The Mountain People

The mountain people are a group of humans who live on the side of Inamorato's Peak. They seem a friendly, if not rural people, who possess a good sense of humor. When they are first encountered they claim they plan on eating our heroes, but it turns out to just be a joke. Before parting from our heroes, it is stated that they give Kyra a "bottle" of chocolate. This is never explained.

Racial Insinuations
The mountain people are described as having olive skin and curly hair, two features that are sometimes associated with people of Jewish descent. This perhaps could have gone by unnoticed, but then they wish the group a "Happy Hanukkah" and assume that most people celebrate this holiday.

Now, what the author could be saying by this, is that all humans in Purple Mountain, are Jewish because it is a logical and popular religion, but it's not explained why they would appear to descend from the Jewish people of our world, or how they got there.

Not to mention that these particular people live on a mountain and are referred to as mountain people, which could be associated with "hill billies" or other humans considered primitive. This could be considered offensive to Jewish people, although, again, we don't know how many other humans live in Purple Mountain, where they live, or what they are like. Also the mountain people don't seem all that primitive in their speech or thought, and in general, were very nice.[citation needed]