PEOPLE FROM THE SKY: AINU TALES FROM NORTHERN JAPAN. by Carpenter, Frances - 1972

Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1972. 107 pp, 9 7/16" H. B&w illustrations. "In the model Ainu village on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, Old Ekashi is one of the few storytellers who can remember the drama and excitement of ancient customs, legends and magic. Toko and Haruko beg their grandfather to repeat their favorite tales of Kamui, the Great-and-Important God, who sent lesser gods from the Sky Country to teach, protect and guide the Ainu people. Although Ekashi's eyes twinkle as he explains why the lark never flies very high, why the Ainu have no books and why the sparrow has only one dark spot on her beak, he doest not reveal just how much of his fabulous accounts of myth and folklore he really believes." Contents; People from the Sky; A-E-Oina, the Demon, and the Tattle-tale Dog; Animals from Heaven; "Good-by, Dear Little Bear God"; The Hungry Time; Yoshi-Tsuni, Brave Warrior from Japan; The Old Man on the Mountain; The Frog's Tattoo; The Mad Dancers of Upo-Pou-Shi; The One-Eyed Monster; Fox Magic; Pan'ambe and Pen'ambe; The Bats of Ru-Pe-Shi-Pi; The Golden Mare; Flying Sword; Two Terrible Fish; The "Little People". 3" line of glue residue on free front endpaper, browning on inside hinges. Dust jacket has been price-clipped, has light to moderate edge wear/wrinkling - mainly at top/bottom of spine and flap-folds, very light edge browning/foxing, light browning on spine, two small edge tears, very light general soiling, small soiling stain at bottom of front flap-fold.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good-. Illus. by Betty Fraser..