everyone else will undoubtedly bring fine wine to the party.
There is no need for me to bring my best wine. I can just bring a
poorer variety. When it is poured into the vat, no one will be the
wiser." And so each planned in that way.
Then on the night of the party itself, each had another thought.
"Once the wine is all poured together, no one will know what was
poured in. Why don't I just bring a jug of water. One small jug of
water will certainly not be noticed in that huge vat of wine." In this
way each person made plans.
And so, on the night of the full moon, the friends poured their

110
 1

"wine" into the vat, dipped their cups, made a pleasant toast, and
downed .a cup of water each!
.

Thus each learned: Pollution begins with t/our ju^.

—A P^OLKTALK FF<C)M C;H1NA

Falsehood is common,
truth is rare.

— FROM THE TALMUD

Pollution Returns to the Polluter 1 1

 Don't Throw Stones from
"Not Yours" to "Yours" ^
/ have always loved the word play in this tale. It reminds us of the
turn of the wheel offortune. And speaks of the ill-advised actions of
the polluter.

A rich man decided to make a garden in front of his house.

The land thereabouts was strewn with stones, and untillable.
So the rich man hired a crew of laborers to pick out the stones.
And to get the unsightly stones out of his garden,
he instructed the workmen to toss the stones over the garden
wall.
There they landed in the public roadway.

A wise man passing by stopped to watch this.

He called to the rich man,

'Don't throw stones from 'Not Yours' to 'Yours'."

'Imbecile!" retorted the rich man.

'Ithrow stones from 'MINE' to 'Not MINE!'
These stones are on MY land.
I can do whatever 1 want with them."

And his workmen continued to toss stones over the wall.

The wise man shook his head and walked on.

But time is a wheel which turns all things.

In time the rich man's affairs worsened.

He lost money.

112 Earth Care

His property was sold.
The fine garden was no longer his.

One day, stumbling along the public roadway,

the former rich man stubbed his toe on a rock.
Looking around he saw that the roadway was covered with
stones.
No one could pass without bruised feet.

Then, looking over the wall, he saw his own former mansion,
—
with its lovely garden now no longer his.

Then he remembered the words of the wise man so long ago,

'Don't throw stones from 'Not- Yours' to 'Yours'."
—A JEWISH FOLKTALE

In prosperity, think of adversity.

— ^A DUTCH PROVERB

Pollution Returns to the Polluter 1 13

 PLANNING FOR
THE FUTURE

The Tamarind Tree ^

A tale of the importance offnigality and wise harvesting. Sometimes
one must put off gratification now, in order to live well later

In Thailand the story is told of two young friends who left their vil-
lage in China and traveled to Thailand to make their fortune.
When the friends arrived in Krungtep, the City of Angels (as
Bangkok is known in Thailand), they made a pact. Each friend
vowed not to spend money on meat until he had saved five hundred
bhat. By vowing to eat only inexpensive vegetables, the friends
could hope to save money much more quickly. And money saved
can be invested to earn more money. The friends agreed to go their
separate ways and meet again in five years to tell of their success.
Right away both friends found work as laborers. The pay was
low, but each was confident that he would soon save enough to go
into business for himself.
The first young man was true to his pledge. He ate only rice
and a bit of vegetable at each meal. Everything that he earned, he
saved. Soon he was able to buy a small cart and go about selling
things. Still he did not spend money on meat for his meals. He con-

114
tinued to eat simply and save his money. And
after a while he had
enough open a shop. Even then, he refrained from spending
to
money, until at last he was a prosperous merchant. Now he could
marry, purchase a house, and eat whatever rich foods he desired.
The second young man lacked this strength of character. He
went without meat for a few weeks. By then he had saved a bit of
money. He decided to splurge just once on a duck, as he was long-
ing for a taste of meat. "Just one duck," he thought. "And then I

will not yearn for meat again." But, of course,was not long before
it

he desired duck again. And so, as quickly as he was able to earn

coins, those same coins dribbled out of his pocket. The years
passed and he remained as poor as when he began. At the end of
the five years he met his friend. Seeing the impoverished condition
of his old companion, the wealthy merchant invited his poor friend
to stay with him. He made a small hut in the garden available to
his friend as a home and provided him with rice and salted fish.
Pointing out a small tamarind tree, he told his poor friend that he
could help himself to the leaves from that particular tree to flavor
his food.
The poor friend was happy in these living conditions, but
within a few days he went to the wealthy merchant and asked if

there were another tree from which he could pick tamarind leaves.
"The ones on that tree are all gone," he said. "Well, one leaf made
my soup taste good, so I put two in and it tasted even better. Three
made it taste best of all. Since cook three I times a day, I have used
up all of the leaves on that small tree."
"Do you understand what you have done?" asked the wealthy
friend. "You have stripped the tree. And now you have no leaves at
all to flavor your food. If you had taken only a small leaf here and

there now and again, the tree would have been able to continue to
grow. After a while it would have been so large and strong that you
could have picked as many leaves as you wanted. But at first, you
should have used it sparingly.
same way that you denuded this little tamarind tree,
"In the
you stripped your own fledgling savings. Can you not learn the les-

Planningfor the Future 115

son of the tamarind tree and save now, so that you may enjoy a
time of plenty in the future?"
The poor man realized his error. He stayed on at his friend's
home. But now he began to save all that he earned. And after a
while he, too, was able to invest in a business. In time he prospered.
But he always kept in his courtyard a small tamarind tree ... to
remind him that leaves stripped too soon will never provide for the
future.
— ^A FOLKTALE FROM THAILAND

Isala kutyelwa siva ngolopu.

A person who will not take advice

gets knowledge when trouble overtakes him.
— ^A KAFFIR PROVERB

116 Earth Care

 7

Emptying the Granary ^

This tale reminds us that resources used must be renewed.

Late one winter a man came to his neighbor to ask a favor.

"My own grain hasall been used up.

Could I borrow some from you until next year?"

The farmer had grain to spare, so he agreed.

"Take what you need from that granary over there.
All I ask is that you refill the granary next fall."

Next winter the man came again to borrow.

"Take what you need from that granary over there,"
said the farmer, pointing to the same granary.

But soon the man came back empty-handed.

"That granary over there is empty!"

'If that granary is standing empty," said the farmer,

"You must not have returned the grain you borrowed
last winter."
— ^A EUROPEAN FOLKTALE

Chaop chaduk.
One's own deed returns to oneself.
—A KOREAN SAYING

Planning for the Future 1 1

Planting for the Next Generation ^
Few people bother plan beyond their own life span. When my
to

uncle began planting an orchard at age eighty the neighbors thought

he was batty. But I remembered this story.

One day neighbors saw Nasreddin Hodja busily planting trees in

the field near his home. Everyone gathered around and began to
poke fun. "Whatever possessed you to start planting trees at your
age? There is not a chance you will live to see these saplings ma-
ture!"
The Hodja Just kept on with his work. After a while he straight-
ened up and gave the assembled crowd a careful look. "Did it occur
to you," he wondered, "that 1 might be planting trees for the next
generation?"
And he stooped to his work once more.
— ^A FOLKTALE FROM TURKEY

Kadang-kadang tiada makan buah-nga.

The man who plants a coconut palm
does not always eat the fruit.

—A MALAY SAYING

118 Earth Care

The Past and the Future ^
A parable about past and future. The story suggests that rather than
ruminating over the past, we should put our efforts into the future, as
THAT is where we can still make a difference.

I wo men on the road met a palm-tapper bringing home palm

wine.
They called, "Give us some of your palm wine, Palm-tapper!"

But the palm- tapper looked at them carefully and said,

'Why should I give you from my palm wine?
Who are you?
What are your names?"
So the first man proudly proclaimed,
'My name 'Whence -we -come'!
is I am most important.
Give of your wine to me."

But the second man argued,

'My name is 'Whither -we-go'! It is I who am most important.
Give of your wine to me."

And since the two began to argue,

the palm- tapper took them both
Judge to the to settle the case.

When the judge had heard their names,

he did not hesitate to give judgment.

'Whence -we -come, your name is good.

But your name is from the past.

Planning for the Future 119

There is nothing more for us to gain from the past.
So your name cannot be best."

'Whither -we -go, yourname is from the future.

Ifwe are to find a thing that is good,
we must find that thing there.
Your name is best."

So the palm- tapper gave of his wine to Whither -we-go.

It is true.
If good things are to come,
we must turn our attention to the future now.
— ^A MBAKA FOLKTALE FROM ANGOLA

Yoo bi, mu hwan.

He who has no care for the distant future,
will have sorrows in the near future.
— ^A KOREAN PROVERB

120 Earth Care

a THE WISDOM OF
THL ELDERS

Plowing Up the Road ^

In times of need, it is often the old who can bring forth the wisdom to

guide us. Many cultures have tales which remind us of this fact. This
story is known in Europe and variants are popular in Asia
widely
and Africa as well.

