Skinner - The Humpback of Colima - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

Cinco de Mayo is fast approaching. While this holiday is barely recognized in Mexico, here in the United States it is a time to celebrate Mexican culture instead of it memorializing an unlikely military victory 50 years before actual Mexican independence.

Of course I went looking for folktales, but there are frustratingly few anthologies of Mexican folklore! That will change next year as 1930 produces three! Until then Charles M. Skinner's Myths and Legends Beyond Our Borders is the best I could find. The first half of the book focuses on Canada, with the second half on Mexico. For anyone interested in early pre-historic times, it puts the mythical land of Mu as the source of both biblical and other ancient civilizations as part of Mexico. There are indeed folktales. The very first is today's story. Anyone familiar with Asian folklore will recognize the story. . . further support of civilization traveling from Mexico? However it originated, the story is a satisfying tale of justice. Along the way listeners can join in with the chant of the days of the week in Spanish:

Lunes, Martes,Miércoles -- tres!

          Jueves, Viernes, Sabado -- seis!

You can also ask if anyone knows the seventh day which makes siete?

Not only is it a fun bit of audience participation, but it teaches those days of the week.

 

Don't you love the ending? Of course you could go back afterwards teaching the numbers from Uno to Diez.

In the meantime: Domingo -- siete! 

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This is part of a series of postings of stories under the category, “Keeping the Public in Public Domain.” The idea behind Public Domain was to preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate heirs were compensated. I feel strongly current copyright law delays this intent on works of the 20^th century. My own library of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided to share stories from them. I hope you enjoy discovering them.

At the same time, my own involvement in storytelling regularly creates projects requiring research as part of my sharing stories with an audience.  Whenever that research needs to be shown here, the publishing of Public Domain stories will not occur that week.  This is a return to my regular posting of a research project here.  (Don't worry, this isn't dry research, my research is always geared towards future storytelling to an audience.)  Response has convinced me that "Keeping the Public in Public Domain" should continue along with my other postings as often as I can manage it.

See the sidebar for other Public Domain story resources I recommend on the page “Public Domain Story Resources."