The Dragon Rock
This story begins with Once Upon A Time, because the best stories do, of course.
So, Once Upon A Time, and imagine if you can, a steep sided valley cluttered with giant, spiky green pine trees and thick, green grass that reaches to the top of your socks so that when you run, you have to bring your knees up high, like running through water. Wildflowers spread their sweet heady perfume along the gentle breezes and bees hum musically to themselves as they cheerily collect flower pollen.
People are very happy here and they work hard, keeping their houses spick and span and their children's faces clean.
This particular summer had been very hot and dry, making the lean farm dogs sleepy and still. Farmers whistled lazily to themselves and would stand and stare into the distance, trying to remember what it was that they were supposed to be doing. By two o'clock in the afternoon, the town would be in a haze of slumber, with grandmas nodding off over their knitting and farmers snoozing in the haystacks. It was very, very hot.
No matter how hot the day, however, the children would always play in the gentle, rolling meadows. With wide brimmed hats and skin slippery with sun block, they chittered and chattered like sparrows, as they frolicked in their favourite spot.
Now, their favourite spot is very important to this story because in this particular spot is a large, long, scaly rock that looks amazingly similar to a sleeping dragon.
The children knew it was a dragon.
The grown ups knew it was a dragon.
The dogs and cats and birds knew it was a dragon.
But nobody was scared because it never, ever moved.
The boys and girls would clamber all over it, poking sticks at it and hanging wet gumboots on its ears but it didn't mind in the least. The men folk would sometimes chop firewood on its zigzagged tail because it was just the right height and the Ladies Weaving Group often spun sheep fleece on its spikes.
Often on a cool night, when the stars were twinkling brightly in a velvet sky and the children peacefully asleep, the grown ups would settle for the evening with a mug of steaming cocoa in a soft cushioned armchair. Then the stories about How The Dragon Got There began. Nobody knew for sure, there were many different versions depending on which family told the tale, but one thing that everybody agreed on, was this:
< 2 >
In Times of Trouble
The Dragon will Wake
And Free the Village
By making a Lake
This little poem was etched into everybody's minds and sometimes appeared on tea towels and grandma's embroidery.
The days went by slowly, quietly and most importantly, without any rain. There had been no rain in the valley for as long as the children could remember. The wells were starting to bring up muddy brown water and clothes had to be washed in yesterday's dishwater. The lawns had faded to a crisp biscuit colour and the flowers drooped their beautiful heads. Even the trees seemed to hang their branches like weary arms. The valley turned browner and drier and thirstier, every hot, baking day.
The townsfolk grew worried and would murmur to each other when passing with much shaking of heads and tut tuts. They would look upwards searching for rain clouds in the blue, clear sky, but none ever came.
"The tale of the Dragon cannot be true," said old Mrs Greywhistle, the shopkeeper.
"It hasn't moved an inch, I swear," replied her customer, tapping an angry foot.
It was now too hot for the children to play out in the direct sun and they would gather under the shade of the trees, digging holes in the dust and snapping brittle twigs.
"The Dragon will help us soon," said one child.
"He must do Something," agreed another.
"I'm sure he will."
They all nodded in agreement.
A week went by with no change, the people struggling along as best they could. Some were getting cross at the Dragon and would cast angry, sideways looks at it when passing. The villagers were becoming skinny eyed and sullen.
Meanwhile, the children had a plan.
Quickly and quietly, they moved invisibly around town, picking and plucking at the fading flowers. With outstretched arms and bouquets up to their chins, they rustled over to where the giant rock lay, as still as ever.
< 3 >
The boys and girls placed bunches of flowers around the Dragon in a big circle. They scattered petals around its head and over its nose, then danced around and around it, skipping and chanting the rhyme that they all knew so well.
In Times of Trouble
The Dragon Will Wake
And Save the Village
By making a Lake.
The searing heat made them dizzy and fuzzy and finally they all fell in a sprawling heap at the bottom of the mound. They looked up at the rock.
Nothing happened.
A dry wind lazily picked up some flower heads and swirled them around. The air was thick with pollen and perfume. A stony grey nostril twitched.
"I saw something," cried the youngest boy.
They stared intently.
An ear swiveled like a periscope.
The ground began to rumble.
"Look out! Run!Run!"
The children scampered in all directions, shrieking and squealing, arms pumping with excitement.
The rumbling grew and grew.
The Dragon raised its sleepy head. It got onto its front feet and sat like a dog. It stood up and stretched, arching its long scaly back like a sleek tabby cat. It blinked and looked around with big kind, long lashed eyes.
And then its nostrils twitched and quivered again.
The older folk were alerted by the screams and shrieks. The ladies held up their long skirts to run and the men rolled their sleeves up and soon the whole town stood together in a tight huddle at the foot of the hill, staring up at the large beast with mouths held open.
"AHHHHH AAHHHHHHHHH!!"
The noise erupted from the Dragon.
"AHHHHH AAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
< 4 >
The families gripped each other tighter and shut their eyes.
"AHHHHH CHOOOOOOOOO!!"
The sneeze blasted from the Dragon like a rocket, throwing it back fifty paces, causing a whirlwind of dust and dirt.
"AHHHHH CHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
The second blast split open the dry earth, sending explosions of soil and tree roots high into the sky like missiles, and something else too ...
The people heard the sound but couldn't recognize it at first for it had been such a long time since their ears had heard such tinkling melody. As their eyes widened in wonder, their smiles turned into grins and then yahoos and hoorahs.
Water, cold, clear spring water, oozed, then trickled, then roared out of the hole, down the hillside and along the valley floor.
The torrent knocked over a farmer's haystack, but he didn't care.
The river carried away the schoolteacher's bike shed but she cared not a jot. It even demolished the Ladies Bowling Club changing rooms but they howled with laughter and slapped their thighs. When the flood sent pools of water out towards the golf course, filling up sixteen of the nineteen holes, the men just hooted and whistled and threw their caps up in the air.
What used to be a dirty, brown dust bowl, now gleamed and glistened in the sunlight, sending playful waves and ripples across the lake and inviting all to share.
