Awards & Festivals

Baby Rattlesnake: A Chickasaw Folklore Comic

By ctv 1 Min Read
A colorful illustrated comic depicting a story. Panel 1: A woman with long gray hair in a red dress with a black and white apron raises her finger, addressing two seated individuals who also have their fingers raised. A zig-zagging snake is at their feet. The title 'Baby Rattlesnake' is centered between them. Text below: 'Everyone, fingers up, and sway along with our baby rattlesnake!' Panel 2: The snake slithers past various trees. Text: 'Once upon a time, there was a baby rattlesnake.' Panel 3: The snake is curled up in the grass. Text: 'He is small. He is gray. He is not very scary.' Text between panels: 'However...' The following four panels illustrate the baby snake with several family members: his daddy, mommy, brother, and sister.

Panel 8: Four intimidating snakes against a blue backdrop. Text: 'Everyone in his family has a rattle.' Panel 9: The baby snake sheds two tears. Text: 'The baby snake feels very sad, so he goes to his family, hoping to get a rattle of his own.' Panel 10: He approaches a larger snake who says, in the Chickasaw language, 'Iskanno'si.' Text: 'He goes to his mom. She says, No, you are too little.' Panel 11: He meets another larger snake, who also says 'Iskanno'si.' Text: 'He goes to his dad. He says, No, you are too little.' Panel 12: Two larger snakes tell him 'Iskanno'si.' Text: 'He goes to his uncles. They say, No, you are too little.' Panel 13: Another large snake says 'Iskanno'si.' Text: 'He goes to his auntie. She says, No, you are too little.'

Panel 14: The baby snake, still teary, faces a substantial coiled snake against a red rug with a treed landscape backdrop. The larger snake says, 'Well.' The baby snake pleads, 'Please... Grandma...' Text: 'Finally, he goes to his grandmother. After a moment's thought, she says...' Panel 15: The baby snake appears joyful, surrounded by music notes, and has a rattle at the end of his tail. Text in quotes: 'Give him the rattle!' In the next three panels, the rattle sways back and forth, as the baby snake joyfully exclaims, 'I have a rattle! I have a rattle! I have a rattle!!' Panel 19: The baby snake, now with a rattle, slithers through the grass among apple trees. Text: 'The baby snake takes his rattle to the forest.'

Panels 20, 21, 22: A white rabbit runs through the grass, looking startled. Text: 'There, he spots Chofki' crossing the lush green meadow.' Panel 23: The snake bares his teeth and shakes his rattle at the rabbit as it flees. Text: 'The little snake shakes his tail and leaps from the bushes. Chokfi' jumps back in surprise and quickly scurries away.' Panel 24: The snake coils around gazing at his tail, expressing a heart in a speech bubble. Panel 25: He declares, 'Today is the best day of my life!'

Panel 26: The baby snake slithers through the trees. Text: 'The baby snake continues to explore the forest.' Panels 27, 28, 29: A gray raccoon wanders through the grass, puzzled. Text: 'There, he spots Shawi' picking a tiny wildflower.' Panel 30: The snake hisses at the raccoon, who stands astonished. Text: 'The baby snake shakes his tail and jumps from the grass. Shawi' jumps in surprise and hurries away.'

Panel 31: The snake hisses at a light brown deer with short antlers as it flees. Text: 'The baby snake uses his rattle to spook Issi' drinking by the stream.' Panel 32: The snake hisses at a large brown bear, which runs off. Text: 'He even startles passing Nita!'

Panel 33: A Chickasaw woman with long dark braids walks through the woods in a white dress and red fringed apron. Text: 'In the distance, a Chickasaw woman walks through the forest.' Panel 34: A close-up of the woman's face, showcasing her strength and beauty. Panel 35: White birds with black heads fly across a blue sky. Panel 36: A hand reaches for a red apple among the green leaves. Panel 37: The snake observes the woman from behind a bush. Text: 'If I can startle her...' Panel 38: The snake lunges at the woman's feet. Text: '...I'll be the bravest rattlesnake of all!'

Panel 39: The woman, with her braids flying, stomps on the snake as it cries out. Text: 'As the baby rattlesnake approached, the graceful woman stomped hard on his rattle.' Panel 40: The snake writhes away, leaving his rattle shattered behind him. Text: 'She broke his rattle!'

Text: 'Poor little snake, with tears flowing down, rushed back to his mom. She comforts him and says...' Panel 41: As the baby snake sobs, his mom curls around him, saying, 'I told you, my dear. Iskanno'si.' Panel 42: A large snake looks back at two baby snakes, one just hatched from an egg. Text: 'And that's why all baby rattlesnakes don’t have rattles.' Panel 43: A woman in a red dress walks through the forest with two children, white birds soaring above. Text: 'And Chickasaw children always heed their elders.'

Discover more about Chickasaw storyteller Amy Bruton Bluemel, who performed daily at the 2024 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, on the Festival Blog.

Zihan Zhang is an illustration intern at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and a graduate student at Savannah College of Art and Design. Under the artist name Mantageri, she aims to use imagery to bridge language gaps and enhance the sharing of folklore and culture.

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