Design and make a story mat, and tell the story of Bufeo Colorado

Begin by looking at this painting and reflecting on what you can see.

• Who is this strange character?
• What does it look like and what is it wearing?

Bufeo Colorado 2006

Dez Quarréll (b.1955)

Mythstories

The painting shows Bufeo Colorado, a shapeshifting pink river dolphin from the Amazonian Rainforest. Bufeo Colorado could shapeshift into a dapper man in a white suit and straw boater hat – and in this guise, he lured young women into the river!

Use the link below to listen to the story of Bufeo Colorado. Then use your creativity and imagination to make a story mat to tell your version of the story using objects from around your home and/or craft materials. (A story mat is an inspirational space where stories can unfold.)

Listen to the story and explore the activity on Mythstories website

Make a stained-glass window inspired by the story of Saint Milburga

Saint Milburga was born in 644 AD. She was the daughter of King Merewald of Magonsaete (part of Mercia). There are lots of stories about Saint Milburga and her powers.

What do you think is the story behind this painting, below?

And the Water Gushed Forth 1996

Dez Quarréll (b.1955)

Mythstories

After fighting off thieves by charging at them on her horse, Milburga's horse tripped on a stone. Milburga was thrown from the horse and cracked her skull. She raised her hand and the horse rose on its hind legs and crashed its hoof down on the offending stone, cracking it open. Water gushed from the stone and cured the saint. The site of this miracle became Saint Milburga's well.

Stained-glass windows often tell the stories of saints. Have a go at designing a stained-glass window inspired by one of the stories of Saint Milburga. You can read more stories about her on the Mythstories website.

Discover more Saint Milburga stories and explore the activity

Tell the Kolobok story (with biscuits and origami!)

Kolobok is the Russian version of the story of The Gingerbread Man (or perhaps The Gingerbread Man is our version of Kolobok!).

For this activity, you will make kolobok (Russian biscuits) and a background for them to roll down. You'll then retell the story with origami nested dolls depicting the characters. (Baking, nested dolls and story-telling – what's not to love?)

Origami Kolobok characters inspired by the Mythstories resource

Listen to the story and explore the activity on Mythstories website

Make a jigsaw and codex inspired by the Aztec story of Coyolxauhqui

This resource activity is inspired by the story of Coyolxauhqui, the daughter of the Aztec goddess Coatlicue, and also by ancient Aztec artefacts.

Coyolxauhqui planned to kill her mother, but her treachery was discovered by her brother Huitzilopochtli who cut off her head and threw her body down a mountain where it broke into 11 pieces. Her head, tossed into the sky, became the moon.

Make a circular jigsaw – to piece Coyolxauhqui's body back together again. Then create an illustrated codex – to tell the (rather gruesome) story in pictures. (A codex is a manuscript of ancient text.)

Listen to the story and explore the activity on Mythstories website

Coyolxauhqui jigsaws inspired by the Mythstories resource

Create a Queen of the Cats story-pat

Pictures have been used to tell stories for centuries.

A story-pat is a singing scroll, a tradition from Bengal in India. The Patua (scroll singer), shows the scroll to the audience one picture at a time while he sings a story. Sometimes the stories are traditional tales of gods and goddesses and sometimes they are topical news updates.

For this activity, you will make a scroll to tell the African story of the Queen of Cats. (Perhaps she looked like the talking cat in this painting!)

The Talking Cat 1998

Dez Quarréll (b.1955)

Mythstories

As you listen to the story, think about how you might use pictures to illustrate each scene. You could work together as a group illustrating one episode each, using drawing, painting or collage for your design.

Listen to the story and explore the activity on Mythstories website

Find more cat inspiration on Art UK