There was a us hope it is not our time,

time, let
when old people were considered an unwanted burden on
the young.
An edict was sent from the king.
All old people were to be done away with.
And the sooner the better.

People hurried to comply with the king's orders.

But one man loved his father and refused to be so cruel.
Instead, he hid his old father in the basement under his
fcirmhouse.
Every evening he brought food to the old man
and he spent the evenings visiting with him and keeping him
company.

121
 That very year a famine struck the country.
The crops failed, every one.
There was so little to eat that winter that the granaries were
scraped bare.
By spring there was not even a grain left for seed crop.
Now the kingdom was in dire straits indeed.
But the old father said to his son,
"Do not worry.
We will get through this rough patch.
As soon as the spring rains soften the roads,
you must take your plow and dig up the track to our house."

The son thought his father's request strange.

But he did as he advised.
And within a week the road began to sprout with all sorts of
crops.
There was wheat, and and corn.
rye,
Even beans were growing up in the road.

'You see," said the oldman,

'Every time the wagons haul grain or vegetables to market,
a few fall through the cracks or from the back of the wagon.
Those seeds needed only a good tilling and a spring rain . . .

and up they came."

When the king heard that crops could be had by plowing the
roads,
he ordered all the people in the land to do the same.
Then he called the farmer to him.
'How did you have the wisdom to know this?"

'I did not," replied the farmer.

'But one who is older and wiser than I did."

When the king heard this, he understood what must have

happened.
Suddenly he realized the folly of his ways.

122 Earth Care

'It is true," he acknowledged, "it is the old who have wisdom.
We may no longer need the labor of their bodies,
but we still need the wisdom of their age."
He decreed that the elderly should be held in respect from that
day on.

So the farmer's father was brought from his cellar.

And the wise old man lived in dignity to the end of his days.
— A FOLKTALE FROM RUMANIA

Chia yu lao, shih ko pao.

A family that has an old person in it has a jewel.

— ^A CHINESE SAYING

The Wisdom of the Elders 1 23

In Your Hands ^
This brief tale appears in many cultures as part of a longer story. It

is a nice anecdote to help us think of our responsibility to this earth.

A young man once thought to confound the elder of his village.

The old man was said to be exceedingly wise.

But the young man was certain his own wisdom exceeded
that of the frail old man.
He had caught a young bird, and carrying this bird hidden in his
hands,
he approached the older gentleman.

'Here is a riddle for you, old man,

T have in my hands a bird.
Is it alive?

Or is it dead?"

He thought there was no way the old man could win.

Ifhe guessed "dead,"
the boy would open his hands and release the living bird.
But if he guessed "alive,"
the young man would crush the bird in his hands.
When he opened them . . .

there would be a dead bird.

But the old man looked into the young man's eyes and said.

The answer, my son, is in your hands."

—^A FOLKTALE FROM INDIA

124 Earth Care

 MANY VOICES
BRING RESULTS

Frog and Locust ^

If only we all band together, what great things we might achieve.

Once it didn't rain for a whole year.

The grass turned brown and died.
Trees and bushes lost their leaves.
In the canyon bottom, where a lively stream usually flowed,
there were just a few puddles of water left.
And every day those puddles got smaller and smaller.
Living at the edge of one puddle was a frog.

The frog saw his puddle get smaller with each passing day,
and he knew that if it didn't rain the puddle would soon dry up.
And he would die!
But the frog knew how to sing a rain song.
So he sang to see if he could bring some rain.
The frog croaked,
R-R-RAIN, R-R-RAIN, R-R-RAIN . . .

125
But his song wasn't loud enough to reach the top of the
mountain,
and that is where the Rain God lived.

The Rain God couldn't hear the frog singing, and no rain came.

Not far from the frog's puddle was a bush,

and living in the bush was a locust.
The locust knew that if it didn't rain,
he wouldn't live through the summer.
So as he clung to the bush the locust buzzed,
R-r-r-rain-n-n, r-r-r-rain-n-n . . .

But that song wasn't loud enough to reach the top of the
mountain.
And when the locust saw that there were no clouds in the sky,
and it wasn't going to rain, he started to cry,
Ee-he-he-he-he . . .

The frog heard someone crying, so he hopped over there.

He looked up and croaked,
WHATS THE MATTER-R-R ? . . .

WHAT'S THE MATTER-R-R .? . .

The locust told him, "If it doesn't rain, I'm going to die!"

When the frog heard that, he thought about how the same thin^
would happen to him if it didn't rain, and he started to cry, too.
WAH-WAH-WAH . . ,

But then the locust got an idea.

He thought, "When one person works all alone,
he doesn't get much done.
But when people work together, they can do a lot of work."

So the locust said, "Frog, maybe we should sing together."

126 Earth Care

The frog thought that was a good idea.
So they added their songs.
R-R-RAIN r-r-r-rain-n-n . . .

R-R-RAIN r-r-r-rain-n-n . . .

wasn't loud enough to go to the top of the mountain.

It still

But was loud enough to go to the next puddle up the canyon.

it

And living over there was another frog.

On the other side of the canyon, there were even more frogs.
They heard the frog sing and thought they would join in
and sing along with him.
They all sang
R-R-RAIN, R-R-RAIN, R-R-RAIN . . .

R-R-RAIN, R-R-RAIN, R-R-RAIN . . .

In the nearby bushes, and in the bunches of grass still growing

at the puddle's edge, there were also more locusts.
They heard the song and thought they'd join in too . . .

R-r-r-rain-n-n, r-r-rain-n-n . . .

Soon all the frogs and locusts were singing,

R-R-RAIN, r-r-r-rain-n-n . . .

R-R-RAIN, r-r-r-rain-n-n . . .

It was a loud song! It went clear to the top of the mountain!

The Rain God heard the song.

He climbed up to the center of the sky
and gathered dark clouds all around him.
From the distant mountains he made the cool wind begin to blow.
Rain drops started falling. The rain fell faster and faster. . . .

It was a big storm!

The canyon stream filled back up with water.

The trees and bushes got new leaves.
The whole land came to life again.
And it was all because the frogs and locusts worked together!

Many Voices Bring Results 127

And that's why it is to this day,
if one person's fields arediy and dying,
he doesn't go off by himself and sing for rain.
But all the people gather together.
They dance with one heart, and with one voice they sing.
And in that way they can always bring the rain.
— ^A PUEBLO FOLKTALE,

RETOLD BY JOE HAYES

The strength of one person does not go far.

— ^A BEMBA PROVERB

128 Earth Care

 ONE PERSON S DREAM
CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The Magic Garden of the Poor ^

This story shows that one caring person can make a difference in the

The story also has something to say in this age of homeless-

world.
ness. My
thanks to Mary Lou Maseyfor discovering this wonderful
Kazakh story and translating it into English. Here is the tale as I
tell it.

There were two neighbors who became very good friends.

One man was a farmer.
He had a small plot of land but fertile enough to grow crops.
His neighbor had only a stony piece of land.
On his land he grazed sheep.

But one year a disease spread through the land,

the sheep all became ill and died.
The sheepherder went to his friend to bid him goodbye.
"My sheep have all died.
1 have no way to earn a living on this stony ground now.

I must leave this place.

129
 Perhaps I can find some menial job in the city.
And if not, will have to beg for my living."
I

But his friend the farmer would not let the sheepherder go.
"You will stay here.

I will give you half of my land and you can farm alongside
me."

'You cannot do that.

You have a small farm already.
You must not give half of it away."

*You are my friend and want you I to stay.

1 am glad to share with you.
There will be less for me, yes.

But I will still have enough to survive.

You must accept."

So the sheepherder stayed.

The two friends farmed side by side for many years.
Then one day when the sheepherder was digging in his land,
he unearthed a pot of gold coins.
He ran to his friend the farmer.
"What luck! You are RICH!
Look what I have discovered!"

But the farmer would not take the gold.

"Nonsense. It is YOU who are rich.
The gold was found on your land."

'But when you gave me the land,

you did not know there was gold buried there.
You surely did not mean to give me all that was IN the land.
The gold is yours."

The two friends began to argue.

For the first time they could not agree.
At last they went to the village wise man for help in their dispute.

130 Earth Care

 1

The wise man was teaching four students when they arrived.
When he had heard the problem he turned to his students.
"Here is a good case for you to discuss.
Neither of these men will accept the gold.
How would you resolve this?"

The first student said,

"It is simple.
The gold was found in the ground.
Neither man will claim the gold.
So put the gold back in the ground and forget it."

The wise man frowned and turned to his second student.

"And how would you resolve this case?"

"These men have brought the gold to you for a judgment.

What is brought to the court belongs to the court.
You should keep the gold."

The wise man's face turned dark.

"And you?" he turned to the third student.

"The gold was found in the ground.

