Two Ways To Count To Ten: A Liberian Folktale

Kindergarten-Grade 2 A retelling of a story available in Carpenter's African Wonder Tales (Doubleday, 1963; o.p.) and other collections. Leopard, the king, decides to choose his successor with a test; any comer who can cast a spear into the air for a count of ten will marry his daughter and become the next ruler. Elephant, Ox, Chimp, Lion, and the rest try and fail (Lion comes closesthe gets to ``nine''), but little Antelope tosses the spear up and calls out ``Two! Four! Six! Eight! Ten!'' King Leopard laughs, then acknowledges that it's ``sometimes the cleverest that wins the prize.'' A familiar cavalcade of African animals cavort and smile anthropomorphically through Meddaugh's clear, orderly illustrations; the antelope is dainty and ingenuous, the king more a comfortable fat cat than a regal presence. Next to an Aardema story, the text is flavorless, (``I can do this thing'' is a repeated refrain), but readers will enjoy the brains-over-brawn theme, however contrived the set-up may be. John Peters, New York Public Library
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