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Have you ever wondered…

why tigers are stripey?

why the sea is salty?

why some mountains have snow on them?

why spring follows winter?

or why the sun is in the sky?

Well, in ancient times, people from all around the world used the power of storytelling to explain the mysteries of nature.

The stories they told are known as pourquoi stories - "Pourquoi" comes from the French word for "why". These wonderful tales were created to provide answers to big questions about the world.

Remember pourquoi stories were invented before many scientific discoveries were made, when there were lots of unanswered questions about nature. Humans have always wanted to place meaning on top of chaos - we try to make sense of the things we don’t understand.

These stories feature animals or other elements of nature (stars, mountains, trees or seasons). And they portray them as characters with human qualities - they talk, have emotions, and get up to all sorts of adventures, as you’ll see in the tales told here! You’ll see thunder and lightning as brothers and sisters who fight; you’ll see the goddess of winter battling the goddess of spring; and you’ll even see a flying tortoise who wants to eat a feast at a party in the sky!

So let’s start with that story about the partying tortoise. It’s an African tale told here by the British Library’s very own storyteller, Sandra A Agard:

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Why the Tortoise has a Criss-crossed Shell

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Why the Tortoise has a Criss-crossed Shell

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You can view the film here

https://youtu.be/wcx8UADT6QQ

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What's the moral to the tortoise story? What lesson is it trying to teach us?

Is it something about sharing nicely and being thoughtful and kind to your friends?

Now it’s time for you to think up ideas for your stories. Putting on your creative writing glasses, what can you see when you think of your favourite animals?

Why do cats have whiskers?

Why does the dog bark?

Why is the elephant’s trunk so long?

A Punjabi folk tale explains how the tiger got his stripes. He was locked in a cage by the deer he was trying to eat. Doing his best to escape, the tiger was marked by the sharp bars of the cage, leaving his fur covered with stripes.

Will you choose an animal for your story? If so, which one?

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Some pourquoi stories represent the seasons, such as this ancient Celtic tale about the goddess of winter, the Cailleach, who wants her freezing season to last forever. It’s told by the British Library’s very own storyteller, Emily Hanna Grazebrook.

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You can view the film here

https://youtu.be/ACzxk9Dtl8o

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Can you work out the moral of this story?

Is it something to do with good USUALLY triumphing over evil? Did you notice the way the story makes winter and spring into characters!? The Cailleach, goddess of winter, shapes the mountains and valleys and covers the landscape in snow and ice. But Bridget’, the goddess of spring, forces the spring flowers to burst from the land. What season could you place into your story? Can you make it into a character?

Is the summer a wonderful, golden giant wrapping us up in his warm cloak?

Is the autumn a beautiful fire-coloured woman who cries tears in the form of crunchy leaves?

Maybe winter is a kind snow child, wrapping the land in their glittering white hoodie?

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Many tales from across the world tell of talking trees, who display anger, wisdom or generosity. This Scandinavian story explains why some trees stay green all year round (a bit like the Christmas tree). Spoiler alert, it features a bird with a broken wing who gets help from some of the trees in the forest. The tale is told by the British Library's Emily Hanna Grazebrook.

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You can watch the film here

https://youtu.be/_bzvKNTs-HA

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Emily evergreen Screenshot 2025-02-27 at 08.31.47 copy

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What's the moral of this story?

Think about the elements of nature you see around you each day - the trees in the park, or the grass, hedges and plants outside the buildings on your way to school. Use your imagination to bring these to life in your story.

Will you include:

A wise tree that's lived for hundreds of years and knows how to solve the world's problems?

A rose bush filled with flowers who in a beauty contest, battling to be the most loved?

A miserable hedge that doesn't enjoy getting its hair cut?

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Many pourquoi stories tell of the adventures of stars, planets, oceans and rivers. In this African tale, we discover what happens when the sea holds a party and invites all its friends, including the sun and moon. The tale is told by Sandra A Agard.

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Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky

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Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky

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You can watch the film here

https://youtu.be/3ZtyUWPxc28

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Can you guess the moral of this story?

Do you live next to a river or near the sea? Explore some creative ideas for why the water flows. Are those whooshing noises, the water's voice? What's it trying to say to you?

Look up at the sky. Can you see patterns in the stars. What shapes do they make? Who lives up there?

Can you see a pattern in the moon? People in different countries see all kinds of characters. The Japanese and Indians see a hare, while the Chinese see a toad and a boy chopping a tree. Which moon character could you invent?

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This beautiful pourquoi book was handmade by author and illustrator Viviane Schwarz especially for this project. It tells stories about birds bringing fire, including a Native American tale in which the Raven steals the light from heaven. When he drops some of it, the falling light creates the moon and stars.

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Global Tales of Nature: How the Birds Bring Fire

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This stunning handmade book was made for us by author and illustrator Jane Porter. It tells an ancient Chinese creation myth, in which the giant P'an Ku hatches from a cosmic egg. The top half of his shell becomes the sky, while the bottom half becomes the earth.

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Global Tales of Nature: a giant hatches from a cosmic shell.

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So now you're ready to plan your story. Here's a list of the key elements of a pourqoi tale:

The Way Things Are: The stories always begin by describing how things are in the world, often presenting an aspect of nature, an animal, or a situation that seems unusual or unexplained.

Personified creatures: The tales depict natural forms as living breathing characters who talk and get up to all kinds of adventures.

A Problem or Question: There is often a question or problem that needs to be solved. The main character (usually an animal or person) might be curious about something in the world, leading them to search for an answer.

A Solution or Cause: The main character or characters work through the problem, often through cleverness, bravery, or wisdom. The solution often involves a transformation or explanation of why things are the way they are.

A Just Ending: The story ends in a way that makes sense of the situation. It provides a satisfying conclusion that explains the problem or question in a logical or moral way.

A Moral or Lesson: Every Pourquoi story imparts a lesson. This could be about behaviour, understanding nature, or learning the value of traits like patience, kindness, or intelligence.

We can't wait to see what you come up with. Don't forget to share you stories on Twitter @BL_Learning or by email to childrens.books@bl.uk