Stories ‘n Stones Details of programs

 

The Original      (with stone axe, flintknapping, atlatl with spears, and flint hoe demo)

 

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Iroquois Stories: Heroes and Heroines, Monsters and Magic by Joe Bruchac ISBN-13: 978-0895941671  Skunny Wundy and the Stone Giant

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The Whistling Tsonaquas – Northwest Coast Indian adapted version on http://www.marilynkinsella.org/Fabulous%20Folktales/whistling_tsonoqua.htm There are many versions of this story about a blood-sucking monster that terrorizes the people. Usually, the monster is tricked into falling into a burning pit where it turns into ashes that transform into mosquitoes to forever suck blood from the people.

  

Stories ‘n Stones: Bringing the Light   (demonstrates eight ways of making fire including a hand-drill fire using two sticks)

bullet Grandmother Spider Brings the Light a version by the Choctaw. Three animals go to bring fire, but it is Grandmother Spider who succeeds. http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/lore120.html

 

Stories ‘n Stones: Along the Expedition Trail (contrasting the tools of the French, American, and various Native American tribes along the Missouri River in 1804)

bullet THE PIASA – At the beginning of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, as they camped in nearby Woodriver, they may have traveled to see the picture of the Piasa along the bluff. In the late 1800’s an author wrote a story about how it came to be. It is not an authentic Indian story, but it has become a legend unto itself. My version begins….Oh, the Piasa – devourer of man! A terrible winged creature! But, what was it? A four-legged, or a bird or, perhaps, a snake? For indeed, it had a body of a mountain lion, but with long, sharp talons instead of paws, and it’s body wasn’t covered with fur but with red and black; yellow and green, armored scales like that of a snake. Its face…its face was almost human. It had red, piercing eyes and a mouthful of sharp teeth.  And, oh those teeth…let me tell you about those teeth! They said if one fell out another, longer one took its place. A long beard fell from its chin and antler horns sprouted from its head. A tail so long it wrapped itself around the Piasa once, twice…three times! Two huge wings that sounded like thunder as that beast winged its way across the sky. For a link to my version and more information on the “Legend of the Piasa,” go to:  http://www.marilynkinsella.org/The%20Piasa.htm
bullet The Whistling Tsonaquas – As Lewis and Clark reached the west coast, they may have heard this story. Referenced above.

 

Stories ‘n Stones: Ishi the Last the Stone-Age Super Heroes (flintknapping demonstration using the Ishi stick and obsidian)

bullet A brief bio on Ishi based on Ishi of Two Worlds by Theodora Kroeber. The true story of the last of the California Yahi Indians who taught modern flintknappers how he made fine flint and obsidian arrow points.
bullet Rabbit, the Arrow Maker – based on a Lakota legend about Rabbit who travels to the Bear Lodge to get precious flint for his points. He inadvertently kills the chief by chipping off some of his flint. The bears chase Rabbit until he asks the Mother to send snow. He finally stops them by shooting an arrow into the air. They realize they are no match for this strong magic. I added elements of Ishi’s story called Ishi’s Tale of Lizard that was made into a picture book collected by Susan L. Roth and Leanne Hinton.

 

Stories ‘n Stones: Survivor on Book Island  (survivor techniques including a fire demo using two sticks)

bullet Book talks on Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss and Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
bullet Coyote Brings the Fire versions found by Karok and Shasta tribes of the Northwest. The three Fire Beings don’t share the fire. Coyote, with the help of Mountain Lion, Buzzard and Old Man Turtle, steals the fire away and then he teaches the people where to find fire in rocks and sticks to make their own fire. For a version go to: http://www.marilynkinsella.org/Study%20Guides%20and%20info/Ishi,%20stories%20and%20study%20guide.html

 

Stories ‘n Stones: To Woodhenge and Beyond (power-point and discussion on the reconstructed sun calendar – Woodhenge at Cahokia Mound; includes fire demo)

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Legend of the Red Cedar – a Cherokee sacred story about the length of day and why the people created a sun calendar. For the version I tell click here: http://www.marilynkinsella.org/The%20Legend%20of%20the%20Red%20Cedar.htm

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Grandmother Spider Brings the Light – Choctaw version. In this story I also add that Grandmother Spider regulates both the sun and the moon that she placed in the sky with her long webs.

 

Stories ‘n Stones: From Little Egypt to Big Egypt (with power-point presentation on the petroglyphs of  Little Egypt (Southern Illinois) and the Hieroglyphs of Egypt)

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The Piasa – referenced above

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The Blue Faience Hippopotamus by Joan Marshall Grant. These Egyptian artifacts actually exist. There are many on-line sites them. In this story a hippopotamus falls in love with an Egyptian Princess. He goes to a magician who can’t change him into a human, so he changes him into a blue faience hippo with lotus symbols etched on its sides. The princess “loves” it until she grows tired of it. He is about to use the wish to change back into a real hippo, when the princess tells him that all she ever wanted was for someone to love her as much as she loved him. He then uses his one wish for the princess, and the next day a handsome, noble man arrives. Now the hippo is forgotten and desolate, until a maid knocks him off the shelf. As he shatters, he is transported back to the magician’s cave. He tells the hippo that because he showed the human quality of giving away his wish selflessly, he can now change him into a human…someone the princess will love. When he opens his eyes, he finds himself in the arms of his mother…the beautiful Egyptian princess.

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