"HMMMMM," sighed the Dragon sleepily, and showing his perfect movie star teeth. "Seeing as I'm awake ..."
And he lumbered forward with surprising grace and style and disappeared into the cool dark water with a small wave of a claw and flick of his tail.
They never saw him again.
After the families had restored and rebuilt the village, and set up sailing clubs for the children, and scuba diving for the grandparents, they erected a bandstand and monument in the spot where the Dragon used to lay. Every year to mark the occasion, they would bring garlands of flowers and herbs and arrange them in a big circle. The children would have the day off school, for it was known as 'Water Dragon Day' and wearing the dragon masks that they had been working on all week, would skip and clap and sing.
< 5 >
The Dragon helped Us
As We said He would Do
Hooray for The Dragon
Achoo, Achoo, ACHOOOO!
And that is the end of the story.
top
Saturday, August 27, 2011
poem
CLASSIC POEMS FOR CHILDREN
Rising in the Morning
~Hugh Rhodes
A plant without moisture sweet
Can bring forth no good flower;
If in youth ye lack virtue,
In age ye shall want honour.
First dread you God, and fly from sin,
Earthly things are mortal;
Be thou not haughty in thy looks
For pride will have a fall.
Rise you early in the morning,
For it hath properties three:
Holiness, health, and happy wealth,
As my father taught me.
At six of the clock, without delay,
Accustom thee to rise,
And give God thanks for thy good rest
When thou openest thine eyes.
Pray Him also to prosper thee
And thine affairs in deed:
All the day after, assure thyself,
The better shalt thou speed.
Rising in the Morning
~Hugh Rhodes
A plant without moisture sweet
Can bring forth no good flower;
If in youth ye lack virtue,
In age ye shall want honour.
First dread you God, and fly from sin,
Earthly things are mortal;
Be thou not haughty in thy looks
For pride will have a fall.
Rise you early in the morning,
For it hath properties three:
Holiness, health, and happy wealth,
As my father taught me.
At six of the clock, without delay,
Accustom thee to rise,
And give God thanks for thy good rest
When thou openest thine eyes.
Pray Him also to prosper thee
And thine affairs in deed:
All the day after, assure thyself,
The better shalt thou speed.
poemmm
Sample Poem
Jake The Snake
This is the story of Jake the Snake.
One day Jake made a big mistake.
He ate a fake piece of birthday cake.
It caused him to shiver,
It caused him to shake,
It caused him to get a tummy ache.
Jake went to the doctor down by the lake.
The doctor said, "Jake, don’t eat fake cake."
—Adele Tolley Wilson
Jake The Snake
This is the story of Jake the Snake.
One day Jake made a big mistake.
He ate a fake piece of birthday cake.
It caused him to shiver,
It caused him to shake,
It caused him to get a tummy ache.
Jake went to the doctor down by the lake.
The doctor said, "Jake, don’t eat fake cake."
—Adele Tolley Wilson
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
poem
What is Pink?
by Christina Rossetti
What is pink? A rose is pink
By the fountain's brink.
What is red? A poppy's red
In its barley bed.
What is blue? The sky is blue
Where the clouds float through.
What is white? A swan is white
Sailing in the light.
What is yellow? Pears are yellow,
Rich and ripe and mellow.
What is green? The grass is green,
With small flowers between.
What is violet? Clouds are violet
In the summer twilight.
What is orange? Why, an orange,
Just an orange!
The cherry Tree
Once I found a cherry stone,
I put it in the ground,
And when I came to look at it,
A tiny shoot I found.
The shoot grew up and up each day,
And soon became a tree.
I picked the rosy cherries then,
And ate them for my tea.
All Things Bright and Beautiful
by Cecil Frances Alexander
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.
The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset, and the morning,
That brightens up the sky;
The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.
He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell,
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.
Above the Bright Blue Sky
by Albert Midlane
There's a Friend for little children
Above the bright blue sky,
A Friend who never changes
Whose love will never die;
Our earthly friends may fail us,
And change with changing years,
This Friend is always worthy
Of that dear name he bears.
There's a home for little children
Above the bright blue sky,
Where Jesus reigns in glory,
A home of peace and joy;
No home on earth is like it,
Nor can with it compare;
And everyone is happy,
Nor could be happier there.
Rainbow
I’ve got a rainbow above my bed.
The first of its colors is bright bright red,
Then comes orange, then yellow and green
The loveliest colors I’ve ever ever seen.
Next comes blue, like the blue of the sea,
Indigo and violet are the others I see.
When the sun comes out through the falling rain,
My rainbow makes a colored arch
above the counterpane.
Rainbow, rainbow
Come again soon.
Shine on in my bedroom
Till the coming of the moon
Good Night and Good Morning
by Richard Monckton Milnes, Lord Houghton
A fair little girl sat under a tree,
Sewing as long as her eyes could see;
Then smoothed her work, and folded it right,
And said, "Dear work, good night! good night!"
Such a number of rooks came over her head,
Crying, "Caw! Caw!" on their way to bed;
She said, as she watched their curious flight,
"Little black things, good night! good night!"
The horses neighed, and the oxen lowed,
The sheep's "Bleat! bleat!" came over the road;
All seeming to say, with a quiet delight,
"Good little girl, good night! good night!"
She did not say to the sun, "Good night!"
Though she saw him there like a ball of light,
For she knew he had God's time to keep
All over the world, and never could sleep.
The tall pink foxglove bowed his head,
The violets curtsied and went to bed;
And good little Lucy tied up her hair,
And said on her knees her favourite prayer.
And while on her pillow she softly lay,
She knew nothing more till again it was day;
And all things said to the beautiful sun,
"Good morning! good morning! our work is begun!
Two Little Kittens
by Anonymous (circa 1880)
Two little kittens, one stormy night,
Began to quarrel, and then to fight;
One had a mouse, the other had none,
And that's the way the quarrel begun.
"I'll have that mouse," sad the biggest cat;
"You'll have that mouse? We'll see about that!"
