The Origin of Strawberries Coloring Page

Welcome to June! I love the fresh strawberries this time of year, some of which went into strawberry-rhubarb muffins this week. On that note, I hope you enjoy a Cherokee creation myth about the first woman and man--and the first strawberries. This relationship story is universal, no matter when or where you live, and a quick read when your time is short.

I first read The Origin of Strawberries when Dolly Parton's Imagination Library sent a free edition to my children, called The First Strawberries. It's retold by Joseph Bruchac. The artwork, by Anna Vojtech, is gorgeous! Listen to an indigenous woman, So'oh (Grandmother) Shannon, read it here:

Read the version officially posted by the Northern Cherokee nation here. It's very good!

I made this coloring page for you to enjoy! Print it off and get creative! Share it on social media however you like and tag me so I can see how it turned out.

Want to read another version of The Origin of Strawberries along with a collection of Cherokee stories? This version is in the public domain, posted below in full. Or go to the Project Gutenberg free catalogue for the full collection, available in just about any format under the sun.

The Project Gutenberg eBook of Myths of the Cherokee

Recounted by James Mooney

12. ORIGIN OF STRAWBERRIES

When the first man was created and a mate was given to him, they lived together very happily for a time, but then began to quarrel, until at last the woman left her husband and started off toward Nûñdâgûñ′yĭ, the Sun land, in the east. The man followed alone and grieving, but the woman kept on steadily ahead and never looked behind, until Une′ʻlănûñ′hĭ, the great Apportioner (the Sun), took pity on him and asked him if he was still angry with his wife. He said he was not, and Une′ʻlănûñ′hĭ then asked him if he would like to have her back again, to which he eagerly answered yes.

So Une′ʻlănûñ′hĭ caused a patch of the finest ripe huckleberries to spring up along the path in front of the woman, but she passed by without paying any attention to them. Farther on he put a clump of blackberries, but these also she refused to notice. Other fruits, one, two, and three, and then some trees covered with beautiful red service berries, were placed beside the path to tempt her, but she still went on until suddenly she saw in front a patch of large ripe strawberries, the first ever known. She stooped to gather a few to eat, and as she picked them she chanced to turn her face to the west, and at once the memory of her husband came back to her and she found herself unable to go on. She sat down, but the longer she waited the stronger became her desire for her husband, and at last she gathered a bunch of the finest berries and started back along the path to give them to him. He met her kindly and they went home together.

Thanks for stopping by! Email me at contact@hunterkaywallace.com or find me on Facebook to recommend other classic stories I should share with you guys.

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When Yolenda wants to ride ahead of the caravan, Mum doesn't stop her. No, Mum promotes her. Racing headlong into an adventure would be Yolenda's dream come true—if tonight weren't a Shadow Beast Night.