The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush

This story is called The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush. This story is an example of a myth/legend. This story was retold and illustrated by Tomie DePaola. The main characters in this story are: Little Gopher, the wise shaman, the grandfather, and the maiden. This story is about a young boy named Little Gopher. Little Gopher was not like the other children. He could not run as fast or wrestle like the other boys. He did have a special talent though. He could make toy warriors out of scraps that he decorated all by himself. One day, the wise shaman tells him that he will be remembered not as a warrior but as something very special. One day, while Little Gopher went to the hills to think about becoming a man, he had a dream vision that told him that he would be remembered for painting the deeds of warriors. Furthermore, he would paint a picture that was as pure as the colors in the evening sky. So Little Gopher went home, made his own brushes and paints, and made some beautiful paintings. After a while, he was not satisfied with them anymore. He wanted to figure out a way to capture the colors of the evening sky. That night, he had a dream that told him to go to the place where he watches the sunset, and he would find his answer. When he woke up, he went to the hill and found paintbrushes with many colors waiting for him. He painted the sunset the way he always wanted to, and when he went back to town to show the people what he had done, the paint brushes had taken root and multiplied into plants of brilliant colors. From that day on, in the spring, the hills burst into bloom. I am a huge fan of Tomie De Paola and this story. It is a beautiful story filled with beautiful images, and the children seem to be inspired by it. This story is appropriate for grades K-3rd.