Raven & Snipe

Children's Literature - Elisabeth Greenberg

Raven is a glutton. She wants to eat and eat without ever working, and tricks others into giving her their food. When she notices that the hard-working Snipes have gathered a full store of shellfish and berries for the winter, she invites herself to dinner knowing that First People's customs of hospitality will insure an invitation to dinner. As the Snipes eat politely and share their food, Raven stuffs her beak and grabs more and more. Then Snipe mentions that they always have a full supply of food because of his mother's skill in magic. Raven begs to know Snipe magic; and she is tricked by the clever Snipe into dancing in blazing fire, damaging her wings and tail, and then bashing herself in the leg with a sharp rock. Finally, she cannot stand the pain of magic and cawing loudly flies away. And the Snipes go back to their happy life of working hard to store supplies for the winter so they can survive another year in the cold north islands around Vancouver. This delightful moral tale of trickery and prudence is told in a calm storyteller's voice and illustrated with black-and-white sketches in which the physical features of the two bird species can be clearly seen. This book is an excellent addition to the classroom library or a collection of First Peoples' tales and lore and is a vivid read-aloud for younger children. Reviewer: Elisabeth Greenberg