"I will have that mouse," said the eldest son;
"You shan't have the mouse," said the little one.
I told you before 'twas a stormy night
When these two little kittens began to fight;
The old woman seized her sweeping broom,
And swept the two kittens right out of the room.
The ground was covered with frost and snow,
And the two little kittens had nowhere to go;
So they laid them down on the mat at the door,
While the old woman finished sweeping the floor.
Then they crept in, as quiet as mice,
All wet with the snow, and cold as ice,
For they found it was better, that stormy night,
To lie down and sleep than to quarrel and fight.
by Christina Rossetti
What is pink? A rose is pink
By the fountain's brink.
What is red? A poppy's red
In its barley bed.
What is blue? The sky is blue
Where the clouds float through.
What is white? A swan is white
Sailing in the light.
What is yellow? Pears are yellow,
Rich and ripe and mellow.
What is green? The grass is green,
With small flowers between.
What is violet? Clouds are violet
In the summer twilight.
What is orange? Why, an orange,
Just an orange!
The cherry Tree
Once I found a cherry stone,
I put it in the ground,
And when I came to look at it,
A tiny shoot I found.
The shoot grew up and up each day,
And soon became a tree.
I picked the rosy cherries then,
And ate them for my tea.
All Things Bright and Beautiful
by Cecil Frances Alexander
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.
The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset, and the morning,
That brightens up the sky;
The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.
He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell,
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.
Above the Bright Blue Sky
by Albert Midlane
There's a Friend for little children
Above the bright blue sky,
A Friend who never changes
Whose love will never die;
Our earthly friends may fail us,
And change with changing years,
This Friend is always worthy
Of that dear name he bears.
There's a home for little children
Above the bright blue sky,
Where Jesus reigns in glory,
A home of peace and joy;
No home on earth is like it,
Nor can with it compare;
And everyone is happy,
Nor could be happier there.
Rainbow
I’ve got a rainbow above my bed.
The first of its colors is bright bright red,
Then comes orange, then yellow and green
The loveliest colors I’ve ever ever seen.
Next comes blue, like the blue of the sea,
Indigo and violet are the others I see.
When the sun comes out through the falling rain,
My rainbow makes a colored arch
above the counterpane.
Rainbow, rainbow
Come again soon.
Shine on in my bedroom
Till the coming of the moon
Good Night and Good Morning
by Richard Monckton Milnes, Lord Houghton
A fair little girl sat under a tree,
Sewing as long as her eyes could see;
Then smoothed her work, and folded it right,
And said, "Dear work, good night! good night!"
Such a number of rooks came over her head,
Crying, "Caw! Caw!" on their way to bed;
She said, as she watched their curious flight,
"Little black things, good night! good night!"
The horses neighed, and the oxen lowed,
The sheep's "Bleat! bleat!" came over the road;
All seeming to say, with a quiet delight,
"Good little girl, good night! good night!"
She did not say to the sun, "Good night!"
Though she saw him there like a ball of light,
For she knew he had God's time to keep
All over the world, and never could sleep.
The tall pink foxglove bowed his head,
The violets curtsied and went to bed;
And good little Lucy tied up her hair,
And said on her knees her favourite prayer.
And while on her pillow she softly lay,
She knew nothing more till again it was day;
And all things said to the beautiful sun,
"Good morning! good morning! our work is begun!
Two Little Kittens
by Anonymous (circa 1880)
Two little kittens, one stormy night,
Began to quarrel, and then to fight;
One had a mouse, the other had none,
And that's the way the quarrel begun.
"I'll have that mouse," sad the biggest cat;
"You'll have that mouse? We'll see about that!"
"I will have that mouse," said the eldest son;
"You shan't have the mouse," said the little one.
I told you before 'twas a stormy night
When these two little kittens began to fight;
The old woman seized her sweeping broom,
And swept the two kittens right out of the room.
The ground was covered with frost and snow,
And the two little kittens had nowhere to go;
So they laid them down on the mat at the door,
While the old woman finished sweeping the floor.
Then they crept in, as quiet as mice,
All wet with the snow, and cold as ice,
For they found it was better, that stormy night,
To lie down and sleep than to quarrel and fight.
Princess And Evil
PRINCESS AND EVIL
castle
Once upon a time, in a faraway land lived a King and Queen with 7 daughters. The eldest was 17 and was called Vanessa, the second eldest was 16 and called India, then came the twins Kareshka and Dandy, (they called her Dandy Brush for fun) who where 15. Next came Alexandra, the cleverest of them all and 14 years old. And the youngest was Brianna who was 13. They all lived a huge castle with towers and battlements bigger than any in the world. The towers were 7 and in each one, one of the princesses slept.
But one stormy night Brianna could not get to sleep. The rain crashed on her window and shew could hear the wind roaring in the distance. So she got up and pulled on her fluffy cream dressing gown and opened her bedroom door.
The whole castle seemed to be sleeping and the spindly stairs that connected the tower with the rest of the castle were swallowed up by darkness. So she crept back through her room and opened a pink satin coated chest and took out a candle. She lit it with a match and then descended the stairs and came into a long corridor. It was cold and dark along here, so Brianna wrapped her dressing gown around her tighter and leaned closer to her candle.
As she walked further along the corridor she became aware of a faint green light in the library. She became intrigued and walked faster towards the library door that was wide open.
When she stepped into the library the door slammed shut after her and her candle snuffed out. Brianna wanted to scream but no noise came out. The only light now was that green light that was as bright as the sun now that she had entered the library.
And there in the cushy armchair by the fireplace sat a beautiful woman. She looked about 23 years old but like nobody Brianna had ever seen before. She had green hair and her skin had a greenish tinge to it. Even her eyes and clothes where green. She smiled when Brianna came in and said " I have been waiting many years to see you my child." and held out a hand for Brianna to take.
Brianna took it because she was enchanted by the green glow. She new neither where nor what it was coming from but it made her think of the most wonderful things, like the green lemonade cook sometimes made for her and of her favorite Quill. (a green one) and of freshly moan grass that she and her sisters loved to picnic on. And the woman, the woman reminded her of someone she had seen in a dream. A lovely lady who had helped her be reunited with her sisters after they had been ship-wrecked. But that was only a dream. This was reality. Or was it???
Brianna seemed to be hypnotized by the light and walked over to the woman in a kind of stupor. " My name is Selina the woman carried on in a soft musical voice. " After the moon."
She was now twirling a strand of Brianna's long red hair round her finger. " You will probably not know me," she said. " For I you have never truly met me. But I have met you. And I have always wanted you for my daughter. You have the most lovely hair and your beauty is outstanding. Leave your wicked parents and come with me.
You shall no longer be overcrowded by your sisters. You shall be the center of attention always..." The word "wicked" brought Brianna back to her senses for a moment and just had time to give the woman an alarmed look before the green light and mystical song that now seemed to be coming from the mists of it made everything cloudy and she no longer had the ability to think.
"Yes, your parents are wicked" Selina went on. "For they have denied you a Pegasus. Something you always wanted am I right??? And did they not tell you that Pegasuses don't exist??? Well... They do! Do you not believe me? I have one outside just for you. You shall have that and everything else you have always wanted. Only if you come with me."
Poor Brianna! The beautiful woman had hypnotized her! What else could she do but say yes???
So Selina told her to go and pack and she did. The next thing she new she was flying on a blue Pegasus high in the sky. pegasus
Her red hair whipping round her face and Selina riding a huge green Swan next to her.
At last they reached Selina's home. It was now dawn and the green glow had disappeared as soon as the sun rose over the mountains. The house took Brianna's breath away. It was a little green cottage with rainbow colored flowers blossoming everywhere Brianna looked.
There was also a little pink heart shaped gate and the door was bright red with miniature white hearts painted all over it. "Wow!" she breathed and Selina led her through the heart shaped gate and through the front door. But as soon as she stepped through the door a cage crashed down over her and hoisted her into the air.
She screamed as Selina began to change form. She changed into an hag of a woman. She had hazel matted hair that reached the floor and a big crooked nose with a mole on it. She was wearing black and grey clothes that were grubby and looked like they where made from a carpet.
And she also wore a blood red hat that had dead moths all over it. "HA HAHA!!!" she cried pointing at Brianna. " My name is not Selina you pathetic girl but Aradnea! I made you dream I reunited you with your pathetic family so felt more comfortable around me! But in the end I settled for a hypnotizing potion instead! HA HAHA!!!
And now I will transfer your beauty into me! HA! You where going to be married to the most handsome man in the land!
AS IF I WOULD LET THAT HAPPEN!!!
I saw him first! I have seen him ride past here ever since he was 6 and I was four! But he never looked twice at me!!! I have also watched you pass by too!!! We grew up together! Remember me??? The little girl from the poor family that you used to play with!!!
Well... I saw you with him one day! His name is William! And he was looking at you with such LOVE!!! I had to steal him from you! So what better thing to do than turn myself into you???
Goodbye Princess Brianna! I hope you enjoy being me! HAHAHA!!!"
And with that she started singing a song and waving her arms about. It went like this:
Mambe Danna
Mambe Danna
Turn me into Princess Brianna
Turn her into ugly old me
And let her lover start to love meeeeeeeee
It finished on a long chourus of eeeeeeeeeeeeeeees but before she could finish them William bounded into the room and cut her head off.
They got married 3 days later and everyone rejoiced and sang and a great new age began.
THE END...
©2008 Sophianna Mastrosavvaki
castle
Once upon a time, in a faraway land lived a King and Queen with 7 daughters. The eldest was 17 and was called Vanessa, the second eldest was 16 and called India, then came the twins Kareshka and Dandy, (they called her Dandy Brush for fun) who where 15. Next came Alexandra, the cleverest of them all and 14 years old. And the youngest was Brianna who was 13. They all lived a huge castle with towers and battlements bigger than any in the world. The towers were 7 and in each one, one of the princesses slept.
But one stormy night Brianna could not get to sleep. The rain crashed on her window and shew could hear the wind roaring in the distance. So she got up and pulled on her fluffy cream dressing gown and opened her bedroom door.
The whole castle seemed to be sleeping and the spindly stairs that connected the tower with the rest of the castle were swallowed up by darkness. So she crept back through her room and opened a pink satin coated chest and took out a candle. She lit it with a match and then descended the stairs and came into a long corridor. It was cold and dark along here, so Brianna wrapped her dressing gown around her tighter and leaned closer to her candle.
As she walked further along the corridor she became aware of a faint green light in the library. She became intrigued and walked faster towards the library door that was wide open.
When she stepped into the library the door slammed shut after her and her candle snuffed out. Brianna wanted to scream but no noise came out. The only light now was that green light that was as bright as the sun now that she had entered the library.
And there in the cushy armchair by the fireplace sat a beautiful woman. She looked about 23 years old but like nobody Brianna had ever seen before. She had green hair and her skin had a greenish tinge to it. Even her eyes and clothes where green. She smiled when Brianna came in and said " I have been waiting many years to see you my child." and held out a hand for Brianna to take.
Brianna took it because she was enchanted by the green glow. She new neither where nor what it was coming from but it made her think of the most wonderful things, like the green lemonade cook sometimes made for her and of her favorite Quill. (a green one) and of freshly moan grass that she and her sisters loved to picnic on. And the woman, the woman reminded her of someone she had seen in a dream. A lovely lady who had helped her be reunited with her sisters after they had been ship-wrecked. But that was only a dream. This was reality. Or was it???
Brianna seemed to be hypnotized by the light and walked over to the woman in a kind of stupor. " My name is Selina the woman carried on in a soft musical voice. " After the moon."
She was now twirling a strand of Brianna's long red hair round her finger. " You will probably not know me," she said. " For I you have never truly met me. But I have met you. And I have always wanted you for my daughter. You have the most lovely hair and your beauty is outstanding. Leave your wicked parents and come with me.
You shall no longer be overcrowded by your sisters. You shall be the center of attention always..." The word "wicked" brought Brianna back to her senses for a moment and just had time to give the woman an alarmed look before the green light and mystical song that now seemed to be coming from the mists of it made everything cloudy and she no longer had the ability to think.
"Yes, your parents are wicked" Selina went on. "For they have denied you a Pegasus. Something you always wanted am I right??? And did they not tell you that Pegasuses don't exist??? Well... They do! Do you not believe me? I have one outside just for you. You shall have that and everything else you have always wanted. Only if you come with me."
Poor Brianna! The beautiful woman had hypnotized her! What else could she do but say yes???
So Selina told her to go and pack and she did. The next thing she new she was flying on a blue Pegasus high in the sky. pegasus
Her red hair whipping round her face and Selina riding a huge green Swan next to her.
At last they reached Selina's home. It was now dawn and the green glow had disappeared as soon as the sun rose over the mountains. The house took Brianna's breath away. It was a little green cottage with rainbow colored flowers blossoming everywhere Brianna looked.
There was also a little pink heart shaped gate and the door was bright red with miniature white hearts painted all over it. "Wow!" she breathed and Selina led her through the heart shaped gate and through the front door. But as soon as she stepped through the door a cage crashed down over her and hoisted her into the air.
She screamed as Selina began to change form. She changed into an hag of a woman. She had hazel matted hair that reached the floor and a big crooked nose with a mole on it. She was wearing black and grey clothes that were grubby and looked like they where made from a carpet.
And she also wore a blood red hat that had dead moths all over it. "HA HAHA!!!" she cried pointing at Brianna. " My name is not Selina you pathetic girl but Aradnea! I made you dream I reunited you with your pathetic family so felt more comfortable around me! But in the end I settled for a hypnotizing potion instead! HA HAHA!!!
And now I will transfer your beauty into me! HA! You where going to be married to the most handsome man in the land!
AS IF I WOULD LET THAT HAPPEN!!!
I saw him first! I have seen him ride past here ever since he was 6 and I was four! But he never looked twice at me!!! I have also watched you pass by too!!! We grew up together! Remember me??? The little girl from the poor family that you used to play with!!!
Well... I saw you with him one day! His name is William! And he was looking at you with such LOVE!!! I had to steal him from you! So what better thing to do than turn myself into you???
Goodbye Princess Brianna! I hope you enjoy being me! HAHAHA!!!"
And with that she started singing a song and waving her arms about. It went like this:
Mambe Danna
Mambe Danna
Turn me into Princess Brianna
Turn her into ugly old me
And let her lover start to love meeeeeeeee
It finished on a long chourus of eeeeeeeeeeeeeeees but before she could finish them William bounded into the room and cut her head off.
They got married 3 days later and everyone rejoiced and sang and a great new age began.
THE END...
©2008 Sophianna Mastrosavvaki
LIttle Star
Little Star
Little star lived in space with all the other stars and planets. Most stars were shiny and bright and made patterns in the sky, but try as she might, Little Star couldn’t shine as brightly as the other stars.
One night when the other stars were dancing around the moon Little Star set off to see her friend, Twinkle. Now Twinkle was a wishing star and could make Little Stars wish come true. She wanted to be the brightest star in the universe! But Little Star couldn’t find Twinkle anywhere and she started to cry. Would she ever be as bright as the other stars ?
Suddenly she heard a friendly voice calling out ,”Little Star, Little Star grab hold of my tail and I’ll take you for a ride!” It was Corky the comet. Corky had a long silvery tail and was always rushing through space. Straight away Little Star leaped onto Corky’s tail. It was time for an adventure!
“Where are we going?” Little Star asked Corky. “We’re going to visit my old friend Mr. Sun, the biggest and brightest star of all.” Little Star was so excited she nearly fell off Corky’s tail. As Corky sped through space Little Star could feel the warm glow from Mr. Sun getting closer.” We’ll fly once around Mr. Sun and then it’s back home for tea” bellowed Corky. Little Star couldn’t wait.
As they got nearer Corky heard Little Star shout out ,”Hello Mr. Sun.”
Mr. Sun slowly turned around to see who was there. “ Well if it isn’t my old friend Corky… and who have you brought along to see me today?” he said with a warm and friendly voice. “This” said Corky, is my new friend Little Star. “ It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Sun “ said Little Star. “ I wish I was big and bright like you.”
Mr. Sun chuckled to himself. “ It will be a long time before you’re as big as me “ he said, “But you’ll be much brighter sooner than you think “ he said, winking at Corky.
Then Mr. Sun reached out his long shimmering arm and shook hands with Little Star, and as he let go a strange thing happened. Little Star felt all tingly inside, her eyes lit up and suddenly she started to glow brighter and brighter.” Looks like Mr. Sun has cheered you up a bit”, said Corky. Little Star gave Corky a big smile then turned around to wave goodbye to Mr. Sun. “ Thank you for making me bright and shiny”, shouted Little Star.” You always were”, said Mr. Sun ,”you just had to feel it inside.”
Then with a whoosh from Corky’s tail they shot off through space and before Little Star knew it they were back home just in time for tea.
The End.
Little star lived in space with all the other stars and planets. Most stars were shiny and bright and made patterns in the sky, but try as she might, Little Star couldn’t shine as brightly as the other stars.
One night when the other stars were dancing around the moon Little Star set off to see her friend, Twinkle. Now Twinkle was a wishing star and could make Little Stars wish come true. She wanted to be the brightest star in the universe! But Little Star couldn’t find Twinkle anywhere and she started to cry. Would she ever be as bright as the other stars ?
Suddenly she heard a friendly voice calling out ,”Little Star, Little Star grab hold of my tail and I’ll take you for a ride!” It was Corky the comet. Corky had a long silvery tail and was always rushing through space. Straight away Little Star leaped onto Corky’s tail. It was time for an adventure!
“Where are we going?” Little Star asked Corky. “We’re going to visit my old friend Mr. Sun, the biggest and brightest star of all.” Little Star was so excited she nearly fell off Corky’s tail. As Corky sped through space Little Star could feel the warm glow from Mr. Sun getting closer.” We’ll fly once around Mr. Sun and then it’s back home for tea” bellowed Corky. Little Star couldn’t wait.
As they got nearer Corky heard Little Star shout out ,”Hello Mr. Sun.”
Mr. Sun slowly turned around to see who was there. “ Well if it isn’t my old friend Corky… and who have you brought along to see me today?” he said with a warm and friendly voice. “This” said Corky, is my new friend Little Star. “ It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Sun “ said Little Star. “ I wish I was big and bright like you.”
Mr. Sun chuckled to himself. “ It will be a long time before you’re as big as me “ he said, “But you’ll be much brighter sooner than you think “ he said, winking at Corky.
Then Mr. Sun reached out his long shimmering arm and shook hands with Little Star, and as he let go a strange thing happened. Little Star felt all tingly inside, her eyes lit up and suddenly she started to glow brighter and brighter.” Looks like Mr. Sun has cheered you up a bit”, said Corky. Little Star gave Corky a big smile then turned around to wave goodbye to Mr. Sun. “ Thank you for making me bright and shiny”, shouted Little Star.” You always were”, said Mr. Sun ,”you just had to feel it inside.”
Then with a whoosh from Corky’s tail they shot off through space and before Little Star knew it they were back home just in time for tea.
The End.
The Elf and the rose
The Elf of the Rose
by
Hans Christian Andersen
(1839)
IN the midst of a garden grew a rose-tree, in full blossom, and in the prettiest of all the roses lived an elf. He was such a little wee thing, that no human eye could see him. Behind each leaf of the rose he had a sleeping chamber. He was as well formed and as beautiful as a little child could be, and had wings that reached from his shoulders to his feet. Oh, what sweet fragrance there was in his chambers! and how clean and beautiful were the walls! for they were the blushing leaves of the rose.
During the whole day he enjoyed himself in the warm sunshine, flew from flower to flower, and danced on the wings of the flying butterflies. Then he took it into his head to measure how many steps he would have to go through the roads and cross-roads that are on the leaf of a linden-tree. What we call the veins on a leaf, he took for roads; ay, and very long roads they were for him; for before he had half finished his task, the sun went down: he had commenced his work too late. It became very cold, the dew fell, and the wind blew; so he thought the best thing he could do would be to return home. He hurried himself as much as he could; but he found the roses all closed up, and he could not get in; not a single rose stood open. The poor little elf was very much frightened. He had never before been out at night, but had always slumbered secretly behind the warm rose-leaves. Oh, this would certainly be his death. At the other end of the garden, he knew there was an arbor, overgrown with beautiful honey-suckles. The blossoms looked like large painted horns; and he thought to himself, he would go and sleep in one of these till the morning. He flew thither; but “hush!” two people were in the arbor,—a handsome young man and a beautiful lady. They sat side by side, and wished that they might never be obliged to part. They loved each other much more than the best child can love its father and mother.
“But we must part,” said the young man; “your brother does not like our engagement, and therefore he sends me so far away on business, over mountains and seas. Farewell, my sweet bride; for so you are to me.”
And then they kissed each other, and the girl wept, and gave him a rose; but before she did so, she pressed a kiss upon it so fervently that the flower opened. Then the little elf flew in, and leaned his head on the delicate, fragrant walls. Here he could plainly hear them say, “Farewell, farewell;” and he felt that the rose had been placed on the young man’s breast. Oh, how his heart did beat! The little elf could not go to sleep, it thumped so loudly. The young man took it out as he walked through the dark wood alone, and kissed the flower so often and so violently, that the little elf was almost crushed. He could feel through the leaf how hot the lips of the young man were, and the rose had opened, as if from the heat of the noonday sun.
There came another man, who looked gloomy and wicked. He was the wicked brother of the beautiful maiden. He drew out a sharp knife, and while the other was kissing the rose, the wicked man stabbed him to death; then he cut off his head, and buried it with the body in the soft earth under the linden-tree.
“Now he is gone, and will soon be forgotten,” thought the wicked brother; “he will never come back again. He was going on a long journey over mountains and seas; it is easy for a man to lose his life in such a journey. My sister will suppose he is dead; for he cannot come back, and she will not dare to question me about him.”
Then he scattered the dry leaves over the light earth with his foot, and went home through the darkness; but he went not alone, as he thought,—the little elf accompanied him. He sat in a dry rolled-up linden-leaf, which had fallen from the tree on to the wicked man’s head, as he was digging the grave. The hat was on the head now, which made it very dark, and the little elf shuddered with fright and indignation at the wicked deed.
It was the dawn of morning before the wicked man reached home; he took off his hat, and went into his sister’s room. There lay the beautiful, blooming girl, dreaming of him whom she loved so, and who was now, she supposed, travelling far away over mountain and sea. Her wicked brother stopped over her, and laughed hideously, as fiends only can laugh. The dry leaf fell out of his hair upon the counterpane; but he did not notice it, and went to get a little sleep during the early morning hours. But the elf slipped out of the withered leaf, placed himself by the ear of the sleeping girl, and told her, as in a dream, of the horrid murder; described the place where her brother had slain her lover, and buried his body; and told her of the linden-tree, in full blossom, that stood close by.
“That you may not think this is only a dream that I have told you,” he said, “you will find on your bed a withered leaf.”
Then she awoke, and found it there. Oh, what bitter tears she shed! and she could not open her heart to any one for relief.
The window stood open the whole day, and the little elf could easily have reached the roses, or any of the flowers; but he could not find it in his heart to leave one so afflicted. In the window stood a bush bearing monthly roses. He seated himself in one of the flowers, and gazed on the poor girl. Her brother often came into the room, and would be quite cheerful, in spite of his base conduct; so she dare not say a word to him of her heart’s grief.
As soon as night came on, she slipped out of the house, and went into the wood, to the spot where the linden-tree stood; and after removing the leaves from the earth, she turned it up, and there found him who had been murdered. Oh, how she wept and prayed that she also might die! Gladly would she have taken the body home with her; but that was impossible; so she took up the poor head with the closed eyes, kissed the cold lips, and shook the mould out of the beautiful hair.
