Aboriginal folklore providing a link to the past

Apart from being entertaining, the books are also educational. Like Rimuy, many of those involved with creating the series are educators -- including its editor, Sun, who is vice professor of ethnic development at Tunghua University (東華大學) -- and their efforts have resulted in classroom-worthy texts that include question-and-answer sections, pages of Web site addresses and summaries and even a pull-out map of each tribe's native lands.

If the books have a noticeable shortcoming for some foreign readers it's that only the stories themselves are translated into English, not the many pages of information on culture, customs and language.

Nonetheless, the stories go a long way towards individualizing tribes of people that are often looked at as a whole, and even offer lessons about our own contemporary customs.

"There's a lot that Aborigines know about sustainability that society today can learn from," said Robin Winkler, who translated the series.

So why can't Atayal call out for their food and water today? Long ago, one Atayal woman thought that if she took meat directly from the boar's hide she would have enough for the whole week and wouldn't have to cook.

After maiming the boar, it ran off into the forest and all the animals and plants vowed to never again heed the Atayal's magical summons. From then on, they would have to work for their food.

Greed, it would seem, isn't a sustainable practice.