NOTE: For more bug stories, be sure to look at the newly published book from Story Lovers World: Bees, Beetles, Butterflies and Other Beguiling Bugs: Folklore, Songs and Stories from Around the World. This book is available as a FREE PDF download through April 30, 2008 only. It features 125 stories about different kinds of bugs! Hurry, or you'll miss out!
http://www.story-lovers.com/bugbookv.2.pdf
It takes a while to download, so be patient! Some people report up to five minutes, so get it started, then go make a cup of tea or something while you wait!
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BUG STORIES (see also http://www.story-lovers.com/listsinsectsmiscellaneous.html)
(excerpts from posts)
(If you want to retell any of the stories listed below, be sure to obtain permission from the copyright holder if the material is not in the public domain)

1) Query: Do you know the Native American story about how mosquitoes came into the world. It's a bit gorey but may be "cleaned up" a bit for younger children. I've seen it in several places including the Pantheon of Native American stories.

2) The one I know is from our own beloved Chark Larkin. You can still find it on his site, it is called Spearfinger.
http://www.chucklarkin.com/stories/Halloween.pdf

3) Marilyn Kinsella tells a wonderful version, and right now, I won't try to spell it . . ."Whistling . . .." Might be on her web site,
http://communities.msn.com/TaleypoTales
or perhaps she'll chime in.

4) Query: We're sending out a request this time, though -- The state library theme is "Buggy About Books in the Library" -- we have been collecting stories and ideas in a couple of directions, but we like to do things no one else is likely to be doing -- We have some stories about bugs and creeping things -- but most we have collected we assume will be among the ones others in Louisiana are likely to do -- sme are in regular repertoires of other tellers. We also thopught in terms of being "Buggy!" -- like "Crazy about Books!" or even those who collect or eat bugs. Just curious if any of you would be willing to share ideas.
Response:. A couple of -ers asked for the bones of this story and I inadvertently deleted before responding. So, here is the scoop. My friend January Kiefer did all the leg work on this story. She researched it and pulled it together. Although it has some of the earmarks of Baba Yaga, I did see a version of this in one of her reference books. Later she and I did it in tandem. Now that she rarely tells as a professional storyteller, I tell the story by myself. All I know is that is a legend from the Northwest. There are many, many curltural variations of how mosquitoes came to be. Chuck used to tell one called "Spearfinger" and there is another called "Gootikal (sp?) and the Frog People." In the version I tell I set the scene about the bloodsucking giants that is repeated often "they had great huge wide forheads, tiny little red beady eyes, set way back in the backs of their heads and mouths that stuck out like this...ooh" and their call..."hmmmmmmm..We will whistle in your ears" (softly) "We will whistle in your ears" (louder) and finally gruffly, "And we will suck your blood!"

Two brothers are given a stone and comb (made from the bone of a fish) to help them if they ever run across the WT's. One day out shooting arrows they lose track of time and when darkness comes, they hear (repeat sound) and run into a Tsonaqua Boy (discription)who grabs then and brings them home...for supper. When they get to his house they can see his mother in the door (repeat discription). As he drags them along he scraps his leg onto a piece of wood. When the mother sees the blood she starts to suck it off and the boys start to run. As they run they hear them coming (sound)One boy throws the rock that becomes a pit that the WT have to climb into and out of. Second boy throws the comb (when again they hear the sound) that becomes a forest of aspen trees. WT begin to pull out trees while boys make it home. Immendiately the parents start to lay a trap by taking sharpened clam shells and digging their own pit. They start a hot fire and lay green grasses for it to burn slow. Then planks of wood over the hole, bear skins and platters of good food. Family sit down as if to eat, but wait until they hear (sound of WT) They crash thru door and start eating the food. Meanwhile the family moves off the rugs to the far corners of the room. The WT are so busy they don't notice anything until there is a huge explosion and all fall into the pit - burned up. But even so they yell one final curse. "you will not be free of us, forever and forever..we will etc -_ voice getting weaker and weaker) . Then I say, "Some have asked if this is a true story. All I know is that as those Tsonaquas burned and there was nothing left but the ash, a wind came along and carried those ashes into the air, and those ashes became (pause) mosquitoes. And that's how mosquitoes came into this world." If the audience hasn't heard the story there is an audible sigh when I say Mosquito. There is obviously a lot of negative energy in this story. Little bitty guys are usually frightened so I give a warning to parents saying that although it turns out all right some little guys might be frightened. This was the story I didn't tell for many months after 9/11. It just broght up images that were too painful. Eventually, however, I did start it again. If you need any more info let me know. January and I recorded it on an early tape of hers called "Bringing the Light." It is rather difficult to find these days, but someone might still have it.
Response: My grandchildren LOVE the The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Caryle. It would make a great audience participation story--and it is a picture book that can be displayed at the library!
Response: There are some great picture books about bugs that would sure go along w/this theme: Bugs! by David Greenberg, suggests some disgusting & horrible things you can do w/bugs (kids love this one!), also: The Bugliest Bug by Carol Shield, Outside Inn (Orchard Paperbacks) by George Lyon, Insects Are My Life by Megan McDonald, & of course the Miss Spider Books: Miss Spider's Tea Party/Miss Spider's New Car/Miss Spider's ABC books by David Kirk. What a fun theme! Kids should just "go buggy" over it.
Response: Did you think of Kafka's The Metamorphosis (Bantam Classics). Insect Dreams:The Half Life of Gregor Samsa: Gregor Samsa is a great bug and The Wedding of the Cucaracia?
Response: Two things came to mind. One was the participatory "Mr. Wiggle and Mr. Waggle" played with the thumbs. I've never said they were "bugs," but they certainly could be. Bookworms even! Wiggle and Waggle have all types of adventures, but they ALWAYS read books. When they meet they share jokes from their joke books or talk about a story they're reading (the jokes and riddles get the audience involved as they try and help Wiggle or Waggle find an answer). And at night, just before the story ends, one of them reads a SCARY book, so he doesn't turn off the light, etc. It's a fun way to involve the little one and then discussing books, jokes, riddles, and stories. If you're not familiar with Wiggle and Waggle, let me know.