The ground is in the kingdom.
The kingdom belongs to the Khan.
The gold therefore belongs to the Khan.
It should be taken to him at once."

The wise man's face turned black.

"What do you say?" he asked of the fourth student.

"The gold is here, yet neither of these men will claim it.

I suggest that the gold be used for the benefit of all.

With this gold there could be built a garden for the poor.

This garden could be filled with flowers to delight the eyes.

This garden could be planted with trees which would shade
the poor.

One Person's Dream Can Make a Difference 1 3

 This garden could be planted with sweet fruit to nourish
them.
This garden could hold cool pools of clear water.
From these the poor might drink without fear of becoming
sick.
With gold such as this a fine garden could be created."

When the wise man heard this he smiled.

"I like that idea."

He turned to the two men.

"What do you say?"

"Yes. We like that idea also.

Let this young man take the gold and fulfill his vision."

"Go to the city of the Khsm," said the wise man.

'Take this gold and buy the most wonderful seeds.
Here is a plot of ground.
Return and create your garden."

So the student set out.

It was a long, dusty trail to the POian's royal city.
But he sustained himself on the way with his vision.
He saw before him that beautiful garden which he would create.

When the student reached the Khan's city,

he was surrounded by merchants shouting on every side.

The student felt confused and lost.
But, asking directions, he at last found the seed merchants.
He was Just about to select his seeds when he saw a horrid sight.
A camel train was slowly winding its way down the narrow
streets.
The camels were hung with live birds.
The poor birds were slung by their feet from the camels' sides.
Their feathers were caked with dust.

132 Earth Care

 At every step the camels took,
the dangling heads of the birds thunked against the camels'
sides.

The young man's heart turned when he saw this sight.

Without stopping to think he stepped in front of the caravan.
"Where are you taking these birds?"

"These are for the table of the Khan," said the camel driver.
"Ihave here the most rare birds in the kingdom.
Some have been trapped on high mountains, some in distant
jungles,
others from far-off seashores.
The Khan will decorate his palace with their bright feathers.
He and his court will feast on their sweet meat.
Some of these birds are the last of their kind.
Only the Khan is rich enough to possess such birds!"

"I will buy these birds."

"Step aside," snorted the camel driver.

"No. I have gold.

I will buy them."

The young man opened his bag and showed the gold.
It was more than even the Khan would have paid for the birds.
The camel driver took the gold and counted it.

The young student began to untie the birds.

One by one the birds spread their wings and flew off.
As they shook the dust from their wings and flew,
their bright feathers delighted the young man.

But some of the birds were too stunned to fly.

These he lay by the side of the road.
When all had been released, he began to stroke the poor sick
birds.
All day he worked over them.

One Person's Dream Can Make a Difference 133

He gently removed the dust from their feathers.
He massaged their little bodies until their hearts grew stronger.

And one by one they, too, took to the air and flew away.

Then the young man turned back toward his village.

His heart felt so warm from this thing that he had done.

But as he came closer and closer to his village

he realized Just what he had done.
He had spent the gold the money that was
. . . to buy seeds.
Now there would be no garden for the poor.
The money had not been his to spend.

When he reached the spot where the garden would have been,
he sat down and wept.
"How can 1 have done this?
Now there will be no garden for the poor.
And yet 1 had to save those poor birds."

A small bird was sitting nearby.

It cocked its to the young man.
head and listened
Then the bird flew off.
Soon the air was filled with the sound of bird wings.
The young man looked up to find himself surrounded with birds.
Brilliant feathers filled the sky!
More and more birds glided down toward him.

'Do not cry," said the birds.

"You saved us. Now let us help you.
We cannot return the gold you spent.
But we can help you with your dream for a garden."

The birds began to peck at the ground.

They began to roll stones out of the way and to prepare the soil.

And while the smaller birds were doing this task,

the largest birds flew off to distant lands.

134 Earth Care

There they filled their beaks with the most precious seeds they
could find.
By the time they returned, the soil was ready.
Gently the birds planted the seeds.
Then they flew off to the stream to bring water for the plants.

Now smaller birds dug spaces for ponds within the garden,
while the larger birds flew high into the mountains,
bringing back cool, clear water to fill the pools.

Then a wondrous thing happened.

The birds began to fan the seeds with their wings.
and to blow on them with their hot breath.
Before the young man's eyes, the seeds began to sprout.
They grew quickly, emerging from the ground and reaching out
with their green shoots.
As he watched, the flowers budded and began to bloom.
Trees grew to full height right before his eyes.
They spread their branches, they blossomed,
their fruit grew and ripened,
and the trees hung with golden apples.
Not the kind of golden apple that you only admire,
but the kind from which you can eat and be nourished.

Word of the wondrous garden spread like wildfire.

The rich landlords jumped onto their horses and galloped
to the spot.
They assumed that such a rich garden should belong to them.

But when the rich landlords galloped up they saw that

a fence of stone had risen around the garden.
There was an iron gate with seven locks.
And when the rich men arrived,
the iron gate swung shut.
And the seven locks locked themselves.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7 ... the locks clicked shut.
The rich could not enter the garden.

One Persons Dream Can Make a Difference 135

One of the rich men stood up on his horse and reached over
the stone fence to pick one of the golden apples.
But the moment he touched the apple ZAP/ . . .

He was thrown from his horse to the ground.

Another rich man reached for a fruit.

ZAPl He too was thrown to the ground.

After a while the poor began to arrive.

They had to walk to reach the garden,
so it took them some time to get there.
But when they came stumbling toward the gate,
1-2-3-4-5-6-7 . . . the locks clicked open.
And the iron gates swung wide.

The poor walked into the garden.

All day paths and rested on green lawns.
they, strolled cool
The flowers delighted their eyes and soothed their souls.
They plucked the golden apples from the trees and were
nourished.
They drank the cool water in the pools and it did not
make them sick.
In the evening they went back to their homes refreshed.

But some had no homes to go to.

These homeless folk lingered in the garden.

And then another wondrous thing happened.

As darkness fell the gates of the garden swung closed again.
And the seven locks fell into place.
1-2-3-4-5-6-7 ... the locks clicked shut.
And all inside were protected for the night.

Then the golden apples began to glow with a gentle blue light.
The birds settled down in the trees and began to sing a sweet
lullaby.
And the people lay down on the soft, cool grass and fell asleep.

136 Earth Care

Such is the Kazakh story of the magic garden of the poor . .

which grew because of one young man.

—A KAZAKH FOLK'IALE

Decide to do it, and the thing is done.

— ^AN ENGLISH PROVERB

One Person's Dream Can Make a Difference 137

 AFTERWORD

The End of the Owls ^

This book has shown the thoughtful stories told by peoples around
the world as they define their relationship with the land and its crea-
tures. It is important that all of mankind realize very soon that we
must work together keep our planet alive. As an afterword I offer
to

this sobering eulogy for an Earth which has been betrayed by

mankind.

i speak for none of your kind,

i speak of the end of the owls.
i speak for the flounder and whale
in their unlighted house,
the seven-cornered sea,
for the glaciers
they will have calved too soon,
raven and dove, feathery witnesses,
for all those that dwell in the sky
and the woods, and the lichen in gravel,
for those without paths, for the colorless bog
and the desolate mountains.

138
glaring on radar screens,
interpreted one final time
around the briefing table, fingered
to death by antennas, floridas swamps
and the Siberian ice, beast
and bush and basalt strangled
by earlybird, ringed
by the latest maneuvers, helpless
under the hovering firebells,
in the ticking of crises.

we're as good as forgotten.

don't fuss with the orphans,
just empty your mind
of its longing for nest eggs,
glory or psalms that won't rust.
i speak for none of you now,

all you plotters of perfect crimes,

nor for me, nor for anyone.

i speak for those who can't speak,

for the deaf and dumb witnesses,

for otters and seals,
for the ancient owls of the earth.
—HANS MAGNUS ENZENSBERGER,
TRANSLATED BY JEROME ROTHENBERG

When you fall, fall.

I

When you suffer, suffer.

1

We are both in the same boat.

