Multicultural adventure tales from around the world. Turtle caries the
world on her back. The story has been told by different cultures around
the world for centuries. The image is rich with symbolism. Turtle, like
Mother Nature, is unhurried, wise, and enduring. She walks on land,
swims in water, and breathes the air--she embodies three of the four
elements of creation. We have much to learn from Turtle. The eleven
stories in this collection come from Africa, India, Japan, Australia,
and the Americas. "The Courting of Miss Python" tells of how Turtle
outwits the brutal King Python to win his daughter's lovely hand; "The
Monkey's Liver" explains why Monkey never rides on Turtle's back and why
Jellyfish has no spine; and "The Talkative King" tells of how a chatty
ruler learns from Turtle why it is often wiser to listen than to talk.
These Brazilian folktales teach readers the importance of citizenship,
resourcefulness and respect. DeSpain received much praise for this
collection. One reviewer wrote, "If you love critter tales like I do,
you're really going to enjoy Eleven Turtle Tales. Pleasant DeSpain
collects surprisingly unique, retellable stories."