The second thing I thought of was David Novak's "Itsy Bitsy Spider's Famous Climb" which involves the youngest member of the Bitsy family. I don't know if it's in print form, but it is on tape and you could contact him about permission to tell. Of course, it ends with the spider song, and when I do the spider song with kids, I tell about the GREAT BIG SPIDER who lives next door to the Bitsy family and he sings the song REALLY BIG with a DEEP voice and large movements; then there's the neighbor on the other side who is eensy-weensy and you sing the song in a very tiny voice with eensy-weensy movements. Could lead to some Anansi or spider non-fiction spider book. sharing.
Response: Doug Elliot has a storytelling tape out called Crawdads, Doodlebugs and Creasy Greens. He talks about Doodlebugs and has a great Doodlebug song, a mosquito story (there are lots of mosquito stories) plus the song."Ain't no bugs on me" with the line "There might be bugs on some of you mugs, but the ain't no bugs on me." Some might recognize that from a recent television ad.
Response: My four year-old nephew was going to visit the firehouse where my uncle is Captain. He was all excited, but I said, "Yeah, but he rides around in a BUGGY!" Glassy-eyed stare from my nephew.
"He rides around in a buggy!" Attentive watchfulness from my nephew, waiting for a punch line. Then, my mother said, "He doesn't know what a buggy is. They've got strollers now. No one has buggies any more." Harrumph. It was a very funny joke when I was a child.
BTW: A captain's buggy is just the car he rides in to get to a fire. It used to be a horse and buggy, with a driver. Now, it's usually just a red sedan, which he has to drive himself. At his exalted rank, he no longer gets to hang off the end of a fire truck. Then again, even that is done far less nowadays than in my far off childhood.
Response: In one of those old folktale books that you can only find in libraries, there was a story from the Isle of Mann about a fisherman who is given, on several different nights, a fiddle playing cat, and a dancing mouse and bug (I think cockroach, but maybe grasshopper or cricket.)... by trading them/using them carefully (can't remember, argh) he frees a mermaid from the devil and gets lots of fish (and possibly the mermaid as a wife?) the rest of his days. It was called something like the cat the mouse and the bug...
Response: Hey! How many elephants can you put in a Volkswagon Bug? 5 Two in the front, two in the back and one in the trunk!
What about stories about people who don't want to be bugged--who want to be left alone?
Or what about spy stories involving "bugs" (the electronic kind)?
Or computer stories about bugs in the programs?
How many different kinds of bugs are there anyway?
Genuine bugs
Computer bugs
Volkswagen bugs (cars)
Electronic survelience bugs
Bugs that bother people (pests)
Bug in your ear (give someone an idea)
Chocolate covered bugsThere's gotta be more of those little critters. . . .
Response: Just a quick note to tell you an interesting fact about book worms....When I was working on my Masters of Science in Library and Information Science, I was also working on my Certificate in Archival Administration (don't ask...maybe someday I'll tell you all the sad, brutal truth about THAT one)!!! We talked about the devastation that bookworms do to books. Those littel holes they make are the worms burrowing through the books. And the little white powder you find on the pages???? It's the waste produced by the bookworm as s/he burrows through the book. Yucky I know!!!! Still an interesting fact. Now, it's really early in the morning and here's my attempt at a little humor: I guess the little bug just is so hiungry for knowledge that he can't digest all of the information and everything else he takes in!!! <<drum rim shot>> I know...it's early...give me a break folks!!!
Response: Yes, and I still remember the time I opened my violin case after not playing for a long time. When I picked up the bow, all the hairs fell over, as if they had been cut. Took it to the tech, and he said, "Bowbugs." Yep, apparently they feed on the rosin-coated horsehair of the bow. The bow had to be re-strung; and he said that putting the case in the bright sunlight for a day should kill them. Apparently they like to work in the dark. You can't see 'em - they're too small. I don't THINK he was pulling my leg....
Response: Genuine bugs are the insects (6 legged anthropods) with sucking mouth parts. All the others are not genuinely bugs... And there's a story about the original bug in the computer: a moth, actually. It died shorting out one of the thousands of vaccuum tubes the enormous device (filled several rooms) needed to run, and the computer went down with it.

