'Keepers of the Earth' brings Native legends alive to children

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The authors of "Keepers of the Earth" use Native legends to promote the environmental cause.

One legend from the Nisqually tribe titled "Loo-Wit, the Fire-Keeper" depicts how Mount St. Helens came to be.

It begins with two brothers quarreling over land. The Creator isn't pleased, so he gives the brothers each a bow and an arrow to shoot in the air. Where the the arrow fell determined where they would live. The older brother's arrow fell to the south of the river and the younger brother's to the north. The Creator provided the brothers with a stone bridge between them to symbolize peace.

The peace lasted for many seasons until the people from the north got jealous of the land the people in the south had. Quarreling began and once again the Creator intervened by taking away the fire. The people prayed to the Creator to give back the fire.

The Creator pitied them so he visited Loo-Wit, the keeper of the last fire. If she agreed to share her fire, Loo-Wit would be granted one wish.

Loo-Wit agreed and asked to become young and beautiful. The next day she went to the people of the North and South. The chiefs of both clans saw how beautiful Loo-Wit was and both wanted her for a wife.

Again, fighting began. The Creator saw this and threw a stone at the bridge and turned the northern chief into what is now known as Mount Adams and the southern chief into Mount Hood.

Loo-Wit was heartbroken over the pain caused by her beauty. She could no longer find peace as a human being. The Creator pitied her and changed her into Mount St. Helens where she stands between Mount Hoold and Mound Adams. She slept peacefully.

The Creator had placed her between two quarreling mountains to keep the peace, and it was intended that humans, too, should look at her beauty and remember to keep their hearts good, to share the land and treat it well.

If humans do not treat the land with respect, the people said, Loo-Wit will wake up and let us know how unhappy she and the Creator have become again.

That was long before the in the 1980s when Mount St. Helens woke again.

In the book, a discussion about moral issues like geed is held after each story. For instance, a science experiment is conducted to demonstrate the three forms of energy: heat, light and motion. The reader is then instructed to discuss how today's society obtains its fuel and to discuss why it's important to conserve energy.

Native legends like "Loo-Wit, The Fire-Keeper" are intended to educate children between the ages of five to eight years to see that future generations of Native and non-Native environmentalists share the same empathy for the earth and each other.

It is a renewal of Native values.

"Keepers of the Earth" will prove valuable for resource material in any library.

It glorifies the Native traditions of storytelling.

Part I of the book emphasizes the qualities of a good storyteller and gives helpful hints on becoming a better one.

Part II of the book, 25 legends from 20 different Native cultures are used. Those legends are based on the earth's natural elements of fire, earth, wind and water and covers the topics of plants and animals, life, death, spirit and the unity of earth.

"Keepers of the Earth" links ancient Native legends to easy-to-understand scientific information and provides instructions for hands-on activity.

It's a wise choice for your bookshelf.