Month: November 2014

Title: Raccoon’s Last Race

Authors: Joseph and James Bruchac

Summary: This book is about a raccoon whose name is Azban.   We read a fable by the same authors, and it was called How Chipmunk got his Stripes, his fable is like that one in a way.   Azban taunts the other animals in the forest, to get them mad so they will run races with him.   At that time, Azban had long legs so he would always win.   During the race he would turn around to look at his aponent and sing “Hee hee hee, look at me. I am Azban, I am fast.   Look at you, ho ho ho!   You are very slow.”   The animals didn’t like at all so they stop talking to him.   When he was in the hills he saw an animal and thought to himself “Maybe I could persuade him to race me.” and scrambled to the top of the hill.   When he got there he saw it was a big rock, and pushed him so they could race.   The rock went so fast, that he ran over Azban.   When Azban called for help, all the forest animals just walked past him except a tin ant.   The ant said she would help him if Azban became her friend.    Azban promised, but after he thought they were done he didn’t keep it.   But then he noticed that his legs were very short, and he never won a race again.

Morals: Treat others the way you want to be treated, Be grateful for help, Keep your promises, You can accomplish great things with teamwork.

My Thoughts: I think Azban learned his lesson, because after he treated the forest animals rudely, they didn’t want to help him.   When he saw the ant he lied to her.   After he thought they finished he just brushed them off and scampered away.   After a while, he noticed that his legs were short and he was the slowest animal.   I thought Azban wasn’t very nice to the forest animals, so I didn’t really like him.

Title: Belling the Cat

Author: Aesop, Brad Sneed

Summary: This fable is about mice and a cat.   The mice are afraid of the cat, because the cat sneaks up on them and eats them.   They have gatherings sometimes, and at one gathering a little mouse stands up and says “I think we should put a bell on the cat, so we will know when he is sneaking up on us so we can hide.”   The wise old mouse said “That’s a good idea.   Who would like to volunteer to put the bell on the cat?”   The mouse hangs his head.

Moral: It is easy to propose impossible remedies.

My Thoughts: I liked this fable because it is kind of like real life.   In real life people put bells on their cats to know when they are coming.   I thought it was funny how a tiny little mouse thought he could stand up to a cat.

Title: The Tortoise and the Eagle

Author: Aesop, Brad Sneed

Summary: This book is about a tortoise who wants to fly.   He asks an eagle one day to teach him how to fly.   “If you teach me how to fly, I will give you half of my gold.” she said.   Sure enough, the eagle said yes.   The eagle grabbed the tortoises shell with his talons, and with all his might he started to fly up, up, up.   After a while, he let go of the tortoise.   The tortoise had closed her eyes, and when he let go she yelled “I’m flying!”   The eagle said “We call that falling.”   The tortoise said she would give him the rest of her gold for landing lessons.

Moral: The moral for this story is: Be careful what you wish for.

My Thoughts: I really liked this fable, because I thought it was funny that a tortoise wanted to fly, and asked an eagle not a harmless other bird.   My teacher told us that in real life Eagles pick tortoises up by their shells, fly really high, and then drop them so they die and become a nice meal.   I think the eagle wanted to drop the tortoise so he could have a meal.

Guide: Talon (TAAAAh-Lon) noun a talon is a sharp claw.   Harmless (Harm- Less) adjective harmless means innocent, can’t do anything to hurt you.   Moral (Mor-All) noun a moral is a lesson, principle, or habit with respect to right or wrong.   Fable (Fey-Bill) noun a fable is a short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals.