Week 9 Extra Reading Diary: Native American Hero Tales

Image Information: The Great Elk. Source: Geocities

The Jealous Uncle:

Man keeps killing his nephews. Decide to hide the fact that any new children born are boys. Uncle finds out and makes plan to kill him. Kid believes he will survive and tries to survive his Uncle’s murder attempts.

The Jealous Uncle (Continued):

Survives the first attempt only to be called back to his Uncle’s house. Survives again. Why does he try so hard to kill him?

The Jealous Uncle (End):

Keeps letting himself be put in the place of danger. Saved by daughters of a village. Decided he wants revenge on his uncle.

Bluejay and His Companions:

Personification of animals. Building a canoe. Went hunting and got a lot of food but shared very little with the grouse (one of the friends). Bluejay super mean. Grouse played a trick on everyone with a wooden seal. Took them very far from home. Bluejay shamed for being rude to Grouse. Found themselves in a strange land. Worried they were going to get killed by the natives. Engaged in a contest with a native, to survive he had to win. He did!

Bluejay and His Companions (Continued):

Left the village even though he won their lives. Another challenge. Theme of challenges. Beating people at their own game. Challenges increase say after day. Finally made it home and made amends. 

Dug-From-Ground:

Virginity. Roots with two stalks become babies? Crying followed her everywhere. The baby followed her everywhere. Virgin ignored the baby and the grandma had to take care of it. Refused to call him her son. Gave him a special task that he had to complete to win her love. He did everything she asked. Went on a journey to meet his something-in-law? 

Dug-From-Ground (Continued):

Ate food no mortal could eat. Brother-in-law with animals? They want him to play games with them, he picks his own. Went back for his mother and grandmother to live with him and his newlywed.

The Attack on the Giant Elk and the Great Eagle:

In history, humans were not always the top of the food chain. Gods petitioned for their safe. Quick to come into manhood. Elk was top predator. Elk made mountains. Man used remains of elk and gave pieces to all of the animals that the elk had wronged. Then decided he should kill the next great predator—the great eagle. 

The Attack on the Giant Elk and the Great Eagle (Continued):

Is he a giant? What. Protected by the skin of the great elk. Pretended to be dead. Killed mother eagle with an antler. Killed father eagle in revenge for killing a woman and baby. Kept the baby eagles from being able to grow as large as his parents. Normal eagles.