When Waupee, or White Hawk, comes upon a strange circle in the middle of the prairie, a circle that looks like a dancing ring, though no tracks lead to or away from it, the great Shawnee hunter is intrigued. He waits, and he watches, eventually seeing a woven basket descend from the sky, with twelve beautiful sisters inside. Eventually capturing the youngest and most beautiful sister, Waupee makes her his bride. But a daughter of the stars will always long for the heavens, and soon she finds a way to return to her home, together with their son. Will Waupee ever see his wife and child again...?

This story can also be found in Natalia Belting's The Moon Is A Crystal Ball: Unfamilar Legends of the Stars, where it is listed as White Hawk and the Star Maidens. According to Bierhorst's brief afterword, it was originally recorded by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft between 1817-1825. As a story, I enjoyed The Ring in the Prairie, but as a folktale, I had to wonder - given the liberties often taken by early ethnographers - how accurately it reflects Shawnee traditions. Leaving aside the ever-fraught question of authenticity, this is an interesting title to examine, because it is the first picture-book illustrated by the Caldecott Medal-winning Leo and Diane Dillon. The gorgeous artwork makes it a very auspicious beginning to their distinguished career! ( )

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