Flamingos' Stockings

In class, the Year 5 children have be learning about Argentina. At Forest School today, the children read the story of the Flamingos' Stockings written by Uruguayan writer, Horacio Quiroga. 

'Quiroga was born in Salto, Uruguay, in 1878 and died in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1937. Though born and raised in Uruguay, he spent most of his life in Argentina. His short stories are ranked among the best in Latin America.'

The story tells the tale of a rather foolish group of flamingos who are tricked by the tatu bird into wearing snakeskin stockings to the snakes' ball. When the snakes discover that the flamingos are wearing the skins of their sisters as stockings, the attack them, biting their legs until they turn red. The story claims that is why flamingos have red legs to this day and stand in the water to soothe their bitten legs.

The children thought of other tales the story reminded them of. Chelsea said it reminded her of the story of the Princess and the Golden Ball and Michael said it brought to mind the arguing black and white elephants in Tusk,Tusk. We also discussed Rudyard Kipling's Just So stories including How the Leopard got his Spots and How the Rhinoceros got his skin.

Using the plants and animals of the woodland for inspiration, the children split into groups to create their own How the.. stories.

Laiba's Story - How the Oak Tree got its Scales

(Video clip coming, watch this space)

Laiba's story tells the tale of how a crocodile gave the oak tree some of his scaly skin in exchange for the oak tree rescuing him from a trap.

Isheanesu and Chelsea's Story - The Squirrel Princess

Isheanesu and Chelsea's story tells of a princess who loved nothing more than to climb trees and nibble hazelnuts. She admired how agile the squirrels of the woodland and envied how they could spend their days scurrying up and down the tree trunks collecting delicious hazelnuts as they climbed. One day whilst in the wood, perched in her favourite tree, she happened upon a fairy godmother who granted her three wishes... (video clip coming, watch this space)