A heavenly source gives an orphaned Cherokee boy 12 silver arrows and directs him to kill the chief of the cruel Manitos (spirits). When the boy fails in his mission, the angry Manitos turn him into lightning, condemning him to flash like his silver arrows across the skies forever. (DS)

Wichita tale of a contest between Coyote and Small Snake to see whose teeth are strongest. They bite each other, and soon big, strong Coyote is dead from the poisoned bite of the tiny snake. Explains why, from that time onward, coyotes have been afraid of little snakes. (DS)

Dr. Charles Alexander Eastman was a product of two worlds--the Indian and the White. A member of the Santee Sioux Tribe, he was respected and admired in both of these worlds for the work he did on behalf of American Indians, first as a young doctor caring for the sick on the Reservation, and later as a writer and speaker, showing the richness of…

Presents a humorous, fictional account of a scientist's secret addiction to a forbidden psychological stimulant: literature. Suggests that the polarization of the teaching of science and of literature has reached alarming and unhealthy proportions. (IW)

Reports a conversation between Cleanth Brooks and Willie Morris concerning changes in literature during the postmodern era. Discusses narrative form, arguing that contemporary literature is moving away from story telling. Contends that the small percentage of the public which reads serious fiction is the reason for this shift. (KO)

A dialogue with a soul in Purgatory which points out that people write to make things real. (DD)

This anthology of creative works and essays paints a portrait of the rich and complex mixture of Latino cultures in the United States. The collection is broadly inclusive in terms of genre, discipline, and ethnicity and is intended for readers interested in any or all of the major aspects of Latino culture. The book is organized around six…

A story is presented which is based on two intersecting sites of textual production in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The story is the beginning of what can be said about the alliance and adaptation tactics used by Susan La Flesche Picotte.

Legends can be incorporated into elementary social studies curricula to help students understand how people transmitted history and culture from one generation to another before they learned to read and write. Taga the Great is a legend which helps explain the 16-feet high latte stones on the Mariana Islands, Tinian and Rota. According to legend,…

Third in a series of annotated bibliographies designed to help teachers and librarians locate stories and lore on cultures and topics not easily accessible, this sourcebook presents five annotated bibliographies of traditional literature that has not previously been systematically collected. Each selection in the sourcebook contains an…

Defines the "circle of ethnicity" as a logical paradox that grows out of the relationship between Japanese American and Euro American language, thought, and culture. From psychological and metaphysical perspectives, discusses how the paradox confronts every Japanese American striving for personhood in United States society. Includes author's…

Describes the development of environmentalism in the United States as presented in literary works and through prominent early American thinkers up to Earth Day 1970. (MCO)

Describes a discussion between Cleanth Brooks and Eudora Welty about the state of the story in today's fiction. Characterizes the narrative form as the spine of literature. Points out that, too often, contemporary writers neglect this form of writing and instead emphasize a type of prose poetry. Notes that authors today overemphasize the present…

This theme issue presents literature selections that treat the United States Hispanic experience. The selections are organized under seven headings: The Immigrant Experience, Humor and Folklore, Family and Religion, Cultural Heritage, The Spanish Woman, Obligations and Compromise, War and Death. (AMH)

This collection of 56 French poems, intended for use in a bilingual education setting, is presented in an attempt to capture and interpret the spirit of the Franco-American. The heritage and everyday life of the people, their towns and villages, the laughter and games of their children, their occupations, their hopes and dreams, and their joys and…