Storytellers have delighted their listeners with animal tales throughout the ages.  Across the world these stories have entertained and instructed in a gentle, humorous way about the strengths and weaknesses of humankind.  The heroes and rogues of this earliest and most widespread form of the folktale were often mischief-makers known as tricksters.  The tricksters have special appeal because of their ability to triumph over larger foes not by physical strength, but by their wit and cunning. 

For many years I have shared the stories of Rabbit, the trickster-hero from the Cherokee oral tradition.  The children and the storyteller sit in a circle around the “campfire” waiting for the “fire” (a candle on top of stacked blocks) to be lit.  The storyteller asks the children, “Would you like to hear a story?” and in unison they respond, “Yes, we would like to hear a story.”  The fire is lit and the storytelling begins.  It is important to note here that this is storytelling, and not reading.  The technique of storytelling is so much more interactive and engaging than merely reading, and these tales are uniquely suited to the storytelling method.

There are many wonderful Native Alaskan stories where the trickster Raven is the central character.  A good one to tell around the campfire is Raven…A Trickster Tale From The Pacific Northwest by Gerald McDermott.  This is the wonderful story of how clever Raven brings light to a dark world.  This is a Caldecott Honor Book so it should be readily available in your local bookstore or library.  So read the book, put it to memory, and then tell this story around your own campfire.