5) Two bug stories I like are:
a) Mosquito -a simple string story from Anne Pellowski's Story Vine, The. Believe me, it is easy, if I can do it. The ONLY string story that I can manage. Short summary is that Little Old Lady is sitting, rocking on porch while knitting -that explains the hand motions with the string, and then something starts "bugging her," as she tries to avoid flying pest, a mosquito "magically" appears in string form. and Lady slaps hands together to get rid of it! (Hand claps makes string mosquito disappear.)

b) From Pellowski too, is the Noisy Gecko, Indonesian folktale. It is the gecko's story, but a dung bettle and mosquitoes as food for the Gecko play a role in this environmental story.
Ina V.D. 4/20/05
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6) Someone posted a story about a ladybug who counts her 10 spots every morning and nite. She drives the crow crazy and he secretly paints one of her spots red. Now she only has nine and flies around asking different animals if they have seen her spot. It finally rains, the paint washes off and she goes to bed hoppy. And the crow moves to another forest! I don't remember when and where the story got posted. If someon claims it, speak up. I can't find it in my files, but I tell it often when telling to pre-schoolers. I use a felt ladybug with a removeable spot.
Shelby S. 4/30/05
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7) I've told a lovely tale about a little ant who returns a good favor for a rooster who has helped her. When the fox tricks the rooster and snatches him from off the fence and runs away with him, the little ant tells the hen, who tells the cat, who tells the dog, who tells the goat, who tells the horse, who tells the cow, who tells the farmer who runs after the fox--followed by all the other animals. The long string of animals is repeated each time anything new happens. They all save the rooster, and the rooster thanks first the farmer, then the cow, and so on down to the little ant, who simply replies: "It is good to help one another." Little ones enjoy the repetition, and it has a good message. If you are interested in it, let me know, and I'll type it out in more detail.
Judith W. 4/20/05
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Response: That would be my version of a literaty tale about the leopard loosing one of his spots. I used the smaller animal, with fewer spots, to make the counting interactive, and the crow, instead of an ape, to make the settings more Nordic.
Neppe P. 4/20/05
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8) Here are a few sites. I hope they help.
The Old Woman Who Was Kind To Insects
http://www.learningtogive.org/materials/folktales/OldWomanKind.asp

Here is a rather long bib with story suggestions.
Bibliography for Integrated Studies of Minibeasts
http://members.aol.com/yesedu/biblinte.html

Book by Pleasant DeSpain
Tales of Insects (The Books of Nine Lives, 6) | August House, Inc.

Eastern Indian folktale
Indian Folktales, Vikramaditya invited to Indraloka, In the Court of Indra there were four beautiful dancers-Urvasi, Rambha, ..
http://www.4to40.com/folktales/index.asp?article=folktales_vikramaditya
Karen C. 7/28/06
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9) I like the Anansi stories, Miss Spider stories, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, and the songs: I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly and especially Ugly Bug Ball.
Wendy G. 7/28/06
(Note from JB: try the Google search engine in SOS to find some of these stories.)

Response: Is this it?
Ugly Bug Ball
http://webpages.charter.net/magicmoment/ugly.htm
You can purchase the sheet music here.
Sheet Music Plus - The Joy of Disney
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp_detail.html?cart=336311048911360512&item=3599782&s=s1
Copyright is 1967.
Karen C. 6/28/06
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10) Hope this is helpful, from my files....
Bees, Ants, & Other Insects, 146-148, Mellon, Nancy, Storytelling and the Art of Imagination

Alexander. the Dwarf & the Troll (Danish) (dwarf/troll woman/transformation/ant/fish) 25-27, DeSpain, 33; Thirty-Three Multicultural Tales to Tell (American Storytelling).

