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The Tiger and the Rabbit and Other Tales
A collection of eighteen Puerto Rican folktales, including: The Tiger and the Rabbit / Nangato / The Earrings / The Bed / The Jurga / The Wolf, the Fox, and the Jug of Honey / Juan Bobo / La Hormiguita / The Shepherd and the Princess / Señor Billy Goat / Casi Lampu'a Lentemué / The Gluttonous Wife / The Albahaca Plant / The Dance of the Animals / The Three Magi / The Cat, the Mountain Goat, and the Fox / The Three Petitions / The Three Figs.
- GenresChildrens
127 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1944
About the author
Pura Belpré
25 books10 followersPura Belpré (February 2, 1899 – July 1, 1982) was the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City. She was also a writer, collector of folktales, and puppeteer.
Belpré was born in Cidra, Puerto Rico. There is some dispute as to the date of her birth which has been given as February 2, 1899, December 2, 1901 and February 2, 1903. Belpré graduated from Central High School in Santurce, Puerto Rico in 1919 and enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras, where she originally planned on becoming a teacher. But, in 1920, Belpré interrupted her studies to attend her sister Elisa's wedding in New York City, where she was recruited by a public library effort to hire young women from ethnically diverse backgrounds. This first job led to a remarkable career that had Belpré travel the city, from the Bronx to the Lower East Side, telling stories in both English and Spanish, something that hadn't been done before. Belpré broke the barriers that led the Spanish speaking community to believe the library was "only English." Except for brief interludes, Belpré remained in New York City for the rest of her life.
Belpré was born in Cidra, Puerto Rico. There is some dispute as to the date of her birth which has been given as February 2, 1899, December 2, 1901 and February 2, 1903. Belpré graduated from Central High School in Santurce, Puerto Rico in 1919 and enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras, where she originally planned on becoming a teacher. But, in 1920, Belpré interrupted her studies to attend her sister Elisa's wedding in New York City, where she was recruited by a public library effort to hire young women from ethnically diverse backgrounds. This first job led to a remarkable career that had Belpré travel the city, from the Bronx to the Lower East Side, telling stories in both English and Spanish, something that hadn't been done before. Belpré broke the barriers that led the Spanish speaking community to believe the library was "only English." Except for brief interludes, Belpré remained in New York City for the rest of her life.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 23, 2019
A collection of eighteen folktales from Puerto Rico (three more than in the original 1944 edition), The Tiger and the Rabbit contains everything from animal stories to cautionary fairy-tales, and is illustrated by the celebrated Tomie dePaola, whose 1979 picture-book,
Strega Nona
, was selected as a Caldecott Honor book. His black and white etching-style artwork has an old-fashioned appeal, while Pura Belpré's stories, which often reminded me of tales I have read from other traditions, were quite engaging. Selections include:
The Tiger and the Rabbit, a trickster tale in which the clever Rabbit outwits the hungry Tiger time and again. It was interesting to note that, unlike so many other tales of this kind, the opponents end up becoming friends.
Nangato, in which a small mouse-village, led by the gentle Perez, make their new feline neighbor welcome, only to pay a high price for their naivete.
The Earrings, the story of a young woman who disregards her mother's warning about bathing in the nearby the river and, when attempting to retrieve her earrings afterward, is captured by an evil man. This tale, in which young Julia is shoved into a sack and made to sing, in order that her captor might earn money from the credulous villagers (who believe that the sack is magical), is very similar to that related in Bimwili and the Zimwi , making me wonder if the Puerto Rican variant is of African origin.
The Bed, a cumulative tale in which a growing menagerie of animals join a young boy under a creaky bed, until the bed breaks. Although it doesn't read very well on the page, I suspect that this would make an excellent selection for storyhour, with its ever-growing refrain. It can also be found in Barbara Baumgartner's Crocodile! Crocodile!: Stories Told Around the World , as The Squeaky Old Bed.
The Jurga, in which a miserly old farmer and his wife - a witch who takes the shape of a dog by day, and a bird by night - get their just desserts from a clever worker that they think to abuse.
The Wolf, the Fox, and the Jug of Honey, in which two friends stumble upon a jug of honey, and agree to share it - an understanding violated by the cunning fox, who manages to eat all of it himself. This story reminded me of a similar Scots tale, The Fox and the Wolf, found in Augusta Baker's The Talking Tree and other Stories: Fairy Tales from 15 Lands , in which the fox eats a cask of butter found by the two friends.
Juan Bobo, in which Puerto Rico's storied fool - whose misadventures and misunderstandings always come right in the end, though not through any effort of the hero's - dresses his mother's pig in fine clothing. This tale can also be found (in simplified form) in Carmen T. Bernier-Grand's Juan Bobo: Four Folktales from Puerto Rico .
La Hormiguita, a cumulative tale in which a little ant calls upon the sun to punish the snow which broke her leg, setting off a "hunt" for the most powerful entity, with each new object or force addressed explaining that there is something more powerful even than it. This tale-type can be seen in many traditions, and would make an excellent selection for reading aloud, with its expanding refrain.
