Contents
Guide
Page List
-folktales-
MAMA GLO
by Christine Platt
illustrated by Evelt Yanait
An Imprint of Magic Wagon
abdobooks.com
About the Author
Christine A. Platt is an author and scholar of African and
African-American history. A beloved storyteller of the African
diaspora, Christine enjoys writing historical fiction and non-fiction
for people of all ages. You can learn more about her and her
work at christineaplatt.com.
For the storytellers who capture and
preserve histories--thank you! CP
To David, the light who makes me smile every day EY
abdobooks.com
Published by Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO, PO Box 398166, Minneapolis, Minnesota
55439. Copyright 2022 by Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. International copyrights reserved in
all countries. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission
from the publisher. Calico Kid is a trademark and logo of Magic Wagon.
Printed in the United States of America, North Mankato, Minnesota.
052021
092021
Written by Christine Platt
Illustrated by Evelt Yanait
Edited by Tyler Gieseke
Art Directed by Candice Keimig
Library of Congress Control Number: 2020948618
Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Platt, Christine, author. | Yanait, Evelt, illustrator.
Title: Mama Glo / by Christine Platt : illustrated by Evelt Yanait
Description: Minneapolis, Minnesota : Magic Wagon, 2022 | Series: Folktales
Summary: Twin brothers disobey the rules of their remote Lake Village and go on a search for
Mama Glo, who in Caribbean folklore is the mother of rivers and streams.
Identifiers: ISBN 9781098230265 (lib. bdg.) | ISBN 9781098230821 (ebook) | ISBN
9781098231101 (Read-to-Me ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Legends--Caribbean Area--Juvenile literature. | Nature Stories--Juvenile
Literature. | Stream animals--Juvenile literature. | Mother goddesses--Juvenile literature. |
Folktales--Juvenile literature.
Classification: DDC 398.2--dc23
Table of Contents
Chapter #1
CRICK!
CRACK!
One sunny day on the Caribbean
island of Trinidad, a storyteller stood
up in the park and called to the
children there to gather around.
Once everyone was quiet and ready
to listen, he shouted, Crick!
Crack! the children yelled back.
They knew this meant the story was
about to begin.
I know you all have heard about
Mama Glo, the storyteller began,
that she is the mother of rivers and
streams, and that she watches over
fish and other sea creatures.
The children nodded their heads
in excitement. Everyone knew about
Mama Glo! She was beautiful, with
a colorful fish tail instead of legs.
The children also knew Crick!
Crack! stories were told by memory.
They were not written down.
Well, I have a story about Mama
Glo that I bet some of you have never
heard! The storyteller dropped his
voice, sounding serious. And listen
carefully. This story explains why
children should never be disobedient.
The children listened carefully. The
storyteller began to walk slowly back
and forth.
Few people have met Mama Glo.
She prefers to live in hiding, singing
and combing her long hair with a
golden comb. But there were once
twin brothers who decided to ignore
the rules. They went looking for
Mama Glo and found her...
Crick! Crack!
Chapter #2
LAKE
VILLAGE
In a forest with tall, beautiful
trees, there once sat a tiny village.
Also hidden within the forest was a
magnificent lake. And so, this special
place was known as Lake Village.
Women said the lake was as blue
as the sky. Men believed its waters
were plentiful with fish. Children
thought the lake was surrounded by
gold instead of sand. But no one ever
went there. Because, like many things
in Lake Village, it was forbidden.
In Lake Village, people were not
allowed to eat animals. Instead, they
ate only fruits and vegetables.
And even though the village was in
the middle of the forest, cutting down
trees was forbidden. Unlike people
in other towns, who built homes of
wood, everyone in Lake Village lived
in homes made of stone.
One day, a boy named Keron asked
his father about it. Papa, why cant
we chop down a few trees and build
ourselves a beautiful wooden house?
We must never cut down a single
tree, his father warned.
Why? asked Kendon. He was
Kerons twin brother.
You know why, their father
reminded them. We do not want
Mama Glo and Papa Bwa to
punish us.
The twins knew Mama Glo was the
mother of rivers and streams. And
her husband, Papa Bwa, was father
of the forest. But they had never seen
them. Children were not allowed to
search for them in the woods.
The brothers had always been
obedient until that day.
Chapter #3
MISS
EVERYTHING
Keron and Kendon decided to find
Mama Glo and ask her to reason
with Papa Bwa. There were so many
trees in the forest! Why couldnt their
family cut down just a few to build a
new house?
First, they had to find Mama Glo.
There is only one person who can
help us, the twins agreed.
Miss Everything had lived in the
village since the beginning of time.
Many people sought her advice. And
because she was old and wise, Miss
Everything had no need for money.
Instead, she preferred apples as
payment. She was too old to climb
trees and pick them herself.
So, the twins each washed an
apple. Then, they set out to visit Miss
Everything and ask her two questions.
Keron offered his apple first. Miss
Everything, what does Mama Glo
look like?
Miss Everything ate his apple in
two bites!
Mama Glo is very beautiful, she
answered. Skin like honey kissed by
the sun. Thick, dark curls that shine.
A sparkling fish tail. And her singing
is sweeter than the birds. I hope
you are not planning to look for her.
Mama Glo does not like visitors.
Oh, we wont, Kendon lied. He
handed over his apple. We are
just curious. But if, by chance, two
brothers were to see her, what should
they do?
Miss Everything ate the second
apple in one bite!
I dont know why two brothers
would be disobedient, Miss
Everything said. But if this
happened, they should each take off
their left shoe, place it on the ground
upside down, and quickly walk away
