This folktale describes the magical power of flying that some African people once possessed. When the Africans were captured and brought to America as slaves, the flyers left their wings in Africa. The slaves toiled in the cotton fields getting sick and weak when one man, Toby, spoke to them, using his magic words and reminded the slaves of their ability to fly. And fly away they did. It is believed that the story was a way for the African people to explain the sudden disappearance of some slaves, or those slaves who ran away in the dark of the night. ( )

The story of how the black people could always fly, until they were captured by slave-traders and had to shed their wings, since there was not room in the boat. The misery of slavery made them forget they had ever known how to fly. Then, after much torture, one of the slaves who used to have wings, Sarah, can stand it no more, and when urged on by an old black man, Toby, she learns she can fly without the wings, by remembering the African mystery. As more slaves fell to the heat and beatings, more remembered they too could fly. When the overseer tries to kill Toby for helping them remember the magic, Toby says the words aloud for himself and the rest of the slaves who used to fly, who fly away to "Free-dom." The ones who couldn't fly had to wait for a chance to run away and until they could they told their children about the ones who could fly, and the tale passed down.

You don't have to be Black or American to enjoy this book. The stories are ideal to read to your kiddy at bedtime. ( )

Africans who could fly lose their ability after being brought to America in slavery. One elder, Toby, helps them remember and fly away after they come to the breaking point in the cotton fields. He can't, however, help those who didn't know how to fly in their homeland.

This myth is about how before the slaves were brought to America some of them could fly and when they came to America the left their wing but some could still fly. As the conditions of picking cotton got worse some flew away while others were left. This story seems like it may have originated to explain the disappearance of slaves whether it was because they escaped or because maybe they were killed. The illustrations are amazing and so vivid. I think it would be appropriate to share with older elementary to middle school students in connection with other stories about slavery. ( )