Monday, September 15, 2014

'The Legend of the Bluebonnet' and old tale of Texas retold & Illustrated by Tomie DePaola

She-Who-Is-Alone has watched her tribe and the dancers from afar each day of a very bad drought.  This drought has affected the very old and the very young alike, and rain hasn't visited their lands for a long, long time.  But She-Who-Is-Alone still watches with her doll made from buckskin - a warrior doll.  His eyes, nose and mouth are painted on with the juice of berries.  It wore beaded leggings and a belt of polished bone and on its head were brilliant blue feathers from a bird who cries "Jay-jay-jay." She loves her doll very much.

But no matter how long her tribe dance and pray for rain for the crops to grow, it doesn't arrive; and the drought goes on.

So, people of her tribe began to make sacrifices, personal ones.  A hunter threw into the fire his bow, claiming he didn't need a new bow, that his old one was good enough to use.  A woman said she didn't need her special blanket either.  People gave their most valued possessions to bring the rains, and still nothing happened.  All except She-Who-Is-Alone gave, because her only valued possession was her warrior doll, which she held tightly to her heart.  However, would what this little girl have to offer - her only possession in the world - make a difference to her tribe and their lives?


This wonderful book about how the Bluebonnet flower was named in Texas is just charming.  I love it.  My Mum was sent it by a friend in the USA and I read it the other day.  What a great and colourful way of educating people and children about not only history but the dreamtime of American History.  Until my next post, happy reading.


No comments:

Post a Comment