Crucian Native Angela Golden Bryan and her daughter Erin Shae Bryan co-authored “Anna and the Goat Foot Woman.” This folktale has lived in Crucian culture for generations.
“I was terrified of the goat foot woman, although I had never seen her,” Angela said. “She was a woman to be feared by all of the children of my generation. Some of the people in the community said they knew exactly where she lived.”
Erin grew up in a different era and during one of her “boring” summer vacations in South Florida, Angela decided she would give her daughter an assignment to cure her boredom. At age 16, Erin was already an excellent writer and a winner of all kinds of writing contests. The task to ease her boredom was to write and publish her first book, Angela shared.
“She was kicking and screaming at the thought of spending her summer with a writing assignment, but she stuck to it and developed a wonderful story, ‘The Upside-Down Town.’ The story was about a pink-haired man who kidnapped children,” she said.
Fast forward to 2023 and the mother-daughter team saw the uncanny resemblance of the pink-haired man to the goat foot woman.
“We were immediately inspired to write a story together and share our Crucian culture with the children of today,” Angela said.
“It was a great experience writing as a team – something we always wanted to do. We came together and took our time to apply both stories to the Virgin Islands. We started with my original story, exchanged ideas, moved things around, and came up with our finished project,” Erin told the Source.
The story of Anna and the Goat Foot Woman opens with Anna and her parents preparing for their move from Frederiksted on St. Croix to a city on the mainland. Anna was unhappy, but her mom and dad told her that happiness would follow her wherever she went. It lives inside you, they said.
After Anna’s experience of a boring plane ride, the family drove to their new home. As they pulled into the driveway, the house looked nothing like St. Croix…everything was monochrome. She longed to see the colorful flowers, the blue skies and the sandy beaches.
Anna entered the house and started up the long staircase, hoping to explore more. She discovered a sparkling, glowing door. “Come and join the party,” a whispering voice called. Anna followed eagerly down the winding hall. Melodies played gently as laughter filled the air.
Anna opened up the door without a single care. Curiosity sparked, and so she stepped right in, Anna thought excitedly, “Let the fun begin.”
A new world awaited her, her face filled with surprise. A beautiful woman greeted her, wearing a long, flowing gown. “Welcome to Upside-Down Town, let me show you around!”
The narrative continues with Angela and Erin’s collaboration of a visually colorful story illustrated by Sabrina Fajardo with a captivating theme that will delight children ages eight to 12.
“Anna and the Goat Foot Woman” is available locally:
Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts
St. George Village Botanical Garden
Undercover Books & Gifts
It is also available online at https://fireburnheritage.org/products/.
“We have earned our Platinum Seal of Transparency, the highest level of recognition offered by Candid. It showcases our commitment to openness, accountability and effective communication in all our endeavors,” Angela shared.
Source Note: Angela Golden Bryan authored Amazon’s #1 Bestseller book, Fireburn the Screenplay, published in 2018.
She produced the Fireburn documentary, which debuted globally in 2021 at film festival screenings.
Her books, “James and the Fireburn” and “Fireburn the Screenplay,” were the children’s and adult’s books selected as the designated Great Reads for 2022 as part of the Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, DC.
Authors’ Note
Angela Golden Bryan
“As a child, the legend of the Goat Foot Woman filled me with dread, leaving me terrified and unable to sleep. But now, as an adult, I realize the importance of retelling these stories for a new generation of children. ‘Anna and the Goat Foot Woman’ offers a different perspective, one of resilience and triumph. I hope this story inspires young readers to embrace their fears and find courage in the face of the unknown, all while learning the virtue of gratitude amidst the rich tapestry of Caribbean folklore.”
Erin Shae Bryan
“Writing has always been a passion of mine, and during high school, I embarked on my first children’s book project. Inspired by themes of gratitude, my initial story featured a pink-haired man who kidnapped children until a brave heroine outsmarted him with a riddle. When my mother proposed reimagining the tale to reflect the vibrant culture of the Virgin Islands, I wholeheartedly embraced the idea. Collaborating on this project has been a joy, and the result is ‘Anna and the Goat Foot Woman,’ a story that celebrates our roots and brings new life to a chilling childhood memory.”
“Anna and the Goat Foot Woman” was made possible by a grant from the Resist Foundation.
For more information:
www.FireburnHeritage.org
angelagoldenbryan.com
Related Links:
The Fireburn Documentary – An Afternoon Chat with Crucian Producer Angela Golden Bryan
“Fireburn” Books by Crucian Author Selected for DC National Book Festival
