A Local Tale

The Lenni - Lenape Indians are an indigenous tribe to the Delaware Valley and southern New Jersey. No one really knows when they first came to this area, but they were here for a long time before the European settlers arrived.

When the first settlers from Holland and Sweden came to New Jersey in the early 1600’s, they had poor tools to help them build their homes and survive in the new land. Many settlers died during the winter from starvation and sickness. It was then that the Lenni – Lenape Indians came to help.

A tale that began from that time was the story of Chief Ockanickon, King of the tribe in the area of Burlington and Camden counties. The Chief and his tribe took care of the settlers. They taught them how to fish in the summer, how to make corn bread cakes, how to use plants to treat sickness, and how to store food for many months without having it go bad.

For helping the settlers, Chief Ockanickon became a hero of the local area. His grave is marked today with a huge stone. A monument was built to honor the Chief and his tribe. It stands today in Haddonfield, New Jersey at the corner of Kings Highway and Chews Landing Road.

Gabriella

Pida Pigs

Once there was a girl named Morning Star. She could hear the trees talk. Morning Star was certain that she had seen Pida Pigs foot prints. Her parents didn’t believe Morning Star. The elders of the village met with her parents. They said, "Give Morning Star something to do."

Her parents asked, "But what should we give to do?"

The elders said to Morning Stars parents, "Morning Star must make cloths for everyone in the village."

Morning Star started to make the cloths. Morning Star started crying when little men walked into the room. They asked, "Why are you crying?"

Morning Star replied, "I am crying because I will never get done making these clothes for the village."

Morning Star then asked who the curious little men were.

The little men then answered," We are the Pida Pigs and we will help you Morning Star!"

Morning Star’s parents decided that it was time for Morning Star to get marred. Her parents chose the hunter for Morning Star to get marred. Morning Star told her parents that she didn’t love the hunter, and that she wanted to have a true love. Because of not wanting to marry the hunter Morning Star never smiled. When the wedding came, Morning Star looked so pretty in her wedding dress. She asked Her mother if she could go on a walk by herself one more time. Her mother agreed.

While on the walk she sat on a rock. Morning Star started crying again. Then the Pida Pigs showed up.

They asked," Why are you crying?"

Morning Star answered," Because my parents want me to marry the hunter, but I don’t want to."

" Well we know of a man that will love, and understand you," the Pida Pigs said.

he Pida Pigs took Morning Star to the man they were talking about. Mean while the village was looking for Morning Star. Then they saw a most surprising site. It was Morning Star and the man of the forest. People said that the man of the forest has chosen his bride. Then they got marred and were happy.

Kelsey

Firehawk. vs.North Wind!!!

I would like to write a story. I will tell you the story called Firehawk vs. North wind! One day back in the time of large mammals the fishermen went north for the summer and south for the winter. The fishermen hated to go south because the north had great fishing spot. The fishermen had to go because the north wind was forcing them to leave the north wind also made them very cold. This time Firehawk decided to stay.

We just can not leave just because of the wind said Firehawk! I will prove it to you by staying here said Firehawk. This made the wind very mad. Firehawk with his firer. Firehawk played his drum from his grandfather who said that to play the drum and sing from his heart and you will get the strength and courage you need. Firehawk went out and forced the north wind to fight him. Firehawk won with his courage his heart and his drum. Firehawk went and got the villagers and they fished there all year round.

Christian

How the Salamander Always Looses His Tail

Once there was a salamander named Comanche. He was a wise salamander. One day Comanche went hunting for flies and worms. Out from the treetops came an eagle. He picked up Comanche.

There were Native Americans down below. They shot the eagle down. Comanche prayed not to be eaten by the Indians. Then his tail fell off. It fell off because the eagle grabbed his tail so hard. Since Comanche was set free, he knew it was the god of hope and heal. So Comanche fell in some wet moss. And Comanche thanked him for helping him and Comanche went home. He will never know that when a predator grabs your tail it falls off.

Moral: Stay calm and careful.

Alyssa

The Daughter of the Sun

I’m going to tell you a story about an Indian boy . One day a boy named Sun Cloud went up and asked the most beautiful girl to marry him. The problem was Sunflower only cared about herself so when he asked, she said that she would only marry him if he gets her the Rainbow Rose. He gasps since that was the hardest task to do.

So he goes on his task and when he finally got there, someone there to greet him. He asked her to pick the Rainbow Rose for him. She said she wasn’t allowed to, but she had a kind heart so when she saw his sad face she picked it.

When he gave Sunflower the rose she said he then had to cut his hair. Sun Cloud was stricken! He had the sleekest hair in the village, but he did it, and then he went back and showed it to her. Sunflower just laughed and told him he was a fool and would not marry him.

Sun Cloud was heart broken and went to the place where he had found the Rainbow Rose. The same girl greeted him. When he told her what happened she listened deeply. Then he asked her to marry him and she said yes! Then he discovered that she was the daughter of the sun.

Maria

I would retell the story of Morning Star and the Pihida Pigs. It is about an Indian girl named Morning Star who believes she can hear the trees talking and the brooks singing. One day she sees little footprints in the dirt. One day she saw something near the tree. She went to her parents. Her mother said, "Your behavior is concerning us you shouldn't spend so much time in the woods." She ran out. The next day they got a call from the elders of the village.

They said" Morning Star's behavior is concerning us, has she seen any little footprints or any little people?"

Her parent's mumbled, "Yes."

They said, "We must give her a task to get her mind off them, I know you must make knew clothes for everyone in the village."

So she started to work in the forest. As she worked she found out that she couldn't do this all by herself. She looked over and saw something or someone by the tree watching her work when she looked back he was gone. She kept oh working then she saw five little men and said, "Who are you?"

"We are the Pihida Pigs" they answered.

"I saw someone in the woods a minute ago, do you know who it is?" she asked.

"Oh you must have met our friend, don't worry you'll see him again." They answered.

"Can you help me make these clothes, please?" she asked.

"Sure" they said. So they started sewing and dyeing and soon they were done. When they went back to the village and told everyone they were done all the people were amazed. Then her father said "she should get married to the hunter that would get them out of her mind.

When they told her she said, "No all he cares about is hunting the deer and killing the deer, he doesn't love me."

Her father said,"you'll get married to him because I said so." Then when it was the day of the wedding Morning Star was very beautiful in her dress.

She asked, "can I have one more walk alone?"

"Yes you can." Said her mother. When she was walking she started to cry. She saw the Pihida Pigs.They said," Why are you crying?"

"I have to marry the hunter, but he doesn't really love me." She said

"Come with us." They said.

When they stopped she saw the man that was watching her before. When it was time for the wedding everyone was looking for her then the hunter sent out his dog. Later the dog came back and was barking, when the people looked over they saw Morning Star and a man with her and said look Morning Star is with the leader of the forest. They had gotten married.

Meaghan

“The Story of Sun-Cloud”

The story I will emanate is the one about a young Native American named Sun-Cloud. This story is from the indigenous people of my land.

There once was a girl named Sunflower. She was so beautiful every man wanted to marry her. One day Sun-Cloud asked if she would marry him. She said “If you want to marry me,you must fetch me a rainbow rose from the Garden of the Sun.” So, Sun-Cloud set out.

Sun-Cloud came to the temple of the Sun. When he came to the top he was in a garden. There was a woman in the garden. She was in disguise. She asked “Why are you here?”

“I need a rainbow rose” said Sun-Cloud.

“So it be” said the woman.

When Sun-Cloud got back, Sunflower was married.

Sun-Cloud went back to the garden. The woman wanted to know what happened. Sun-Cloud didn’t tell her.
“Well here are two choices,” she said. Then before him were two women. “Which would you like” asked her.

“The third”said Sun-Cloud. Then the women turned to her real self. The daughter of the Sun.

And as for Sunflower, she lost her beauty. No one knows what happened to her.

Shane

Morning Star

Long ago there was a girl named Morning Star. She claimed she could here the trees whispering to her and rivers singing. She said she saw little foot prints in the woods. Her mother and father loved her very much a lot but they said “She needs a job.”

The elders did also. She had to make a hole set of cloths for everyone in the tribe.

Morning Star got everything she needed and went into the woods. She was a very good worker,but even the best workers could not do it by herself. Then she looked up. She saw little men, the Pihrda Pigs.

The men helped her. She was finished before sundown. When Morning Star gave them the clothes,they were amazed. Then, her parents said “She needs to get married.”

The next day she was in her wedding dress on. Her parents told her she looked the prettiest ever.

Morning star asked “Can I go through the woods alone?”

“Okay,” her Mom said. “But ,be back in an hour.

She saw the men. “Why are you crying?” they asked.

“Because I have to marry someone I don’t love. and he doesn’t love me,” she replied.

“We know someone you can marry. he loves you and you’ve seen him before. go to the river. You will see him.”
So Morning Star did. She met the guy. she didn’t see him at first, but when she heard, “Morning Star, over here,” she looked up. She saw a guy covered in leaves and he had branches in his hair.

when they walked out of the woods, her parents saw the guy too. “The Pihrda Pigs!” the cried.

Ever since, her village believed in the Pihrda Pigs.

Rebecca