ALES OF MAUI

by W. M. Hill ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 16, 1964

Maui, folk hero of the Polynesians, has many of the characteristics of Till Eulenspiegel. He is a braggart and a prankster whose jokes are simply not amusing in this version. At times, Maui uses his wits to help the people, as when he snared the sun and forced him to promise to move more slowly, thus lengthening the daylight hours. Other times, as in the chapter, ""The Origin of Dogs,"" his feats seem meaningless if not downright petty. The author never manages to convey Maui's heroic qualities so the reader believes in him. Moreover, a poor choice of words in several instances produces highly questionable passages and there is none of the lyrical writing that any reader of Call It Courage associates with the Polynesian folk tale.

Pub Date: March 16, 1964

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Dodd, Mead

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1964

Categories: NONFICTION