This is a plan for the retelling of the folktale:

Little Red Riding Hood

This revised version will include culture clues from

the Cherokee Indians of North Carolina (place) and

before 1600 time period).

Name of the new tale: The Little Lone Hunter

Setting for the new tale: The mountain region of North Carolina

Geographical features or climate clues: waterfalls, woods, rocks, mountains, and rivers, a valley

Types of plants, animals, towns, shelters, or anything else that may be part of the setting and add to the understanding of the culture and location: dense woods and mountains with a valley and a Cherokee village surrounded by a palisade; deer and bears in the woods

Characters for the new tale (list and describe):

Little Hunter is a young boy who is determined to prove how strong and brave he is by hunting and killing many animals to show off his skill to the village. He tends to brag and be careless in his efforts to impress others. He thinks he is too old to listen to the wisdom of the women in the clan. He is anxious to grow up.

The Mother of the Woods is a spirit that protects the natural resources of the forests. She punishes those who don’t respect nature. She rewards those who do with bountiful wild fruits, nuts, and game. She appears as a giant bear in the forest but may also disguise herself.

Clothing, names, manner of speaking, occupation, or anything else that may relate to their culture: He has long dark hair and is dressed in deerskin decorated with dyed quills. His moccasins are soft and allow him to walk quietly in the woods.

Are some characters good and others evil? Explain.

Are any characters magical? Explain.

Mother of the Woods is a spirit with powers to hurt and heal. She can present herself in many forms and be watchful over the woods.

Changes in the plot in the new version:

The problem of the story:

Little Hunter tries so hard to prove he is a brave hunter that he kills more than his tribe can eat, which is wasteful and does not show respect for nature.

What happens first? Next? Last? List the events briefly in story order.

Little Hunter sneaks out into the woods to prove he is a brave hunter even though he is advised not to go by the clan leader. He kills many animals. He does not respect the animals’ spirit and is not careful walking in the woods. While trying to carry all of the food home, he meets an old woman (who is actually the Woman of the Woods in disguise) in the woods. She asks for food since he has taken so much, but he is rude and says that he needs it to take home to his father to prove he is mighty to those in his village. Because he is rude, greedy, and disrespectful of nature, the Mother of the Woods calls all of the bears to follow her, eat the animals he has killed, and to eat him as well. She returns to the form of a bear.

Little hunter loses all of his bounty but is saved by the Cherokee clan women working in the field-those he wouldn’t listen to in the first place.

Lesson(s) of the story: In the end, Little Hunter learns that he should listen to the advice of the elders, to respect nature, and that being a hunter isn’t only about being brave.

Has this lesson changed because of the new culture? Yes

Little Red Riding Hood learned not to trust strangers in the original.

How does the lesson relate to the beliefs of the culture?

In the Cherokee culture, respect for nature is very important. Cherokee hunters would only take what was needed. Respect for the elders in the tribes-the women who led the clans- would also be important.