Fur Magic Read online

  “What—what happened?” Cory’s voice sounded small, frightened, and he was then ashamed of that sound.

  “World turned over,” Black Elk answered.

  “The Changer—”

  “He was.” Black Elk looked directly at Cory for a second. Was there, or was there not (for a moment Cory felt the old chill of fear) a yellow glint in those eyes? If it served as a reminder of the Changer himself, it was gone in an instant.

  “He was, he will be,” Black Elk spoke. “Medicine things, they are not for the white man.”

  “No.” Cory was eager to agree. He wiped his hands vigorously against his jeans, trying to smear off the last of the clinging dust that had been the bag.

  “World turn over again,” Black Elk continued. “Time coming—”

  “It was a dream.” Cory backed away from the fire and the old Indian. “Just a dream.”

  “Dreams spirit things, sometimes true,” Black Elk said. “Indian learns from dreams—white man laughs, but Indian knows. You not laugh now, I think.”

  “No,” Cory agreed. He certainly did not feel like laughing. He glanced at that safe anchor to the real world, the jeep. But now, somehow he had no need for such an anchor. The horse whinnied and Black Elk spoke again.

  “Horse wants drink. You take—down to river—now!”

  Cory moved without hesitation to obey the order. He laid his hand without shrinking on the curve of the Appaloosa’s neck and the horse blew at him, snorted. But Cory felt light and free inside, and knew that he had lost the tight burden of his fear. No—he did not need the jeep as an island of safety in a world that had been so strange and dark and threatening, but was now more like an open door to the learning of many things.

  He led out the Appaloosa. When he passed Black Elk, the old Indian’s eyes were closed as if he slept.

  The river was where he had seen the buffalo and the masked dancer. Were those, too, part of the dream, of the world that had not yet turned over? He did not know, but with every step he took, Cory began to understand that what he had learned as Yellow Shell was now a never-to-be-forgotten part of Cory Alder.

  Had the Changer (he could see him—the Raven, the Eagle, the misty shape which was the Thunderbird—now in his mind for an instant), had the Changer indeed really reshaped him? Not into a beaver, but into someone stronger than he had been before he had worn fur and stood in a stone forest daring to summon a power greater than himself?

  The horse had raised his dripping muzzle from the water. Almost without thinking, Cory guided him to a fallen tree trunk, using that for a mounting block to scramble somewhat awkwardly but with determination into the saddle. He gathered up the braided leather thong of the Indian halter, and with growing confidence turned his mount’s head by a steady pull.

  He rode up the slope, his pride growing. And now he suddenly heard thundering hoofs, saw the running of some free colts, and behind, the dusty figures of three riders.

  Fur Magic—he could not tell why it had been his. But he sat quietly in Black Elk’s saddle to face Uncle Jasper, the western sun warm on him, feeling very much a part of a new world.

  TOR BOOKS

  Reader’s Guide

  Fur Magic

  BY ANDRE NORTON

  ABOUT THIS GUIDE

  The information, activities and discussion questions which follow are intended to enhance your reading of Fur Magic. Please feel free to adapt these materials to suit your needs and interests.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Alice Mary Norton was born in Cleveland, Ohio on February, 17, 1912. Perhaps because her mother began reading to her when she was very young, she grew up loving books and began writing in high school. She published her first book, The Prince Commands, at the age of twenty. Norton wrote under a pseudonym which she felt helped her gain footing in male-dominated publishing markets, legally changing her name to Andre Alice Norton in 1934. She worked as a librarian in the Cleveland Public Library system, briefly owned a bookstore, and served as a reader and anthologist for publisher Martin Greenburg before devoting herself exclusively to writing. Norton’s work spans decades and literary genres—her list of books, stories and poems numbering into the hundreds—though she is best known for her fantasy and young adult novels, including the Witch World series. Her Magic books, including Fur Magic, were largely written during the Vietnam era and feature young outsiders struggling to fit in and make sense of their worlds through fantastical journeys to times past. Norton received numerous accolades, including the Nebula Grand Master Award (1984), the Daedalus Award for Lifetime Achievement (1986), and the World Fantasy Convention Life Achievement Award (1998). During the year 1997, “The Lady” as she was known to her myriad fans was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame and moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where she lived until her death on March 17, 2005. Her last novel, Three Hands for Scorpio, was published by Tor Books in April, 2005.

  RESEARCH AND ACTIVITIES

  I. Wild Country

  A. Corey sees Idaho as a frightening wilderness. Learn about the terrain, plant and animal life, and climate of Idaho. On a large sheet of paper, draw or paint an Idaho landscape based on your research, Note the season reflected in your drawing, and include some of the plants and animals mentioned in the novel.

  B. Imagine you have arrived at Uncle Jasper’s ranch and are looking out across the wilderness. Do you feel happy or sad, excited or frightened? What would you like to do? Write a letter to a friend or family member describing your arrival in Idaho.

  C. Learn more about horses. Who brought horses to the Americas? What is a five-finger Appaloosa? In the character and costume of a 1960s Idaho rancher, a Native American, or a modern-day horse breeder, give a short oral presentation about the Appaloosa or another horse breed, its history and, if appropriate, its modern-day uses.