The Ant & the Pheasant, 789-790, Lee, Folk Tales of All Nations

Granfather Spider's Feast (African) (Ananzi spider/bees/ant/ elephant/lion/monky/zebra/origin of spider's tiny waist) 35-37, DeSpain, 33, Thirty-Three Multicultural Tales to Tell (American Storytelling).

Jack & the Princess' Pearls, (Scottish Travelers Jack tl) (widowed mother/3 woodcutter brothers/Jack worker/2 lazy brothers/cow/3 bannocks/blessing/curses/collops of bacon/anthill/witches.fence/swallows/wizards/burn [stream]/salmon/ enchanted king/3 roads/feet pointing, take direction/bargain/princess/63 pearls/gold ring with 6 diamonds/old woodcutter/bird with broken wing/old henwife/3 bundles of sticks/forest/gratitude/rock/ washing feet/"1 good turn deserves anither"/task/brother/letter/sea/swallow takes letter/answer /guard/wedding /Sandy-jail) 21-44,
Williamson, Don't Look Back Jack: Scottish Traveller Tales.

King Solomon & the Ant (Jewish).

The Lame Ant, (Cullwch, 3rd task) 117-118, Jones, G., Welsh Legends and Folktales

The Name of the Tree by Celia Barker Lottridge (African, participation tl) (starving animals/magic tree Awongalema Tree/mountain/cave/ant hill/haste/tortoise/song)- Sheila Wee, Africa Nationality fldr, StryTl fldr

The Queen Bee (German) (ants/ducks/bees/dwarf/enchantment).

Why We See Ants Carrying Bundles as Big as Themselves, (W. African) 22-23, Lee, Folk Tales of All Nations

Bar Mitzvah bee tale - Tom Burger, cbr fl, Stytl, Ntlty flder=>Jewish tls.

The Beekeeper & the Bewitched Hare, 106-118, nic Leodhas, Thistle and Thyme: Tales and Legends from Scotland.

The Bum Bee (fable); [summary], (Scottish) 15-16, Briggs, British Folk Tales and Legends (Routledge Classics)

The Butterfly Robe (Chinese) (prime minister/sedan chair/flowers/bee/sword/silk cloth snippit/origin of butterflies) 16-17, MacDonald, Three-Minute Tales

Didgeridoo Magic, (Australian Aboriginal) (evil shapeshifting)

Ngarri/2 Nimmamoo boys/geerbaju honey/bees/juniper tree/hollow branch/origin of didgeraroo/magic invisible wall), 66-71, Adler, Play Me A Story (The Barefoot Book of Musical Tales)

Fiddler's Well (NOT a fiddle story!) (Scottish) (spring/medicinal/bee).

Grandfather Spider's Feast (African) (Ananzi spider/bees//ant/elephantlio/monkey/zebra/origin of spider's tiny waist) 35-37, DeSpain, 33, Thirty-Three Multicultural Tales to Tell (American Storytelling).

The Humble-Bee, (supernatural) 430-431, Philip, Scottish Folktales, The Penguin Book of.

The Little Rooster & the Turkish Sultan, (Hungarian) (rooster/diamond button/Turkish sultan/3 servants/magic stomach/well water/fire/bees) 57-67, MacDonald, Twenty Tellable Tales: Audience Participation Folktales for the Beginning Storyteller.

The Old Christmas (Manx, Christmas) (spinning/servantmaid /blackened flax/flowering myrrh/bullocks/bees), Sophia Morrison, in Strytl fldrs for Nationality=>Celtic=>Manx, Holiday=>Religious=>Christmas

The Queen Bee, (German) (ants/ducks/bees/dwarf/enchantment) 56-63, Kronberg & McKissack, A Piece of the Wind and Other Stories to Tell.

The Rose Elf, (Danish) (murder/elf/bees/revenge) 184-187, Creeden, Fair Is Fair.

The Story of Kintu (Ugandan) (Kintu/Nambi/Gulu King of Heaven/cow/axe)/baskets of food/dew/bee/sheep/goat/ chicken/plantain tree/Walumbe Death)-Amy Friedman, Tell Me a Story, Uganda fldr, African fldr, Nationality fldr, StryTl fldr.

Thorn in the King's Foot, (Scottish Travelers) (powerful king /likened people to bees/queen/childless/riches/hump center of back baby/king ashamed/1 yr old, king wants him dead/2 huntsmen/forest/ leave for animals to kill /"mercies of the earth"/old woman with "King's evil", skin disease, sores left pockmarks/cottage/goats/mock funeral for prince/real funeral for griefstricken queen /veiled woman in village/On yir way, Majesty, a curse upon ye!/thorn in big toe/magicians/thorn grew into branch/yr 1, annoyed/yr 2, terrified/yr 3, made many promises/held foot out of window into cold wind/15 yr old Prince, Robin/only king's touch can cure King's evil/"Get 2 promises from king: 1) he must come back and touch my face; 2) must leave you to rule while he travels among people and works as laborer for 200 days."/pulled out thorn/rubbed foot/horses/old, wrinkled, beautiful woman/ragged tramp disguise/taxes lowered /more freedom/people happier/king changed man/begged him to stay/"A hunchback was nae good tae you as a son, why should a hunchback to you be good as a friend? You abandoned me years ago. No."/Goes home to old woman) 213-229, Williamson, A Thorn in the King's Foot: Folktales of the Scottish Travelling People (Penguin Folklore Library).

