The Enchanted People: A Humanitarian Fairytale

Wawatay is a member of the Enchanted People who lived a long time ago in the land we now call North America. Each villager had a special gift – except for Wawatay. She is rejected and shunned by her family and her tribe because she is different. They believe she has been punished by Mother Earth for “some grave sin”. However, the leader of the Enchanted People, Chief Moon Bear, believes in Wawatay. “He knew Mother Earth to be tolerant and Wawatay to be pure of heart and kind in spirit.” (p. 3) He gave her shelter in a stable with the enchanted horses.

After the horses left in spring, they were replaced by sparrows nesting in the rafters of the stable. Wawatay rescues one of the tiny sparrow hatchlings. “Do not despair, Small Friend, I will take care of you.” (p. 9) As the sparrow grows, it wants to learn to fly. Because Wawatay doesn’t know how to help, she leaves the Enchanted People and takes the sparrow on a quest to discover the secret of flight.

Wawatay travels the world asking animals to help the little bird learn to fly. She talks to the horse, the bat, the flying squirrel, and many other animals. They are all helpful, but they cannot teach the bird to fly. It is not until she reaches the giraffe in Africa that she discovers the secret to flight is in the bird’s own power. Wawatay’s own powers now become the focus of the narrative. All the animals she has consulted return to ask her for help in dealing with the destruction of Mother Earth by the careless ways of the Enchanted People. The outcast now finds her power – the power to help others.

Jennifer Pool’s narrative is divided into brief chapters. The sentences in The Enchanted People are short, and the vocabulary is accessible. The rustic illustrations by David Dodson add colorful information to the storyline. In the quest for knowledge, Wawatay learns about animals and different regions of the world. Each animal teaches her something new, and she learns that everyone can contribute to this world. “We need everyone’s gifts in order to take good care of one another and our Earth.” (p. 87)