The Deer Mother story can be traced back to ancient times and is linked to folklore around the Winter Solstice.
Only fragments of the folktale remain so Danny used his story writing skills to piece together what could be found of the remains of the story with his own offering, while trying to ensure the message and the context remained.
In this story the animals are trapped in the harshest and darkest winter, the night seems to go on forever and something must be done or life in the forest is in danger. The great bear asks for an animal to head south and bring back the sun goddess but who will go?
The Reindeer volunteers and is blessed by the bear, but all is not what is seemed- who is Reindeer, will it make it in time and will the forest be saved?
After listening to this story consider the following questions and plan for future activities:
1- The winter solstice is the longest night of the year and northern countries would often celebrate this as every day from then on until the summer solstice grows longer and longer. The Winter Solstice is on December 21st and has often been celebrated by telling stories around a fire outdoors. This winter solstice build your own fire in the garden and celebrate the return of the light.
2- Before the story did you know that only the female reindeer keep their antlers in the winter? Can you think why? Put on your detective hat and find out why.
3- Some say that this story is the origin of the the story of Rudolph but is Rudolph a boy or a girl?
Wow! A reindeer bench! Very cool!
Danny, your storytelling is beautiful. I have searched for a Mother Deer book to read with my children around the holidays, but have yet to find a retelling that incorporates so many of the original parts of this story so richly! I hope you'll consider working with an illustrator who can bring your magic to life; I can see this story becoming a wintertime staple for many families.
I love this story, have you made it into a book yet?
This is so beautiful. This has become the story we tell on solstice. I'm wondering if anyone is aware of a picture book version of this story, or a written version of any kind. Let me know if you do please! Thanks!
Just wonderful. Thank you for bringing the story back to life.
Thanks Danny..love the way you have crafted this story. deffo telling this on our winter solstice next week and make an offering to mother deer and the more than human animal community. Took me back to Finland and this story that pre-dates the christian father christmas and how our established religion is really a pagan based one that built many of it's stories on those earth based cultures such as those of the Sami. Thanks soo much for bringing these more earthbound stories to the world.
I'm going to hide this guy in the forest for the children to discover after the story. He will have a bag of treats for everyone. Thank you once again for the inspiration!
That was a great telling of the story. Its a wonderful story too.
I love the way you tell stories Danny... engaging, unfaltering, unpretentious.
I‘ve been inspired to draw a Mother Deer with tree of life and sun on my storytelling drum. There were many things I liked about the story but especially that the protagonist and Sun are female.
I might just be telling a shorter version of the story this week to celebrate the reindeer bench we made at forest school this week, so thanks again. C