Travels of a Fox (New England trickster tale) (fox/bag/bumblebee /rooster/pig/ox/little boy/dog) 256-258, Cohn, From Sea to Shining Sea.

Tsenzi the Honey Bird (Zimbabwe) (honeybird/bees/revenge /elephant/shrew mouse)-Susie Shaeffer, Zimbabwe fldr, African fldr, Nationality fldr, StryTl fldr

The Water-Horse of Barra (Barra, Outer Hebrides) (water-horse/fairies moved away/lonely/girl knitting/sheep/grey eyes/hand stuck on mane/trasnformed to handsome young man with black hair & cold, selfish brown eyes/bees humming/cow/rope halter/Wise Man of Barra/bowl of crowdie/cuckoo/groomed him, sang Barra work songs to him/year and a day/cuckoo's song/bag of fine oatmeal/ choice to go to Tir na/nOg or give up old gods' magic drink potion brewed from honey and juices of 7 x 7 herbs gathered when old moon held new moon in her arms; sleep for 24 hours and wake as a man/"yr eyes are grey as the waters of my loch in midwinter, your hair is as yellow as the sands of its shores, your skin is as white as the water-lillies which unfold their buds each summer. If I become a man, will you marry me?" /wed/ own farm on far side of island) 98-104, Finlay, Folk tales from moor and mountain;

The Woodpecker (Rumanian) (beggarwoman/insects/bees/caterpillars/mosquitoes/grasshoppers/ origin of woodpecker).

Beetles:
How Beetle Got Her Colors (Latin American)
Paca & Beetle (parrot/paca/beetle/race/origin of colors)
Princess Firefly's Lovers (Japanese) (princess of fireflies/hawkmouth/golden beetle/scarlet dragonfly)-Michael J. Caduto, 23, Strytlg Mgzn,Sept. '98.

Butterflies:
The Butterfly Robe (Chinese) (prime minister/sedan chair/flowers/bee/sword/silk cloth snippit/origin of butterflies) 16-17, MacDonald, Three-Minute Tales.

KoKo Wisdom (Zuni) (dream vision/turkeys/magic/KoKo [katsina spirit leader]/transformation/caterpillar/Rain Priest/worms/butterfly).

The Legend of the Butterfly (Algonquin, Jennifer Meness, via Gayle Ross) (grieving woman/Creator/ butterfly/dance) 31, Strytlg Mgzn, V. 14, #5. Sept./Oct, 2002.

The Mouse & the Butterfly, 795-796, Lee, Folk Tales of All Nations.
The Soul as a Butterfly (Irish) (butterfly/soul/wonders).
The Three Butterflies, 13-28, Pugh, More tales from the Welsh hills.

Caterpillars: The Caterpillar & the Wild Animals, (Masai) 48-49, Lee, Folk Tales of All Nations.

Death & A Nut, (Scottish Travelers [see also Welsh Luc, King's Physician, Jack tale) (Jack/mother/shoresidecottage/ ducks /hens/goats/beachcomber January/ cup of tea/Death, old man with long grey beard, skinny legs, ragged coat/new scythe/stick/smaller the more beaten/empty hazelnut/stuffed in, plugged hole/threw into outgoing tide/scones/fat won't melt/eggwon'tbreak /garden/carrots/leek/parsnip/neep/knife/sharpening stone/can't kill cockerel/hit 17 times with
hatchet/head off and back on/caterpillars/bullock/nothin seems tae dee anymair/wi'oot Death thaur isna life!searched for 3 days) 113-122, Williamson, A Thorn in the King's Foot: Folktales of the Scottish Travelling People (Penguin Folklore Library).

KoKo Wisdom (Zuni) (dream vision/turkeys/magic/KoKo [katsina spirit leader]/transformation/caterpillar/Rain Priest/worms/butterfly) Pijoan, White Wolf Woman (American Storytelling), 130-135.

Lindelwe's Song (South African, Susan Perrow) (pumpkin/thorn bushes/villagers/axe/spade/climbing/singer/ birds/ animals/worms and caterpillars/cloud/feast)-Susan Perrow, South African fldr, African fldr, Nationaly fldr, StryTl fldr.

