Website Educational Tip for Physical Development

Joseph Bruchac in his book Native American Animal Stories said
“Native Americans saw their role not as rulers of creation, but to take
care and be “Keepers of the Earth.” Many tribal social systems patterned
themselves after observations of birds and animals. Teaching stories for
young children emphasized the virtues of the animals. Young children were
admonished to be wise, gentle, brave or cheerful in the same

manner as certain birds and animals. In that way, stories are true to human
experience; they tend to support and confirm our perception of the world
and the creatures within it.” Stories have been constantly retold, with new
tellers changing details and emphasis to suit both the time and the
audience. Many stories exist in different versions and countries, and there
is no ‘authentic’ version of a folk story.

Infants:
Eyes of the Eagle
* – Central Great Lakes / Oneida Tribe / Ojibway

I. The Great Eagle was sad that the young children were not outside
playing.

a. The children, Rain That Dances and Thunder Cloud said they were inside
watching

TV or playing video games

b. “Do you know why it’s important to keep you bodies moving?” asked the
Eagle

c. Great Eagle said “Children need to be outside running around and playing
games.”

II. The Eagle then said, “Many people are getting sick because they do not
keep moving.”

a. The children asked “What activities should we do to stay strong and
healthy?”

b. Eagle said “Ride your bikes, play baseball or tag and move your arms and
legs.”

c. Is that all we have to do to keep healthy asked the children?

III. The Great Eagle told the children, “You also need to eat a ‘Plate Full
of Color.”

a. The children asked “What does that mean?” Eating fresh fruits and
vegetables,

b. Said Eagle, pineapple & corn, oranges & carrots, strawberries
& tomatoes, grapes

& beans, peas & broccoli. Also grains (wheat & oats) and
protein (fish & chicken).

c. Also try to plant a garden with the “Three Sisters” which are corn,
squash & beans.

Moral: To Stay Healthy & Strong Keep Moving & Eat Lots of
Colorful Foods.

Gluscabi (Gloos-kah-be) and the Game Animals
– Abenaki (Ab-er-na-kee) / Northeastern Woodlands Algonquian
(Al-gon-kee-en) group

I. Long ago Gluscabi decided to go hunting, but the animals hid from him.

a. He was not happy and went to talk to Grandmother Woodchuck.

b. She made him a magical game bag. She said, “No matter how much you put
in it there would always be room for more.”

II. Gluscabi called to the animals, “The world is going to end. Save
yourselves,

climb into my game bag where you all will be safe.”

a. He proudly took his bag home to Grandmother, but she was not pleased.

b. She said, “Animals will sicken and die and there’ll be none left for our
children or our children’s children.”

c. She said, “its right that it should be difficult to hunt them. You’ll
grow stronger trying to find them, and the animals will grow stronger and
wiser trying to avoid being caught.”

III. Gluscabi said, “That is so.” He took the game bag back, and all of the
animals

went back into the woods where they still are today.

Moral: Take only what you need.

Nanabush and the Ducks
– Anishinabe (Ah-nish-ih-nah-bey) Central Great Lakes / Chippewa
(Chip-ah-wah) / Ojibway (O-jib-wah)

I. Nanabush saw a lot of ducks in the pond.

a. They were too far, and the water was too cold.

b. He decided to have a dance and invite the ducks to come.

c. In his lodge, he built a fire, began to beat on the drum, and sang:

1. “Way hey hey hey, all you ducks come.”

“Way hey hey hey, come and dance.”

2. Once they came and started dancing around the fire he sang:

“Way hey hey hey, dance with eyes closed.”

“Way hey hey hey, or red they’ll get with smoke.”

II. Nanabush grabbed three ducks as they passed by him with their eyes
closed.

a. The coot shouted, “Quick run, Nanabush is catching us!”

b. They all ran out so Nanabush decided to cook the ones he caught.

c. While he was waiting for them to cook he heard a “sqweeg” sound.

1. He looked up and saw two trees rubbing their branches together in the

wind. He said, “Be quiet, I want to eat in peace.”

2. They would not stop so he climbed up to make them stop, but he got

caught in between them.

III. From the tree he saw a wolf in the distance. He called out, “Don’t
come here.”

a. The wolf started coming. Nanabush said, “You won’t see ducks cooking.”

b. The wolf got curious, saw the ducks, and ate them while Nanabush yelled.

c. Nanabush was stuck in the tree a long time. Finally a big gust of wind
came and blew the branches apart. He was now free, but still hungry.

M
oral: You can’t hold on to things taken by trickery.

Native Americans Believe That The Earth Is Not Something To Be Bought
and Sold, Something to Be Used and Mistreated. It Is The Source Of Life
And It Is Our Responsibility To Care For It! (Joseph Bruchac)

*For more information on the four children’s books that can be available to
every American Indian and Alaska Native Child contact the Center for
Disease Control and Prevention Native Diabetes Wellness Program – Call the
CDC at 1-800-232-4636 or email them atcdcinfo@cdc.gov or their website: www.cdc.gov/diabetes

The four Native American children books in this series are:

1.) Through the Eyes of the Eagle

2.) Knees Lifted High

3.) Plate Full of Color

4.) Tricky Treats