The Shepherd and the Princess, in which a humble young shepherd wins the hand of a princess, by solving the king's three riddles.
Señor Billy Goat, in which an older couple, unable to roust the billy goat that is destroying their garden, turn to La Hormiguita - the little ant - for help.
Casi Lampu'a Lentemué, a tale in which young Paco, captured by the village witch, must guess the name of his captor, in order to win his freedom. This was an interesting mixture of motifs already familiar to me, through tales such as Hansel and Gretel and Rumpelstiltskin .
The Gluttonous Wife, in which a poor farmer begins to suspect that his wife, who grows fatter and fatter, although she never wants to cook, is hoarding their food for herself.
The Albahaca Plant, in which a humble carpenter's youngest daughter - both beautiful and clever - engages in a battle of wits with the merry king.
The Dance of the Animals, a story that Belpré has also published on its own, in picture book format ( Dance of the Animals: A Puerto Rican Folk Tale ), in which a hungry lion and lioness plot to eat their goat friends.
The Three Magi, which tells of a minor misadventure of the Three Magi - the three kings who, in Christian tradition, visited the infant Christ in Bethlehem, and who, in Spanish culture, are thought to bring presents to children on the eve of Epiphany (January 6).
The Cat, the Mountain Goat, and the Fox, in which a lazy cat has all the other animals convinced that she is an invalid, and that they must provide her with food, until a clever fox reveals her trickery.
The Three Petitions, in which a young couple fail (surprise, surprise) to make wise use of the three wishes granted them.
And finally, The Three Figs, in which the humble Fernando offers his best to the king, and is richly rewarded, while the arrogant Santiago, thinking to replicate his neighbor's good fortune, gets a nasty surprise.
The Tiger and the Rabbit, a trickster tale in which the clever Rabbit outwits the hungry Tiger time and again. It was interesting to note that, unlike so many other tales of this kind, the opponents end up becoming friends.
Nangato, in which a small mouse-village, led by the gentle Perez, make their new feline neighbor welcome, only to pay a high price for their naivete.
The Earrings, the story of a young woman who disregards her mother's warning about bathing in the nearby the river and, when attempting to retrieve her earrings afterward, is captured by an evil man. This tale, in which young Julia is shoved into a sack and made to sing, in order that her captor might earn money from the credulous villagers (who believe that the sack is magical), is very similar to that related in Bimwili and the Zimwi , making me wonder if the Puerto Rican variant is of African origin.
The Bed, a cumulative tale in which a growing menagerie of animals join a young boy under a creaky bed, until the bed breaks. Although it doesn't read very well on the page, I suspect that this would make an excellent selection for storyhour, with its ever-growing refrain. It can also be found in Barbara Baumgartner's Crocodile! Crocodile!: Stories Told Around the World , as The Squeaky Old Bed.
The Jurga, in which a miserly old farmer and his wife - a witch who takes the shape of a dog by day, and a bird by night - get their just desserts from a clever worker that they think to abuse.
The Wolf, the Fox, and the Jug of Honey, in which two friends stumble upon a jug of honey, and agree to share it - an understanding violated by the cunning fox, who manages to eat all of it himself. This story reminded me of a similar Scots tale, The Fox and the Wolf, found in Augusta Baker's The Talking Tree and other Stories: Fairy Tales from 15 Lands , in which the fox eats a cask of butter found by the two friends.
Juan Bobo, in which Puerto Rico's storied fool - whose misadventures and misunderstandings always come right in the end, though not through any effort of the hero's - dresses his mother's pig in fine clothing. This tale can also be found (in simplified form) in Carmen T. Bernier-Grand's Juan Bobo: Four Folktales from Puerto Rico .
La Hormiguita, a cumulative tale in which a little ant calls upon the sun to punish the snow which broke her leg, setting off a "hunt" for the most powerful entity, with each new object or force addressed explaining that there is something more powerful even than it. This tale-type can be seen in many traditions, and would make an excellent selection for reading aloud, with its expanding refrain.
The Shepherd and the Princess, in which a humble young shepherd wins the hand of a princess, by solving the king's three riddles.
Señor Billy Goat, in which an older couple, unable to roust the billy goat that is destroying their garden, turn to La Hormiguita - the little ant - for help.
Casi Lampu'a Lentemué, a tale in which young Paco, captured by the village witch, must guess the name of his captor, in order to win his freedom. This was an interesting mixture of motifs already familiar to me, through tales such as Hansel and Gretel and Rumpelstiltskin .
The Gluttonous Wife, in which a poor farmer begins to suspect that his wife, who grows fatter and fatter, although she never wants to cook, is hoarding their food for herself.
The Albahaca Plant, in which a humble carpenter's youngest daughter - both beautiful and clever - engages in a battle of wits with the merry king.
