Long ago, when the world was still quite new, buffaloes
used to eat people. It is true? The hair on their chins is hair of
the people they use to eat...It is Terrible to think about those
times...
But the Creator saw the people''s distress and decreed that a
contest be held between all the two-legged and four-legged
creatures. Who would win, thundering Buffalo or fleet-footed Man?
None of the other animals was fast enough, and before the end,
Beaver and Muskrat slipped off into a cool stream, Jack-rabbit
hopped off across the plain, and Mole and Gopher tunneled
underground and may still think the race is on.
The winner was decided long ago, in Sioux and Cheyenne legend.
Buffalo -- who lost -- agreed to give up eating men for dinner, and
thanks to the cunning of a single magpie, Man became the guardian
of the natural world.
關於作者:
Paul Goble is an award winning author and
illustrator of children''s books. He has won both the Caldecott
Medal and The Library of Congress'' Children''s Book of the Year
Award. To date, Mr. Goble has illustrated over 30 books. He has
given his entire collection of original illustrations to the South
Dakota Art Museum in Brookings, South Dakota.
Goble, a native of England, studied at the Central School of Art in
London. He has lived in the United States since 1977 and became a
citizen in 1984. Goble''s life-long fascination with Native
Americans of the plains began during his childhood when he became
intrigued with their spirituality and culture. His illustrations
accurately depict Native American clothing, customs and
surroundings in brilliant color and detail. Goble researches
ancient stories and retells them for his young audiences in a
manner sympathetic to Native American ways. Goble lives with his
wife in Rapid City, SD.