In the first story, an unknown narrator introduces Iagoo as the future narrator for the other stories. Iagoo's stories are often motivated by the weather. So when it is a cold and blustery winter, he tells stories about balmy summers. In Iagoo, the Storyteller, the author does a wonderful job of incorporating the body's senses into the mix. "The snow lay deep on the ground" brings in imagery for the audience, and "the North Wind came howling from its home in the Land of Ice," gives the environment sound. "Iagoo sat by the fire of blazing logs" helps the reader feel the heat of the fire.
(Image information: "The North Wind" from American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae 1921.)
The scene that is set in the story of how Shin-ge-bis Fooled the North Wind is also very encompassing. "When he breathed upon the land, violets appeared in the woods, the wild rose bloomed on the yellow prairie, and the cooing dove called musically to his mate." This description gives enough details for the reader's imagination to take off without bogging down the plot with over-description.
I liked the atmosphere in The Fairy Bride the best. So much of this story depended on the reader coming to understand Neen-i-zu's fascination with the fairies. The description of the environment was important here, but I think the imagery of the fairies was even more key. "It was just the place for leap-frog and all-hands-'round; in the twilight of summer days they were said to gather here in little bands, playing all manner of pranks." This characterization of the fairies made me want to meet them as much as Neen-i-zu did.
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