The Book of Nature Myths


The Book of Nature Myths, by Florence Holbrook

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Title: The Book of Nature Myths
Author: Florence Holbrook
Release Date: August 27, 2007 [EBook #22420]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Illustration: FROM THE WIGWAM OF THE GREAT SPIRIT (page 2)]

THE BOOK OF NATURE MYTHS
BY FLORENCE HOLBROOK
PRINCIPAL OF FORESTVILLE SCHOOL, CHICAGO
[Illustration: Publishers Stamp]
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
BOSTON · NEW YORK · CHICAGO · DALLAS SAN FRANCISCO
The Riverside Press Cambridge
Children's Room
COPYRIGHT 1902 BY HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & CO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
The Riverside Press CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS PRINTED IN THE U.S.A

PREFACE.
In preparing the Book of Nature Myths the desire has been to make a second reader which would be adapted to the child's interest, ability, and progress.
The subject-matter is of permanent value, culled from the folk-lore of the primitive races; the vocabulary, based upon that of the Hiawatha Primer, is increased gradually, and the new words and phrases will add to the child's power of expression. The na?ve explanations of the phenomena of nature given by the primitive races appeal to the child's wonder about the same phenomena, and he is pleased and interested. These myths will gratify the child's desire for complete stories, and their intrinsic merit makes them valuable for oral reproduction.
The stories have been adapted to youthful minds from myths contained in the works of many students of folk-lore whose scholarship is undisputed. Special acknowledgment is due Miss Eva March Tappan for her valuable assistance in the final revision of the text.

CONTENTS.
PAGE
THE STORY OF THE FIRST HUMMING-BIRD.
Part I. The Great Fire-mountain 1
Part II. The Frolic of the Flames 4
Part III. The Bird of Flame 7
THE STORY OF THE FIRST BUTTERFLIES 10
THE STORY OF THE FIRST WOODPECKER 13
WHY THE WOODPECKER'S HEAD IS RED 15
WHY THE CAT ALWAYS FALLS UPON HER FEET 19
WHY THE SWALLOW'S TAIL IS FORKED 23
WHY THE WHITE HARES HAVE BLACK EARS 28
WHY THE MAGPIE'S NEST IS NOT WELL BUILT 31
WHY THE RAVEN'S FEATHERS ARE BLACK 34
HOW FIRE WAS BROUGHT TO THE INDIANS.
Part I. Seizing the Firebrand 36
Part II. The Firebrand in the Forest 40
Part III. The Firebrand in the Pond 41
HOW THE QUAIL BECAME A SNIPE 43
WHY THE SERPENT SHEDS HIS SKIN 47
WHY THE DOVE IS TIMID 50
WHY THE PARROT REPEATS THE WORDS OF MEN 52
THE STORY OF THE FIRST MOCKING-BIRD 56
WHY THE TAIL OF THE FOX HAS A WHITE TIP 60
THE STORY OF THE FIRST FROGS 64
WHY THE RABBIT IS TIMID 68
WHY THE PEETWEET CRIES FOR RAIN 70
WHY THE BEAR HAS A SHORT TAIL 72
WHY THE WREN FLIES CLOSE TO THE EARTH 76
WHY THE HOOFS OF THE DEER ARE SPLIT 79
THE STORY OF THE FIRST GRASSHOPPER 83
THE STORY OF THE ORIOLE 86
WHY THE PEACOCK'S TAIL HAS A HUNDRED EYES 89
THE STORY OF THE BEES AND THE FLIES 93
THE STORY OF THE FIRST MOLES 96
THE STORY OF THE FIRST ANTS 98
THE FACE OF THE MANITO 103
THE STORY OF THE FIRST DIAMONDS 107
THE STORY OF THE FIRST PEARLS 111
THE STORY OF THE FIRST EMERALDS 114
WHY THE EVERGREEN TREES NEVER LOSE THEIR LEAVES 118
WHY THE ASPEN LEAVES TREMBLE 122
HOW THE BLOSSOMS CAME TO THE HEATHER 125
HOW FLAX WAS GIVEN TO MEN 128
WHY THE JUNIPER HAS BERRIES 133
WHY THE SEA IS SALT 135
THE STORY OF THE FIRST WHITEFISH 138
WAS IT THE FIRST TURTLE? 142
WHY THE CROCODILE HAS A WIDE MOUTH 145
THE STORY OF THE PICTURE ON THE VASE 150
WHY THE WATER IN RIVERS IS NEVER STILL 155
HOW THE RAVEN HELPED MEN 160
THE STORY OF THE EARTH AND SKY 165
HOW SUMMER CAME TO THE EARTH.
Part I. 169
Part II. 172
THE STORY OF THE FIRST SNOWDROPS 175
WHY THE FACE OF THE MOON IS WHITE 179
WHY ALL MEN LOVE THE MOON 184
WHY THERE IS A HARE IN THE MOON 188
THE CHILDREN IN THE MOON 193
WHY THERE IS A MAN IN THE MOON 197
THE TWIN STARS 200
THE LANTERN AND THE FAN 204
VOCABULARY 211

THE BOOK OF NATURE MYTHS.

THE STORY OF THE FIRST HUMMING-BIRD.
PART I. THE GREAT FIRE-MOUNTAIN.
Long, long ago, when the earth was very young, two hunters were traveling through the forest. They had been on the track of a deer for many days, and they were now far away from the village where they lived. The sun went down and night came on. It was dark and gloomy, but over in the western sky there came a bright light.
"It is the moon," said one.
"No," said the other. "We have watched many and many a night to see the great, round moon rise above the trees.