Once, there was a sloth and a panther. While the sloth lived among the highest tops of the trees and the panther lived on the ground, the panther often thought about how he could trick the sloth into becoming dinner for his family. He knew the only way to accomplish this was to convince the sloth to come down from the tree tops. He also knew that the sloth would come down from the tree tops to gather food for his family.
One day he was hiding in the brush of the forest, and he saw the sloth begin to make his way down from the treetops. He had set a trap for the sloth, which was a sticky tree sap trap. As the sloth stepped into the sappy trap, he realized the problem and tried to escape. But he was too slow, and when the panther got there it was too late. He began to drag the sloth back to his family.
"Ah, whatever you do, don't throw me into the river!" cried the sloth.
The panther continued to pull the sloth along across the riverbank, but the sloth kept pushing the fact that he did not want to go into the river. The panther thought about it, and he decided that if the sloth really did not want to go into the river, he would throw him in to make him suffer, then after the sloth drowned, he would be easier to carry back to his family.
As the panther threw the sloth over into the river, the second the sloth hit the water, he began to swim. Not even just swim, but he began to swim fast, and before he knew it the panther watch the sloth crawl out onto the other side of the river bank and climb back up into the tree tops. The sloth had tricked the panther yet again.
Author's Note: My inspiration for this week's story came from reading the tales of Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox in the African-American Folklore unit. This was a story that I was familiar with one tale, but I was unaware at how many tales there were, and also, how they follow the same theme that this small rabbit is constantly outsmarting the bigger fox.
Bibliography: African-America Folklore, Brer Rabbit, Joel Chandler Harris
One day he was hiding in the brush of the forest, and he saw the sloth begin to make his way down from the treetops. He had set a trap for the sloth, which was a sticky tree sap trap. As the sloth stepped into the sappy trap, he realized the problem and tried to escape. But he was too slow, and when the panther got there it was too late. He began to drag the sloth back to his family.
"Ah, whatever you do, don't throw me into the river!" cried the sloth.
The panther continued to pull the sloth along across the riverbank, but the sloth kept pushing the fact that he did not want to go into the river. The panther thought about it, and he decided that if the sloth really did not want to go into the river, he would throw him in to make him suffer, then after the sloth drowned, he would be easier to carry back to his family.
As the panther threw the sloth over into the river, the second the sloth hit the water, he began to swim. Not even just swim, but he began to swim fast, and before he knew it the panther watch the sloth crawl out onto the other side of the river bank and climb back up into the tree tops. The sloth had tricked the panther yet again.
Author's Note: My inspiration for this week's story came from reading the tales of Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox in the African-American Folklore unit. This was a story that I was familiar with one tale, but I was unaware at how many tales there were, and also, how they follow the same theme that this small rabbit is constantly outsmarting the bigger fox.
Bibliography: African-America Folklore, Brer Rabbit, Joel Chandler Harris
Image Info: Sloth in the high treetops
Hey Stephanie! I am very glad that the sloth was safe in the end of the story. I always get anxiety reading these stories about animals because I do not want them to die. I like that you made the sloth intelligent because I normally see sloths portrayed as dumb and slow. Only one of those things is actually true, in my opinion. I enjoyed reading this story!
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie!
ReplyDeleteI spent the whole time that I was reading your story super worried about that poor sloth! I like the way you turned him into a sort of trickster character who outsmarted the panther. It's an unusual animal to choose in this type of tale, but you made it work really well! And the sloth picture that you chose is great. I really enjoyed this story!