The Woodpecker (Rumanian) (beggarwoman/bees/caterpillars/mosquitoes/grasshoppers/origin of woodpecker).

Centipedes:
The Centipede Girl, (Korean) 173-176, Elder & Wong, Family of Earth and Sky (The Concord Library).

Crickets:
Cricket & Cougar ([many tribes of] Alta & Baja California) (cougar/mosquito) Dockery Young, Race With Buffalo and Other Native American Stories for Young Readers (American Storytelling), 95-96.

Why Possom's Tail is Bare (Cherokee) (rabbit/possom/pride/cricket/origin of bare possom's tail) Scheer, Cherokee Animal Tales, 75-79.

Dragonflies/Fireflies:
Princess Firefly's Lovers (Japanese) (princess of fireflies/hawkmouth/golden beetle/scarlet dragonfly)-Michael J. Caduto, 23, Strytlg Mgzn, Sept. '98.

Fleas:
Fifine & the White Mare (Basque) (horse/princess/fairy/flute) 205-214, Fenner, There was a horse;: Folktales from many lands, ([Tales of many lands]).

The Flea & the Louse (Shetland poem) 13-15, Montgomery, The Well at the World's End (Wildside Fantasy).

Flies:
Dechtire (Irish) (half-mortal maid/wedding feast/fly/wine/deep sleep /Otherworld/Lugh Lamhfada/Cu Chulainn) xxii, McNeil, The Celtic Breeze: Stories of the Otherworld from Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.

The Great Giant of Henllys (Welsh) (ghost/lion/bull/fly) 201-202, Crossley-Holland, Tales from the British Isles (The World folktale library).

Glow-Worms:
Joan & the Stanhope Fairies (near Stanhope on river Wear, northern England) (farmer/cave/fairies/daugher Joan, 6th birthday/cherry cakes/fairies/sick baby/lullaby/Wise Woman by the Rocking Stone on edge of moor/7 brown eggs/7 cherry cakes/pot of heather honey/spell /utter silence at midnight/locked cats in far barns/watchdog drugged /stopped clocks./put out fire/pet dog Pip barked/white hen/fine flour /dress length of wool/3 gifts: light not burning/chicken without bone /annimal giving a part of itself without losing 1 drop of blood./wear a rowan twig with 7 leaves in your hat/ask for King of Fairies/lame beggar/farmer's hose and shoes, and food/glow-worm/thrush/hawk/egg under broody speckled hen for a fortnight/market day/3rd riddle/rabbit in trap/lizard basking on moor rock/seize by tail/leave without shedding blood/golden ball/golden dress/moonlight/ball to dust/beaten gold to white nightgown), 74-83, Finlay, Folk tales from moor and mountain.

Grasshoppers:
Fairy Music, (Irish) (Jack/3 horses/jigging grasshopper/jigging mouse/mouse harper/King of Ireland/princess not
laughing/wedding), 22-33, Adler, Play Me A Story (The Barefoot Book of Musical Tales)

Febold Feboldson, First Citizen of Nebraska-retold by Suzy Schmidt (Nebraska tall tale) (Winter of Petrified Snow/Year of Striped Weather/corn/sugarcane/origin of popcorn balls/grasshoppers) 178-179, Cohn, From Sea to Shining Sea.

A Gust of Fall Wind--arr. Gerogette LeNorth (Chinese American California lament) (grasshopper) 168, Cohn, From Sea to Shining Sea.

Hawkmoth:
Princess Firefly's Lovers (Japanese) (princess of fireflies/hawkmouth/golden beetle/scarlet dragonfly)-Michael J. Caduto, 23, Strytlg Mgzn, Sept. '98.

Hornets:
The Singing Drum (South African) (Cuulu Tiny 1 the Singer-artist/Red Antelope Man/honey/ Boloko the Black Ape Man/Iblis the Yellow Hyena Man/Makatuwa the Grey Mouse Man/Iblis' drum/wine/hornets), 42-49, Adler, Play Me A Story (The Barefoot Book of Musical Tales).

Inchworms:
Legend of Tutakanula (Native American) (raccoon/boulder/mouse/rat/mole/rabbit/polecat/grizzly bear/inchworm) 37-39, Kronberg & McKissack, A Piece of the Wind and Other Stories to Tell.

Iromi:
A Secret Told to a Stranger (Nigerian) (hunter/shapeshifting/elephant/wife/iromi water insect)-Barbara Walker, 40, Strytlg Mgzn, Smr, '93.

Lice:
The Flea & the Louse (Shetland poem) 13-15, Montgomery, The Well at the World's End (Wildside Fantasy).
Sermerssuaq (Eskimo) (powerful woman/lice) 1, Carter, Old Wives' Fairy Tale Book, The.
Tuglik & Her Granddaughter (Eskimo) (transformations/lice/dogs/ptarmigan) 181-182, Carter, Old Wives' Fairy Tale Book, The.

