Once there was an old gray pussy, and she went down into the meadow, where she saw a merry lark flying among the tall reeds; and pussy said, “Where are you going, little lark?” And the merry lark answered, “I am going to the king to sing him a song this fine May morning.” And […]
Children that became Swallows, but remained near us
Once upon a time some Eskimo children were playing in the wet clay by the seashore. They were making tiny toy houses of the clay. These houses they fastened high on the face of the cliff. The children chattered and laughed. They ran gaily to and fro in their happy play. The people of the […]
The pessimistic Raven and the wiser Robin
One morning in the early spring a raven was sitting on one of the branches of an old oak. He felt very ugly and cross, and could only say, “Croak! Croak!” Soon a little robin, who was looking for a place to build her nest, came, with a merry song, into the same tree. “Good […]
Folklore poster Egyptian Vulture
A poster showing the finest of the 19th century nature artists. This peticular poster show drawings of the Egyptian Vulture made by Keulemans, Thorburn, Lear, and Agazzis Fuertes. The latter drawn during his visit to Ethiopia. I have added some folklore tales and conservation information.
Barn Swallow folk lore poster
This poster shows a drawing by John Gould. We have added some folk lore stories about this cosmopolitan bird.
Eagles
Poster made of the drawings of John Gerhard Keulemans. A Belgian native working for the British Natural Museum. He became one of the defining nature artists of th 19th century.
The Tree Sparrow and the selffish old woman, a tale of revenge
In a little house in a little old village in Japan lived a little old man and his little old wife. One morning when the old woman slid open the screens which form the sides of the Japanese houses, she saw on the doorstep a poor little sparrow. She took him up gently and fed […]
The blacksmith’s wife stole the Dove’s egg, and all were punished
A dove laid an egg in the hollow of a big tree in front of the blacksmith’s house. When she flew away from her nest in search of food, the blacksmith’s wife stole the egg. The dove came back to her nest and found the egg missing. The dove knew at once that the blacksmith’s […]
Birds and folklore from the lower Amazon
Birds of ill omen are present in plenty. Chief among these is the goat-sucker (Caprimulgus). The Takutu Indians have the greatest superstition with regard to this bird, and would not kill it for any price. They say it keeps communication with the dead, and brings messages to their conjurers. Even the common people on the […]
How the Birds Obtained their Distinctive Markings
An Arawak hunter captures a Vulture, daughter of Anuaninia.” She lays aside her feathers, appears before him as a beautiful girl, becomes his wife, bears him above the clouds, and after much trouble persuades her father and family to receive him. All then goes well until he expresses a wish to visit his aged mother, […]