Dancing Bear's Fireside Tales

Tale #1: How Dancing Bear Learned to Dance

2006-01-31T23:20:00.000-06:00

Once upon a time, a big lady bear lived in her cave in the forest. At first she enjoyed eating alone and sleeping alone and playing alone. Later, she became lonely. She went into town to see what she could find. At first, people were afraid of her. But when they saw how nice she was, they started feeding her coffee bread and other treats.

One day, a friend said to her, "There is line dancing at the Legion every Friday afternoon. Why don't you come along? It only costs a dollar for a lesson."

The lady bear happened to have a dollar tucked behind her ear, so she went to dance class. She enjoyed it so much that she started going every week and became a good dancer. That is how she came to be known as Dancing Bear.

One of Dancing Bear's friends was a teacher. She said, "Please visit my class and tell some stories." And that is what Dancing Bear did. Her stories were so good that she got a job with a magazine called Spellbound. The magazine isn't being published any more, but Dancing Bear is still telling stories.

Tale #2 Getting Ready to Hibernate

2006-01-30T23:05:00.000-06:00

One evening, Dancing Bear was at the Legion for a dinner. The ladies served ham and perogies and chicken and fried rice and potatoes and carrots and mashed Finnish-style turnips and all kinds of salads and desserts. Dancing Bear went back for seconds. Then she went back for thirds, and took two desserts as well.

"Wow!" said one of the boys, named Ben. "You sure are eating a lot!"

"I have to," Dancing Bear said. "I'm getting ready to hibernate."

"Hibernate?" Ben asked. "What's that?"

"I sleep all winter," Dancing Bear explained. "I don't eat when I sleep. When spring comes, I'll be thin."

One of the ladies said, "That sounds great! I'd love to lose weight in my sleep!"

"Do you have a bed in your cave?" Ben's big sister Carol asked.

"No, I don't," Dancing Bear said. "I gather a lot of spruce branches and sleep on them."

"That's a good idea," Ben said. "Maybe I'll try that some time."

"Do you have a sleeping bag?" Carol asked.

"I don't need one," Dancing Bear said. "I have a fur coat."

Carol ran to her mother and talked to her. Then she went to the coat hangers and got her scarf. "Here, Dancing Bear," Carol said. "You can have my scarf to keep your ears warm while you are sleeping."

Dancing Bear looked at the scarf. It was bright red with white stripes. "It's very pretty," she said. "I can't take it. You will need it for yourself when the weather is cold."

"Mom says it's okay," Carol said. "She is going to teach me how to knit. Then I can make myself a new scarf."

"Thank you very much," Dancing Bear said. She put the scarf around her neck right away, even though it was very warm in the Legion hall.

"Wear it all the time," Ben advised. "Then everyone will know that we are your friends."

Tale #3: Felis domestica

2006-01-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

One day, Dancing Bear was walking down Alexandra Street. She saw a black and white animal. "Hello," she asked politely. "Are you a skunk?"

"No," the animal said. "I am a felis domestica. That's Latin for house cat."

"That's interesting," Dancing Bear said. "There are no cats like you in the forest."

"Of course not," the cat said impatiently. "That's why I'm called a house cat. I live in a house."

"What do you do there?" Dancing Bear asked.

"I catch mice," the cat said. "I watch the world go round and make sure everything is going as it should."

"That sounds like a very important job," Dancing Bear said.

"It certainly is!" the cat said, stretching herself. "Didn't you know? Cats rule the world."

Tale #4: Oreo

2006-01-28T12:37:00.000-06:00

The next time Dancing Bear was walking on Alexandra Street, she met the same black and white cat. "Nice to see you again," Dancing Bear said. "Do you have a name?"

"My name is Lady Miranda Pulcherrima," the cat said. "That's Latin for incredibly gorgeous. But most people call me Oreo."

"Your Latin name is very impressive," Dancing Bear said. "How did you get it?"

"I gave it to myself," Oreo said.

"Why do people call you Oreo?" Dancing Bear asked. "Is it because you are black and white like the cookie?"

"I think they aren't clever enough to remember my real name," Oreo said. "Often, they don't understand my instructions, even though I repeat them over and over."

"I have a Latin name too," Dancing Bear said. "Ursus arctos*. But I don't like it, because I am ursa -- a lady bear. I prefer ursa saliens**."

"Have you noticed that Latin is going out of style?" Oreo said.

"Yes," said Dancing Bear. "It's a pity. Maybe you and I could speak Latin to each other."

"Quid pro quo***," said Oreo. "Would you like to stay at my house for a while? We have an extra bed."

"Wouldn't your people object?" Dancing Bear asked.

"I have just one man servant," Oreo said. "When he's at home he's always busy on the computer or watching TV or sleeping. He might not even notice you."

"I'm rather big to overlook," Dancing Bear said.

"Well, maybe he's lonely. You speak human, don't you? You could talk to him. And you could open and close doors for me when he's sleeping."

"We could give it a try," Dancing Bear said. "It might be safer to stay in town during the hunting season."

* * *

LATIN GLOSSARY
*ursus arctos -- grizzly bear
**ursa saliens -- jumping (or dancing) lady bear
***quid pro quo -- a trade

Tale #5: David McDougall

2006-01-27T21:04:00.000-06:00

Dancing Bear and Oreo walked down Alexandra Street together until they came to a house with the number 906 on it.

"That's my place," Oreo said.

"It looks like a nice cozy house," Dancing Bear said. She started to walk down the driveway.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Oreo said.

"I'm going to the back door."

"I always use the front door," Oreo said. "The front door is for important people like me."

She leaped lightly onto the front porch. Dancing Bear followed her up the six steps one at a time: thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, THUMP.

"Ring the door bell," Oreo commanded.

"Are you sure it's okay?" Dancing Bear asked. "I don't want to be rude."

"Just do it," Oreo said.

Dancing Bear rang the door bell. She could hear the bell playing a little tune inside the house. Nobody answered.

"I think I'd better try again later," Dancing Bear said.

"Try again now," Oreo said. "I want to go in."

Dancing Bear was getting very nervous about the whole thing. What if Oreo's person didn't like her? What if he was sleeping or taking a shower?

The door opened. A tall man with a beard looked out. Dancing Bear had never seen him before.

"Finally!" Oreo said. She slipped inside the house, leaving Dancing Bear standing alone on the front porch.

"Hello," Dancing Bear said. "My name is Dancing Bear. Oreo invited me to visit. Is that okay with you?"

The man peered at her. "Oh yes," he said. "I've heard about you. You're that story-telling bear. My name is David McDougall, but you can call me Doug. Come on in."

Tale #6: Brush me!

2006-01-26T21:40:00.000-06:00

Dancing Bear followed David McDougall into the living room. The walls were a lovely blue colour, and the floor had light brown carpet on it.

"This is much nicer than my cave," Dancing Bear said.

"Thank you," David McDougall said. "Have a seat. That rocking chair is comfortable. Would you like some coffee? Or maybe some hot chocolate?"

Dancing Bear's mouth watered. "Some hot chocolate would be nice."

"I'll put on the kettle," David McDougall said. He went through the dining room into the kitchen.

Dancing Bear sat down in the rocking chair and started to rock. It creaked loudly. "Oh dear," she said. "I hope it can hold my weight."

Oreo appeared from the direction of the kitchen and jumped onto the footstool in front of Dancing Bear. "I've had my snack," Oreo said, licking her paw and wiping it over her face. "Now it's time to brush me."

David McDougall came back and sat down in his big green and blue chair. "It will take a few minutes for the water to heat up," he said.

"Brush me NOW! Please!!" Oreo said loudly.

Dancing Bear looked around, but she didn't see a brush. "Doug -- Oreo wants to be brushed," she said. "Can you tell me where her brush is?"

David McDougall handed her a soft plastic brush shaped like a cat. As soon as Dancing Bear touched Oreo, she started to purr. She lay down on her side and moaned, "More! More!"

"She really likes being brushed, doesn't she?" Dancing Bear said. She kept brushing and brushing until David McDougall brought her a big pottery mug of hot chocolate.

"More! More!" Oreo insisted.

"You'll have to wait a while," Dancing Bear said. "I'm on my break now."

"Can you understand what Oreo is saying?" David McDougall asked.

"Of course," Dancing Bear said. "I can understand most animals and some humans."

"That's interesting," David McDougall said. "How did you learn so many languages? Did you go to school?"

"No," said Dancing Bear. "It just came naturally. I wanted to speak, so I did."

"Really?" said David McDougall. "I wish I could speak more than one language."

"Why don't you?" Dancing Bear said.

"I'm a busy man," David McDougall said. "It's hard for me to find time to go to class."

"I could teach you some cat language," Dancing Bear said.

"That's a great idea!" Oreo said. "If he understands cat language, it will be easier for me to tell him what I want."

Tale #7: Voulez-vous acheter des oranges?

2006-01-25T14:09:00.000-06:00

The front door bell rang. David McDougall went to answer it.

"I guess another important person has arrived," Dancing Bear said, putting down her hot chocolate. "I wonder who it is."

"Never mind," Oreo said. "Just brush me!"

"I'm still on my break," Dancing Bear said.

Two teen-aged girls were at the door. "Voulez-vous acheter des oranges?" they asked.

"Just a moment," Doug said. He called to Dancing Bear, "Do you know any French? I need help."

Dancing Bear got up and went to the door to talk to the girls. "They are from the high school," she explained to Doug. "They are selling oranges and grapefruit to raise funds for the Pastoral Committee. Twenty-five dollars for a small box, or forty dollars for a large one. As soon as they are picked, they will be sent directly from Florida by truck. They will be fresh and juicy."

"All right," said Doug. "I'll take a small box of oranges and a small box of grapefruit. Do I have to pay for them right away?"

"No," said Dancing Bear. "They will phone you when the fruit arrives. You can pay for it when you pick it up at the school."

Dancing Bear helped the girls fill out the order form in English. They were very happy to get an order for two boxes.

"Thank you for your help," David McDougall said after the girls had left.

"No problem," Dancing Bear said. "Where would you like me to put your receipt?"

"Just stick it on the fridge with a magnet," David McDougall said. "That way I won't lose it."

Dancing Bear went into the kitchen. It was bright green, like the forest in the early spring time. The fridge was covered with all kinds of notes.

"There is no room on the fridge," Dancing Bear called. "I don't know what to do."

David McDougall came into the kitchen. "Sorry," he said. He took down three pieces of paper and jammed them in his pants pocket. "Now you have room."

"Are those pieces of paper garbage?" Dancing Bear said.

"Yes," David MrDougall said. "I don't need them any more."

"Give them to me," Dancing Bear said. "I'll put them in the garbage. If you put your pants in the washing machine with paper in the pocket, it will be a big mess."
"You're right," David McDougall said. He took the papers out of his pocket and handed them to Dancing Bear, along with a couple of candy wrappers and some used tissues. "Thank you."

Dancing Bear put everything into the garbage, washed her hands in the bathroom, and went back to her chair to finish her hot chocolate.

"You are very helpful," David McDougall said. "I was wondering if you would stay for a couple of days. I am going away to a conference in Sault Ste Marie, and I know the cats don't like being left alone."

Tale #8: Bandit

2006-01-24T19:33:00.000-06:00

"Cats!" Dancing Bear exclaimed. "Do you have more than one?"

"Yes," David McDougall answered. "Two cats live here. The other one is named Bandit. I'm surprised he hasn't made an appearance. He's very friendly, and loves to investigate new people."

"Bandit is a young whippersnapper," Oreo said. "Don't pay any attention to him."

"Hmmm," said Dancing Bear. "Is he your brother?"

"NO," Oreo said. "He just showed up one day. I told him to go away. But David McDougall thought he was cute."

"I AM CUTE," a new voice said. A very large, fluffy black tabby cat with a white chest walked into the living room, waving his tail like a flag. "I AM THE BEST-LOOKING PUSSYCAT IN THE WHOLE WORLD!"

"Hello, Bandit," David McDougall said. "Come and meet our guest, Dancing Bear."

Bandit jumped up on Dancing Bear's lap. He put his paws on her chest and said, "Hello. Here I am. Pet me. I'm cute and intelligent and adorable."

"Ignore him," Oreo said. "He's just a young whippersnapper."

"Am not!" Bandit said.

"Are too!" Oreo said, and tried to climb onto Dancing Bear's lap beside him.

"Take it easy!" Dancing Bear said, laughing. "One at a time, please!"

"You haven't finished brushing me," Oreo complained. "Isn't your break over now?"

"She's just jealous because I grew up to be bigger than her," Bandit said, pushing Oreo back onto the stool. "I weigh over eight kilos, and she just weighs five. She can't bully me any more."

"What are they saying?" David McDougall asked.

"They're arguing about who is better," Dancing Bear said. "Oreo is older, but Bandit weighs more."

"How old are you?" David McDougall asked.

"I've hibernated seventeen times," Dancing Bear said. "Is that old?"

"You're three years older than Oreo, and you weigh more than both of them put together," David McDougall said. "So you must be the best animal in the house."

Tale # 9: Hallowe'en at 906 Alexandra

2006-01-23T20:11:00.000-06:00

"Look at the moon!" Bandit said. He was lying on the back of the couch, looking out the window. "Just perfect for Hallowe'en!"

The porch light was on. A big bowl of Hallowe'en treats was ready inside the door -- Smarties and chocolate bars and little plastic bags full of gummy dinosaurs. Dancing Bear and the cats were in the living room, waiting for trick-or-treaters. Doug was away in Sault Ste Marie.

"Would you like to watch TV?" Dancing Bear asked.

"I'd rather hear a story," Oreo said.

"Me too," Bandit said. "Do you know any stories about ghost cats?"

"I know a story about a goblin cat," Dancing Bear said. "Will that do?"

"Let's hear it," Oreo said, swishing her tail.

"Once upon a time in ancient Japan, Prince Ruiten lived in his palace with his beautiful wife Princess O Toyo. Every evening, they would take a walk through the gardens and smell the lovely flowers. One evening a little grey cat followed them and sneaked into the palace. Nobody noticed the animal crouching in a corner of the bedroom. It looked just like a shadow."

"Yes," said Oreo. "Cats are very good at being invisible."

"Ruiten and O Toyo went to bed and fell asleep. O Toyo dreamed that a giant cat was standing on its hind legs beside the bed, ready to strangle her. It was a goblin cat with fierce yellow eyes and horrible fangs, as big as a person. O Toyo tried to scream, but no sound came from her throat. When she woke up, she discovered that her husband had the same dream.

"The nightmares continued night after night. They were so terrifying that the prince and princess became very ill.

"The doctor suspected that an evil spirit was at work. He ordered a hundred soldiers to keep watch in the bedroom. But no matter how hard they tried, they could not stay awake. They fell asleep and had the same nightmares as the prince and princess."

"They should have made some strong coffee," Bandit said.

"They didn't have coffee in ancient Japan," Oreo said.

"Are you sure, or are you just making that up?" Bandit asked.

"I know everything," Oreo said.

"Do you want to hear the rest of the story?" Dancing Bear said. "You are getting on my nerves with all your bickering!"

"Okay," Bandit said. "I'll shut up."

"Please continue," Oreo said.

"All right," Dancing Bear said. "Just when it seemed that the nightmares would never end, a young soldier named Ito Soda had an idea. He offered to keep watch over his master and mistress. Whenever he started to drop off to sleep, he poked himself with his dagger. He managed to stay awake. Nothing unusual happened. Ruiten and O Toyo slept peacefully with no nightmares. In the morning, they felt much better and asked Ito Soda to come back the next night.

"The next night, exactly the same thing happened. The third night, Ito Soda pretended to fall asleep, and kept his eyes open just a slit so he could see what was going on. At midnight, the goblin cat appeared and started casting an evil spell. Ito Soda jumped up with his dagger in his hand, yelling as loudly as he could. The goblin cat fought back fiercely. All the other soldiers came rushing into the room with their weapons drawn. The goblin cat turned back into a little grey cat, ran between their legs, and got away. Ruiten and O Toyo lived to a ripe old age with no more nightmares, but they never forgot the goblin cat."

"Do you think there is such a thing as a goblin cat?" Oreo asked.

"I thought you knew everything!" Bandit muttered.

"Maybe there are goblin cats in Japan," Dancing Bear said, "but I've never heard of one in North America."

"That's good," Oreo said.

"Did the clever soldier get a big reward?" Bandit asked.

Before Dancing Bear had time to answer, there was a lot of thumping on the porch.

"I wonder if that's a goblin cat," Bandit said. He jumped off the couch and ran to the door to investigate.

Dancing Bear opened the door. "Trick or treat!" somebody yelled.

"Well -- is it?" Oreo yelled. "Is it a goblin cat?"

"No," Bandit said. "These are friends of mine. They are wearing costumes, but I can tell who they are by their smell." He went out onto the porch to say hello.

The tall boy in a skeleton suit and the two little girls in ballerina tutus petted Bandit while Dancing Bear handed out the treats.

"Wow! What a great costume!" the boy said to Dancing Bear.

"I'm going to stay out on the porch and watch for more visitors," Bandit said.

Dancing Bear closed the door. She went back to her chair and started chewing on a chocolate bar.

"Why did the boy say I have a great costume?" Dancing Bear asked Oreo. "I'm not wearing a costume."

"Humans are funny," Oreo said. "I'll never understand them."

Tale #10 -- November Snow

2006-01-22T21:31:00.000-06:00

It was 3:30 in the afternoon.

"Please open the door," Bandit said to Dancing Bear. "The children will be coming any minute."

Bandit's special friends always stopped at 906 Alexandra on the way home from school to pet him and rub his tummy. He watched for them from the porch. When he saw somebody he liked, he would run to the sidewalk and lie down on his back right in front of that person. Bandit was never easy to ignore! He knew what he wanted and he knew how to get it.

Dancing Bear opened the door. "Oh, no!" Bandit said. "That white stuff again!"

"You have to expect snow on All Saints' Day," Oreo said. "It's almost winter."

"What's All Saints' Day?" Bandit asked.

"It's the day after Hallowe'en," Oreo told him.

"I know that," said Bandit. "But what are saints, and why do they need a day?"

Oreo didn't know the answer, so she pretended to be very busy licking her shoulder.

"Are you going out?" Dancing Bear asked. "I don't want to stand here all day."

"Why do we have snow?" Bandit said.

"It covers the grass and the plants in the winter and keeps them warm," Dancing Bear said. "I like it."

"How can something so cold keep things warm?" Bandit asked.

"It's not so bad," Dancing Bear said. "You're wearing a fur coat."

"But I don't have boots," Bandit complained. "My feet are always cold."

"You'll get used to it," Dancing Bear said. She gently pushed Bandit outside with her foot and closed the door behind him.

"At last! Now we can have a little peace and quiet around here," Oreo said. "That young whippersnapper is always full of questions."

Tale #11 -- Ben's Problem

2006-01-21T09:00:00.000-06:00

At three-fifty-five, the front doorbell rang.

"Oh no!" said Oreo. "What now? Don't tell me the young whippersnapper has learned to ring the doorbell."

Dancing Bear looked out the window. "It's Ben!" she said. "I think he wants something."

She opened the door. "Hello, Ben," she said. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Ben said, "but I have a problem. Can I come in and talk to you about it?"

"I guess so," Dancing Bear said. "Please take off your runners before you walk on the carpet."

Ben took off his runners, his hat and his jacket, and sat down on the couch. "I heard that you were giving out Hallowe'en treats here," he said.

"I'm staying here until Mr. McDougall comes home from Sault Ste. Marie," Dancing Bear explained. "The cats need somebody to feed them and give them water and open the door for them."

"And brush us!" Oreo said. "Don't forget -- we have to be brushed regularly!"

"You said you had a problem," Dancing Bear said to Ben. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

"It's kind of embarrassing," Ben said. "Do you promise not to laugh?"

"I won't laugh unless it's funny," Dancing Bear said. "And if I do laugh, I'll laugh with you, not at you."

Ben looked down at the floor. "I'm scared," he said. "Especially at night."

"What are you scared of?" Dancing Bear said.

"The Skeleton Man," Ben answered.

"The Skeleton Man?" Dancing Bear said. "What does he look like?"

"I don't know," Ben said. "He's always behind me, but I know he's there. What should I do?"

"I think you should write a poem," Dancing Bear said.

"Write a poem?" Ben said. "Do you really think that would help?"

"Yes," Dancing Bear said. "That's what I do when I'm scared."

"You get scared?" Ben asked. "I thought you were too big to be scared."

"Everybody gets scared sometime," Dancing Bear said.

"I don't," said Oreo. Dancing Bear ignored her.

"I don't know how to write a poem," Ben said.

"It's easy," Dancing Bear said. "It's like a song without music. Instead of singing it, you just say it."

"A song without music!" Ben said. "That sounds like fun! Will you help me?"

"Of course," Dancing Bear said.

Tale # 12 -- Ben's Poem

2006-01-20T21:46:00.000-06:00

The Skeleton Man

Don't ask me why the skeleton man
keeps following me around!
He's always right behind my back.
He never makes a sound.

I never hear him breathing.
He has no lungs, you see.
He's just a bony bogeyman
who wants to follow me.

I told him he was being rude.
He didn't give a care.
I whirled around and hollered "Boo!"
Guess what? He wasn't there.

My sister says it's no big deal,
and I have to agree.
If he won't look me in the face
he must be scared of me!

Tale #13 -- Stacy

2006-01-19T11:59:00.000-06:00

"Welcome back!" Dancing Bear said to Ben. "It's nice to see you again."

"Hello, Dancing Bear," Ben said. "This is my friend Stacy. She's in my class."

"Ben read his poem at school today," Stacy said. "It's great. I want to write a poem too. Will you help me?"

"Come on in," Dancing Bear said. The children looked cold, so she made them some hot chocolate.

"What do you want to write a poem about?" Dancing Bear asked Stacy.

"I don't know," Stacy said. "That's the problem."

"Tell me about something you really like," Dancing Bear said.

"Well," said Stacy, "I love balloons."

"That could be the first line of a poem," Dancing Bear said. "I love balloons . . ."

"I don't know why . . ." Ben added.

"What's next?" Dancing Bear asked.

"Does it have to rhyme?" Stacy asked.

"Only if you want it to," Dancing Bear said.

"I like rhymes," Stacy said.

"Let's think," Dancing Bear said, "What rhymes with why?"

Stacy wrinkled her forehead and thought. "Pie rhymes with why."

"Sky and fly . . ." Ben added.

"My oh my . . . dry . . . high . . . try . . . " Stacy said. "This is fun!"

Tale # 14 -- Stacy's Poem

2006-01-18T13:04:00.000-06:00

BALLOONS

I love balloons.
I don't know why.
I specially like
the kind that fly.

I dream of floating,
climbing high,
so far up
I can touch the sky.

If I had a great big
flying balloon,
I'd hitch a ride
to visit the moon.

Tale #15 -- Story Time

2006-01-17T15:00:00.000-06:00

Dancing Bear looked out the front window. "Oh, my goodness!" she said, and opened the door. There were five children standing on the porch.

"Hello," said Ben. "I brought some friends."

"I see that," Dancing Bear said. "Hi, Stacy! Hi Jeanne! Have you finished knitting your new scarf yet?"

"Yes, I have," Jeanne said. "See -- I'm wearing it. I'm making one for my Dad now, for Christmas."

"And who are the people with you?" Dancing Bear asked. "They look familiar, but I can't remember their names."

"This is my older sister Carol," Ben said, "and Jeanne's brother Charles."

"May we come in?" Jeanne asked. "We would like to hear one of your stories."

"I guess it's all right," Dancing Bear said, "as long as you remember to take off your shoes."

Dancing Bear looked through the kitchen cupboard and found some trail mix to share with the children. Ben sat down in Doug's chair. Stacy and Jeanne sat on the love seat. Carol sat down on the couch. Charles sat on the floor. They munched on the trail mix, and were very careful not to drop anything on the carpet.

Dancing Bear sat down on her chair and thought. "The seasons are changing," she said. "I am going to tell you an ancient Greek story about that."

Tale #16 -- The Story of Persephone

2006-01-16T20:44:00.000-06:00

The ancient Greeks believed that there were many gods and goddesses. Zeus, the ruler of gods and men, lived in a palace on Mount Olympus, high up in the sky where no human being had ever climbed. His brother Dis, the king of the underworld, lived deep, deep under the earth. People who visited his kingdom never returned. The goddess Demeter had the job of looking after all the growing green plants. The people of the earth often made sacrifices to her and prayed for good crops.

Demeter had a beautiful daughter called Persephone. Persephone enjoyed picking flowers, even after she was grown up. She wandered everywhere, looking for the most lovely blossoms she could find.

One day, Dis decided to visit his brother Zeus on Mount Olympus. He told his servants to hitch his four black horses to his chariot, and drove up a long tunnel until he reached the surface of the earth. On his way to Mount Olympus, he saw Persephone picking flowers.

"What a beautiful young woman!" he said. "I want her to be my queen."

Dis was used to getting what he wanted, so he did not ask Persephone if she wanted to live with him. He drove up in his chariot, grabbed her, and headed back down the tunnel to his kingdom.

Persephone did not like the dark kingdom. She missed her mother. She missed the beautiful flowers of the earth. She cried and cried and refused to eat. Meanwhile, her mother was looking for her everywhere. She was so upset that she forgot to look after the growing plants, and they withered and died.

The people were frightened. "Help us, Father Zeus!" they prayed. "Mother Demeter has stopped looking after the plants. Without food, we will all die."

Zeus sent his servant Hermes to find out what was wrong. Hermes could fly, so he had no trouble finding Demeter. "My daughter is missing," Demeter told him. "There will be no crops until she comes back."

Hermes was a good detective, and soon found out what had happened to Persephone. Zeus sent Hermes to the underworld to order Dis to release Persephone. "If there are no people," Zeus said, "no one will pray to us or make sacrifices to us. We will be all alone."

Dis did not want to let Persephone go, but he didn't want to upset his brother. He finally agreed to let Persephone leave, but only if she had not eaten anything in the underworld. When Persephone heard the news from Hermes, she began to cry. She had taken one bite of a pomegranate and swallowed six seeds.

Demeter and Dis went to the palace on Mount Olympus to plead their case before Zeus. Finally, Dis agreed that if Persephone would stay with him for six months every year -- one for each pomegranate seed she had eaten -- he would allow her to go home to her mother for the other months.

Each year, when Persephone comes home to her mother, Demeter is happy. Green plants grow up everywhere, the weather is warm, and the breezes are gentle. When Persephone leaves to take her place as queen of the underworld, Demeter is sad. The plants slowly die, the weather grows cold, and storms bring rain and snow. That is why we have the seasons.

Tale #17 -- What is Real?

2006-01-15T07:42:00.000-06:00

"There's something wrong with that story," Ben said. "It's not the same season all over the world. It's fall here right now, but it's spring in Australia."

"The ancient Greeks didn't know there was such a place as Australia," Dancing Bear said.

"I know why we have seasons," Carol said. "I just learned about that in science class. The earth is a big ball that spins around the sun, and it is tilted on its axis."

"I don't think the ancient Greeks knew that either," Stacy said.

"You're right," Dancing Bear said. "They thought the earth was flat, like a plate. Their stories were based on what they saw."

"But they didn't see gods and goddesses," Charles said. "Those aren't real."

"They are -- and they aren't," Dancing Bear said. "It depends what you want to believe. It's like Santa Claus -- some children believe the stories about him, and others don't."

Ben was thinking hard. Finally, he asked, "Dancing Bear, are you real?"

Dancing Bear patted herself all over. "Let's see. Here's my head -- my legs -- my stomach. I think I'm all here."
"I studied about bears at school," Ben said. "Bears don't talk or wear scarves. They don't go to the Legion for dinner and line dancing. They don't open doors and brush cats and tell stories."

Dancing Bear smiled. "That's the magic of imagination," she said. "I'm as real as you want me to be."

Tale #18 -- David McDougall Comes Home

2006-01-14T07:54:00.000-06:00

When David McDougall came home from Sault Ste. Marie, he was very surprised. There was a boy sitting in his favourite chair. There were two girls on the love seat, and another girl on the couch. There was another boy sitting on the floor.

"Who are all these people?" David McDougall asked.

"They are my friends," Dancing Bear said. "They wanted to hear a story."

"Get them out of here!" David McDougall said. "I'm tired. I want to sit in my special chair and watch TV."

"Okay, children," Dancing Bear said. "Story time is over."

The children got up and started putting on their shoes.

"Mr. McDougall," Carol said, "You have a beautiful house. Thank you for letting us visit."

David McDougall did not answer. He plopped himself down on his chair and pointed the remote at the TV.

The other children said thank you as well. David McDougall turned the volume on the television higher.

"I think Mr. McDougall wants to be alone," Dancing Bear said. "I'll walk you home."

Dancing Bear was gone until after dark. When she returned to 906 Alexandra Street, David McDougall was rested and feeling a little better.

"I'm sorry I was so crabby," he said.

"I didn't realize you don't like children," Dancing Bear said.

"I don't mind children," David McDougall said, "but I'm not used to them. You are welcome to stay here as long as you like, but please don't invite any children into the house."

"All right," Dancing Bear said. "This is your home, so you can decide who comes in." She waited a few more minutes, until some commercials came on. Then she said, "Children are delightful creatures. You might get to like them if you give them a chance."

David McDougall finished watching the program on TV. Then he said, "Dancing Bear?"

"Yes?" Dancing Bear answered.

"One or two children at a time would be all right," David McDougall said. "But not a whole bunch of them."

Dancing Bear smiled.

Tale #19 -- Sleeping In

2006-01-13T22:44:00.000-06:00

"Dancing Bear! Wake up!" Bandit scratched on the door. "Dancing Bear! Get up! I'm starving!"

Dancing Bear opened her eyes and looked at the alarm clock beside her bed. It was after 9:30!

"Oh dear!" Dancing Bear said. "I slept in. No wonder Bandit is hungry."

Every morning, David McDougall fed the cats at 7:30 before going to work in the computer room of the plywood factory. This morning, he was late.

"Didn't Doug feed you?" Dancing Bear asked the cats as she walked down the stairs into the basement.

"No," Oreo said. "He's sleeping in. This is Saturday. He has the day off."

Dancing Bear put some kitty kibble into the cats' bowls. She rinsed the water dishes and filled them with fresh water.

"Can we have some canned food as well, please?" Bandit asked.

"You know that's bad for your teeth," Dancing Bear said.

"Pretty please?" Bandit asked, arching his back and rubbing himself against Dancing Bear's leg.

"I'll tell Doug when he gets up, and he can decide," Dancing Bear said. She went upstairs and made some coffee.

David McDougall came out of his room in his pyjamas. "Wow -- that smells good!"

"Would you like me to make you some bacon and eggs while you are taking your shower?" Dancing Bear asked.
"Not yet," David McDougall said. "Give me time to wake up." He poured himself a cup of coffee, added lots of cream and sugar, and sat in his special chair in the living room.

Dancing Bear sat down in her chair with a cup of steaming coffee with a little honey. "I'm so tired," she told David McDougall. "I take naps all the time, and I sleep in later and later. It's time for me to go back to my cave and hibernate."

David McDougall looked sad. "The cats will miss you," he said.

Tale # 20 -- A Story Party

2006-01-12T22:48:00.000-06:00

The doorbell rang. "I wonder who that is," Dancing Bear said.

"Probably one of those kids who keep coming here," David McDougall said.

Dancing Bear opened the door. It was Ben.

"Hi, Dancing Bear!" Ben said. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

"I haven't finished my coffee," Dancing Bear said. "But if you can wait a couple of minutes, I'll be right with you."

"I don't mind waiting," Ben said. "May I come in?"

"Of course," Dancing Bear said.

Ben took off his shoes and came into the living room. He threw a worried look at David McDougall.

"It's okay," David McDougall said. "I'm not crabby today."

Ben smiled and sat down. "Thank you."

"Would you like a glass of milk?" Dancing Bear asked.

"No thanks," Ben said. "I had milk and cereal at home."

Soon Ben and Dancing Bear were walking side by side on the fitness trail along the river.

"I have to go home to my cave and hibernate," Dancing Bear said.

"Oh, no!" said Ben. "You'll miss Christmas!"

"I am never awake for Christmas," Dancing Bear said.

"Why don't you stay in town?" Ben suggested. "We can wake you up for Christmas."

"That's very kind of you," Dancing Bear said, "but I need my sleep. That's how bears are."

"Okay," said Ben. "I guess you know best. Can you wait until Tuesday?"

"I suppose I could," Dancing Bear said. "Why?"

"It's my birthday," Ben said. "I'm having my party after school. I want it to be a story party. Instead of bringing presents, I will ask my guests to bring a story."

"A story party!" Dancing Bear said. "What a great idea!"

Tale # 21 --Stacy's Story

2006-01-11T19:07:00.000-06:00

"Okay, that's enough games," Ben said. "It's story time."

"I want to play some more," Charles said.

"But I don't," Ben answered. "I'm the birthday boy and I say it's story time."

"Oh, all right," Charles said. "Have it your way."

The children sat down in a circle -- Ben, his sister Carol, Stacy, her twin sister Tracy, Jeanne, her brother Charles, and Dorian, Ben's next-door neighbour. Dancing Bear sat down too. "This is just as much fun as playing games," she said to Charles. "You'll see."

"Who wants to go first?" Ben asked.

"I do," Stacy said. "I love balloons, so I wrote a story about balloons."

"Let's hear it," Ben said. "I can hardly wait."

"Okay," Stacy said. "This story is called Penny and her Flying Balloons."

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Penny. She loved balloons. One day, she had a great idea.

"If I can find enough balloons and fill them with helium," she thought to herself, "I could go up, up, up, and visit the moon."

She broke open her piggy bank and collected all her money. She went to all the stores in town, looking for balloons. She got 400 balloons and filled them with helium. She tied them together and made a harness of string. She put the harness on and flew up, up, up and away.

As she rose higher, the air got cold. The balloons started to pop. Pop! Pop! Pop! She started to sink closer to the ground. The wind blew her all the way to the North Pole. By this time most of the balloons had popped and she landed softly in the snow.

Some elves came along with a dog sled. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" they asked.

"My name is Penny," she said. "I was going to the moon, but I ended up here instead."

The elves took her to Santa Claus' house. He gave her some hot chocolate and a warm fur coat. Then he took her home in his sled.

"Where have you been?" her parents asked. "We were worried about you!"

"I tried to go to the moon," Penny said. "But I ended up at the North Pole instead."

"What an imagination!" her parents said. "You should be a writer."

"I want to be an astronaut," Penny said. "When I retire, I'll write about my adventures."

Tale #22 -- Charles' Story

2006-01-10T05:47:00.000-06:00

When Stacy finished her story, all the children clapped. "Did you write that all by yourself?" Dancing Bear asked.

"I got some help from my big sister," Stacy said. "She's in high school."

"I helped too!" Tracy said.

"I didn't write my story," Charles said. "I found it in a magazine called Spellbound. This is a story the Inuit people tell. They live near the North Pole, just like Santa Claus."

"Let's hear it," Ben said.

How Light Came to the North

When the world was first born, it was always dark in the north. The people did not know there was such a thing as daylight until an old crow told them about it. They begged him to go and bring them some.

The crow flew for a long time until he came to a place where the sky was bright. He sat and rested in a tree beside a river. When the daughter of the chief of the nearby village came to the river for water, he turned himself into a speck of dust and rode on her shoulder into her father's snow lodge. He floated into the ear of the chief's young grandson and began to scratch. The little boy started to cry.

"What's wrong?" the chief asked.

"Say you want to play with a ball of daylight," whispered the speck of dust.

The chief told his daughter to fetch the daylight balls. He wrapped a string around a small one and gave it to the child. While the little boy was playing with it, the dust scratched his ear again.

"Tell your grandfather you want to play outside," the speck said.

As soon as the little boy left the snow lodge, the speck of dust turned into back into a crow. He grabbed the string in his claws and flew away with the ball of daylight.

When he reached the land of the Inuit, he let go of the string and let the ball drop. It shattered into tiny pieces, spilling light everywhere.

The people ran out of their houses. They could see in all directions! They thanked the crow again and again for bringing them daylight.

However, the ball of daylight was very small, so the people had daylight for only half the year. But they were grateful, and always treated crows with respect.

"Is that really true?" Jeanne asked. "Do the people up north have daylight for only half the year?"

"Yes," said Carol. "In the north, the summer days are very long and the winter days are very short. Above the Arctic Circle, there are days when the sun doesn't rise at all."

"I wouldn't like that," Jeanne said. "I don't think my mother would let me go outside to play in the dark."

"But there would be more time for telling stories," Dancing Bear said.

Tale # 23 -- Dancing Bear's Story

2006-01-09T05:54:00.000-06:00

Soon all the guests had told their stories, except Dancing Bear. "What do you have for us?" Ben asked.

"I want to tell you a story from a First Nations culture," Dancing Bear said. "They are called the Haida. They live in British Columbia. This is about a man's visit to Grandfather Moon."

"Grandfather Moon?" Tracy asked. "Did the Haida believe that the moon is a person?"

"No," Dancing Bear said. "They thought a tribe of people lived on the moon. Grandfather Moon was their chief."

The Man Who Lost His Hair

There was once a young man who fell in love with a woman. She told him that she didn't like his hair, so he pulled it all out. When he returned to visit her, she told him that if he pulled out his eyebrows and eyelashes as well, she would fall in love with him. He was so much in love, he did what she said. Then she laughed at him, and told him she did not want him.

He was so ashamed that he refused to go out in the daytime. At night, he would sneak out to get the things he needed. To pass the time in his house, he began whittling arrows. Soon he had two boxes full.

When the moon was full and bright, he went outside with his two boxes of arrows and shot at the sky. The first arrow stuck in the sky. He shot again, and the second arrow stuck in the notch at the end of the first. He kept doing this until all his arrows were used up. The last arrow hung a bow's length from the ground. He began to climb the chain of arrows.

He arrived in the sky and found a town. He walked around until someone called to him from a big house. "Your grandfather invites you to come in."

Grandfather Moon treated the young man kindly, and invited him to sit on his right side. He noticed that the man's hair was gone. He called for a special box he had, and it was brought to him.

Grandfather Moon pulled the box apart. There was another box inside. He pulled that one apart as well. He did this five times, and took a comb out of the smallest box.

Grandfather Moon called for some water. He wet his hands and rubbed them on the man's eyes. The man became very good-looking. Then Grandfather Moon used the comb. Hair quickly appeared on the man's head. Soon he had hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, and a handsome moustache.

The man stayed with Grandfather Moon for many nights. Finally, it was time for him to return home. Grandfather Moon told him, "When you return, do not look at the woman who made you pull out your hair. Turn your back on her."

The man climbed down the arrows. He was no longer ashamed. He sat straight and tall in his father's house. Everyone came to look at him. He was the best-looking man in the village.

When the woman he had loved came to see him, he turned his back on her and found someone else to love.

"That's a weird story," Jeanne said. "Penny couldn't get to the moon with her balloons, but this man was able to make enough arrows to climb up."

"But it teaches an important lesson," Dancing Bear said.
"Never pull out your hair to make somebody love you," Ben said. "It won't work. If people love you, they love you just as you are."

Dancing Bear smiled at Ben. "I love you just as you are," she said. "Happy birthday."

Everybody yelled, "Happy birthday! Let's eat!"

Tale #24 -- Dancing Bear Says Good-Bye

2006-01-08T06:01:00.000-06:00

"That was a wonderful party," Dancing Bear said to Ben. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Ben said. "Maybe you can come next year."

"I'd like that," Dancing Bear said. "Nobody ever invited me to a party before."

Dancing Bear walked back to 906 Alexandra and went to bed. In the morning, she got up, said good-bye to David McDougall and the cats, and went back to her cave in the forest.

"It's going to be quiet around here without that Dancing Bear." Bandit said.

"Peace and quiet are good," Oreo said. "I like to sleep without being disturbed."

"I guess so," Bandit said. "But this might be too much of a good thing. I can hardly wait for spring."

Tale #25 -- A Long Time Until Spring

2006-01-07T15:35:00.000-06:00

"What's the matter with you?" Carol asked her brother Ben. "You're too quiet."

"What do you care?" Ben said. "I'm not bugging you."

"No, you're not," Carol said. "And that bugs me."

"I can't do anything right," Ben said. "You complain when I bug you, and you complain when I don't."

"Please tell me what's wrong," Carol said. "I want to help."

"I'm bored," Ben said. "Will you tell me a story?"

"You have lots of books and videos," Carol said.

"I know," Ben said. "But it's not the same."

Carol looked at her brother. "You really miss Dancing Bear, don't you?" she asked.

"Yes, I do," Ben said. He started to cry.

Carol got him some tissues. "Dancing Bear will be back," she said. "She really likes you."

Ben blew his nose. "Spring seems so far away!"

"Maybe you can make up a story to tell her when she comes back," Carol suggested.

"What would I tell a story about?" Ben said.

"Anything that interests you," Carol said.

Ben thought for a while. Then he said, "Last summer, Dorian went to a trip to Vancouver Island. He visited his grandmother in Parksville. When he got back, he told me about the Pacific Ocean. Do you think Dancing Bear would like an ocean story?"

"An ocean story sounds great!" Carol said. "Will it have a mermaid in it?"

"I'll see what I can do," Ben said.

Tale #26 -- Jacob and the Mermaid

2006-01-06T15:38:00.000-06:00

Jacob lived in Ontario with his parents and his baby sister Alice. When his grandmother retired, she moved to Vancouver Island. Jacob missed her a lot.

"Cheer up!" his mother told him. "We'll fly out there for a visit soon."

When summer arrived, the whole family went to Vancouver Island. They flew to Victoria. Then they rented a car and drove to Campbell River.

Jacob was happy to see his grandmother again. He hugged her and told her about everything that had happened since she left. Then he hugged her again. She took him for a walk along the ocean and told him about the animals and birds who lived there -- seals and orcas and eagles and cormorants and dolphins. She also explained how the moon's gravity made the water of the ocean rise and fall.

"You have to be careful near the ocean," Jacob's grandmother warned him. "Sometimes the tide comes in very quickly."

One day, while the others were busy, Jacob decided to go to the ocean by himself. First he made a sand castle with a moat. Then he played on some rocks. He discovered tide pools full of crabs and starfish and sea anemones and lots of little fish. He was having so much fun that he didn't notice the tide coming in.

When he was ready to go home, the whole beach was under water. He was on a little island of rock, surrounded by waves! The shore seemed very far away.
"I wonder how deep that water is," Jacob said to himself. He was worried, because he wasn't a good swimmer yet.

Just then, a big wave washed over the rocks. Jacob fell down and hit his head so hard that he was knocked out.
When he woke up, he was lying on some sand in a cave. A girl with green hair was watching him.

"Are you all right?" she asked. Jacob noticed she had a fish tail instead of legs.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"This is my special hiding place," the young mermaid said. "You were washed into the ocean, so I brought you here. I know you can't breathe water like I do."

"Thank you for saving my life," Jacob said. "What's your name?"

"My name is Marinelle," the mermaid said.

"I'm pleased to meet you," Jacob said. "My name is Jacob Wisemann."

They talked for a while. Then Marinelle showed Jacob some stepping stones he could use to get back to shore. When his grandmother saw his wet clothes, she scolded him for being careless.

"I met a mermaid," Jacob said. "Her name is Marinelle, and--"

"You're grounded for two days," his grandmother said. "One day for almost getting yourself killed, and one day for trying to distract me with that crazy story." Before she let Jacob go near the ocean again, she made him promise to be more careful.

After that, Jacob went to visit Marinelle's special hiding place whenever he could. Marinelle helped him improve his swimming. She showed him all her favourite places along the beach.

"I wish I could take you home to meet my family," Marinelle said.

"Me too," Jacob said. "Maybe I can rent some scuba equipment when I'm older."

Marinelle had no clothes, so Jacob gave her one of his T-shirts as a farewell gift. If you happen to be cruising on the ocean near Campbell River, watch for a mermaid wearing a T-shirt that says HEARST -- MOOSE CAPITAL OF CANADA. If you see her, wave and yell, "Hi Marinelle!" Maybe she'll wave back.

Tale #27 -- The McDougall Dilemma

2006-01-05T23:44:00.000-06:00

"Whatever are we going to do with that David McDougall?" Oreo asked Bandit. "He's impossible!"

Bandit yawned and looked up at Oreo. She was sitting on the back of the couch and he was stretched out on the floor. "You've been complaining all day," he said. "Can you please let me get some sleep?"

"He just sits there and stares at the television," Oreo said. "Sometimes it isn't even turned on."

Bandit yawned again and closed his eyes.

"He doesn't go out except to go to work," Oreo complained. "Nobody comes to visit. He doesn't talk to us. Sometimes he forgets to feed us. He hardly ever brushes me any more."

Bandit pretended to be asleep.

"WAKE UP!" Oreo yowled. "This is a serious emergency!"

Bandit opened his eyes, got up, and jumped onto the couch. He stared at Oreo eyeball to eyeball. "I am bigger than you, and you are getting on my nerves."

Oreo's fur stood on end all over her body, even her tail. She looked as fierce as she could. "You may have grown a little, but you are still nothing but a whippersnapper!"

She threw herself at Bandit. They fell off the couch and wrestled on the floor. Oreo squirmed away and ran down the basement stairs. Bandit followed her. He caught up with her in David McDougall's woodworking shop, and they wrestled in the sawdust on the floor. Oreo tried to bite Bandit, but all she got was a mouthful of fur. Bandit ran upstairs. Oreo was right behind him.

Bandit stopped suddenly. Oreo crashed into him and they both fell down. They didn't feel like fighting any more, so they just lay there.

"If I promise to do something about David McDougall," Bandit said, "will you let me get some rest?"

"Okay," Oreo said. "Just make sure you remember." She jumped onto the back of the couch. Bandit jumped onto the other end. They settled themselves comfortably and went to sleep.

Tale #28 -- Bandit's Excellent Plan

2006-01-04T21:48:00.000-06:00

"Bandit! Oreo! What have you been doing?" David McDougall yelled. The carpet and couch were covered with sawdust.

The cats ignored him and pretended to go on sleeping.

David McDougall dragged the vacuum cleaner into the living room and plugged it in. Bandit and Oreo leaped off the couch and streaked down the stairs. They hated the sound of the vacuum cleaner.

"At least he's not staring at the TV," Bandit said.

"That's true," Oreo said. "Do you really have a plan to help him?"

"Yes, I do," Bandit said. "Watch and learn."

After supper, David McDougall settled down in his favourite chair. Bandit walked to the front door and meowed. Then he walked back to David McDougall and stared at him.

"You're not fooling me," David McDougall grunted. "I know you won't go out into the snow."

Bandit kept walking back and forth, meowing and staring. Finally, David McDougall heaved himself onto his feet. "This had better be a false alarm!" he said as he opened the door. Bandit sat down and stared until David McDougall got a broom and swept the snow from the porch. Then Bandit walked onto the porch, holding his fluffy tail proudly in the air.

"See you later," David McDougall said.

An hour later, David McDougall opened the door again. Bandit was gone.

"I guess he's gone visiting," David McDougall said to Oreo. She came over and sat on his footstool, purring. He started brushing her.

David McDougall kept going to the door all evening, but Bandit did not come back. When he was ready to go to bed, he turned on the porch light and called Bandit's name. There was no answer.

In the morning, David McDougall looked outside again. Still no Bandit.

"I have to go to work," David McDougall told Oreo. "If he shows up now, he'll just have to sit on the porch until I come home. He'll be cold, but that's his problem."

Oreo meowed.

"Do you miss him?" David McDougall said. "Poor girl."

Oreo jumped onto the couch and went to sleep. She wasn't worried. She knew that Bandit was carrying out his plan.

When David McDougall came home, Bandit was nowhere to be seen. But there was a message from Ben on the telephone answering machine.

"Mr. McDougall," Ben's voice said, "Your cat Bandit is at our house. Please come and get him. We live at 1431 Prince Street."

David McDougall got Bandit's pet taxi and went out to his truck. Half an hour later, he came back with Bandit.

"Did your plan work?" Oreo asked.

"Oh yes," Bandit said. "He invited Ben to come over after school tomorrow."

Tale # 29 --The Cat Who Wanted Boots

2006-01-02T22:00:00.000-06:00

"When will school be out?" Bandit asked. He was getting bored.

"Relax, young whippersnapper," Oreo said. "Ben will get here when he gets here."

"What is that Oracle thing, anyway, and why does David McDougall want to take a course about it?" Bandit complained. "Doesn't he care about us?"

"It's something about computers," Oreo said. "It will help him with his work. He has to work so he can afford cat food for us."

"There's something wrong with the world," Bandit said. "We deserve more attention."

"At least David McDougall got Ben to cat-sit," Oreo said. "He does an excellent job of brushing me."

"I liked it better when Dancing Bear was here," Bandit said.

"Can you remember one of her stories?" Oreo asked. "That would help to pass the time."

Bandit thought. "Well, I remember one about a cat with boots."

"A cat with boots?" Oreo asked. "Why would a cat want boots? A cat with boots can't climb trees."

"I don't know," Bandit said. "Maybe his feet were cold."

"Tell me more," Oreo said.

"A miller had two sons," Bandit said. "When he died, he left his mill to the older son, and his cat to the younger one."

"What kind of mill?" Oreo asked.

"I guess it was a pulp and paper mill," Bandit said.

"Pulp and paper mills smell like rotten eggs," Oreo said. "The younger son was lucky to get the cat."

"This cat knew human speech," Bandit said. "He asked his master for a pair of boots. His master told him he had no cash. If he wanted boots, he'd have to come up with a plan for raising some money."

"So what did he do?" Oreo asked.

"He went downtown and snuck into offices and listened to people talking," Bandit said. "He found out which stocks were the best investment. On his way home, he danced in the street and sang some songs. When a crowd gathered, he passed his hat around."

"He had a hat?" Oreo asked.

"Of course he did," Bandit said. "Haven't you heard about the Cat in the Hat? He was in a movie."

"You mean to tell me that this was the same cat?" Oreo asked.

"Well, it could have been," Bandid answered.

"So, what happened next?" Oreo asked.

"The cat brought home a hatful of cash and took his master out for supper." Bandit said. "The next day, the man took out a bank loan and bought some stock."

"A bank loan?" Oreo said. "What did he use for collateral?"

"The cat, of course," Bandit said.

"And then?" Oreo asked.

"Well," Bandit said. "The stock went up and the man made enough money to get an apartment, some cat food, and a three-piece suit."

"What about the boots?" Oreo asked.

"Yes, yes -- he got the cat some nice red cowboy boots," Bandit said. "But when the cat tried to sneak into offices with his boots on, he made too much noise and everybody noticed him. So he only wore them when he went line-dancing. That's how Dancing Bear met him."

"Dancing Bear met the Cat in the Hat while they were line-dancing?" Oreo asked. "Are you sure?"

"Well, anything is possible, isn't it?" Bandit asked.

Tale #30 -- Ben's Christmas Story

2006-01-01T22:40:00.000-06:00

"Would you like to hear a Christmas story?" Ben asked the cats. He had finished feeding them and brushing them and cleaning out their litter box, but he didn't feel like going home yet.

Ben sat down in the big chair where Dancing Bear used to sit. Oreo jumped on his lap, and Bandit sat on the footstool and stared at him.

"I guess that means yes," Ben said. "I wish I could speak your language."

"Me too," Oreo said. "I will have to figure out a way to teach him."

"Give him time to learn," Bandit said. "Sometimes he seems to understand quite well."

"I don't think he really understands," Oreo said. "It's just a conditioned reaction."

"Don't underestimate humans," Bandit said. "Some of them are quite intelligent."

"Do you want to hear the story, or do you just want to go on talking about me?" Ben asked.

"See?" Bandit said. "He's not as dumb as you think."

Oreo looked up at Ben. "Please tell the story. Tell us the story now. Do you understand? Dic statim nobis fabulam. Noli dubitare!*" She dug her claws in his leg.

"Ouch!" Ben laughed. "Take it easy. Patience is a virtue, you know."

*(Latin) Dic statim nobis fabulam. Noli dubitare! Tell us the story at once. Don't hesitate!

BEN'S CHRISTMAS STORY

A long time ago, a little girl named Cara lived in a cabin in the woods with her father. Her mother had died so long ago that she could hardly remember her. Every morning, her father would go to work cutting wood, and leave her alone all day. She kept busy cooking and cleaning and gathering branches for the fire.

One day, three men came walking past her cabin. They wore long silken robes and pointy hats. She was curious and lonely, so she invited them in and made them some tea. "Where do you come from, and where are you going?" she asked.

"We are from far, far away," the man in the green robe said. "Have you noticed a bright star in the sky lately? We are following it to see where it leads."

"What do you hope to find?" she asked.

"Well," the man in the swirling blue and gold robe said, "usually a bright new star means that an important person has been born, and the world is going to change."

"Really?" Cara said. "I would like that, provided it changes for the better."

The man in the black and silver robe said, "You are very wise for someone so young. A lot of people think all change is good."

"Would you like to come with us?" the man in the green robe asked. "I think you would be a big help."

"My father needs me here," Cara said. "He works hard all day. If I went away, he would come home to a cold and dark house every night."

After she went to bed that night, Cara couldn't sleep. She was thinking about the three men and the adventures they would have. Would her own life always be the same dull routine?

Finally, she cried herself to sleep. She had a beautiful dream about a baby in a manger. The three men were kneeling in front of him and giving him expensive presents. Some angels were singing beautiful songs. One of them looked just like her mother.

In the morning, her father asked her, "Why were you crying last night?"

Cara didn't want to tell him. She loved him very much and didn't want to hurt his feelings by telling him how lonely and boring her days were.

Her father asked her again. "Why were you crying last night? Please tell me. I want to know what's wrong."

"Three men came past the cabin yesterday," Cara said. "They were following the bright new star in the sky, looking for a very important person who will change the world. They asked me to go with them."

Her father gave her a hug. "Thank you for staying with me. Without you, I would have nobody to talk to in the evenings. I think about you all day while I work. You are my most precious treasure."

Cara felt warm inside. "It's all right, Father," she said. "I saw the special baby in my dreams last night. I know I can visit him whenever I want."

Tears came into her father's eyes. "I dreamed of him too," he said. "His name is Love, and he lives here with us."

Tale #31 -- Growing Up

2005-12-31T22:32:00.000-06:00

"How long are you going to keep that up?" Bandit asked. "This is getting boring."

Oreo kept right on clawing at the paperback book on the floor. "You know I enjoy shredding paper," she said.

"I don't think David McDougall was finished reading that," Bandit said.

"That's his fault for leaving it on the floor," Oreo said. "Anything on the floor is mine."

"I think you're angry," Bandit said. "What's wrong?"

Oreo stopped shredding the book. "Now that you mention it -- I'm still thinking about Ben's story."

"Really?" Bandit asked. "Was there something wrong with it?"

Oreo jumped up on the couch and looked Bandit in the eye. "What's going to happen to the father when his daughter leaves home?"

"Why would she leave home?" Bandit asked. "She decided to stay."

"It's not that simple," Oreo said. "Children grow up and leave home."

"How do you know?" Bandit asked.

"It happened to David McDougall," Oreo said.

"Really?" Bandit asked.

"When he was living in Ottawa, David McDougall took me from my family and brought me home for his little girl," Oreo said. "I was sad at first, but after a while I got used to the little girl. She let me sleep on her lap."

"Where is she now?" Bandit asked.

"She grew up and went away," Oreo said.

"That's sad," Bandit said. He washed his face for a while. Finally he asked,
"Are you going to grow up and go away?"

"No," Oreo said.

"That's good," Bandit said.

Just then, Ben came into the house. He looked at the mess of shredded paper on the floor. "Oh-oh," he said. "I guess I should have picked that up."

"That's not your job," Oreo said. "David McDougall should learn to pick up after himself."

Ben put the shredded book into the garbage and sat down on the couch. "I have news for you," he told the cats.

They looked at him. "What is it?" Bandit asked.

"Mr. McDougall phoned to tell me that his daughter invited him to stay with her for Christmas," Ben said. "He won't be home until December the 28th."

"Is that the little girl who grew up?" Bandit said.

"I think so," Oreo said.

"Don't worry, guys," Ben said. "Mom told me I can bring you to our place for Christmas. You'll have a great time."

Tale #32 -- Christmas at Ben's

2005-12-30T22:34:00.000-06:00

"It's rather noisy here," Oreo said, "but the turkey and gravy were really good."

"I prefer the Finnish smoked salmon," Bandit said. "I'd like to stay here all the time. There are people to play with and different kinds of food to eat."

"Young whippersnappers like you don't understand the importance of peace and quiet," Oreo said.

"Peace and quiet are okay," Bandit said, "but we've been getting too much of it."

"What did you think of the Christmas story?" Oreo asked.

"There were no cats in it," Bandit said.

"Hmmm," Oreo said. "That's true. Maybe I should try putting a cat in it."

"Go for it," Bandit said. "I'm all ears."

OREO'S CHRISTMAS STORY

When Mary had to go to Bethlehem with her husband Joseph, it was her first time away from home. She was scared.

"Here," her mother said. "Take your kitten with you. That will help."

The kitten's name was Chayka. She had short black fur, white socks, very large ears, and a loud purr.

Mary and Joseph walked and walked. Sometimes they took turns riding the donkey. Sometimes Chayka walked, but most of the time Mary carried her. Chayka cuddled on Mary's chest and purred.

When they finally got to Bethlehem, it was almost dark. They were very tired. Mary and Chayka waited under a tree with the luggage while Joseph rode all over town looking for a place to stay.

Mary dozed off. Chayka got tired of waiting and went to talk to some animals in a stable.

"Why don't you stay with us?" they asked.

When Joseph returned, the stars were shining brightly. He was very upset because all the inns were full.

"What will we do?" he said.

"It's all right," Mary said. "We can camp right here under this tree."

"But what if your baby is born tonight?" Joseph asked. "Who will look after you?"

Just then, Mary noticed that Chayka was missing. "Oh dear! Where did she go?" she asked. She starting calling her name. "Chayka! Chayka! Where are you?"

"Here I am!" Chayka mewed in the dark. "Come over here!"

Chayka led Mary and Joseph to the stable. They tied up the donkey and made themselves a bed of straw. When the lady of the house came out to look after the animals, she saw Mary and Joseph. Her name was Miriam, and she had a very kind heart. She brought Mary and Joseph some warm soup and blankets and gave Chayka some goat's milk. Later, she helped Mary have her baby.

"I am so glad we found this place," Mary told Miriam. "You will always be like a second mother to me."

"What are you going to call your son?" Miriam asked.

"Jesus," Mary said.

"That's an excellent name," Miriam said.

There were lots of visitors to the stable over the next few days, and Miriam looked after them all. They told her that the baby was the Messiah -- the new king who would save his people.

"Oh my!" Miriam said. "What an honour for me to have such important guests! I am so glad that Chayka led them here."

Tale # 33 -- Reunion

2005-12-29T22:38:00.000-06:00

"The cats look great," David McDougall said to Ben. "Thank you for taking such good care of them." He gave Ben three twenty-dollar bills.

"Eleven days at five dollars a day is fifty-five dollars," Ben said. "I'll give you your change later."

"Keep the change," David McDougall said. "You earned it." He picked up a book that was lying on the coffee table. "Here -- I bought this for you in Ottawa," he said. "I didn't have time to wrap it."

"A book of folk tales!" Ben said. "Thanks a lot!"

"You're welcome," David McDougall said.

"I have a present for you too," Ben said. He held out a paperback copy of The Runaway Jury.

"I already have that book," David McDougall said. "I'm planning to finish it tonight."

"You used to have a copy of this book," Ben said. "It fell on the floor and Oreo shredded it."

David McDougall glared at Oreo. Oreo glared back.

"Please don't be mad at her," Ben said. "She was just following her instincts."

"I don't know about that," David McDougall said. "I think she's trying to tell me something."

"The cats get pretty lonely here by themselves," Ben said.

"I thought cats are never lonely," David McDougall said. "They act as if they own the world."

"Everybody gets lonely sooner or later," Ben said. He held out the book.

David McDougall smiled when he took it. "You are smarter than the average kid," he said to Ben, "and thoughtful as well."

David McDougall walked to the door with Ben and watched him put on his coat and boots.

"Good-bye," Ben said. "Happy New Year!"

"Good-bye," David McDougall said. "Thanks for the book."

"Can I ask you a personal question?" Ben asked.

"You can ask," David McDougall said. "But I won't promise to answer."

"What happened to Mrs. McDougall?" Ben asked.

Ben held his breath. Would Mr. McDougall be angry with him?

"She died a long time ago," David McDougall said in a normal tone of voice. "She had cancer."

"Oh! I'm sorry to hear that," Ben said softly. He went out and closed the door behind him.

David McDougall went back into the living room and sat down in his chair. He stared at the TV without turning it on. Oreo jumped onto his lap. She settled down and kept very still, even when some drops of water fell on her head.

After a few minutes, David McDougall started to pet Oreo. She rolled over on her back and purred.

Tale #34 -- Ben reads his book

2005-12-28T21:00:00.000-06:00

"What in the world are you reading?" Carol asked her brother Ben. "It's not like you to miss Saturday morning cartoons."

"This is the book Mr. McDougall gave me," Ben said. "It has stories from many different countries."

"That sounds interesting," Carol said. "Can look at it?"

"Sure," Ben said. "I'm going to watch Spiderman in a few minutes."

"I'm going to toast some waffles," Carol said. "Would you like some too?"

"That would be great," Ben said. "Will you please put some peanut butter and marmalade on them?"

"Sure," Carol said.

While Ben was watching TV and eating his breakfast, Carol looked at his book. It had beautiful illustrations in it. She found a story from India and started reading it.

The Son of the Ogress

In the olden days, travel was very dangerous. Travellers had to watch out for tigers, poisonous snakes, and bandits called Thuggees. They might also be attacked by ogres and angry spirits.

One day, a Brahman priest was travelling alone. A Yakka lived in a cave by the side of the road. She had the body of a woman and the head of a horse, and lived on human flesh. She carried the Brahman off to her cave, but he was so handsome that she fell in love with him. She asked him to marry her and stay in her cave. He didn't want to be eaten, so he agreed.

The Yakka wanted to please her new husband, so she started eating fruits and grain instead of people, and drank wine instead of blood. She still robbed travellers, but she didn't kill them. However, her cave was damp and lonely. The Brahman wanted to escape, but the Yakka always rolled a huge boulder over the entrance of the cave when she went away.

After a while, the Yakka had a beautiful baby boy who looked just like his father. The boy was curious about the outside world. When he became strong enough, he pushed the boulder away from the mouth of the cave. He and his father wandered through the forest, looking for other people. The Yakka followed them. She persuaded them to come home and promised that she would let them enjoy the outdoors whenever they wanted.

The young man learned many of his mother's secrets. He discovered that her power ended at the nearby river. If they managed to cross it, the Yakka would not be able to follow them. The young man wanted to meet other people and learn about the great world, so he planned to run away with his father. While the Yakka was out robbing travellers, the two men ran away. When she discovered that they were missing, she ran after them. By the time they got to the river, the father was exhausted.

"Leave me here and go on without me," he said to his son. But his son was strong and brave, and carried him across the river.

The Yakka cried and cried. "Please don't leave me! I can't live without you!"

"We want to live with other humans," the son called back.

"If you must go," the Yakka said, "I have something to help you." She threw a necklace with a stone pendant across the river. "Put this around your neck. It will help you see footsteps made by men even after twelve years."

The young man thanked his mother and said good-bye. The two men walked to the palace. The young man got a job guarding the king's treasure, and lived happily at court.

After a few months, the king decided to test the boy's ability. He and his vizier sneaked into the treasury, took some bags of gold and jewels, walked around the garden three times, and threw the treasure into a big tank of water.

In the morning, the king called the son of the ogress. "Some of my treasure is missing!" he said. "Let's see what kind of tracker you are."

The young man walked around the garden three times. Then he pointed at the water tank. "The treasure is in there."

Everyone clapped and cheered when the treasure was found just where the young man said it was. But the king was not satisfied.

"Anyone could guess that," he said. "But do you know who the thief is? That's the real test."

"I know," the young man said, "but I don't want to tell." He had recognized the footprints of the king and vizier.

"If you don't tell right now," the king said, "you're fired."
"All right," the young man said. "The footprints lead to you." He pointed to the king and his vizier.

Everyone was shocked that the king would be so sneaky. The story was told all over the country. Soon the people deposed and exiled the king and his vizier. They offered the throne to the son of the ogress. When the Yakka heard that her son had become king, she was very proud.

Tale #35 -- Ben's Letter

2005-12-27T16:40:00.000-06:00

Dear Dancing Bear,

I know that there is no mailbox at your cave, but I miss you a lot. I really want to talk to you, and this is the next best thing. I'm going to give you this letter when you come out of hibernation.

I looked after Bandit and Oreo for eleven days while Mr. McDougall was on a computer course. I think Oreo is trying to teach me how to speak cat language, but I'm not a good student. She looks very disgusted me when I don't understand what she wants. I know the cats really miss you. There is nobody around who can translate for them.

At first, I didn't understand why you were staying at Mr. McDougall's place. I thought he was too crabby for anybody to put up with. But he's okay now that I know him better. Dad works at the same place Mr. McD. does. He says Mr. McD. is a little weird because he's a computer geek, but he does his work well and never misses a deadline.

Mr. McD. gave me a story book. One of the stories is about a white bear, Nanook, who was born to a human mother. He helped a hunter named Uluksak when he was marooned on an ice floe. The bear caught fish for him and kept him warm with his fur. When the wind blew the ice floe back to the shore, Nanook twisted some hairs from his feet into a special lace and gave it to Uluksak to show his tribe. At first Uluksak's family did not believe his story, but after they examined the lace, they decided no human being could have woven it. After a while, everybody in the North believed in Nanook the white bear, cousin to mankind.

Dancing Bear, I hope you never leave Hearst. But if you do, please give me something to remember you by. That way I will always be able to prove that you are real.

Your friend,
Ben

Tale #36 -- Ben's Blog

2005-12-26T21:54:00.000-06:00

"How long are you going to be using that computer?" Carol asked her brother. "I need it for my homework assignment."

"Just another five minutes," Ben said.

Carol looked over his shoulder. "That doesn't look like a video game."

"It's not," Ben said. "It's a blog."

"A what?" Carol said. "I've never heard of such a thing."
"A blog," Ben said. "Blog is short for web log. It's a special kind of web site where people can write something every day."

"What would you know about making a web site?" Carol said.

"It's easy," Ben said. "Mr. McDougall showed me how. I'm going to write some stories and put them in my blog. Then everybody can read them."

"You're going to publish your stories on-line?" Carol said. "I didn't know kids could do that."

"You can have a blog, too," Ben said. "I'll show you how, if you want."

"I'll think about it," Carol said. She didn't like the idea of learning something new from her baby brother. Older sisters are supposed to know everything.

Tale #37 -- Ben's First Blog Entry

2005-12-25T22:42:00.000-06:00

Buzz the Space Cat

Buzz was a small, shiny black cat who lived in a suburb of Montreal. He was very clever and understood human speech well. He could also understand what dogs and birds were saying.

Five people lived in the house with Buzz: Mr. and Mrs. Champignon and their three teen-aged children: Elsie, Doreen, and Derek. Derek was excellent at math. He wanted to be an astronaut, so his parents sent him to space camp one summer. Buzz hid in Derek's gym bag and went to space camp too. Because he was a clever cat, he learned just as much as Derek.

The next summer, the family went on vacation together. They stopped to watch the launch of a space mission to Alpha Centauri, the closest star to our sun. This was the very first hyperdrive flight in human history. The trip would be only three days long because this space ship could travel faster than light.

Buzz decided he wanted to see Alpha Centauri. He sneaked onto the space ship and hid under the mission commander's chair. When the space ship was out of reach of earth's gravity, everybody was weightless. Buzz started to float around the cabin. He looked so funny that the astronauts forgot to be angry with him.

When they arrived at Alpha Centauri, they landed on a Class M planet which was a lot like earth. The people there looked like giant birds. To his surprise, Buzz discovered that he could speak and understand their language! He told the bird people all about earth, and explained that the astronauts were friendly explorers. The bird people welcomed the astronauts and had a big banquet for them.

When the astronauts were ready to go home, the bird people were sad.

"Stay with us, Buzz!" they said. "We want to learn more about space travel. It would be so nice to explore the galaxy!"

"Sorry," Buzz said. "Derek would miss me. That fluffy white Persian cat next door would miss me too. She always watches me from her upstairs window."

When the mission returned to Earth, Buzz was given a special medal for helping the astronauts communicate with the aliens. Then Buzz went home to rest until his next adventure. The fluffy white Persian cat next door was very impresssed when she saw Buzz' picture in the paper.

Tale #38 -- Raven the Trickster

2005-12-24T19:49:00.000-06:00

These stories are from the Winter 2002 issue of Spellbound.

The Tlingit people, who first told these stories, live on the southeastern coast of Alaska. This is a land of glacier peaks, humid spruce forests, and many green islands. The traditional way of life of the Tlingit people is one of fishing, hunting, and gathering. They spend the summer in camps and the winter in large houses in their villages. Several families live together in one house.

The Tlingit people weave colourful cloth for their clothing. They record their history by carving tall totem poles out of trees. They carve masks out of wood and use them in dances and ceremonies.

They see real-life ravens every day -- large, talkative black birds who are always hungry. They are clever thieves who like bright objects.

In the mythology of the Tlingit, the first Raven was larger than life. He was clever and had special powers. He created the world, taught the Tlingit how to hunt and fish, and saw that they had everything they needed to live well. However, he also liked to play tricks on them.

HOW RAVEN MADE THE WORLD

When Raven was born, he was white all over, except for his watchful black eyes. One day, while he was playing on the wind currents, he got the idea of making a world. He found some dirt and rocks and put them together. They would not stick. He tried mixing some water with the dirt and began to shape the world. Sometimes the mountains fell off. Sometimes the oceans ran in the wrong places. Sometimes he got into a temper and kicked the whole thing to pieces. But he kept trying until he made it stick together. It was lumpy and bumpy and not at all what he had in mind, but he was tired of working on it, so he left it the way it was.

He stole the moon, stars, and a box of daylight from a man who lived at the Nass River. When the people saw light for the first time, they were frightened and started rushing around looking for shelter. Some jumped into the water and became sea creatures. Others ran into woods and became forest animals. Raven laughed, ate the food they left behind, and took a nap in the sunshine.

Next, Raven visited Petrel, who had an everlasting spring of fresh water in his house. While Petrel was busy outside, Raven drank as much water as he could hold and tried to escape through the smoke hole. The weight of the water slowed him down, giving the smoke hole spirits time to grab his feet. While Raven was struggling to escape, the soot from the fire blackened his feathers. He finally got away and spit out the water to make the big rivers. The drops of water from his beak made the little salmon streams. No matter what he did to clean himself, his feathers stayed black.

HOW THE PEOPLE SANG IN THE FISH

One cold day, Raven wished for fire to keep himself warm. The fire appeared floating on the sea, far from shore. Raven persuaded Chicken Hawk to fetch it by telling him he would be famous. Chicken Hawk took some of the fire and brought it safely back, even though it burned most of his beak. Raven told him his beak would always be short, but it would be strong.

Now that the people had fire, Raven wanted to have a special feast in honour of his mother. He carved a cane and put a lot of magic in it. The people saw something out at sea with birds sitting on it, but nobody knew what it was. Raven told them that his magic would bring them good things for their feast. He made everybody sit down on the beach and reached out with his cane. It stretched all the way to the mysterious thing in the water. Raven began to pull it towards the beach. He told the people to sing to make it come. Whenever they stopped for breath, it would go back out to sea. The fourth time they tried, they managed to keep singing until Raven pulled the big thing in. Just as it touched the shore, a wave burst it open and all kinds of fish tumbled out. They went into every river and stream. The people filled their canoes with the fish and prepared a fine feast.

HOW RAVEN LOST HIS BEAK

Raven taught the people how use canoes, how to collect shellfish, and how to fish. When they fished for halibut, they used fat for bait. Raven loved fat more than anything. He swam in the water under the canoes, nibbling the bait off the hooks. One fisherman jerked his line so quickly that he caught Raven's beak. Raven kicked and tried to get away. The fisherman pulled so hard that Raven's beak came off. The fisherman took the beak to his village and hung it on the wall in the chief's house.

Raven made himself a nose out of spruce gum. Then he put on a big hat and pulled it down to hide his face. He went to the chief's house and asked to see the beak. He said, "That's really something. I sure would like to hold it." When they gave it to him, he said, "My, it's too dark to see in here. Could you open the smoke hole cover?" As soon as they opened the hole, Raven stuck his beak back on his face and flew up through the smoke hole so fast nobody knew what happened.

RAVEN IN THE WHALE

Raven was very curious. He was watching a whale one day and wondered what it was like inside. When the whale came up to the surface, Raven flew into its mouth and slid down its throat. The whale's stomach was like a big room. Raven sat down, built himself a fire, and ate some of the fish the whale had swallowed. Then he found a soft space to sleep. When he woke up, he ate more fish, then started carving the fat out of the whale's stomach.

That poor whale ate and ate, but it was hungry all the time. Raven started looking at the whale's heart. At first, he left it alone, but greed overcame him. He cut out the heart. The whale leaped up and died. After he ate the heart, Raven realized that he was trapped in the middle of the ocean. He wished very hard for the whale to drift to a sandy beach, and it did.

Some boys who were playing on the beach came up to the whale and heard a voice inside telling them to cut a hole in the top. They ran to the village in terror. All the people came to the beach. Two bold young men cut a hole in the whale, and Raven flew out. Then the people cut up the whale and took the meat back to the village. Some of them were worried because the whale had no heart.

Raven cleaned himself up and visited that village just as the people were getting ready to eat. They did not recognize him. When they told him about the voice coming from the whale, he looked very shocked. "Don't you know that a voice from a dead whale is a warning? If you don't leave right away, you will all die." The people were very scared when he told them that. They gathered up their children and their possessions, and ran away. Raven stayed behind and lived there until all the food was gone.

Tale #39 -- A Folk Tale from China

2005-12-23T21:48:00.000-06:00

Aniz the Shepherd

Once upon a time a wealthy land owner hired a shepherd boy whose name was Aniz. This boy was very well liked. People enjoyed listening to him play his bamboo flute. The land owner was jealous of the boy's talent and popularity. One day, he broke Aniz' flute into little pieces and sent him away without any food or money. "You little wretch!" the master yelled. "I don't pay you to sit around playing the flute!"

Aniz left his master's house and wandered through the streets. He didn't know what to do.

An old man took pity on him. "Hello! What's the trouble, young fellow?" the old man asked. "Who are your parents? Why are you out here all alone, crying?"

"Grandpa! I am a shepherd. My name is Aniz. My master beat me, drove me out and trampled my lovely flute to pieces..."

"Don't cry, Aniz," said the old man kindly. "Come and stay with me!" He took Aniz to his home. He used a length of bamboo to make the boy a new flute which was much better than his old one. He taught him how to play it. After his lessons with the old man, Aniz could play more beautifully than ever. Even the various animals in the forest came and sat round him, listening to him quietly and never wanting to leave. Aniz and the animals became close friends.

The land owner who had driven Aniz away had a dream one night. He called his three sons and told them about it. "Last night I dreamt of a beautiful rabbit, white as snow, with a black spot on the top of its head. I want that rabbit. Go and catch it for me."

"Father, we have never even heard of such a rabbit!" his sons replied. "How can we find it?"

The land owner started scolding his sons. "You hopeless creatures! Go and look for it. Whoever finds it will inherit everything I have when I die."

The eldest son stepped forward and said, "Brothers, let me go! I fear no danger, if only I can make father happy!"

He set off on his way looking around him carefully. After a while an old man came towards him and asked, "Young man, where are you going?" The eldest son told him why he had come.

"Go to the forest then," said the old man, "and look for the rabbit! Aniz is tending my cattle there. Tell him what you want and he'll help you."

The eldest son went into the forest, found Aniz and asked him for his help. "Of course!" Aniz smiled. "I can help you to find the strange rabbit. Come and get it this evening. But you must bring a thousand strings of cash to pay for it."

The eldest son thought, "Compared with the property I am going to inherit, a thousand strings of cash are nothing!" In the evening he returned to the forest with the money and found Aniz sitting on a tree stump, playing his flute. All the little animals were squatting round him entranced, pricking up their ears to listen to the music. The eldest son saw the white rabbit among them. It really did have had a tiny black spot on the top of its head.

Aniz put down his flute, stretched out his hand, took hold of the rabbit by its long ears and handed it to the eldest son. "Here you are. Hold it tightly!"

The eldest son paid the money and set off home with the little white rabbit. Aniz started playing the flute again. As soon as the rabbit heard the music, it jumped out of the man's hand and ran away. The eldest son searched for it for a long time but could not find any trace of it. In the end he gave up and went to see Aniz again.

"The white rabbit has run away. What can I do?" he asked.

Aniz answered, "There is nothing I can do about it. Didn't I warn you to hold it tightly? It's no use blaming me."

The eldest son went home empty-handed and told his story to his family.

The second son said, "Father, don't worry. I'll go and catch it tomorrow." Nextday, the second son went to try his luck and met the same fate as his elder brother -- time wasted and another thousand strings of cash down the drain. On the third day, the youngest son went, but he fared no better.

It made the landlord very angry to watch his three sons lose three thousand strings of cash like this, without so much as a piece of fluff to show for it.

"You fools!" he cried. "You worthless pack of fools! Tomorrow I shall go and catch it myself!"

So the following day the land owner went into the forest. When Aniz spotted him,he took out his flute and began playing. All the beasts of the forest -- rabbits, bears, snakes, wolves, foxes and many different sorts of birds -- came and surrounded the land owner. They looked very dangerous. The man fell to his knees in despair and begged Aniz, "My lord, save me! Save me!"

"Hello, master!" Aniz said. "Do you remember me? You treated me cruelly, and now I will have my revenge. These animals are my friends. As soon as I give them a signal with my flute, they will eat you alive!"

"No, no, my lord Aniz!" the man cried. "Please don't treat me as once I treated you!" He lay at Aniz' feet and sobbed, "I promise to give you anything you want. Don't let them hurt me ... I'm so scared...."

"Very well," Aniz said, "I will spare your wretched life this once. But you must never bully poor folk again! If you don't turn over a new leaf, I won't be so easy on you next time. When you get home, you must give half of all your property to the poor villagers. Is that clear?"

"Yes! Yes!" The man rose to his feet and ran home. He didn't want to give his things away, but he was too afraid of Aniz and the animals to break his word. He followed Aniz' instructions and distributed half of his estate to the poor. That upset the land owner's sons, but it made Aniz more popular than ever with the villagers.

Tale 40 -- A Trip to Ancient Britain

2005-12-22T16:04:00.000-06:00

"What are you reading?" Ben asked his sister Carol.

"I'm reading about King Arthur, and Merlin, and the Knights of the Round Table," Carol answered.

"You're reading a story book?" Ben asked. "I thought you said story books are a waste of time."

"This isn't really a story book," Carol said. "Story books are for children. This is history."

"Those stories are full of magic," Ben said. "History books don't have magic in them."

"Well, some of it is history," Carol said. "Arthur was a real person. Maybe they had magic back in those days."

YOUNG MERLIN (British legend)

Merlin was the son of a mortal woman and a spirit of the air. A priest baptized him as soon as he was born, and he lost some of his father's nature. However, he still retained some magical powers, including the ability to shape-shift.

The Saxon King Voltigern ruled Britain in those days. He had rebelled against his liege lord, the British King Moines. The dead king's brothers, Uther and Pendragon, fled before he could kill them. Voltigern was worried that they would return with an army, and began building a fortified tower to keep himself safe. Every time the walls reached a certain height, they would collapse for no apparent reason.

After the walls had fallen the third time, Voltigern consulted his astrologers. They told him that the walls would not stand unless the foundation was bathed in the blood of a child born without a mortal father.
Voltigern sent his messengers all over the kingdom. They discovered Merlin and brought him to the king. As soon as Merlin saw the unfinished tower, he told the king that the foundation would never be stable, because it was built over the lair of two dragons who shook the earth with their battles.

Voltigern ordered his men to dig beneath the foundation. They discovered two dragons, one red, and one white. The dragons emerged from the earth and began a fight to the death. Everyone was terrified except Merlin, who watched the combat until, finally, the white dragon killed the red one. The white dragon slipped back into the earth through a cleft in the rock.

"The time of the red Saxon dragon is at an end," Merlin told Voltigern. "The white British dragon will rise again to rule the land."

After that, Voltigern was afraid to harm Merlin. When Uther and Pendragon arrived with their armies, Merlin joined them. Voltigern was defeated and Pendragon became king.

The struggle between the Britons and Saxons was far from over. Soon another war broke out. Pendragon was killed, and his brother Uther became king. Uther took the title "Uther Pendragon" to honour his brother, and asked Merlin to build a mighty monument for the fallen king. Merlin magically transported enormous stones from Ireland, and built Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain.

Merlin became a valued advisor to Uther and his son Arthur, the most famous British king of all.

Tale #41 -- A Fairy Tale from Wales

2005-12-21T22:11:00.000-06:00

The Lost Islands

The Faerie Folk usually keep to themselves, but some of them used to visit the country markets at the port of Milford Haven. They never spoke, but simply placed money beside any article they wanted. If the merchant thought the price was fair, he would pick the money up, and the goods would disappear.

Griffith the corn merchant had second sight, so he could see the Little People come and go. He wondered where they took all the supplies they bought.

One day, Griffith was walking in St. David's churchyard. He glanced out to sea, and saw some islands he had never seen before. From the stories his mother had told him, he knew these must be the Green Isles of the Ocean, lost long ago.

He walked towards the seashore. At once, the islands disappeared. He walked back to the churchyard. From there, he could see them again, as plain as day. He realized then that he was standing on holy ground.

He cut a piece of turf from the churchyard and carried it to seashore. He put the turf in his boat and stood on it. He steered towards the islands and landed on the largest one. The Faerie Folk laughed at his cleverness and showed him all the sights of their secret homeland. They sent him home with his arms full of gifts, and traded with him for many years to come. However, they made Griffith give them the sacred turf. No matter how often he stood in the churchyard staring at the sea, he never saw the Green Isles again.

Tale #42 -- Second Sight

2005-12-20T22:15:00.000-06:00

One Thursday afternoon at a quarter to four, the doorbell at 906 Alexandra rang.

"I hope that's not another one of those salespeople," Oreo said. "David McDougall always gets annoyed when they show up."

Bandit looked out the window. "It's Ben!"

David McDougall went to the door. "Hello, Ben," he said. "What can I do for you?"

"I saw your truck in the driveway," Ben said. "I wondered if you would like a visit."

"I have flex hours, so I took the afternoon off," David McDougall said. "I'm watching TV. You can join me if you want."

David McDougall was watching a program called Frontiers of Construction. It told all about how the Tokyo airport was built. Ben tried to pay attention, but his mind soon started to wander. He wanted to talk. He waited impatiently for a commercial break.

"Mr. McDougall . . .?" Ben asked.

"Yes?" David McDougall answered.

"What is Second Sight?"

"That's an interesting question! Why do you want to know?" David McDougall answered.

"It's mentioned in the book you gave me."

"Well," said David McDougall, "it's a special ability to see things that other people can't, like fairies and ghosts and sometimes the future."

"Is Second Sight real?" Ben asked.

"That depends," David McDougall said. "Some people think it's just imagination."

"What do you think?" Ben asked.

The commercial break was over, and David McDougall started watching his program again. Ben waited for the next commercial break. Oreo came and jumped on his lap. "Brush me! Brush me!" she said. Ben picked up the cat brush and started to work.

"That's wonderful," Oreo purred. "Keep it up!"

When the next commercial break came, Ben asked again, "Do you think Second Sight is real?"

"I'm just a computer geek," David McDougall said. "I know about information and statistics. I don't pay much attention to the paranormal."

"Well," said Ben, "Sometimes I think that I can understand what the cats are saying. And sometimes I see my grandmother, even though she died three years ago."

"You see your grandmother?" David McDougall said. "You mean you dream about her."

"Yes, I do," Ben said. "But sometimes it feels like I'm awake, and she's really there."

David McDougall looked at Ben and nodded. "I know what you mean."

Tale #43 -- A Story for Carol

2005-12-19T08:33:00.000-06:00

"Have you looked at my blog lately?" Ben asked his sister Carol. "I wrote a story for you."

"Really?" Carol asked, trying not to look too interested. "What kind of story?"

"It's about time travel back to the time of King Arthur. You are the heroine of the story."

"Please get off the computer right now," Carol said. "I have some reading to do."

Carol's Excellent Adventure

Once upon a time, a girl named Carol lived in a town in Northern Ontario. She was just a normal kid, except for one thing. She had a special friend called Professor Zur.

Professor Zur was a scientist who liked inventing things. He didn't have a lot of visitors because he wouldn't let them in the house when he was busy working. But he had one weakness -- chocolate chip cookies. Carol's mother made excellent chocolate chip cookies, and she taught Carol how to make them. Whenever Carol went to Professor Zur's place, she brought some cookies along. He didn't mind stopping his work for some of those delicious cookies.

One day, while Professor Zur was munching Carol's cookies, he asked, "Would you like to see my latest invention?"

"What does it do?" Carol asked.

"It lets you travel through the space-time continuum."

"Please explain that in simpler terms," Carol said.

"It means you can go anywhen and anywhere -- if you're lucky. I haven't tested it yet."

"I'll help you test it," Carol said. "How long will it take? I have to be home for supper."

"That's the beauty of it," Professor Zur said. "No matter how much time you spend in your travels, you will not lose any time here."

"Wonderful!" Carol said. "Let's do it. I want to visit King Arthur and the knights of the round table."

Professor Zur put her in his time-travel chamber and programmed the control panel. The chamber started to hum and Carol felt dizzy. She saw a lot of different colours. Then she found herself in ancient Britain, right outside King Arthur's castle Camelot.

Carol managed to get a job in the castle kitchen. It was hard work, but she got to see the knights. Everyone enjoyed her excellent chocolate chip cookies.

One day, the head cook said, "King Arthur wants something special for his birthday. Bake some of those chocolate chip cookies."

The king enjoyed the cookies so much that he told his servants that he wanted to meet Carol. Two of the queen's maids came to the kitchen to fetch her. They gave her a bath, washed her hair, and dressed her in a beautiful gown. While they were getting her ready, they told her about the proper way to behave in the royal court.

When the maids led Carol into the throne room, she curtsied to the king as she had been taught.

"Thank you for making the cookies," King Arthur said.

"I'm honoured that you enjoyed them, Your Majesty," Carol said.

"I want to give you a reward," King Arthur said. "What would you like?"

"Oh, Your Majesty," Carol said, "I would like to go to your next tournament."

"No problem," the king said. "I'll do better than that. You shall be the queen of the tournament."

"Well," Ben said to his sister. "How did you like it?"
"It's okay," Carol said. "But you forgot something."
"What?" Ben asked.
"How does she get home?"
Ben smiled. "That's another story."

Tale #44 -- Carol's Excellent Adventure -- Part 2

2005-12-18T21:00:00.000-06:00

"When are you going to finish that story?" Carol asked Ben.

"Oh," said Ben, "are you interested in finding out what happens next?"

"Sort of," Carol said. "After all, it's about me. Do I get to be queen of the tournament? After all, I'm just a kitchen maid, and I don't know if a kitchen maid can be the queen of a tournament."

"I was thinking about that," Ben said.

"Think faster," Carol said.

A Question of Tradition

When King Arthur said that Carol could be the queen of the tournament, everybody was quiet, waiting for somebody else to speak up. Finally, Duke Robertson of Underwood cleared his throat.

"Sire, this woman is a scullery maid. It would dishonour the noble ladies if she is named queen of the tournament."

"I don't agree," King Arthur said. "And I'm the king."

"Yes, Sire, you are king. But you are not above the law."

"What law are you talking about?" King Arthur said.

"The laws of courtly love and chivalry," Duke Robertson declared.

"The laws of courtly love and chivalry honour all women," King Arthur said.

"But Sire--" Duke Robertson said, "according to tradition, the queen must be the lady whose knight wins the tournament!"

King Arthur looked around. Everybody there was nodding in agreement.

The king didn't know what to do. He would either have to break the tradition, or break his word to Carol.

"I have the answer," one of the knights said. "I will be Lady Carol's knight, and fight for her honour in the tournament."

"Carol is no lady -- she is a commoner!" Duke Robertson protested.

"I can fix that," King Arthur said. "I will make her a countess, and give her an estate."

He turned to Carol. "Do you have a favour you can give your knight to wear to the tournament?"

Carol took the green ribbon from her hair and held it out. The knight knelt on one knee and took it for her. "I will do my utmost for your sake, my lady."

Everyone applauded.

"Will you join me at my birthday feast?" King Arthur asked Carol.

Carol courtsied. "I would like that very much, your majesty. Thank you."

Tale #45 -- Carol's Excellent Adventure -- Part 3

2005-12-17T21:51:00.000-06:00

The Tournament

After King Arthur's birthday feast, Carol was taken to a beautiful bedroom in the palace. The next day, the queen's seamstresses started making her new clothes. When the day of the tournament came, Carol's maidservants got her ready for the show.

"You are so lucky to have Lancelot as your champion," one of the maids said. "He always wins all the events. You will surely be crowned queen of the tournament."

"Lancelot?" Carol asked. "That knight was Lancelot? I thought Lancelot would be bigger than the others."

"He's small," the maid said, "but he's very strong and quick."

Soon, one of the squires arrived to escort Carol to the tournament. Arthur had reserved a place of honour for her. She felt very excited when she saw Lancelot riding into the arena with her hair ribbon on his helmet, fluttering in the wind.

It was a very long day. First the knights tried to knock each other off their horses with long sticks called lances. Then they fought with swords and other weapons. Finally, they had a big fight for everybody called a grande mêlée. If a knight was knocked off his horse, the one who defeated him could keep his horse and armour.

Just as the maids predicted, Lancelot won every contest and got thirteen new horses and with their saddles and bridles and their owners' armour. King Arthur presented him with the grand prize -- a feather made of gold. Then Lancelot returned Carol's hair ribbon to her and kissed her hand.

Everyone cheered when she was crowned queen of the tournament.

"Long live Queen Carol!"

"That was very nice," Carol said after she read the story. "But I still want to know how she got home."

"Maybe she didn't want to go," Ben said.

"Of course she did! She missed her friends, her TV programs, her parents . . ."

"And her little brother?" Ben asked.

Carol hit him with a pillow. "Of course she missed her brother! And he missed her too."

"No, he didn't," Ben said. "No time passed at home while she was away -- remember?"

"I forgot that," Carol said. "But there's another problem. If she doesn't get home soon, she'll be older. If she waits too long, she might even be grown up, and her family won't recognize her."

"I don't know how she gets home," Ben said. "Do you have any ideas?"

Carol thought and thought. "Maybe Merlin can help her," she said.

"Merlin the magician?" Ben said. "That's a great idea." He went to the computer and started writing.

The Lonely Countess

"What's the matter, milady?" Carol's maid asked as she was fixing her hair. "You look sad."

King Arthur had given Carol a beautiful house and estate and lots of servants. She had clothes and banquets and a group of musicians to play for her whenever she wanted. She was taking dancing lessons and learning all about being a lady. She received lots of invitations to Camelot and the homes of the nobles. She was very popular at court and many handsome young men asked her to dance. It was an exciting life, but she was becoming more miserable every day.

"I am lonely," Carol said. "I miss my friends and family."

"Where do they live?" the maid said. "You could travel there for a visit."

"It's more complicated than that," Carol said. "I come from another time."

The maid's eyes grew round. "Another time? That is too much for me to understand. You should consult a magician."

The next time Carol was at court, she asked King Arthur to help her get home. He said, "I will miss you, my dear, but I don't want you to be unhappy." He called Merlin, the greatest magician in the world, and asked him to help Carol.

Merlin talked to Carol and made a lot of calculations. Then he spent several days preparing powerful spells. Finally, everything was ready.

"We can send Countess Carol home tomorrow," he told King Arthur.

"Thank you for your efforts," King Arthur said. Then he sent a message to Carol. "Come to Merlin's tower tomorrow morning. But before you go, please bake some more cookies." Carol had taught the palace cooks how to make them, but King Arthur said that they were never quite as delicious as Carol's.

Carol was so excited that she could not sleep. She spent the whole night baking cookies for the king. He was very surprised when she arrived in the morning.

"So many cookies!" he said. "Thank you very much. I hope you come back some day to visit."

Merlin took Carol into his inner sanctum -- the private room in the highest castle tower where nobody else was allowed. He threw magic powder on Carol and chanted and chanted. Just when Carol was ready to give up, she started to feel dizzy. Soon she was back in Dr. Zur's laboratory.

"How was it?" Professor Zur asked as he opened the chamber door. "Was the experiment a success?"

"You bet!" Carol said. She told him all about her adventures. While she was talking, the chamber started to shake and rattle.

"We'd better get out of here," Professor Zur said. He took Carol's hand and pulled her out of the laboratory. When they got outside, there was a big bang in the laboratory.

After a while, they went back inside. The laboratory was a smoky mess. The time-travel chamber had exploded.

"Oh my!" Carol said. "I guess we won't be time travelling anytime soon."

Professor Zur spent several days trying to figure out what went wrong. Carol made lots of chocolate chip cookies to cheer him up. One day, as he was munching on a cookie, he shouted, "EUREKA!"

"Eureka?" Carol asked. "What in the world does that mean?"

"Eureka is a Greek word that means I've got it! or I've figured it out. The ancient Greek scientist Archimedes yelled it when he discovered his famous principle in the bathtub and ran down the street naked," Professor Zur explained. He talked on and on about temporal strings and fuzzy logic and quantum mechanics. Carol didn't know what he was talking about, but she decided it was safer not to interrupt.

