Thursday, May 19, 2011

Trolling for Tales - Fish Stories from Around the World


Fishing in Spring, the Pot de Clichy by
Vincent Van Gogh, 1887

"Give me a fish and I eat for a day. Teach me to fish and I eat for a lifetime."
                        ~ Chinese Proverb


Although the May weather in Massachusetts has been fickle, with the sun playing hide and seek on most days, I have faith that warmer weather is headed our way.

Soon it will be time to pack a picnic lunch, smooth on the sunscreen and break out the fishing poles. With that in mind, here are some fish tales to ensure your storytelling and classroom programs go swimmingly!


FISHING SUPERSTITIONS


From the island of Fiji

o If a man is hand cutting bait no other man may step over it the owner will be angry because the lure's (bait) are considered then to be infected.
o If a man steps over another's fishing line a poor catch will follow.

From the coastal village of Golspie in Scotland
 

o If a fisherman, when going to sea, seas a hare cross his path, he takes that as a sigo of misfortune.
o If you count boats when you are going out to fish, one of the is sure to be lost.
o It was lucky to set sail on a voyage on Sunday but also to sail the way of the sun.

From Kentucky, USA

o Fish bite best when dogwood is in bloom.
o When it thunders the time is favorable to fish for catfish.


FISH STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
A Fish Story - Australia
http://mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/171.htm
A Small Fish StoryIreland
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=587
The Fish and the RingGermany
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/eft/eft36.htm
The Girl-FishSpain
http://www.classicreader.com/book/1044/22/
How People Learned to FishNative American
http://tinyurl.com/62swhvz

The Fish God of HawaiiUnited States
http://www.sacred-texts.com/pac/hft/hft24.htm
The Golden Fish - India
http://www.pitara.com/talespin/folktales/online.asp?story=20
The Heron, the Fish and the CrayfishUkraine
http://tinyurl.com/6js3u88
The Old Man and the FishChina
http://tinyurl.com/62buyb9

The Talking Fish – Armenia
http://tinyurl.com/6dxtmo8
That Pesky FellowNewfoundland
http://tinyurl.com/6gsw4jt
Why the Fish Has ScalesPhilippines
http://folktales.webmanila.com/folktales/water/?fish-scales
Why the Fish LaughedIndia
http://worldoftales.com/Asian_folktales/Indian_folktale_24.html

CRAFTS

Bathtub Fish - Recycle that empty milk jug!
http://tinyurl.com/6ys5fql
Enchanted LearningFish Crafts
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/fish/
DLTK Additional crafts, coloring pages, matching games and more.
http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/fish.html
Toy Fish Tank - http://tinyurl.com/5wdn8ot

CURRICULUM

Ontario Ministry of Natural ResourcesThis curriculum was designed to complement a 2011 art contest. Although the contest has now passed, the curriculum information is still very useful.http://tinyurl.com/6dueswb

The Pacific Salmon and Steelhead Coloring Book – Children will have fun coloring while learning all about lives of these fish.
http://www.fws.gov/pacific/publications/salmnbk.pdf

What’s the Catch? Fish Contamination Educator Curriculum Guide – This is a pdf file "aligned with the CA Science and Social Science standards, National Science Standards, Ocean Literacy Principles and Education in the Environment Initiative Concepts for 4th-8th grades.”
http://tinyurl.com/633mgxk


SONGS

Little Fish

http://tinyurl.com/6hqedqw
I’m A Little Fish
http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/songs/fish.htm
Ocean Songs
http://tinyurl.com/62cnxtu
Slippery Fish http://bussongs.com/songs/slippery_fish.php

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES


Storybug.net – The two links will lead you to previous blog posts with additional resources.Hot Fun in the City - http://tinyurl.com/6aq7apz
Mermaids – Sirens of the SeaI know, mermaids are technically not fish but they do live in the sea! http://tinyurl.com/69gzfrb  






Karen Chace  2011 ©
This blog post was painstakingly researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my newsletter via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.