“I will keep this,” said she; and as soon as she had covered the body again with the earth and leaves, she took the head and a little sprig of jasmine that bloomed in the wood, near the spot where he was buried, and carried them home with her. As soon as she was in her room, she took the largest flower-pot she could find, and in this she placed the head of the dead man, covered it up with earth, and planted the twig of jasmine in it.
“Farewell, farewell,” whispered the little elf. He could not any longer endure to witness all this agony of grief, he therefore flew away to his own rose in the garden. But the rose was faded; only a few dry leaves still clung to the green hedge behind it.
“Alas! how soon all that is good and beautiful passes away,” sighed the elf.
After a while he found another rose, which became his home, for among its delicate fragrant leaves he could dwell in safety. Every morning he flew to the window of the poor girl, and always found her weeping by the flower pot. The bitter tears fell upon the jasmine twig, and each day, as she became paler and paler, the sprig appeared to grow greener and fresher. One shoot after another sprouted forth, and little white buds blossomed, which the poor girl fondly kissed. But her wicked brother scolded her, and asked her if she was going mad. He could not imagine why she was weeping over that flower-pot, and it annoyed him. He did not know whose closed eyes were there, nor what red lips were fading beneath the earth. And one day she sat and leaned her head against the flower-pot, and the little elf of the rose found her asleep. Then he seated himself by her ear, talked to her of that evening in the arbor, of the sweet perfume of the rose, and the loves of the elves. Sweetly she dreamed, and while she dreamt, her life passed away calmly and gently, and her spirit was with him whom she loved, in heaven. And the jasmine opened its large white bells, and spread forth its sweet fragrance; it had no other way of showing its grief for the dead. But the wicked brother considered the beautiful blooming plant as his own property, left to him by his sister, and he placed it in his sleeping room, close by his bed, for it was very lovely in appearance, and the fragrance sweet and delightful. The little elf of the rose followed it, and flew from flower to flower, telling each little spirit that dwelt in them the story of the murdered young man, whose head now formed part of the earth beneath them, and of the wicked brother and the poor sister. “We know it,” said each little spirit in the flowers, “we know it, for have we not sprung from the eyes and lips of the murdered one. We know it, we know it,” and the flowers nodded with their heads in a peculiar manner. The elf of the rose could not understand how they could rest so quietly in the matter, so he flew to the bees, who were gathering honey, and told them of the wicked brother. And the bees told it to their queen, who commanded that the next morning they should go and kill the murderer. But during the night, the first after the sister’s death, while the brother was sleeping in his bed, close to where he had placed the fragrant jasmine, every flower cup opened, and invisibly the little spirits stole out, armed with poisonous spears. They placed themselves by the ear of the sleeper, told him dreadful dreams and then flew across his lips, and pricked his tongue with their poisoned spears. “Now have we revenged the dead,” said they, and flew back into the white bells of the jasmine flowers. When the morning came, and as soon as the window was opened, the rose elf, with the queen bee, and the whole swarm of bees, rushed in to kill him. But he was already dead. People were standing round the bed, and saying that the scent of the jasmine had killed him. Then the elf of the rose understood the revenge of the flowers, and explained it to the queen bee, and she, with the whole swarm, buzzed about the flower-pot. The bees could not be driven away. Then a man took it up to remove it, and one of the bees stung him in the hand, so that he let the flower-pot fall, and it was broken to pieces. Then every one saw the whitened skull, and they knew the dead man in the bed was a murderer. And the queen bee hummed in the air, and sang of the revenge of the flowers, and of the elf of the rose and said that behind the smallest leaf dwells One, who can discover evil deeds, and punish them also.
The End
by
Hans Christian Andersen
(1839)
IN the midst of a garden grew a rose-tree, in full blossom, and in the prettiest of all the roses lived an elf. He was such a little wee thing, that no human eye could see him. Behind each leaf of the rose he had a sleeping chamber. He was as well formed and as beautiful as a little child could be, and had wings that reached from his shoulders to his feet. Oh, what sweet fragrance there was in his chambers! and how clean and beautiful were the walls! for they were the blushing leaves of the rose.
During the whole day he enjoyed himself in the warm sunshine, flew from flower to flower, and danced on the wings of the flying butterflies. Then he took it into his head to measure how many steps he would have to go through the roads and cross-roads that are on the leaf of a linden-tree. What we call the veins on a leaf, he took for roads; ay, and very long roads they were for him; for before he had half finished his task, the sun went down: he had commenced his work too late. It became very cold, the dew fell, and the wind blew; so he thought the best thing he could do would be to return home. He hurried himself as much as he could; but he found the roses all closed up, and he could not get in; not a single rose stood open. The poor little elf was very much frightened. He had never before been out at night, but had always slumbered secretly behind the warm rose-leaves. Oh, this would certainly be his death. At the other end of the garden, he knew there was an arbor, overgrown with beautiful honey-suckles. The blossoms looked like large painted horns; and he thought to himself, he would go and sleep in one of these till the morning. He flew thither; but “hush!” two people were in the arbor,—a handsome young man and a beautiful lady. They sat side by side, and wished that they might never be obliged to part. They loved each other much more than the best child can love its father and mother.
“But we must part,” said the young man; “your brother does not like our engagement, and therefore he sends me so far away on business, over mountains and seas. Farewell, my sweet bride; for so you are to me.”
And then they kissed each other, and the girl wept, and gave him a rose; but before she did so, she pressed a kiss upon it so fervently that the flower opened. Then the little elf flew in, and leaned his head on the delicate, fragrant walls. Here he could plainly hear them say, “Farewell, farewell;” and he felt that the rose had been placed on the young man’s breast. Oh, how his heart did beat! The little elf could not go to sleep, it thumped so loudly. The young man took it out as he walked through the dark wood alone, and kissed the flower so often and so violently, that the little elf was almost crushed. He could feel through the leaf how hot the lips of the young man were, and the rose had opened, as if from the heat of the noonday sun.
