Cleite's father and mother are always fighting. His friend, Crúca Beag, advises Cleite to go in search of a treasure on the Island of the Seven Heads. 'If you find treasure,' he says, 'your parents are sure to organize a big party. Your mother will play the harp and your father will play the trumpet, and after that they'll go dancing on deck. They'll be friends again then.' 'Do you think so?' asks Cleite.
The pirate ship An Bolg Lán is under attack by monstrously huge plants and the Plúr family is in trouble. Cleite and his friends must stop the deadly plants. 'They're like... like plants that eat people...' said Cleite worriedly. Yes, they are,' said Péarla. 'Carnivorous plants.' Péarla knew about such things because she belonged to a cannibal tribe. 'It can't be!' exclaimed Cleite in fright. The flowers were growing bigger. 'Daddy,' asked Cleite, 'where have these plants come from?'
'To make new shoes, I'll need animal hides,' said the chief of the Little Teepee tribe to his son. 'So you must give me a bow,' said Níotú, 'and I will kill the best animals in the world and get the best animal hides in the world.' Níotú is the son of the chief of the Little Teepee tribe, and he's going to show the whole tribe that he is the greatest hunter!
'The red feather will lead you to the serpent,' he said in a whisper. The yellow feather will make you small, and you will tie the black feather to your arrow to kill the serpent.' There isn't a drop of water in the village of the Little Teepees! The medicine man helps Níotú to slip away quietly, to banish the 'cloud-eater'.
‘You should go off too far on your own,’ said the owl to him. ‘The night is no friend to children.’
‘I’m a warrior in the Liuttle Teepee tribe. I’m looking for a little bear who has got lost.’
‘He is in ,’ arsa an t-éan.
‘Go díreach! Ná cuirimis aon am amú. Seo linn,’ arsa Níotú.
As night falls, Níotú comes upon bear tracks in the snow. The little Indian brave is sure the bear is in danger and he follows him through the forest to help him.
The canoe was moving very fast! And the river was bubbling like a pot on the fire!
‘Why is the current getting stronger?’ said Níotú. BrrrrrrrrrRRR!
‘Oh, Mummy!’ said the little Indian. ‘A waterfall!’
Without his father’s permision, Níotú goes playing in a canoe in the river. Before long the canoe carries him away in the current. How will the little Indian come home safely?
The 'Níotú' collection comprises of six little illustrated novels for the 7+ age group, six stories about Níotú the little red indian and his friends. Each book is beautifully presented in a folding cover full of information and games. Each story tells about Níotú and his friends in the tribe, involving animals and wildlife. These are books that teach the child the importance of nature and our relation to the wild.