—OJIBWAY CHANT TO A SLAIN BEAR

Afterword 139
Tale Collections with
Ecological Themes:
A Short Bibliography ^
Earthtales: Storytelling in Times of Change by Alida Gershie ([.ondon:
Greenprint, 1992).
Family of Earth & Sky: Indigenous Tales of Nature from Around the World
by John Elder and Hertha D. Wong (Boston: Beacon Press, 1994).
Hidden Stories in Plants: Unusual and Easy-to-Tell Stories from Around the
World Together with Creative Things to Do While Telling Them by Anne
Pellowskl (New York: Macmlllan, 1990).
Just Enough to Make a Story by Nancy Schimmel (Berkeley, Calif.:
Sister's Choice Press, 1992). See the bibliography, "Ecology Stories,
Songs, and Sources."
Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities
for Children by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac (Golden.
Colo.: Fulcrum, 1988). See also: Keepers of the Animals, Earth Tales.
Keepers of the Night, and Keepers of Life from the same publisher.
This series of books is especially useful for the discussions and sug-
gested classroom activities which accompany each story.
The Language of the Birds by David M. Guss (San Francisco: North Point
Press, 1985). Poetry, folklore, and short essays.
Myths of the Sacred Tree by Moyra Cladecoot (Rochester, Vt. Destiny
:

Books, 1993). Focused more on symbolic and mythic content, rather

than ecological. An interesting collection.
Spinning Tales, Weaving Hope: Stories of Peace, Justice & the Environment
by Ed Brody, Jay Goldspinner, Katie Green, Rona Leventhal, and
John Porcino of Stories for World Change Network (Philadelphia. Pa.:
New Society Publishers, 1992).
Tales from the Rain Forest: Myths and Legends of the Amazonian Indians
of Brazil retold by Mercedes Dorson «& Jeanne Wilmot (Hopewell,

141
 N.J.: The Ecco Press, 1997). Accompanying notes point out relation-

ships to the forest.

The Way of the Earth: Native America and the Environment by John Bier-
horst (New York: William Morrow, 1994). Discussion, with some
short stories interwoven.

142 Earth Care

 More Ecological Tales to
Tell or Read Aloud ^

In addition to the tales included in Earth Care, here are a few more excel-
lent tales to share.

"All Things Are Linked" by Harold Courlander in The Crest and the Hide
(New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1982). All advisors but one
agree with the king's every plan. That advisor says simply, "All things
are linked." When the frogs are exterminated and mosquitoes then
plague the village, his words are understood.
"Elsie Piddock Skips in Her Sleep" in Martin Pippin in the Daisy Field by
Eleanor Farjeon (New York: Lippincott, 1937). With her magic jump
rope and her incredible endurance, Elsie Piddock skips to win the fairy
mound away from developers.
The Invisible Hunters or Los Cazazdores Invisible by Harriet Rohmer (San
Francisco: Children's Book Press, 1987). A Miskito legend from
Nicaragua about hunters who abuse their powers and overhunt with
modern weapons.
'The Magic Box" in The Way of the Storyteller by Ruth Sawyer (New York:
Viking, 1942). In this Italian folktale, Tonio inherits a box containing
magic dust. If he shakes a few grains onto each corner of his field each
day, he will prosper. As he makes his way about his fields daily, his
eye is on everything that happens, and so his farm does prosper. On
his deathbed, Tonio finds that there was nothing in the box but com-
mon sand.
'The Man Who Planted Hope and Grew Happiness" by Jean Giono. in Shar-

ing the Joy of Nature by Joseph Cornell (Nevada City, Calif.: Dawn,
1989). True story of a man who spent the last forty years of his life plant-
ing trees. Single-handed, he reforested a section of southern France.
"Mouse Woman and Porcupine Hunter" in Mouse Woman and the Mischief-
Makers by Christie Harris (New York: Atheneum, 1977). Porcupine

143
 Hunter and his wife overhunt and are confronted by Great Porcupine,
who teaches them a prickly lesson.
The People Who Hugged the Trees: An Environmental Folk Tale adapted by
Deborah Lee Rose, illustrated by Birgitta Saflund (Niwot, Colo.:
Roberts Rinehart, 1990). In this legend from India Amrita leads her vil-
lagers in hugging their trees until the ruler sees their value and agrees
to let the trees stand.
"Slops!" in Peace Tales: World Folktales to Talk About by Margaret Read
MacDonald (North Haven, Conn.: Linnet Books, 1992). And as a pic-
ture book. Slop! A Welsh Folktale by Margaret Read MacDonald, illus-
trated by Yvonne LeBrun Davis (Golden, Colo.: Fulcrum, 1997). An old
man and woman discover they are dumping slops onto their fairy
neighbors' house every day. They find a more sensitive way to handle
their garbage.
'The Strange Folding Screen" in Men from the Village Deep in the Mountains
by Garrett Bang (New York: Macmillan, 1973). A once-rich man, now
living in poverty, decides to sell the mountain on his property. In a
dream he is approached by the frog chief who asks him not to sell the
land. If he does, it will be logged and the frog pond ruined. The man
does not sell. In the night a marvelous painting of frogs appears on a
sheet of blank paper in his house. Wet frog footprints lead up to the
screen and the "painted" frogs seem almost lifelike. The screen is of
great value in the art world.
"The Tiger" in Family of Earth & Sky by John Elder and Hertha D. Wong
(Boston: Beacon Press, 1994), 156-57. A Jataka tale
from India of the
wood-sprite who asks that the tigers and
be driven out of the for-
lions
est because of their anno3ang stench. Unfortunately once these are
gone, there is nothing to keep man from entering the forest and de-
stroying it.

"The War Between the Sandpipers and the Whales" in Peace Tales: World
Folktales to Talk About by Margaret Read MacDonald (North Haven,
Conn.: Linnet Books, 1992). The sandpipers and whales each claim
rights to the bay of their island. When
each tries to destroy the habi-
ways.
tat of the other, they see the folly of their
'The Young Man, the Lion and the Yellow Flowered Swart-Storm Tree" in
Earthtales: Storytelling in Times of Change by Alison Gershie (London:
Green Print, 1992). This is not exactly an ecological tale, but it is a
strange and touching story of a man and a lion which needs telling.

144 Earth Care

Proverb Sources ^
Allan, Rev. C. Wilfrid. A Collection oj Chinese Proverbs. New York: Paraxon.
1964.
Brougham, A.D. and A.W. Reed. Maori Proverbs. Auckland, NZ: Reed.
1963.
Buchanan, Daniel Crump. Japanese Proverbs and Sayings. Norman: Uni-
versity of Oklahoma Press, 1965.
Elwell-Sutton, L.P. Persian Proverbs. London: John Murray, 1954.
Kitumba, Vincent Muli wa. Sukulu Ite Nuta: The School with No Walls,
Where Lifelong Lessons Begin. Boise, Idaho: Vincent Muli wa Kitumba,
1977.
Kumove, Shirley. Words Like Arrows: A Collection of Yiddish Folk Sayings.
New York: Schocken, 1984.
McDonald, Julie Jensen. Scandinavian Proverbs. Monticello, Iowa: Pen-
field Press, 1985.
Mieder, Wolfgang. The Prentice-Hall Encyclopedia of World Proverbs. Engle-
wood, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1986.
Sellers, Jeff M. Folk Wisdom of Mexico. San Francisco: Chronicle Books,
1994.
Te, Huynh Dihh. Selected Vietnamese Proverbs. Oakland, Calif.: Center for
International Communication, 1990.
Theal, George McCall. Kaffir Folk-Lore. Westport, Conn.: Negro Universities
Press, 1886.
Williams, Fionnuala. Irish Proverbs. Dublin: Poolbeg, 1992.
Windstedt, Sir Richard. Malay Proverbs. London, John Murray, 1950.
Yoo, Young H. A Dictionary of Proverbs, Maxims, and Famous Classical
Phrases of the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Washington, D.C.: Far
Eastern Research & Publications Center, 1972.

145
Tale Notes ^
The motif numbers in these notes refer to the Stith Thompson Motif-Index
of Folk-Literature (Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press, 1966)and
to The Storyteller's Sourcebook: A and Motif-Index to Folklore
Subject, Title
Collections for Children by Margaret Read MacDonald (Detroit, Mich.: Gale
Research, 1982). Type numbers refer to The Types of the Folktale by Antti
Aarne and Stith Thompson (Helsinki: Suomalainen Tiedeakatamia
Academia Scientarum Fennica, 1973).

Page 1 'Three Green Ladies" is retold from "One Tree Hill" in Dictionary of
:

English Folk-Tales by Katherine Briggs (Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana Uni-

versity Press, 1971), 439-40. The stoiy was collected by Ruth L. Tongue
from a Derbyshire couple in 1935. Briggs observes that primroses are
magic plants, especially in late May and June. Note the vestige of tree wor-
ship in this story. Motifs: F440.1 Green vegetation spirit: VI 1.1 Sacrifice
(gift) to tree; F44 1.6.1 Wood-spirits responsible for sickness and failure;
C518 Cutting down tree tabu; C43.2 Tabu: cutting certain trees, lest tree-
spirits be offended; LI 3 Compassionate youngest son.

Page 8: 'Treasure in the Vineyard" is based on an Aesop fable. See Aesop

Without Morals by Lloyd W. Daly (New York: A.S. Barnes, 1961), 1 1 1, for a
variant of this fable. Motif H588.7 Father's counsel: find treasure within a
foot of the ground. Sons dig everywhere and thus loosen soil of vineyard
which becomes fruitful MacDonald's Storyteller's Sourcebook cites vari-
ants from Burma (bag of "gold" to be buried, contains rice, son obeys and
prospers) Thailand (need two pounds of down from banana leaves grown
,

by self for "gold" alchemy), Seneca (fox tells boy treasure is hidden by Jun-
gles in field, spades up and mother plants corn). Upper Volta (clear plot of
10,000 square feet of bush and keep sweat in calabash, formula for wealth
and happiness), Italy (shake dust from magic box on corners of field each
day).