The Dance of the Animals, a story that Belpré has also published on its own, in picture book format ( Dance of the Animals: A Puerto Rican Folk Tale ), in which a hungry lion and lioness plot to eat their goat friends.
The Three Magi, which tells of a minor misadventure of the Three Magi - the three kings who, in Christian tradition, visited the infant Christ in Bethlehem, and who, in Spanish culture, are thought to bring presents to children on the eve of Epiphany (January 6).
The Cat, the Mountain Goat, and the Fox, in which a lazy cat has all the other animals convinced that she is an invalid, and that they must provide her with food, until a clever fox reveals her trickery.
The Three Petitions, in which a young couple fail (surprise, surprise) to make wise use of the three wishes granted them.
And finally, The Three Figs, in which the humble Fernando offers his best to the king, and is richly rewarded, while the arrogant Santiago, thinking to replicate his neighbor's good fortune, gets a nasty surprise.
May 31, 2020
I was disappointed by this book of 18 short fairy tale type stories. I had hoped I would like it a lot more than I did. Many of the stories were way too simple and not that interesting. And others bugged me for a different reason: they seemed to be encouraging characters (and thus the reader??) To play tricks on others because they are clever enough to do it and get away with it. I never encountered fairy tales that did that before. Usually they teach morals. But it seems these are doing the oppasite! Like the one called "The Wolf, the Fox and the Jug of Honey". The fox lies to the wolf about going to some parties while he goes to the wolf's house to secretly eat the honey - and then later tricks the wolf into thinking he (the wolf) ate the honey and just doesn't remember. Several stories in here are along these lines..and I cannot approve of that in a kids book..why would a book teach lying and cheating?
Some stories used the typical solve the riddle and many featured animals.
These stories are from Puerto Rico.
Some stories used the typical solve the riddle and many featured animals.
These stories are from Puerto Rico.
December 3, 2019
The book I read was called The Tiger and the Rabbit and I Other Tales by Pura Belpre
Long,long ago there was a tiger and a rabbit The tiger and the rabbit were worst enemies the tiger always tried to eat the rabbit but the rabbit was to smart so he would trick the tiger the rabbit had a friend the fox.Well the fox and the tiger were also friends.One day the fox was having a party and the tiger promised the fox that he would get the best guitar player and the best guitar player was the rabbit. The rabbit also said to the fox that the tiger would act like a horse for his Friends and he said he would prove it.In the end the tiger and the rabbit became best friends
by Arihanna
i recommend this book to anyone that loves to read
The book i read was called The Jurga by pura belpre. long long ago there was a farmer who was a miser known all over the land for his misdeeds and he was married to a witch but in the evening she was a bird everyone called her the jurga. one day there was news about how the farmer was hiring people to do stuff on the farm who ever did there work would get a had boild egg and some bread to go with it well there were three orphans that were starving so the oldest signed up then when he took forever to eat the bread the farmer took the bread away and fired the oldest then the middle child signed up and the same thing happened so the youngest signed up but he was smart he ate the bread and asked for more bread to go with the egg and the farmer was confused the end
by arihanna
i recommend this book to anyone who loves to read
Long,long ago there was a tiger and a rabbit The tiger and the rabbit were worst enemies the tiger always tried to eat the rabbit but the rabbit was to smart so he would trick the tiger the rabbit had a friend the fox.Well the fox and the tiger were also friends.One day the fox was having a party and the tiger promised the fox that he would get the best guitar player and the best guitar player was the rabbit. The rabbit also said to the fox that the tiger would act like a horse for his Friends and he said he would prove it.In the end the tiger and the rabbit became best friends
by Arihanna
i recommend this book to anyone that loves to read
The book i read was called The Jurga by pura belpre. long long ago there was a farmer who was a miser known all over the land for his misdeeds and he was married to a witch but in the evening she was a bird everyone called her the jurga. one day there was news about how the farmer was hiring people to do stuff on the farm who ever did there work would get a had boild egg and some bread to go with it well there were three orphans that were starving so the oldest signed up then when he took forever to eat the bread the farmer took the bread away and fired the oldest then the middle child signed up and the same thing happened so the youngest signed up but he was smart he ate the bread and asked for more bread to go with the egg and the farmer was confused the end
by arihanna
i recommend this book to anyone who loves to read
June 6, 2019
Qué maravilla poder leer esta edición de los cuentos de la tradición oral del Puerto Rico rural de mi madre y las mujeres rurales antes de ella contados por Pura Belpré para la niñez de la diáspora en la época de la Gran Depresión en los Estados Unidos. Una gran contadora de cuentos, bibliotecaria y genia. Hay que leer a Belpré y sobre ella. Su legado es grandísimo.
January 30, 2017
Stories from old Puerto Rico, as told by the great librarian Pura Belpré. This is a post-war edition on pretty flimsy paper, but the fact that it was even published shows how significant the Nuyorican audience was becoming in the mid-1940s. Now a classic.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews