today’s children storybook summary is
The Sleeping Lady
Retold by Ann Dixon
Paintings by Elizabeth Johns
Storyline: This is retold a legend of the Inlet People of Alaska and their legacy. It is said that, long ago, there lived some giant people on the shores of Cook Inlet. The weather was warm, the natives had flower, fruits, and wild animals roamed the forest. The Inlet people were living in harmony with the land, in peace and happiness. But soon, this will come to an end. Just as a young man named Nekatla and a young woman named Susitna were about to marry, the news came about a northern tribe of warriors that were coming to occupy the land. The Inlet people made council to decide what to do. Among other propositions, Nekatla said that they should take gifts and go meet the warriors. As they would see them peaceful, the tribe will understand that they don’t need to make war and that there is enough for everybody to live in peace. As the council approved Nekatla’s plan and all men gathered to go meet the warriors, Nekatla and Susitna said goodbye. The young woman told him that she will wait for him to return on a green grassy meadow. She waited days and weeks but Neklata didn’t return. Tired, she fell on a long sleep. All of the sudden, one of the men that have gone with Nekatla returned and said that everybody is dead: the invading tribe had everybody killed. The women and children wept with great sorrow. They wanted to wake up Susitna to tell her the news but instead they decided to spear her and let her sleep, covered by a blanket made out of green grass. Soon, it started to snow. And it snowed for seven days and everybody got covered in snow…THE END. Susitna is still sleeping (you can see her shape among the hills) and the people that inhabiting the land are smaller.
But wait, it is said that when people will learn to live in peace then Nekatla will return and Susitna will awaken.
Characters: Nekatla, Susitna, people
Illustration: Elizabeth Johns is the illustrator of this book. They are actually paintings. Each page has an illustration that describes and complements the story. The scenes, that are vivid and detailed, have a nice trim around, a rich frame. The colors are deep and sometimes dark. Depiction are true to the story.
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