Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction xi
Section 1 Creatures of the Land
The Grateful Wolf (Japan) 3
The Maiden and the Puma (Argentina) 5
Oleshek, the Deer with the Golden Antlers (Sami) 8
The Man and the Muskrat (Tanzania) 10
The Thankful Badger Family (Japan) 13
The Brahmini and the Mongoose (India) 17
How Man Found a Friend (Nigeria) 19
Mighty Mikko (Finland) 22
The Young Man Who Refused to Kill (Tibet) 27
Snake's Blessing (Swahili) 31
Blind Man's Bluff (Russia) 37
The White Spider's Gilt (Paraguay) 40
Section 2 Creatures of the Sky
How the Wasp Lost His Voice (Mongolia) 47
The Birds', Garden (Kazakhstan) 50
Maui and the Birds (Maori-New Zealand) 55
Marko Kraljevic and the Eagle (Serbia) 57
The Man, the Dove, and the Hawk (Nigeria) 59
Crane Child (Japan) 61
The Pheasants and the Bell (Korea) 65
The Waiting Maid and the Parrot (China) 68
The Rooster and the Sultan (Hungary) 71
Yogodayu and the Army of Bees (Japan) 74
Section 3 Creatures of the Water
The Samurai and the Sea Turtle (Japan) 79
Frog Princess (Croatia) 82
Arion and the Dolphin (Ancient Greece) 88
The Golden Crab (Greece) 91
The Fisherman and His Wife (Germany) 96
Emelya, the Fool (Russia) 100
The Little Red Fish and the Clog of Gold (Iraq) 103
The Grateful Alligators (Mississippi River. USA) 109
Section 4 Creatures Working Together
The Youth Who Made Friends with the Beasts and the Birds (Peru) 115
The King's Youngest Son (Republic of Georgia) 118
The Helpful Animals (Burma) 123
The Three Girls and the Johnnycakes (Appalachia, USA) 127
The Queen Bee (Germany) 130
The Two Stepsisters (Norway) 133
The Raja's Son and Princess Labam (India) 138
General Dog and His Army (Croatia) 144
Section 5 Creatures of the Imagination
The Boy Who Drew Cats (Japan) 153
The Seal Hunter and the Merman (Scotland) 157
The Dragons of Ha Long Bay (Vietnam) 161
The Leshi Cat (Russia) 164
Damian and the Dragon (Greece) 169
Zal, the White Haired (Ancient Persia) 176
The Grateful Fox Fairy (China) 180
The Gift of the Unicorn (China) 184
Section 6 Not One Or the Other
Why Platypus Is Special (Australian Aborigines) 189
Appendix: Table of Animals and Countries 193
Story Sources 195
Questions and Activities 211
Bibliography 235
Index 239