Sing down the moon is a collection of five wonder (or fairy) tales and one animal tale from Appalachia.
Jack and the Wonder Bean: Jack and his Ma are very poor mountain folks, forced to sell their cow to buy food. Jack trades the cow for one bean, which turns out to be a wonder bean that grows into a giant bean tree overnight. Jack climbs the tree three times (risking being eaten by the giant and his wife) to find food, music and money for himself and his Ma.
Catskins is a poor orphan working in the kitchen of a Lady and her Mama, who are preparing to go to a dance at the Rich Boy’s house. Catskins diguises herself in magical garnments three times and goes to the dance, where the Rich Boy falls in love with her and gives her his ring. Each night she runs off and finally the Rich Boy is so sad he takes sick. Catskins bakes him a cake with his ring hidden inside, and the Rich Boy solves the mystery of the girl who wears cat hides.
Jack’s First Job tells the story of Jack finding a job, but he keeps losing his pay. His Mama becomes frustrated with him and tries to teach him how to get his pay home safely. But Jack takes her too literally and keeps making mistakes. Finally Jack’s silliness works a small miracle and he never has to work again.
In The Sow and Her Three Pigs the Sow tries to give her three daughters advice, but only Nancy listens. The first two pigs build flimsy houses, and the fox knocks them down easily and eats the pigs in one gulp. Only Nancy’s house is strong an she uses a few trick of her own to outsmart the wily fox and get rid of him forever.
Jack of Hearts and King Marock tells about Jack taking off into the world to seek his fortune. He wins money in a card game against Marock, who disappears before paying Jack. Jack finds an ally in Marock’s one kind daughter, who helps him to complete a series of seemingly impossible tasks and plan a brilliant escape.
The Enchanted Tree: A girl becomes lost in the forest, but is befriended by a scary-looking crow who brings her food. Eventually she agrees to repay the crow’s kindness by retrieving a ring from a witch, thus breaking the witch’s spell on the forest and transforming the mysterious crow.
Jack and the Wonder Bean: Jack and his Ma are very poor mountain folks, forced to sell their cow to buy food. Jack trades the cow for one bean, which turns out to be a wonder bean that grows into a giant bean tree overnight. Jack climbs the tree three times (risking being eaten by the giant and his wife) to find food, music and money for himself and his Ma.
Catskins is a poor orphan working in the kitchen of a Lady and her Mama, who are preparing to go to a dance at the Rich Boy’s house. Catskins diguises herself in magical garnments three times and goes to the dance, where the Rich Boy falls in love with her and gives her his ring. Each night she runs off and finally the Rich Boy is so sad he takes sick. Catskins bakes him a cake with his ring hidden inside, and the Rich Boy solves the mystery of the girl who wears cat hides.
Jack’s First Job tells the story of Jack finding a job, but he keeps losing his pay. His Mama becomes frustrated with him and tries to teach him how to get his pay home safely. But Jack takes her too literally and keeps making mistakes. Finally Jack’s silliness works a small miracle and he never has to work again.
In The Sow and Her Three Pigs the Sow tries to give her three daughters advice, but only Nancy listens. The first two pigs build flimsy houses, and the fox knocks them down easily and eats the pigs in one gulp. Only Nancy’s house is strong an she uses a few trick of her own to outsmart the wily fox and get rid of him forever.
Jack of Hearts and King Marock tells about Jack taking off into the world to seek his fortune. He wins money in a card game against Marock, who disappears before paying Jack. Jack finds an ally in Marock’s one kind daughter, who helps him to complete a series of seemingly impossible tasks and plan a brilliant escape.
The Enchanted Tree: A girl becomes lost in the forest, but is befriended by a scary-looking crow who brings her food. Eventually she agrees to repay the crow’s kindness by retrieving a ring from a witch, thus breaking the witch’s spell on the forest and transforming the mysterious crow.