  D. Plan an Idaho vacation inspired by Fur Magic. Travel along the Nez Perce National Historic Trail, camp in the Salmon-Challis National Forest, explore the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, or visit a Native American reservation or museum. Write to an appropriate Chamber of Commerce, tourism bureau or other agency for more information. Create a trip itinerary including means of travel, lodging and dining spots, and key places to visit. Decorate a folder to hold your itinerary, maps, and other materials.

  II. Native America

  A. Go to the library or online to learn more about the Nez Perce tribe. Write a short report about the history, culture and customs of the Nez Perce based on your research.

  B. Find out more about a notable Native American individual or group, such as Sacajawea, Squanto, or the Navajo code whisperers of World War II. Create a short oral presentation describing the life and contribution of this person or group. Design a monument commemorating this contribution to display in your home or classroom.

  C. Learn more about Native American myths and legends. Prepare a dramatized version of one or two selected tales to perform in costume. Or create a mural or cartoon-style illustrated strip depicting key elements of the story. Discuss whether the legends you have researched remind you of stories from your own culture.

  D. Based on your reading of Fur Magic, sculpt, draw or paint an image of the Changer. Then, go to the library to find books that include other Native American tales featuring this character. Compare your drawing to these book illustrations. Make a list of tribes that include a Trickster or Changer character in their mythology and the form or forms it takes for each tribe.

  E. For Native American’s, dreams can have powerful significance. Learn more about dreams in Native American culture. Then, create a survey to learn what your friends, classmates, or family members think of dreams. Are their thoughts similar to the Native American understanding of dreams? Compile your findings in a short report.

  F. Go to the library or online to find instructions for making a Native American “dream catcher” and learn its purpose. Using sticks, colored string, feathers and/or other craft materials, make a dream catcher for you
r bedroom.

  III. Changing and Belonging

  A. Cory feels like an outsider in Idaho. In the character of Cory, write a journal entry describing your feelings. Or, in the character of Uncle Jasper, write a letter to Cory’s father explaining your concerns about Cory and his adjustment to ranching life.

  B. Write a short story about a time when you felt like an outsider, how and if you were able to fit in, and the people or experiences which helped you adjust.

  C. In the novel, the author describes how the human Cory interprets or understands his beaver shape—he seems to be both inside and outside this form at the same time. Imagine that you have been magically transformed into an animal of your choice. Write an essay describing how you feel in your new body, the things you can and cannot do, and the way your human perceptions of the world have changed by experiencing in this new shape.

  D. Role-play a scene in which Cory thanks Uncle Jasper or Black Elk for the lessons he has learned in Idaho. And/or act out a reunion between Cory and his father at the end of the summer. What new self-knowledge might Cory want to share? What changes might father, Uncle Jasper or Black Elk observe in Cory? With friends or classmates, take turns playing the different roles.

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. What frightens Cory Alder in the beginning of Fur Magic? List the ways in which he feels like an outsider on Uncle Jasper’s ranch. How might the events which brought Cory to Idaho be related to his difficult feelings?

  2. What is Uncle Jasper’s true relationship to Cory? How does Cory feel about Uncle Jasper? How does he think Uncle Jasper feels about him?

  3. In the “Strong Medicine” chapter, what does Cory break and what does he do with these objects? What images does Cory see afterward? Is this a dream?

  4. What does Black Elk insist that Cory do with the medicine bag? Could there be more than one reason for Black Elk’s insistence? Explain your answer.

  5. Into what animal is Cory transformed? Is he an ordinary version of this animal?

  6. When Cory-Yellow Shell is captured by the minks, what does he recall Uncle Jasper saying about medicine dreams? How are they different from other dreams?

  7. How are Cory’s and Yellow Shell’s thoughts intertwined? Why do you think this occurs? As their journey continues, how does this intertwining change? Cite examples from the novel.

  8. Otter explains that, “There would come a day—all the medicine makers said it . . . that the world would turn over, when nothing would be as it now was. And all that was safe and sure would be swept away, and all that was straight would become crooked, all that was light would be dark.” How does Yellow Shell understand these words? How might the otter’s words be understood in terms of Cory’s experience in Idaho and in his medicine dream world?

  9. What roles do minks, otters, crows, and other animals from the dream portion of Fur Magic play? What role does the Changer play? Are the animals and the Changer good or bad characters? Explain.

  10. What do the otters, eagles and Raven tell Yellow Shell to send him on his journey? Does Yellow Shell “already know” his mission before the animals tell him of it? Why might he know this?

  11. What is Cory-Yellow Shell’s reaction to the Changer? What bargain does Cory strike with the Changer? Does the result of the bargain frighten him? Why or why not?

  12. Who are the People? What plan does the Changer describe to Cory and what will happen to the People as a result? Can his words be understood in any real-world terms, such as a description of the plight of the Native Americans or of the changing landscape of America in general?

  13. What strength does Corey find to steal the medicine bag? What happens to Cory’s form when he takes the bag?

  14. What happens to the medicine bag as the story draws to a close? How does Cory find himself back at camp? What does Black Elk say has happened to the world? Has the world changed for Cory?

  15. As Black Elk observes, dreaming has great significance for Native Americans. Do you believe dreams have meaning in modern life? Have you ever had a dream which seemed particularly significant to you? Describe this dream.

  16. What has Corey’s fantastic journey back to ancient Native American times taught him about fear and belonging? How has it changed his sense of himself in the present day and affected the way he can now approach his life with Uncle Jasper?