title: Jabut&iexcl; the Tortoise: A Trickster Tale from the Amazon
author:  Gerald McDermott 
description: Another installment in Gerald McDermott's wise and whimsical trickster series, <I>Jabut&iacute; the Tortoise</I> tells the tale of the Amazon jungle's shiny-shelled mischief-maker. Although Jabut&iacute; doesn't come across as the most clever trickster around in this particular retelling (he's duped by that crabby old Vulture and ends up getting bailed out by the King of Heaven), the colorful pipe-player and his songs are clearly well loved. Well, by everybody but his victims, that is: "Jaguar could remember when Jabut&iacute; tricked him into chasing his own tail," and "Tapir could remember when Jabut&iacute; tricked him into a tug-of-war with Whale." But we do get to learn how Tortoise's shell became cracked, and why Toucan, Macaw, and Hummingbird boast such brilliant colors.
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  Death in Fancy Dress copyright © Lucy Malleson, 1933
  
  
  “Horseshoes for Luck” copyright © Lucy Malleson, 1939
  
  
  “The Cockroach and the Tortoise” copyright © Lucy Malleson, 1939
  
  
  Introduction © 2020 Martin Edwards
  
  
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  Front cover image © The British Library Board
  
  
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