Bibliography
Retold by Ross, Gayle. 1995. How Turtle's Back Was Cracked: A Traditional Cherokee Tale. Ill. Murv Jacob. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803717288
Plot Summary
Possum and turtle are best friends. Each day they share their love of persimmons by eating them together. Possum climbs the persimmon tree and hangs by his tail. He swings out on the limb, grabs a juicy persimmon and tosses it down into the waiting mouth of turtle, who is standing on his hind legs with his eyes closed and his mouth wide open. The next persimmon is enjoyed by possum, and then the routine continues. One day a wolf happens to watch the twosome’s game of eating and decides he will get an easy snack. When possum realizes the wolf is taking turtle’s persimmon, he gets angry and throws the biggest persimmon he can find down wolf’s mouth. This causes wolf to choke and die. Turtle finally opens his eyes after waiting so long for a persimmon and finds a dead wolf next to him. He quickly claims the death of the wolf for himself and proceeds to brag about his bravery. He cuts of the wolf’s ears, makes wolf-ear spoons and takes out to visit everyone he knows. Word of his boasting gets back to the wolf pack and they decide the turtle must die. After capturing the turtle, the wolves plan to cook him in a pot of boiling water, but the turtle cleverly talks the wolves into throwing him in the river, a much worse death. However, turtle’s escape plan of swimming away in the river is marred as he crashes into a rock on his way into the water. Even to this day, we still see the lines where cracks appeared on turtle’s back caused by the fall into the river.
Critical Analysis
Author, Gayle Ross, a direct descendent of John Ross, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation during the "Trail of Tears", shares that the source of this variant is found in James Moody's Myths of the Cherokee, published in 1900 by the Bureau of American Ethnology. Source notes in the book on the Cherokee Nation state that their clan was one of a strong hunter-warrior tradition. This hunter motif is displayed through the actions and illustrations of the turtle in the story, as turtle quickly claims the death of the wolf for himself and cuts off the wolf's ears as a customary tribute to the capture of the animal's spirit. After making wolf-ear spoons, turtle begins to visit everyone and enjoy the traditional corn soup which, as part of the Cherokee custom, is reserved for visitors. The taste of the soup is made only sweeter by the use of his wolf-ear spoons.Murv Jacob is of Kentucky Cherokee and European heritage and resides in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the home of The Cherokee Nation. Jacob uses acrylics on watercolor paper to produce the brightly colored patterned drawings incorporating Cherokee motifs in the page borders, fringed belts, buckskin clothing, and pottery that is authentic to the Cherokee culture.
Review Excerpts
“Gathering persimmons together, friends Possum and Turtle are joined by a thieving wolf who chokes to death on their fruit. Turtle, foolishly believing that he has killed the wolf, shows off the deed by making wolf-ear spoons and eating with them publicly. When the other wolves catch Turtle, they vow to kill him by roasting, boiling, or drowning him. He responds with, "Oh, no, not the river! Anything but the river." When they throw him in, he lands upside down on a rock, cracking his shell. He survives, but that's why the Turtle has cracks on his back today. Despite its echoes of the more familiar Brer Rabbit story ("born and bred in the briar patch"), this Cherokee pourquoi tale has a flavor all its own. Ross notes that she remembers the tale from her childhood, found a written source, and developed it through storytelling to its present form. Jacob's distinctive acrylic paintings illustrate the story's dramatic moments in scenes rich in colors and patterns. An entertaining picture book to read aloud.” Booklist
“Wolves capture Turtle, planning to punish him for bragging. He convinces the indecisive wolves that the worst punishment would be to throw him in the river; thus turtle escapes, but not without permanent damage to his beautiful shell, which cracks on a rock. The earth-toned palette complements the Cherokee pourquoi tale. Source documentation and a note about the Cherokee Nation are included.” Horn Book-Starred Review
Connections
Young readers and others selecting books following traditional Native American tales might consider these books:
Bruchac, Joseph. Turtle's Race with Beaver : A Traditional Seneca Story. Ill. Jose Aruego & Ariane Dewey. ISBN 9780803728523
Ross, Gayle. How Rabbit Tricked Otter and Other Cherokee Trickster Stories. Ill. Murv Jacob. ISBN 9780060212858
Begay, Shonto. Máii and Cousin Horned Toad: A Traditional Navajo Story. ISBN9780590453912
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