Reading Diary A: Sioux Legends

Here are a few favorite stories from the first half of the Sioux unit.

Rabbit and Bear: I thought the story of The Rabbit and the Bear was an interesting read. First, I like that there is some information given about flintknapping and the making of flint arrows because I was not sure what this was. Second, I like that the story used rabbits and bears because the animals are so opposite. The ending of the story surprised me that the rabbit basically killed off the majority of the bear population.

Boy and Turtles: I enjoyed the story of The Boy and the Turtles. I liked how the boy was hunting in a stream, but then attempted to hunt them at a nearby lake. As he sneaks up on the turtles, he is too distracting and they retreat to the lake. However, little men emerge from the lake, which at first confused me. I was not sure what was going on when this happened, but I like that they changed the lake's name from "Truth Lake" to "Man Lake."

Little Brave and Medicine Woman: I really liked the story of The Little Brave and the Medicine Woman. I found the story interesting that it was a journey between a group of six young boys. They were going to inspect a haunted grave. The ending was humorous that the "Little Brave" scared the entire trip by becoming covered in mud. Overall, the story as an interesting read and I thought the extra history provided on various Sioux traditions was interesting.

Wonderful Turtle: I enjoyed the story of The Wonderful Turtle. I really liked that the story focused on the quality of bravery. The tribe mocks the turtle for his "flat chest," but he explains that he got this abnormality by fighting in a war. The tribe then decides to stop mocking him due to his bravery. However, the ending is sad when the turtle leaves for a season and returns to his wife with a child (from another man). Overall, it was a great read.

The Rabbit and the Bear