This North American tale speaks of the former glory or dietary significance of the American chestnut tree. Beyond this obvious message lies an intricate comedy of gender-based role reversals that verges on subverting the gender-based norms of its culture. Compared to the longer, darker version available at www.firstpeople.us (see “Hodadenon: The last one left and the chestnut tree”) “The Wonderful Kettle” reminds us that even within the oral tradition, the story teller’s skill, talent and personality can influence not only word choices but also the story’s linguistic and possibly intellectual depth.
