Week
9 Reading Diary, continued
The
Ball Game of the Birds and Animals
·
The animals challenged the birds to a great
game of ball play, and the birds rightfully accepted the animals’ challenge. The
leaders made all of the arrangements and decided on a day to play, and when
that day came they all met at the agreed location. The animals were on the
grass by the river and the birds were over top in the trees.
·
The Bear was the captain of the animals;
he was so strong and big that he could knock down anyone and anything in his
way. He showed off his strength by throwing around great big logs and bragged
about what he would do to the birds during the game. The Terrapin was useful
due to his shell being so hard that he could absorb the biggest of hits and
they would not affect him. The Terrapin also bragged about how he would crush
the birds. Also, the Deer was with them and he could outrun every other animal
in the game. These three together made a great team.
·
The birds’ team consisted of the Eagle,
their captain, with the Hawk and the great Tla’nuwa, all of them were swift and
strong in flight, but still had a little fright within them because of the
animals. Two little four-legged, hardly bigger than field mice animals climbed
up the tree to join the birds because the animals had scolded them and told
them to leave. The birds allowed them to join their team.
· The birds made wings and stretched the
skin for this animal, in which turned into a flying squirrel. The Bat also
joined the team of the birds. This formidable team out did the Bear and
Terrapin during the game as neither of them touched the ball the whole game due
to the efforts of the Martin and Bat saving the ball after it dropped.
Cody, just to say that I am so glad you picked this unit so that you got to read this story! This time you have an actual sports story to start with if you want. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe author, James Mooney, wrote a whole book about the Cherokee ball play: The Cherokee Ball Play (book at Sacred Texts).