Limpets:
The Flitter Dance/Limpet Dance (Manx trad. Good Friday couples dance duet), 45-47, Guard, Mnx Msc for Irsh Hrp
Limpet Dance/ The Flitter Dance (Manx trad. Good Friday couples dance duet), 45-47, Guard, Mnx Msc for Irsh Hrp

Mosquitoes:
The Bloodsucker (People of the Eight Northern Pueblos, Rio Grande, New Mexico) (monster/origin of Indian Paintbrush) Dockery Young, Race wi Bffalo, 85-87
Cricket & Cougar ([many tribes of] Alta & Baja California) (cricket/cougar) Dockery Young, Race With Buffalo and Other Native American Stories for Young Readers (American Storytelling), 95-96.

How Mosquitoes Came to Be (Tlingit) 350-351, Yolen, Favorite Folktales from Around the World (Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library).
How the Mosquitoes Came to Oneata, 438-444, Lee, Folk Tales of All Nations.
How the Mosquitoes Left Kimbara (Fijian) (mosquitoes/prince/magic shell).

Moths:
The White Moth, 36-39, Smith, G., Flktls of Hghlds

Spider:
Anansi & Nothing (W. African) 23-24, Lee, Folk Tales of All Nations.
Anansi Plays Dead (Ashanti, Ghana) 200-202, Elder & Wong, Family of Earth and Sky (The Concord Library).
Anansi's Rescue from the River (Ashanti, Ghana) 198-199, Elder & Wong, Family of Earth and Sky (The Concord Library).
Anansi Stories origin & website-Kate Dudding, African fldr, Nationality fldr, StryTl fldr.

The Competition for Nyame's Daughter (Hausa, African) (Ananzi/Nyame the sky god/daugher/name/kola tree/nuts/ lizard/drum/communication)-Amy Friedman, Tell Me a Story, African fldr, Nationality fldr, StryTl fldr.

The Conceited Spider (W. African) 24-25, Lee, Folk Tales of All Nations.
The First Fire (Cherokee) (raven/screech owl/hooting owl/horned owl/Black Racer snake/blacksnake/water spider/origin of fire)

Gold-Lillie & Spider-Millie (literary tale told by Ruthilde Kronberg) (dog/cat/spider/sisters) Kronberg & McKissack,
A Piece of the Wind and Other Stories to Tell.

Grandfather Spider's Feast (African) (Ananzi spider/bees/ants/elephant/lion/monkey/zebra/origin of spider's
tiny waist) 35-37, DeSpain, 33, Thirty-Three Multicultural Tales to Tell (American Storytelling).

Grandmother Spider Steals the Fire (Choctaw, Tennessee & Mississippi) (spider/fire/possom/buzzard/crow/ weaving/ pottery)/ Dockery Young, Richard Richard & Judy, collectors & ed., Race With Buffalo and Other Native American Stories for Young Readers (American Storytelling), 39-41; How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun, (Muskogee [Creek]) Caduto, Michael J. & Joseph Bruchac, Native American Stories (Myths and Legends), 27-29; Grandmother Spider Steals the Sun-retold by James Mooney (Cherokee myth) (spider/fox/possum/buzzard/sun/pottery/weaving) 12, Cohn, From Sea to Shining Sea.

The Hero Twins & the Swallower of Clouds (Zuni) (giant/Hero Twins/spider) Caduto & Bruchac, Native American Stories (Myths and Legends), 53-57

How Spider Obtained the Sky God's Stories (Ashanti, an Ananzi) 24-27, Yolen, Jane, ed., Favorite Folktales from Around the World (Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library).

How [the Home-bred Boy] Dislodged the Spider, 917-919, Lee, Folk Tales of All Nations.

How the Spider Ate the Hyena-Cub's Food (Northern Nigerian) 4-5, Lee, Folk Tales of All Nations.

Hungry Spider (Ashanti tribe, Africa) (spider/trickster/turtle) 107-109, DeSpain, Thirty-Three Multicultural Tales to Tell (American Storytelling).

Iktomi & the Red-Eyed Ducks (birds); Iktome & the Ducks-retold by Lame Deer (Sioux trickster tale) (Iktome spider man/ducks/ dance/song/stick/mudhen) 208-209, Cohn, From Sea to Shining Sea.

Long Hair & Flint Bird (Acoma Pueblo, west central New Mexico) (monster/badger/packrat).

Miobe, the Frightened One (African) (hunter/crocodiles/snakes/spiders/hare/moon/courage/dagger/monster/monster/cave/ what-might-happen)-Suzie Shaeffer via Diana Waite, African fldr, Nationality fldr, StryTl fldr.

