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A teaching tale from Haiti

When telling this story, I ask, “Do rabbits have long or short tails?” This draws listeners in and sparks their interest. They respond, “Short!” so I say, “Well, now they do, but long ago rabbits had very long tales and the rabbit was best friends with the dog. Then Ananzi the trickster spider happened.” 
Parents, grandparents, and teachers have been sharing stories about Ananzi with children for more generations that we can count. I came across stories about Ananzi in the early seventies. While working at a daycare center, I found that Ananzi stories engaged children aged 3 to 8.
This Haitian version of the traditional story explains why the rabbit has a short tail—a metaphor for changes children see in animals and themselves. The drama of this story teaches children that jealousy is self-defeating. We adults know young listeners are learning a valuable lesson while enjoying a story about animals.
​        —Len Cabral

Contact Author to Buy This Book
Len Cabral is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning storyteller and author who has been performing stories in schools, libraries, and festivals for over 40 years. A descendant of Cape Verde Islanders, Len is the recipient of the National Storytelling Network Circle of Excellence Oracle Award, the 2017 Rhode Island Humanities Award, and the 2016 Pell Award. He lives in Cranston, Rhode Island, with his wife Judy.

Illustrator Kate DeCarvalho earned a BA in Literature (UMass at Amherst) and a BFA in Graphic Design (Rhode Island School of Design). As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Papua New Guinea, Kate saw the connections that stories and humor forged among diverse peoples, shaping her interest in illustrating stories as a means to positively effect youth. A freelance illustrator and designer, Kate lives with her husband, two children and two rabbit-chasing dogs in coastal RI.
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  • Home
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Books
    • Storytelling >
      • Rafts, Raccoons, and Revelations
      • Social Action Stories
      • Beyond Brick and Bone
      • Stories of a Forest Ranger
      • Read and Tell Stories
      • The House at the Top of the Bottoms
      • How the Rabbit Lost its Tail
      • Speak Peace
      • Storytwisting
      • Under the Oaken Bough
      • The Radical Act of Storytelling
      • Dancing on Blades
      • Further Adventures of the Boo Baby Girl
      • Aunty Lily
      • Telling Twain
      • Distilling Hope book
      • Beyond the Sword Maiden
      • Every Day a Holiday
      • From Plot to Narrative
      • A Bridge of Stories
      • A New Pair of Wings
      • Trail Guide to a Crooked Heart
      • Hot Wind, Boiling Rain
      • Beyond the Briar Patch
      • The Price of Three Stories
      • How to Fool a Cat
      • Boo-Tickle Tales
      • You're On!
      • Story by Story
      • Playing with Stories
      • Eye to the Sky
      • Storytelling Tips
      • The Killdeer
      • Barrio Princess
      • Gratitude
      • Belfast Girl
      • Social Studies in the Storytelling Classroom
      • The New Book of Plots
      • Dancing at the Crossroads
      • Old China Through the Eyes of a Storyteller
      • Figler, My Imaginary Friend
      • The Boo Baby Girl
      • The Blow Dried Cat
      • Figler, My Imaginary Friend
      • Cripple Joe book
      • The Stable Boy
      • Stories Live! DVD
    • Novels >
      • Pressing Freedom novel
      • Euphrates Dance novel
      • Hitler, My Father
      • Living in Harmony
      • Little Man
      • French Roots
      • Sweet Hope fiction
      • The Boys from Possum Grape
      • Less Than Charming
      • Bud Parrott
      • President Trump Sells California
      • Comfort
      • Miss Carrie
      • The Thirty-Foot Elvis
      • Madge's Mobile Home Park
      • Jesse Crosse
      • Strange Side of the Tracks
    • Memoirs >
      • Brother Dog
      • Aunty Lily
      • Every Day a Holiday
      • The Killdeer
      • Eye to the Sky
      • Barrio Princess
      • Belfast Girl
      • Born to Fish, Bred to Hunt
      • Speed Trap
    • Art/Poetry >
      • A Visual Guide to Classical Art Theory
      • The Stone Circle Poems
      • The Last Pickled Beets
      • oh, touch me there
      • We Who Battle Demons
      • Bicycle Cowboy
      • The Aesthetic Astronaut
    • Psychology >
      • In Sheep's Clothing--Spanish Edition
      • In Sheep's Clothing
      • The Science of Shame
      • Character Disturbance
      • Dancing at the Crossroads
      • Distilling Hope
      • We Who Battle Demons
      • Gratitude
      • The Heart of the Wedding
      • Educating Angels
    • Non Fiction >
      • Point of View and the Emotional Arc of Stories
      • Go Deep
      • The Vital Realities for 2020 and Beyond
      • The Road to Marion Town
      • Social Studies in the Storytelling Classroom
      • Educating Angels
      • Speed Trap
      • Trails of Central Arkansas
      • Trails of Little Rock
      • Betting the Earth
      • The Chicken Came First
      • Mr. Chairman: The Life and Legacy of Wilbur D. Mills
      • Simple, Not Easy
      • Cubs Fans' Leadership Secrets
      • Listen to Your Work
      • The World Bank Unveiled
      • Kingdom at Any Cost
      • Thought for the Day
      • Once You Get Through the Mountains, the Land Opens Up
  • Contact