Page 10: 'The Farmer and His Crops" is a Hmong folktale. For another ver-

146
sion see "Why Farmers Have to Cany Their Crops Iroiii Iluir Fields (o
Their House" in Myths, Legends, and Folk Tales from the Hmonq of Laos
(St. Paul. Minn.: Literature Department, Macalester College, 1985).
123-26. For another Hmong story about these crops see "Rice. Corn. Mil-
let, Beans, and Wheat: Why the Five Grains Differ" in Hidden Stories in
Plants by Anne
Pellowski (New York: Macmillan, 1990). 79-80. This is Mo-
tif A1346.2. Man must labor fr)r a living: atfrrst everything too easy. Full
crops produce themselves, trees drop sugar etc. Stith Thompson cites
sources from Greece, India. South American Indian, Seneca, and Jewish
traditions.

Page 16: "Beast and Tree" is an original fable. While touring with my Ma-
hasarakham University student stor34elling troupe in Isaan (Northeast
Thailand) in 1995, we met up with Jim Wolf, a retired educator and story-
teller. Jim joined us on much of our tour and took to performing in tandem

with Prasong Saihong. who translated while Jim told and both acted out
the tale. Jim's telling of "Beast and Tree" was minimal in language, per-
haps to make it easier on his translator. It involved much running about,
snuffling, and caring for Beast's tree. I was touched by
and this parable
decided to write a poetic version of which could be danced by my
it

Bangkok friend Shirley Paukulis, who had previously interpreted stories to

the accompaniment of my voice. Shirley danced the tree and Prasong
danced the beast, while I read the tale. We presented this piece at Tellabra-
tion in Mahasarakham in 1996. It turns out that Jim Wolf learned the
story from Adora Dupree and that she learned it from a book by James Dil-
let Freeman. When I finally located the original text. found it amazingly 1

different from the piece we were performing in Mahasarakham. James Dil-

let Freeman has given permission for inclusion of this new version, as well

as his wonderful original story.

Page 19: "Who

King of the World?" is an original short stoiy by Unitar-
Is

ian theologian James

Dillet Freeman. It appears in his book Love, Loved,
Loving! The Principal Parts of Life (New York: Doubleday. 1974). It is
reprinted here by kind permission of the author. This is the story from
which "Beast and Tree," above, is derived.

Page 22: "Mikku and the Trees" is an Estonian folktale. See "How the
Trees Lost Their Power of Speech" in The Enchanted Wood and Other
Tales from Finland by Norma J. Livo and George O. Livo (Englewood,
Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1999), 150-53. A more literary version of this
tale is found in The Sea Wedding and Other Stories from Estonia by Selve
Maas and Peggy Hoffman (Minneapolis, Minn.: Dillon Press, 1970). For

Tale Notes 147

other Estonian tales of supernatural helpers see Estnische Mdrchen und
Sagen Varianten by Antti Aarne, Folklore Fellows Communications No.
25 (Hamina, Finland: Suomalaisen Tiedeakatemia Kustantama, 1918). 1

like to use this story for audience participation, improvising as 1 tell. 1

approach one member of the audience, ask what kind of tree he or she
is, pretend to strike with my ax, and then ask why 1 should not chop

them down. Most pick up on the refrain and call back "Stop! Stop! Don't
cut me!" Motifs here are: C518 Cutting down tree tabu; D940 Magic
forests; C51.2.2 Tabu: cutting sacred trees or forests; D1610.2 Speaking
Tree; C600 Unique prohibition. A person forbidden to do one particular
thing; and D 1254.1 Magic wand.

Page 28: "Hold Tight and Stick Tight" is a Japanese folktale. A good ver-
sion of this tale appears in the collection Hold Tight, and Stick Tight by
Elizabeth Scofield (Palo Alto, Calif.: Kodansha, 1966). For a description of
twelve more variants of this tale see The Yanagita Kunio Guide to the
Japanese Folk Tale, edited and translated by Fanny Hagin Meyer (Bloom-
ington, Ind.: Indiana University Press, 1986), 67-65. This is Motif Q2 Kind
and unkind.
Page 32: "Spider and the Palm-nut Tree" is kindly contributed to this col-
lection by Won-Ldy Paye and Margaret H. Lippert. Won-Ldy, who learned
his stories from his grandmother, has put several of the tales of his Dan
people into print in Why Leopard Has Spots: Dan Stories from Liberia by
Won-Ldy Paye and Margaret H. Lippert (Fulcrum, 1998). Motifs are: W197
Selfcenteredness; A2356.2.8 Why spider has thread in back of body;
D482.1 Transformation: stretching tree. A tree magically shoots upward.

Page 35: "The Tiddy Mun" is a folk legend from a marshy area known as
the Cars, in England's Ancholme River valley. "Cars" or "Carse" refers to a
marshy land. A brief retelling by Katherine Briggs appears as 'The Tiddy
Mun" in European Folk Tales, edited by Lauris Bodker, Christina Hole, and
G. D'Aronco (Copenhagen: Rosekilde and Bagger/ Hatboro, Pa.: Folklore
Associates, Inc., 1963), 118-19, and in Katherine Briggs, A Dictionary of
British Folk- Lore Vol. 1, Part B, (Bloomington: Indiana University Press,
1971), 377-78. My version is translated from "Tiddy Mun" in "Legends of
the Cars" by M.C. Balfour, in Folk-lore 2, no. 2 (June 1891): 149-56. That
version is heavy in dialect. I have tried to leave enough dialect to give the
flavor in my version. Those who wish to tell this may want to consult both
Briggs's abbreviated version and Balfour's original text. Balfour tells us he
heard this "from an aged woman, a life-long dweller in these Cars, who in
her young days herself observed the rite she describes ... I tell these sto-

148 Earth Care

 Cars of the Anrholme Valley exactly as (old to mv, k-st in alter-
ries of the
ing might spoil them." 'Tiddy Mun" includes Motifs F422 Marsh Spirit.
I

and Q552. 10 Plague as a punishment.

Page 43: "The New Lake" is retold from Chinese Fables and Anecdoles
(Peking: Foreign Language Press, 1958), 23. This incident appears in The
Records of Shao. Notes say that it was related in two parts, the first by
Shao Po-wen of the eleventh century and the second by his son. Shao Po.
This is Motif J 1934 A hole to throw the earth in. Numbskull plans to dig a
hole so as to have a place to throw the earth from his excavation. Stith
Thompson cites Jewish and Turkish versions of the story, MacDonald
cites versions from Mexico, Java, Scandinavia, and Turkey.

Page 44: "Fox Rules the Streams" from Isaan (Northeast Thai-
is folktale

land). The story was Supaporn Vathanaprida,

translated into English by
retold in a tellable format by Margaret Read MacDonald, translated into
Lao by Wajuppa Tossa and shaped through performance in Lao by the
Mahasarakham University Storytelling Troupe, then retold in English by
MacDonald. Motifs include: B479 Small fish as helper: K553.6 Too dirty to
eat.

Page 51: "Papa God's Well" is a folktale from Haiti. Versions of this story
appear in Old Tales for a New Day by Sophia Lyon Faha and Alice Cobb
(Boston: Prometheus Books, 1992), 91-95, and in The Piece of Fire and
Other Haitian Tales by Harold Courlander (New York: Harcourt Brace Jo-
vanovich, 1964). For more Haitian tales of Papa God see Diane Wolkstein's
The Magic Orange Tree and Other Haitian Folktales (New York: Alfred A.
Knopf, 1978). Motifs include: A2426.2.1 Frog's croak: W155 Hardness of
heart: W155.5 Permission refused to drink from water tank. Stith Thomp-
son includes one variant from India.

Page 57: "Two Women Hunt for Ground Squirrels" is an Athabaskan folk-
tale.A wonderful version of "Ground Squirrel" is told by Antone Evans in
Dena'ina Sukdua: Traditional Stories of the Tanaina Athabaskans. com-
piled by Joan M. Tenenbaum (University of Alaska: Alaska Native Lan-
guage Center, 1984), 148-55. The Dena'ina text is included there, along
with illustrations by Dale DeArmond. The version in this book is simplified
for beginning Advanced tellers should see also Tenenbaum's book.
tellers.