Pride Precedes Destruction (animal tale, W. Africa) (Ananzi/Nyame sky god/Intikuma/wisdom/greed).

The Spider's Hump (African Ananzi tale told by Jackie Jonas) (spider/origin of his hump/dwarves/dance/song).

The Spider Passes on a Debt (Northern Nigerian prose/poem) 6-9, Lee, Folk Tales of All Nations.

The Spider, the Guinea-Fowl, & the Francolin (Northern Nigerian) 1-2, Lee, Folk Tales of All Nations.

The Spider Which Bought a Dog as a Slave (Northern Nigerian) 5-6, Lee, Folk Tales of All Nations.

Tigertail Soup (Jamaican, Melinda Munger) Age 9-adult. (Ananzi/king/tiger/soup/little monkey), 56-60. Holt & Mooney, More Ready-To-Tell Tales from Around the World.

Turtle & Her Pesky Friends (refrain/turtle/lake/spider/snake/lizard/mouse).

Worms:
Herman the Worm (American camplore) (talking worm/family burped) 55-58, MacDonald, Three-Minute Tales.

KoKo Wisdom (dream vision/turkeys/magic/KoKo [katsina spirit leader]/transformation/caterpillar/worms/Rain Priest/ butterfly) Pijoan, White Wolf Woman (American Storytelling), 130-135.

Lindelwe's Song (South African, Susan Perrow) (pumpkin/thorn bushes/villagers/axe/ spade/climbing/ singer/ birds/ animals/worms and caterpillars/cloud/feast)-Susan Perrow, South African fldr, African fldr, Nationaly fldr, StryTl fldr.

Little Earthworm (German) 151-160, Michael, M & P, German folk and fairy tales (Folk and fairy tales from many lands).
Barra the Bard 7/28/06
•••••

11) Speaking of the bug stories... I did my first "Snug as a Bug with Story and Song" at libraries...5 hours from my house. It was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. The first group had over 100 kids, the second only about 15. On the way to the gig I wrote out more verses for one of the songs I sang. I found it on-line:

Oh, I wish I were a yellow honeybee.
*clap, clap*
Yes, I wish i were a yellow honeybee.
*clap, clap*
I'd go "buzzy-buzzy-buzzy" and my stripes would all be fuzzy!
Oh, I wish I were a yellow honeybee.
*2 claps, 2 stomps* (stomp feet twice)
There are 3 other verses. (red army ant, hungry caterpillar and hungry skeeter)

I thought of the following:
Oh I wish I were a big fat tick (the kids voted and this was their favorite)
Yes, I wish I were a big fat tick
I'd go yummy, yummy, yummy in my tummy tummy, tummy
Yes, I wish I were a big, fat tick

Oh I wish were a little fire fly
Oh I wish I were a little fire fly
I'd go lightie, lightie, lightie in the middle of the nightie
Oh, I wish I were a little fire fly

Oh I wish I were a little tickle bug
Oh, I wish I were a little tickle bug
I'd go getchee, getchee, getchee; You'd go tee-hee-hee-hee=hee-hee
Oh I wish I were little tickle bug

Oh I wish I were a big black spider
Oh I wish I were a big black spider
I'd go scary, scary, scary, cause I'm big and I'm hairy
Oh, I wish I were a big black spider

Oh, I wish I were a little noisy cricket
Oh, I wish I were a little noisy cricket
I'd go crickety, crickety, crickety down in the woods and thickety
Oh, I wish I were a little noisy cricket

Then I decided for my Illinois summer reads I could change it to sports. I won't bore you with the ten hundred verses I came up with
but here is one"
Oh I wish I were a ping-pong-paddle
Oh, I wish I were ping-pong-paddle
I'd go whackety-whackety-whackety and make a loud rackety
Oh, I wish I were a ping-pong-paddle.

This was quite a challenge to go across I-70 at 70 mph writing these verses down!

I also added some verses to that little ditty I'm sure most of you have heard on TV -
There ain't no bugs on me
There ain't no bugs on me
There might be bugs on some of your mugs but there ain't no bugs on me.

So I added Bees (or Fleas)...on your knees
Flies...on your eyes
gnats...on your hats

Yes, the easily amused was busy amusing herself.

I also told: The Little Red Ant and the Crumb (Shirley Climo) I even threw in some Spanish words
and sang - The Ants go Marching One by One
The King and the Beetle (Arnold Lobel)
Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock
Coyote and Bear (has hornets in it)

The only song I didn't get to was "I'm Bringing home a Baby Bumblebee."

Okay that was my day, I'll stop bugging you now.
Marilyn K. 6/5/08
•••••

(This web page updated 6/18/05; 7/30/06; 12/25/07; 4/17/08; 6/14/08)