Rainbow Bird

Themes: Fairy tales, Indigenous people, Intercultural competence 

Connections to the Curriculum in English: This traditional Aboriginal myth provides knowledge about the culture of indigenous people. 

Book cover

Author and publisher: Eric Maddern, Frances Lincoln Children’s Books 

Summary: This book retells a traditional Aboriginal myth from Northern Australia. Crocodile Man has one thing nobody else has, and that is Fire. Other animals beg for fire; they have to eat their food raw and are cold at night. But Crocodile Man just laughs and growls that “I’m boss for Fire”. Bird Woman who lives in a nearby tree is watching and waiting; one day when Crocodile Man opens his jaws and gives the widest yawn anyone has seen, she flies down and snatches up the firesticks from the fire the Crocodile Man lets out. “Now I shall give Fire to people” Bird woman says proudly. 

Suitable for students in years: 5-10 

Tags: Fairy tales, Indigenous people, Intercultural competence
Published Feb. 15, 2022 10:28 PM - Last modified Sep. 20, 2022 2:33 PM