The complete ground squirrel mother's song is given there as: Shighinidu
nidaga/ sh-una yula/ una yula!
This tale includes Motifs: D2 16 1.4. 10.2 Wound healed only by per-
son who gave it; and M41 1. 19. 1 Curse by wounded animal Stories of hu-

Tale Notes 149

mans who visit an animal home and remove a knife or spear from a
wounded child appear in Northwest Coast folklore as well. For example,
the story of Naatsilane includes an episode in which the hero descends to
the cave of the sea lions and removes a spear from the side of the sea lion
chiefs son.

Page 62: "Gluskabe Traps the Animals" is retold from "Gluskabe's Child-
hood," "Gluskabe Releases the Game Animals," and "Gluskabe Traps All
the Fish" in "Penobscot Tales and Religious Beliefs" by Frank G. Speck in
The Journal of American Folk-Lore 48, no. 187 (January- March 1935),
38-40. A retelling of this with useful notes is found as "Gluscabi and the
Magic Game Bag" in Wisdom Tales by Heather Forest (Little Rock, Ark.:
August House, 1996), 133-35. For those who wish to tell the story, I rec-
ommend Joe Bruchac's retelling in Family of Earth & Sky: Indigenous
Tales of Nature from Around the World by John Elder and Hertha D. Wong
(Boston: Beacon Press, 1994), 259-60. In this rendering Bruchac weaves
some Abenaki language into the tale and follows with cultural information
from his own Abenaki heritage. Motifs: J514 One should not be too greedy:
J701 Provision for the future.

Page 66: 'The Mountain Goats of Temlahan" is retold from 'The Feast of
the Mountain Goats" in "Tsimshian Mythology" by Franz Boas in The
Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology 1 909-1910
Thirty-First
(Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1916), 131-35; and from
'The Headdress of the Mountain Goat" told by Joshua Tsyebesa (Kitkatla,
Gispewudwada Chief), recorded by William Beynon, 1916; 'The Revenge of
the Mountain Goats" told by Paul Dzius (Gitanmaax), recorded by Marius
Barbeau, 1923; 'Temlaxam and the Mountain Goats" told by Charles
Mark (Gitseguekla) recorded by Marius Barbeau, 1923; all in Tsimshian
,

Narratives: Collected by Marius Barbeau and William Beynon, edited by

John J. Cove (Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1987), 246-52. A fine pic-
ture book, unfortunately out of print, is The Mountain Goats ofTemlaham
by William Toye, illustrated by Virginia Cleaver (Toronto: Oxford University
Press, 1969).
Several interesting motifs were not included in my retelling: Charles
Mark's version says that if you open the fur on a goat you will see the red
ochre stripes of the medicine; Joshua Tsyebesa tells us that the hunter
had been gone for ten years when he returned, though it seemed like only
a day; two of the versions say that the people thought they were at a feast
in a house on a prairie, rather than on a mountain. Music for the moun-
tain goat chiefs song is given in the Boas version. In three versions the

150 Earth Care

hunter is instructed to call also "On (he (hiimh" or "Ihnml) sticking out"
or "the-little-thumb" as he leaps down the clifTto safety. Interestingly, (he
variant recorded by Boas stresses that the bones and meat not used
should have been burned. If the bones were left scattered on the ground
the animals' sickness would grow worse and worse and they could nol be
cured. Thus people learned from this tale that they must always burn the
bones and skin and any unused meat after a slaughter. This may, in fact,
have been an important preventative in the spread of animal disease. Mo-
tifs: D334 Goat transformed to person', D 114.4.0134 Man transformed to

goat: B299.1 Animal takes revenge on man; B520 Animal saves person's
life: B2 Animal totems. MacDonald cites five versions of this story under

A1578. 1 Origin offamily crests.

Page 71: "The Alligator and the Hunter" is a Choctaw story retold from The
Choctaw of Bayou Lacomb, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana by David I.
Bushnell, Jr., in the Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnol-
ogy, Bulletin 46 {Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1909),
32-33. Motifs: B569 Animals advise men; M326 Prophecy: success hunt-
ing; B366 Animal grateful for rescue from peril of death; B375.2 Frog re-
turned to spring: grateful

Page 75: 'The Curupira." The Curupira and Caipora are creatures of the
forests of Brazil, northern Argentina, and Paraguay. Many variants occur in
the Amazon basin, but the range of the creature's stories is much wider
than this. My variant combines elements from "true" stories related in The
Enchanted Amazon Rain Forest: Stories from a Vanishing World by Nigel J.H.
Smith (Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 1996), 42-52, with "O
Cagador e a Caipora" in Contos Crioulos da Bahia, narrated by Mestre Didi
(Petropolis, Brazil: Editora Vozes, 1976), 58-59. Additional information was
taken from Dicionario do Folclore Brasileiro by Luis da Camara Cascudo
(Sao Paolo: Edicoes Mehoramentos, 1979), 177-78, and O Curupira by Toni
Brandao (Sao Paulo: Studio Nobel, 1998). Thanks to Suely Scares of Rio's
storytelling group Mil e Umas for sharing her telling of this story and givang
me copies of her sources. My version was inspired by her telling.
The Curupira is said to have backward feet, whereas the Caipora has
normal feet. Other names for the creature include Caapora, and Caipira.
The creature is small in stature, sometimes boylike in character, usually
hairy and ugly. It rides on the back of a wild boar and loves to smoke to-
bacco. The Curupira is guardian of the animals and will do anything pos-
sible to stop wanton slaughter of its beasts. Motifs: F419.3 Special spirit
for each species of animal to act as its protector, F551 Remarkable feet.

Tale Notes 151

Page 79: 'The Mosquito Extermination Project" is based on a folktale from
India. It is retold from the The Oral Tales of India by Stith Thompson and
Jonas Balys (Westport, Conn.: Geenwood Press, 1976). Motifs: J2100
Remedies worse than the disease; J2 102.8 Frogs to eat insects, snakes to
eat frogs; and J2103 Expensive extermination of rodents.

Page 81: "Gecko Cannot Sleep" is a folktale from Bali. This text is from a
forthcoming picture book by Margaret Read MacDonald. In the winter of
1997 I was fortunate to visit Balinese storyteller Made Taro in Denpasar.
Made Taro works with children twice weekly to teach them to tell the Bali-
nese stories. It was a delight to share stories with his young students and
enjoy their story performances in return. How fortunate we are that elder
tellers are making the effort to train the young Anne Pellowski
in this art.
includes a variant of this tale in The Storytelling Handbook (New York: Si-
mon & Schuster, 1995), 43-45. She heard the story in Jakarta in 1993.
Motifs: J2102 Expensive means of being rid of insects; Z40 Chains with in-
terdependent members.

Page 86: "The Golden Plow" is a Rumanian folktale. A brief version is found

in Rumanian Folk Tales by Jean Ure {New York: Watts, 1960), 158-59. Mo-
tif F858 Golden plow. The notion of a golden plow appears both in Danish

folklore and in tales from India, though without wisdom-test motif. Stories
of the wisdom of Solomon are many. MacDonald Motif J 1199.2* Asked
value of golden plow. Solomon-the-wise replies.; H713.1 How much is a
golden plow (throne, crown, palace) worth? A rain in May.

Page 88: "Botany in the Rain Forest" by Liza Hobbs is reprinted from The
Written Arts, February 1990, 14, no.l (Seattle, Wash.: King County Arts
Commission), 38. © Elizabeth Hobbs

Page 89: "Finding the Center" is reprinted with permission of Friendship

Press. It appeared as "How Medicine Came to the People" in A World of
Children's Stories by Anne Pellowski (New York: Friendship Press, 1993),
121-23. Pellowski's tale notes tell us: "This is my retelling based on the
texts in Henry Rowe Schoolcraft's Algic Researches (1839) and in his
Indian Tribes of the United States, parts 1 and 5 (1853 and 1856). I also
used OJibway Texts collected by William Jones (Publications of the Ameri-
can Ethnological Society 7, parts 1 and 2, 1917 and 1919). A modern
retelling may be found in Mishomis, collected by Edward Benton-Banai,
available from the Red School House, 643 Virginia St., St. Paul, Minn.
55103." Motifs: Z7 1.2.1 Formula: north, south, east, west (the cardinal di-
rections).

152 Earth Care

Page 92: "Awaiyar's Rest" is reprinted wilii j)('riiiissi()n ol i.ihrarics Un-
limitedand the authors IVom Jasmine and Coconuts: South Indian Tales
by Cathy Spagnoli and Paramasivam Samanna (Englewood. Colo.: Li-
braries Unlimited, 1999), 111. Spagnoli tells us that Awaiyar was a sage
who 2,000 years ago in Tamil Nadu. She wandered the land teach-
lived
ing people through songs and poems which are still shared today. Spag-
noli notes that she heard this story told many times during her visits to
Tamil Nadu.

Page 93: "Hidden Divinity" is a legend from India. This version is retold
from an anecdote in "The Hiding of Divinity" in Stories for Sharing: With
Themes and Discussion Starters for Teachers and Speakers by Charles Ar-
codia {Alexandria, New South Wales: E. J. Dwyer, 1991), 98.

Page 94: "The Tailor's Jacket" is a Jewish folktale and folk song. For an ex-
cellent version of this story see Nancy Schimmel Just Enough to Make a
Story (Berkeley, Calif.: Sisters' Choice Press, 1992), 2. Doug Lipman has a
delightful singing version of this story on his tape. Tell It with Me (Albany,
N.Y.: A Gentle Wind, 1985), and I also enjoy using the picture-book ver-
sion. Something from Nothing by Phoebe Oilman (New York: Scholastic,
Inc., 1992). 1 have heard Robert Rubenstein of Eugene, Oregon tell this de-

lightfully and involve the audience in all of the snipping and sewing at
each turn of the story. Motif: Jl 1 15.4 Clever tailor.

Page 98: "Love the Weeds" is an Iranian folktale. For more stories of the
Mullah see Once the Mullah: Persian Folk Tales by Alice Oeer Kelsey (New
York: David McKay, 1954), and see the works of Idries Shah, including The
Subtleties of the Inimitable Nasrudin (Cambridge, Mass.: I S H K, 1983) and
The Exploits of the Incomparable Nasrudin (Cambridge, Mass.: S H K, I

1987). For another version of this story see Stories of the Spirit, Stories
of the Heart: Parables of the Spiritual Path from Around the World by
Christina Feldman and Jack Kornfield San Francisco: HarperSanFran-
(

cisco, 1991), 141-42. Motif: W25.2 Minister always says, "It is for the
best, " when anything happens.

Page 100: "The Useless Tree" is an anecdote recounted by Chuang Tzu. a

Chinese sage of the third century b.c. For other versions see Vie Essential
Tao, translated by Thomas Cleaiy (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco.
1991), 92-94, or Chuang Tzu: The Inner Chapters, translated by David
Hinton (Washington, D.C.: Counterpoint, 1997), 58-61. For a storytellers
retelling, see Heather Forest, Wisdom Tales (Little Rock. Ark.: August
House, 1996), 34. Motif: H659.il Riddle: What is most useful?

Tale Notes 153

Page 101: *Too Much Sky" is based on a Blni folktale from Nigeria. It ap-
pears in In the Beginning . . . Creation Stones for Young People edited by Ed-
ward Lavitt and Robert E. McDowell (New York: Odakai Books, The Third
Press/ Joseph Okpaku Publishing, 1973). An Ibo variant is given in Anne
Pellowski, The Family Storytelling Handbook {New York: Macmillan, 1987),
36. Pellowski's variant comes from an autobiography. My Father's Daugh-
terby Mabel Segun (Lagos: African Universities Press, 1965). Stith Thomp-
son cites many sources for A625.2 Raising the sky. Originally the sky is
near the earth. Versions come from Asian, Polynesian, African, and Latin
American Indian sources as well as several from ancient sources (Egypt,
Babylonia). Reasons for the lifting of the sky are varied. MacDonald gives
one African American version under Motif A625.2.8* People can break off
pieces of sky to eat in the beginning. This appears in Julius Lester, Black
Folktales (New York: R.W. Baron, 1969), 381-41. This is also related to
Motif Al 346.2 Man must labor for a living: at first everything too easy.

Page 104: "Just a Little More" is a Portuguese tale. It is reprinted with kind
permission of Greg Goggin from Tales of the Old Country by Greg Goggin
(Berkeley, Calif.: Creative Arts Book Co., 1985), 27-32. Motif K158.7 De-
ceptive land purchase: as much land as can be surrounded in a certain time.
Stith Thompson from Ireland, India, Iceland, and Frisia. In
cites variants
some cases the poor man actually wins the land, rather than losing it all
to greed. See also Motifs W151 Greed; J514.2 One should not be too greedy.

Page 108: "The Origin of Puget Sound and the Cascade Range" is

reprinted, with permission of the publisher, from Indian Legends of the Pa-
cific Northwest by Ella Clark ©
1981 Ella E. Clark (Berkeley, Calif: Univer-
sity of California Press, 1953), 25. Clark tells us "Clarence Pickernell, a
Quinault-Chehalis-Cowlitz Indian from Tahola, Washington, told this leg-
end in February, 1951. He had heard it from his great-grandmother. Pick-
ernell pronounced the closing words rapidly, in a rhythm and with a hand
movement to suggest the lapping of water against the shore." Motifs: A960
Creation of mountains; A962.4 Mountains pressed together by God; W151
Greed: A920. 1.0.1 Origin of particular lake.

Page 110: "Sharing the Wine" is a Chinese folktale. For a longer version of
this story see "Ten Jugs of Wine" in Sweet and Sour: Tales from China by
Carol Kendall (New York: Seabuiy, 1979), 18-29. For a variant from the
Bamum people of Cameroon see "The Feast" in Harold Courlander, The
King's Drum (New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1962), 56-57. And yet
another version appears as 'The Jug of Water" in William White, Stories for
Telling: A Treasury for Christian Storytellers (Minneapolis: Augsburg,

154 Earth Care

1986), 66-67. Motifs: K231.6.1.1 Order lo pnl a small vrssrl oj inilk into
huge container. Shrewd group each by himself pours water thinking this will
not be detected if the others pour milk. Sti(h 'I^honijjson cites versions Iroiii
India.

Page 112: "Don't Throw Stones from Not Yours" to Yours" is a tale from
the Jewish tradition.A version appears in Harold Courlanders Ride with
the Sun (New York: Whittlesey House, 1955), 99-100. Courlander cites his
source as the Babylonian Talmud Baba Kama, and Tosefa Baba Kama,
chapter 2. A variant also is found in William J. Bennett, The Moral Com-
pass (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995), 113-14. MacDonald Motif:
H599.10* Don't throw stones from "not yours" to "yours."

Page 1 14: "The Tamarind Tree" is a Thai folktale. Versions of this story ap-
pear as "The Stoiy of the Two Chinese Friends" in Burmese and Thai Fairy
Tales by Eleanor Brockett (Chicago: Follett Publishing, 1965), 163-70;
also in Folk Tales of Thailand by P.C. Roy Chaudhury (New Delhi: Sterling.
1976), 37-40. Motifs: W216 Thrift: W15.6 Ungrateful wanderer tears nut
tree to pieces to get the nuts; J701 Provision for the future.

Page 117: "Emptying the Granary" is a European folktale. Motif: J701 Pro-
visionfor the future.

Page 118: "Planting for the Next Generation" is a Jewish folktale. This is

Motif J70 1.1 Planting for the next generation. Man who is planting tree told
that it will never mature in his day. He is planting for the next generation.
Stith Thompson Turkish and Jewish sources for this tale. A similar
cites
story from Jewish tradition is told in The Fable of the Fig Tree by Michael
Gross (New York: Heniy Z. Walck, 1975).

Page 119: "The Past and the Future" is retold from 'The Past and the Fu-
ture" in Folk-Tales of Angola: Fifty Tales with Ki-Mbundu Texts by Heli
Chatelain. (Boston and New York: American Folk-Lore Society, 1894), 247.
The Ki-Mbundu text is in Chatelain's book. Motif:Z183 Symbolic names.

Page 121: "Plowing Up the Road" is a Rumanian folktale. A version ap-

pears as "The Land Where There Were No Old Men" in Rumanian Folk
Tales by Jean Ure (New York: Watts, 1960), 169-71. For a nicely told vari-
ant see "Grandfather's Advice" in Tales of Faraway Folk by Babette
Deutsch and Avrahm Yarmolinsky (New York: Harper & Brothers. 1952).
This is Motif J 1 5 1 1 Wisdom of hidden old man saves kingdom. MacDon-
.

ald cites versions from Japan (old woman), the Congo (couple), Mongolia,
and Slovenia. Stith Thompson gives sources from Ireland, Russia, Estonia,

Tale Notes 155

Rumania, Spain, Italy, India, China, Jewish folklore and others. Under
Type 981 Wisdom of Hidden Old Man Saves Kingdom, we find German,
Swedish, Irish, French, Estonian, Lithuanian, Spanish, Italian, Ruma-
nian, Slovenian, Serbocroatian, Russian, Turkish, Jewish, Chinese, and
Indian variants.

Page 124: "In Your Hands" is a folktale from India. The tale appears in
many variants around the world, most often as one riddle in a longer story.
Recently has become popular as a moral anecdote stressing the impor-
it

tance of taking responsibility for our planet's

life. For example, see "The

Hermit and the Children" by Susan Tobin in Spinning Tales, Weaving

Hope, edited by Ed Brody et al. (Philadelphia, Pa.: New Society Press,
1992), 1. Motif H571 Counter question. Riddles answered by a question
that reduces the riddle to an absurdity.

