THE RETURN OF THE BUFFALOES: A PLAINS INDIAN STORY ABOUT FAMINE AND RENEWAL OF THE EARTH

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Goble, Paul. 1996. THE RETURN OF THE BUFFALOES: A PLAINS INDIAN STORY ABOUT FAMINE AND RENEWAL OF THE EARTH. Washington, DC: National Geographic Society. ISBN 0792265548

2. PLOT SUMMARY
It is the beginning of spring and the people are waiting for the buffalo to return since their parfleches (rawhide pouches used to store dried meat) are empty and they are starving. After “everyone was weak and without enough hope to take down the tipis and walk farther” two strong young men were chosen by the village leaders. Only when they found some buffalo were they to come back to their village.

As they “looked to the four corners of the world” they saw no buffalo so they prepared themselves to die. They begin to smell the buffalo and see hoof prints at the entrance of a cave. Then a voice tells them that their people will be fed. They see a woman “mysterious and wonderful to look at” standing before a tipi whose door was the cave. The young men are brought inside and, after telling of the starvation of their people, the woman tells them that she will feed the people by sending her Buffalo People.

They run to tell the village and it is decided by the wise men that all will go see her, taking her gifts. . “Those who were strong carried the children and helped those who were weak”. When they arrive at the entrance, they spread out buffalo skins and present their gifts. The woman did not appear, so they eventually left, going to bed hungry again.

During the night they hear sounds that make them prepare for a severe rainstorm, but soon they realize that it is the buffalo returning. In the morning, the people come out, praising the woman who sent the buffalo, and begin to hunt. After “there was laughter again” and the food was given thanks for, the people ate and then prepared to fill their parfleches again. “That is the story the old people used to tell about those long- ago days”.

4. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This tale is based on a Lakota legend and is stays true to the culture of the Lakota. The language is very simple “Even the children gave their dolls and toys, and those who had none gave pretty stones or flowers" while the illustrations show Indians with features true to their heritage such as long hair on males and strong, somewhat flat, noses. Mr. Goble’s notes at the beginning of the book give his reasons for choosing to retell this tale (“I have taken this Lakota myth as the basis for this book because I have lived for many years in the Black Hills, and have heard Lakota people refer to it”).

A present day note at the end of the story tells about the Wind Cave in the Black Hills having an “extraordinary” wind inside it that is said to be the “breath of the buffaloes, still somewhere down there, waiting for the mysterious and wonderful woman to let them out”. The author asks the readers to think of the story using a well-known hill or mountain, spring or cave that they “sense is right”, and since “renewal of the Earth starts in our hearts, it can take place anywhere”.

The illustrations are done in ink and watercolor with strong lines and bold colors. The attention to detail is amazing with a spider spinning a web on a page showing the Buffalo Dreamers performing their ceremony while butterflies float on the page in which the villagers await the arrival of the two young men.

Parfleches of different designs come before and/or after the text on each page. The parfleches are explained at the beginning of the book, and there is even a sample to be copied and designed by the reader. The author carries out the parfleche theme throughout the book, even choosing to illustrate his end notes about buffalo use with a woman creating a design for a parfleche on stretched-out rawhide.

5. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist: “Goble retells another tale about the mysterious woman whose people are the buffalo. Goble’s artwork shows his delight in color, pattern, silhouette, and Native American motifs. Besides the large paintings on the double-page spreads, he includes small geometric designs copied from traditional parfleches (rawhide pouches) of the Lakota, the Arapaho, and the Cheyenne. Two introductory pages concern parfleches (which appear in the story), including a page to photocopy, paint, cut, and fold into a model parfleche, a project that children and teachers may find worthwhile.”

Kirkus Reviews: “Goble retells and illustrates an extraordinary story central to the spiritual and cultural life of the Lakota people. The story recalls a time of famine when the people suffered from the absence of wandering buffalo herds. Goble is customarily generous with supporting information on the Plains Indians: Children can discover the Lakota design elements he incorporates into the art, learn how to make parfleche (an intricately decorated rawhide container for dried meat) and appreciate the use these native people made of every part of the buffalo. Attractive, absorbing fare.”

6. CONNECTIONS
The author’s notes at the beginning of the book discuss the designs of the rawhide pouches (parfleches) and even have a paper pouch to make and design. The end of book notes discuss how all parts of the buffalo were used, even the dung of the animal. After reading other Indian tales, a trunk containing Indian artifacts can be brought from a museum, and the culture and artifacts of the Indians from the area can be shared with the students, especially about those tribes who followed the buffalo.

For more information on Paul Goble use the following link:
http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/birthbios/brthpage/09sep/9-27goble.html .
Students could also read Mr. Goble’s autobiography.
Goble, Paul. HAU KOLA HELLO FRIEND. ISBN 1878450441

Other Indian Tales:
dePaola, Tomie. THE LEGEND OF THE BLUEBONNET. ISBN 0698113594
Goble, Paul. BUFFALO WOMAN. ISBN 9780689711091
Goble, Paul. THE GIRL WHO LOVED WILD HORSES. ISBN 9780689716966
Goble, Paul. THE LEGEND OF THE WHITE BUFFALO WOMAN. ISBN 9780792265528

The following book is a fictional chapter book about a plastic toy Indian that becomes real. It uses some of the historical facts about Indians and would be a recommendation for those children ready for chapter books.
Banks, Lynn Reid. THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD. ISBN 9780385170512