There came another man, who looked gloomy and wicked. He was the wicked brother of the beautiful maiden. He drew out a sharp knife, and while the other was kissing the rose, the wicked man stabbed him to death; then he cut off his head, and buried it with the body in the soft earth under the linden-tree.
“Now he is gone, and will soon be forgotten,” thought the wicked brother; “he will never come back again. He was going on a long journey over mountains and seas; it is easy for a man to lose his life in such a journey. My sister will suppose he is dead; for he cannot come back, and she will not dare to question me about him.”
Then he scattered the dry leaves over the light earth with his foot, and went home through the darkness; but he went not alone, as he thought,—the little elf accompanied him. He sat in a dry rolled-up linden-leaf, which had fallen from the tree on to the wicked man’s head, as he was digging the grave. The hat was on the head now, which made it very dark, and the little elf shuddered with fright and indignation at the wicked deed.
It was the dawn of morning before the wicked man reached home; he took off his hat, and went into his sister’s room. There lay the beautiful, blooming girl, dreaming of him whom she loved so, and who was now, she supposed, travelling far away over mountain and sea. Her wicked brother stopped over her, and laughed hideously, as fiends only can laugh. The dry leaf fell out of his hair upon the counterpane; but he did not notice it, and went to get a little sleep during the early morning hours. But the elf slipped out of the withered leaf, placed himself by the ear of the sleeping girl, and told her, as in a dream, of the horrid murder; described the place where her brother had slain her lover, and buried his body; and told her of the linden-tree, in full blossom, that stood close by.
“That you may not think this is only a dream that I have told you,” he said, “you will find on your bed a withered leaf.”
Then she awoke, and found it there. Oh, what bitter tears she shed! and she could not open her heart to any one for relief.
The window stood open the whole day, and the little elf could easily have reached the roses, or any of the flowers; but he could not find it in his heart to leave one so afflicted. In the window stood a bush bearing monthly roses. He seated himself in one of the flowers, and gazed on the poor girl. Her brother often came into the room, and would be quite cheerful, in spite of his base conduct; so she dare not say a word to him of her heart’s grief.
As soon as night came on, she slipped out of the house, and went into the wood, to the spot where the linden-tree stood; and after removing the leaves from the earth, she turned it up, and there found him who had been murdered. Oh, how she wept and prayed that she also might die! Gladly would she have taken the body home with her; but that was impossible; so she took up the poor head with the closed eyes, kissed the cold lips, and shook the mould out of the beautiful hair.
“I will keep this,” said she; and as soon as she had covered the body again with the earth and leaves, she took the head and a little sprig of jasmine that bloomed in the wood, near the spot where he was buried, and carried them home with her. As soon as she was in her room, she took the largest flower-pot she could find, and in this she placed the head of the dead man, covered it up with earth, and planted the twig of jasmine in it.
“Farewell, farewell,” whispered the little elf. He could not any longer endure to witness all this agony of grief, he therefore flew away to his own rose in the garden. But the rose was faded; only a few dry leaves still clung to the green hedge behind it.
“Alas! how soon all that is good and beautiful passes away,” sighed the elf.
After a while he found another rose, which became his home, for among its delicate fragrant leaves he could dwell in safety. Every morning he flew to the window of the poor girl, and always found her weeping by the flower pot. The bitter tears fell upon the jasmine twig, and each day, as she became paler and paler, the sprig appeared to grow greener and fresher. One shoot after another sprouted forth, and little white buds blossomed, which the poor girl fondly kissed. But her wicked brother scolded her, and asked her if she was going mad. He could not imagine why she was weeping over that flower-pot, and it annoyed him. He did not know whose closed eyes were there, nor what red lips were fading beneath the earth. And one day she sat and leaned her head against the flower-pot, and the little elf of the rose found her asleep. Then he seated himself by her ear, talked to her of that evening in the arbor, of the sweet perfume of the rose, and the loves of the elves. Sweetly she dreamed, and while she dreamt, her life passed away calmly and gently, and her spirit was with him whom she loved, in heaven. And the jasmine opened its large white bells, and spread forth its sweet fragrance; it had no other way of showing its grief for the dead. But the wicked brother considered the beautiful blooming plant as his own property, left to him by his sister, and he placed it in his sleeping room, close by his bed, for it was very lovely in appearance, and the fragrance sweet and delightful. The little elf of the rose followed it, and flew from flower to flower, telling each little spirit that dwelt in them the story of the murdered young man, whose head now formed part of the earth beneath them, and of the wicked brother and the poor sister. “We know it,” said each little spirit in the flowers, “we know it, for have we not sprung from the eyes and lips of the murdered one. We know it, we know it,” and the flowers nodded with their heads in a peculiar manner. The elf of the rose could not understand how they could rest so quietly in the matter, so he flew to the bees, who were gathering honey, and told them of the wicked brother. And the bees told it to their queen, who commanded that the next morning they should go and kill the murderer. But during the night, the first after the sister’s death, while the brother was sleeping in his bed, close to where he had placed the fragrant jasmine, every flower cup opened, and invisibly the little spirits stole out, armed with poisonous spears. They placed themselves by the ear of the sleeper, told him dreadful dreams and then flew across his lips, and pricked his tongue with their poisoned spears. “Now have we revenged the dead,” said they, and flew back into the white bells of the jasmine flowers. When the morning came, and as soon as the window was opened, the rose elf, with the queen bee, and the whole swarm of bees, rushed in to kill him. But he was already dead. People were standing round the bed, and saying that the scent of the jasmine had killed him. Then the elf of the rose understood the revenge of the flowers, and explained it to the queen bee, and she, with the whole swarm, buzzed about the flower-pot. The bees could not be driven away. Then a man took it up to remove it, and one of the bees stung him in the hand, so that he let the flower-pot fall, and it was broken to pieces. Then every one saw the whitened skull, and they knew the dead man in the bed was a murderer. And the queen bee hummed in the air, and sang of the revenge of the flowers, and of the elf of the rose and said that behind the smallest leaf dwells One, who can discover evil deeds, and punish them also.
The End
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