Page 125: "Frog and Locust" is a Pueblo tale. This story is retold by Joe
Hayes in A Heart Full of Turquoise {Santa Fe, N.M.: Mariposa, 1988). It is
reprinted by permission of the author. Motif A2426. 4.1 Frog's croak. Stith
Thompson cites variants from Japan, Angola, Liberia, Korea, and the Jew-
ish tradition, but does not give specific reasons for frog's croaks. MacDon-
ald cites two Vietnamese versions under Motif A2426.4. 1.2. 1* Toad, wasp,
tiger and cock go to complain to Jade Emperor about lack of rain. Rain
. . .

god agrees to rain whenever toad croaks. One Chagga, African, variant is
cited under Motif A2426.4.1.2.2* In drought Rain Spirit responds when
frogs dig deep holes and all croak.

Page 129: "The Magic Garden of the Poor." This is It was

a Kazakh folktale.
inspired by "The Magic Garden" in Stories of the Steppes: Kazakh Folktales
by Mary Lou Masey (New York: David McKay, 1968). Her sources were
Kkazakhskie Skazki V. I and II by V.M. Sidelnikova (Alma-Ata: Kazakhskoe
gos. Izd-vo khudozh, 1958, 1962), and Pesni Stepei: Antologiia Kazakhskoi
Literatury; Pod Redaktsiei Leonida Soboleva (Moscow: Gosudarstvennoe Iz-
datelstvo "Khudozhestvennaia Literatura", 1940.) Motifs: D961 Magic gar-
den; D1667 Magic garden grown at once.

Page 138: 'The End of the Owls", a poem by Hans Magnus Enzensberger,
isreprinted by kind permission of its translator, Jerome Rothenberg. This
poem appeared in New Young German Poets (San Francisco: City Lights,
1959), 62-63, and in The Language of the Birds by David M. Guss (San
Francisco: North Point Press, 1985), 322-23.

156 Earth Care

 Acknowledgments

Thanks to Tuti Aranui, Kim Seuc, and Wajuppa Tossa for translation of
proverbs. Thanks to the participants of the Storytell listserve
(stoiytell@venus, twu.edu) for suggesting favorite ecological tales.

"Awaiyar's Rest" is reprinted from Jasmine and Coconuts by Cathy Spag-

noli and Paramasivan Samanna (Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlim-

ited, 1999) with permission of the publisher.
"Botany in the Rain Forest" by Liza Hobbs is reprinted from The Written
Arts, February 1990, Volume 14, no.l (Seattle, Wash.: King County
Arts Commission), 38, with permission of the author.
"The End of the Owls" is reprinted from New Young German Poets (San
Francisco: City Lights, 1959) by kind permission of translator, Jerome
Rothenberg.
"Frog and Locust" is reprinted from A Heart Full of Turquoise by Joe Hayes

(Santa Fe, N.M.: Mariposa, 1988) with permission of Joe Hayes and
Mariposa Press.
"Finding the Center" titled "How Medicine Came to People" and is
is

reprinted from AWorld of Children's Stories by Anne Pellowski (New

York: Friendship Press, 1993) with permission of Friendship Press.
"Just a Little More" is reprinted from Tales of the Old Country by Greg Gog-
gin (Berkeley, Calif.: Creative Arts Books Co., 1985) by permission of
Greg Goggin.
"The Origin of Puget Sound and the Cascade Range" is reprinted from
Indian Legends of the Pacific Northwest by Ella Clark (Berkeley. Calif.:
University of California Press, 1953) by permission of the University of
California Press.
"Spider and the Palm-Nut Tree" is published with the permission of itsau-
thors, Won-Ldy Paye and Margaret H. Lippert, © 1999 Won-Ldy Paye
and Margaret H. Lippert.
"Who Is King of the World?" is reprinted from Love. Loved Loving! The Prin-
cipal Parts of Life by James Dillet Freeman (New York: Doubleday,
1974) by kind permission of James Dillet Freeman.

157
 1

Cultural and Geographic index

AESOP The Tiddy Mun, 35

Treasure in the Vineyard, 8 Proverbs: 9, 43, 56. 137

ANGOLA. See MBAKA ESTONIA

BALI
Mikku and the Trees, 22
Gecko Cannot Sleep, 8 EUROPE

BEMBA Emptying the Granary, 117

Proverb: 128 FULANI

BINI Proverb: 70

Too Much Sky, 101 HAITI

BRAZIL Papa God's Well, 51

The Curupira, 75
HMONG. See also lao
CHEHALIS. See QUINAULT-CHEHALIS- The Farmer and His Crops, 10
COWLITZ
INDIA.See TAMIL NADU: SIKH
CHINA Hidden Divinity, 93
The New Lake, 43 In Your Hands, 124
Sharing the Wine, 110 The Mosquito Extermination
The Useless Tree, 100 Project, 79
Proverbs: xiii, 65, 100, 123 Proverbs: 34, 78

CHOCTAW IRAN
The Alligator and the Hunter, 7 1 Love the Weeds, 98
COWLITZ. See quinault-chehalis- JAPAN
COWLITZ Hold Tight and Stick Tight, 28
DAN Proverbs: 61, 92, 162
Spider and the Palm-Nut Tree, 32 JEWISH. See also Yiddish.

ENGLAND Don't Throw Stones from "Not

Three Green Ladies, 1 Yours" to "Yours", 112

159
The Tailor's Jacket 94 PHILIPPINES

Proverbs: 93, 111 Proverb: 42

KAFFIR PORTUGAL
Proverb: 116 Just a Little More, 104

KAZAKH PUEBLO
The Magic Garden of Frog and Locust, 125

the Poor, 129 QUINAULT-CHEHALIS-COWLITZ

KITUMBA
The Origin ofPuget Sound and the
Cascade Range, 108
Proverb: 85
RUMANIA
KOREA
The Golden Plow, 86
Proverbs: 91, 117, 120
Plowing Up the Road, 121
KUSHMAN
SAUDI ARABIA
Proverb: 18
Proverb: 80
LAO. See also hmong
SIKH
Proverbs: 21, 87
Proverb: 50
LIBERIA. See DAN SWAHILI

MALAY Proverb: 109

Proverb: 118 TAMIL NADU

Avuaiyar's Rest, 92
MAORI
Proverb: 7 TANAINA ATHABASKAN

MBAKA
Two Women Hunt for Ground
Squirrels, 57
The Past and the Future, 1 19
THAILAND
MEXICO
Fox Rules the Streams, 44
Proverbs: 103, 107
The Tamarind Tree, 1 14
NETHERLANDS
TSIMSHIAN
Proverb: 113
The Mountain Goats ofTemlahan,
NIGERIA. See BINI 66
OJIBWAY TURKEY
Finding the Center, 89 Planting for the Next Generation,
Proverb: 139 118

PENOBSCOT VIETNAM
Gluskabe Traps the Animals, 62 Proverbs: 15, 99

160 Earth Care

 9 1

WOLOF NON-IX)I.K

Proverb: 27 Beast and Tree, \ 6

Botani) in the Rain Forest, 88
YIDDISH Who Is King of the World?, 1

Proverbs: 31, 74, 97 The End of the Owls, 138

Cultural and Geographic Index 1 6

As your duty,
to
Start with that which is nearest to you.
— ^A JAPANESE SAYING

Note: All stories retold by Margaret Read MacDonald are intended for
retelling by storytellers. Permission for use of stories is needed only for
publication or recording, not for oral tellings to live audiences. Greg Gog-
gin,Joe Hayes, Anne Pellowski, Meg Lippert and Won-Ldy Paye also give
permission for telling of their tales.
Our relationship to the natural world is at the heart of the
single largest problem facing us today. We have a choice.
Hurt the fiarth and we hurt ourselves. Care for it, and we
reap its benefits. People the world over have always known
this, and have expressed the consequences of these choices
in their stories.
Here are forty-one tales, fables, poems, stories, and
numerous proverbs from over thirty countries or ethnic
groups for folks to talk about. Grouped by concept, these
tales touch upon both human and ecological themes: car-
ing for the land — the crops, the forests, and the wetlands;
caring for other creatures; how all things are linked; how
human greed leads to disaster; how no thing is without
value; how pollution returns to the polluter; how one per-
son can make a difference; how to husband the future by
heeding the experience of the past; and how to unite our
voices on the Earth's behalf.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A storyteller as well as a folklorist, Margaret Read MacDonald
has fashioned many of these stories for retelling, and for
different ages. She intended this book to be a companion
to her much loved and taught Peace Tdtles: World Folktales
to About (Linnet, 1992). An author of many good
Tdilk

books. MacDonald holds a joint Ph.D. in folklore and

Dr.
library science from Indiana University. She is a children's
librarian in the Bothell branch of the King County Library
System in Seattle.

LINNET BOOKS ISBN D-EDfl-DEM2b-3

MORTH HAVEN, COMnECTlCUT

Cover illustration: Zobra Anasazi 9 780208"024268l

Printed in the USA