When Professor Zur finally finished talking, Carol said, "That was much too complicated for me. Could you explain it to me in simple language?"

"There were no chocolate chip cookies in King Arthur's time," Professor Zur said. "When you baked them for the king, you introduced them into the timeline and created a temporal paradox. As a result, my machine exploded because it didn't really exist."

"It's my fault?" Carol said. "Oh, I'm sorry! I was just trying to help."

"I know that," Professor Zur said. "Don't worry about it. That's how scientific research is. Two steps forward, one step back. I'll keep working on it."

Tale #46 -- If your wishes could come true . . .

2005-12-16T16:10:00.000-06:00

WHAT WOULD YOU DO

IF YOUR WISHES

COULD COME TRUE?

traditional stories
re-told byDancing Bear (from Spellbound)

THE WISHING CHAIR (Irish)

It was a dark day for Roisin MacFadden when her aunt came to live with her, along with her two daughters. Sickness had broken out in the neighbourhood and taken Roisin's parents.

"I will be a mother to you," the aunt promised, "And Mella and Gobnait will be your sisters."

Those three were so lazy that they left all the work to Roisin. While their mother dozed the day away, the girls passed their time bickering. Gobnait told Mella that she would never find a husband because she was as thin as a pole and her complexion was yellow. Mella retaliated by criticizing Gobnait's fat figure and huge feet. When Roisin tried to make peace between them, they both turned on her, telling her that their problems were her fault because her beauty, education and good manners gave her an unfair advantage.

One new moon night, Ana Criona, the wise woman, came to stay for a night or two. Her wonderful stories of the olden days made her welcome everywhere she wandered. This night, she told the three girls that they could get good luck for themselves by visiting a wood where the trees grew in a circle around a stone chair. "It is a long walk from here," she said, "but anyone who sits in the Wishing Chair can wish three times."

Before she went on her way, she told Roisin, "Your face is your fortune, but it is your kind heart that will bring you the good luck."

Mella, the eldest, left early the next morning. She soon tired of the unusual exercise. By the time she reached the wood, her steps were lagging, and she was parched with thirst.

"Oh, I wish I had a drink of clear, cold water!" she cried as she collapsed on the Wishing Chair.

The leaves overhead rustled, and seemed to sing, "Your wish will be granted."

At well of sparkling water appeared, with a cup beside it. Mella took a long drink, and then realized, too late, that the first of her three wishes was gone.

Mella wanted to have a beautiful complexion like Roisin. "I wish I had roses in my cheeks," she said. The leaves sang once more, and lovely pink roses appeared -- real roses, with thorns that pricked. They were so painful that she quickly wished them away, and came home no better off than she had left.

The next morning Gobnait tried her luck. The fresh air made her very hungry. She wished for a good dinner, and a beautiful meal appeared. Next, she asked for a slender figure like Roisin's. Her body shrank and shrank, but her feet remained the same. They looked so enormous compared to her thin body that she wished her old figure back. It was a disappointed girl who came home that night.

Finally, it was Roisin's turn. She got up very early, did all the housework, and left while the others were still sleeping. By the time she sat down on the Wishing Chair, the bright sunshine had made her very sleepy. She wished that she could rest and slumber for a while. While she slept, she dreamed of a tall, handsome man, who smiled at her.

"Oh, I wish I could have a man like that for my husband," she said, "and a happy home far away from my aunt and cousins!"

"Your wishes will be granted," the leaves sang.

On her way home, Roisin climbed a steep bank to rescue a bird which had become entangled in the branches of a tree. As she was making her way back to the road, she stumbled over a rock and sprained her ankle. Ana, who happened to be walking in the neighbourhood, found her crying by the roadside, unable to walk.

Just then, a splendid carriage came round the curve. "Have pity!" Ana called, waving her arms. "Help this poor girl!"

The carriage stopped. A footman opened the door for the young lord inside. It was the man Roisin had seen in her dream!

Soon after, Roisin's wishes came true, and she lived splendidly in Dunbawn Castle with her true love Brian.

THE TRANSFORMATION OF ISSUNBOSHI (Japan)

"Oh, divine Empress Jingo!" the old couple prayed at the ancestral Shinto shrine. "Grant us a son, even though he be no bigger than one of our fingers!"

From behind the bamboo curtain, a voice whispered that they would have what they asked. In due time, the old woman gave birth to a baby the size of her little finger.

His parents named him Issunboshi ("One-Inch-Priest"). "He will grow up in no time," his father said confidently. But, thirteen years later, Issunboshi was still exactly the same size. His parents became so annoyed by the teasing of the neighbours that they decided to send their son away.

Issunboshi asked his mother for a needle, a soup bowl, and a chop-stick. Using the soup bowl as a boat, he propelled himself along the river with his chop-stick until he reach Kyoto.

Issunboshi walked through a large roofed gate to the porch of a splendid house, and began shouting for attention. The owner, Prince Sanjo, was delighted with the little man and made him his eldest daughter's page.

Issunboshi went everywhere with the Princess Sanjo. Although he was small, he performed his duties with great dignity.

One day, the Princess Sanjo visited the Temple of Kwannon, the Goddess of Mercy. As she was leaving, two oni -- evil spirits -- ambushed her. Issunboshi drew his needle-sword and dashed forward to defend his mistress.

Laughing at the "funny little bean seed", the first spirit swallowed him whole. Issunboshi slipped down into the darkness of the creature's stomach, but he did not lose heart. He immediately started boring into the wall of flesh with his needle sword.

The oni roared with pain and coughed up his tormentor. Before the second oni could attack, Issunboshi leaped into its nostril and began piercing its eyes. Both creatures ran away, yelping with pain.

The princess picked up a small wooden mallet the oni had dropped. "Look -- it's a lucky mallet!" she told Issunboshi. "Tell me your heart's deepest desire."

"Honourable princess," Issunboshi said, "I want to be as big as other people."

The princess tapped the mallet on the ground and called out the wish. A moment later, Issunboshi was the same size as other youths his age.

The wonderful story of Issunboshi was told everywhere in the kingdom. When the emperor heard it, he summoned him to his palace. He gave the brave lad many gifts and made him an important official. In time, Issunboshi became a great lord and married Prince Sanjo's youngest daughter.

THE FISHERMAN AND THE JINNI

This story is from the "Thousand and One Nights" -- a collection of Oriental stories compiled about a thousand years ago. Legend has it that queen Scheherazade of Samarkand, who had been condemned to die, told these stories to her husband night after night, always stopping at an exciting point so that he would postpone the execution one more day. On the thousand and first night, the king pardoned her.

A poor fisherman had thrown out his nets three times, but had caught only garbage and a dead donkey. On the fourth try, he found an ancient brass jar in his net, with a lead cap stamped with the seal ring of King Solomon.

"At least I can sell this at the marketplace and buy food for today," he said to himself. Hoping to find something more valuable inside, he pried off the cap with his knife.

Smoke began to pour from the jar, whirling upwards into a giant pillar. Gradually, the smoke became solid, revealing a powerful jinni -- an Efrit -- who stood with his head in the clouds and his feet planted on the waves. Black fire danced in his eyes, and his mouth was as big as a cave.

"How do you wish to die?" the jinni asked in a voice that shook the earth.
"Is that how you repay me for setting you free?" the fisherman asked. "What harm have I done you?"

The jinni told the fisherman how the king of the jinn had imprisoned him in the jar 1800 years ago. At first, he had planned great rewards for anyone who set him free; but he had grown impatient over time, and had sworn to kill the first person he saw when he was released. "I will grant you only one favour," he roared. "You may choose the manner of your death."

"Before I choose, O Exalted and Generous Lord," said the fisherman, "I beg you to answer just one small question. Where did you come from?"

"From that jar you hold in your hand, of course."

"This little jar? You mock me. You are so huge -- how could you ever fit into this jar?"

"You saw me come out with your own eyes."

"I was blinded by the smoke -- I saw nothing of the sort, my lord. Surely even you are not powerful enough to make yourself so small."

"Very well -- I will show you this one thing before you die," the jinni said, eager to show off his superiority. He dissolved into smoke and passed through the narrow neck of the bottle. The fisherman lost no time in replacing the cap and the seal.

The imprisoned spirit bellowed with rage, threatening the fisherman with an assortment of dire punishments. Later, he begged and pleaded, promising every reward he could think of.

After a time, he and the fisherman came to an understanding. The jinni swore a solemn oath not to harm his benefactor, but to bring him wealth and good fortune. When the fisherman released him, the jinni took him to a lake filled with magic fish, and told him to catch one of each colour and take them to the king. But that is another story. . . .

Tale #47 -- Ben's Wish

2005-12-15T23:41:00.000-06:00

It was three-thirty on Friday afternoon. The children at the school got their things together. Some of them got on buses. The ones who lived less than two kilometers from the school had to get home some other way. Ben walked home with Charles. Charles had invited Ben to his place for supper and a sleep-over.

"I really enjoyed that magazine Spellbound," Ben said. "Thanks for lending it to me."

"No problem," Charles said. "I know you enjoy reading stories. When you've finished with that issue, you can borrow another one if you like."

"Great!" Ben said. They walked for a while. Then Ben asked, "If a genie promised you three wishes, what would you ask for?"

Charles shrugged. "I don't know. A better video game system, maybe. Ours is getting obsolete. Or maybe a four-wheeler. I'd like to learn how to drive one."

"I would wish for my Grandma Lena to come back," Ben said.

Charles stopped walking and looked at Ben. "Your grandmother? She's dead, isn't she?"

"Yes," Ben said. "I miss her. She came to live with us when I was born, and took care of me while Mom was at work. Then, one day, she went to the hospital and didn't come back."

Charles started walking again. Ben walked beside him. "I was just a little kid then," Ben said. "I didn't understand what happened to her. I thought she was mad at me."

"I don't think people come back from the dead," Charles said.

"Jesus did," Ben said. "They talk about it at church all the time."

"But he didn't stay long," Charles said. "It was more like a demonstration. Then he took off, and people had to get along on their own."

"A few days is better than nothing," Ben said.

"I guess so," Charles said. "But it isn't easy to say good-bye. When Dad comes to get me, I'm really happy, but I always feel crabby for a couple of days after he brings me home."

"Do you wish your parents would get back together?" Ben said.

"Yes and no," Charles said. "I don't want to talk about it."

The two boys walked in silence until they arrived at Charles' place. As they were walking up to the back door, Ben said, "I just thought of another good wish."

"What's that?" Charles said.

"I wish Dancing Bear would wake up and come into town," Ben said. "I really miss her."

"That's a good wish," Charles said. "It's bound to come true sooner or later."

"I don't know," Ben said. "What if she forgets me? What if she has to move somewhere else? What if she doesn't wake up?"

"Don't worry about that bear," Charles said. "She'll be here. She's magic."

Tale #48 -- The Genie and I (a poem by Ben)

2005-12-14T23:21:00.000-06:00

I found a funny bottle
just lying in the sand.
The ocean must have brought it
from a far-off foreign land.

The cork was covered over
with purple sealing wax.
I picked it up and took it home
to show my brother Max.

Max pulled out his jack knife.
"What's going on?" I cried.
"I'm going to pop this cork," he said,
"And take a look inside."

He scratched and cut and struggled
until that cork gave way.
The room filled up with purple smoke
mixed with some wisps of grey.

And suddenly a genie
began to laugh and shout:
"Hooray! I've waited centuries
for you to let me out!"

"Now listen up," my brother said,
"We helped you out, and so
you owe us each three wishes
before we let you go."

The genie laughed. "That's just a myth!
"You're lucky that I'm nice.
"I could have crushed you like a bug
"Or turned you into mice!"

He jumped out of our window.
He took off with a ZOOM.
And I can prove my story!
The bottle's in my room.

Tale #49 -- Ben and Stacy

2005-12-13T22:26:00.000-06:00

Ben was just finishing his lunch at school when Stacy came to his table.

"Hello, Ben," she said. "Thanks for the valentine."

Ben was startled. "How did you know it was me?" he asked. "I didn't put my name on it."

Stacy smiled. "A woman always knows."

Ben picked up his garbage and put it in the garbage can. He didn't look at Stacy. His face felt hot, and he didn't know what to say.

"I like your blog," Stacy said.

"Thank you," Ben said. He looked down at the floor.

"I see that you wrote a story for your sister Carol," Stacy said. "Will you write one with me in it?"

"What kind of story would you like?" Ben asked.

"A pirate story," Stacy said. "I love reading about pirates."

PRINCESS STACY AND THE PIRATES

Once upon a time, a pirate ship happened to find a small kingdom on a tropical island.

"This should be easy," said Gilles Blackheart, the pirate captain. "Let's attack!"

The pirates shot a few cannon balls at the palace. Then they got into their boats and rowed to shore. The people on the island were peaceful. They had no weapons. The pirates quickly took over the royal palace.
"Where's your treasure?" Blackheart roared.

"I don't have any gold or jewels," the king said. "My family is my biggest treasure."

"In that case," Blackheart said, "I'll take your daughter. When I come back, make sure you have some proper treasure to trade for her."

Blackheart's men took Princess Stacy to the pirate ship. When she saw her cabin, she said, "What a mess! I can't stay here! We have to clean and tidy it up." She got a pail of soapy water and started scrubbing. When she was finished with her cabin, she started re-organizing the kitchen.

Soon it was supper time. The pirates had their usual meal of salt pork, hard biscuits, and rum with a little lemon juice in it.

"Where are the vegetables?" Stacy said.

"Vegetables?" Blackheart's men said. "Pirates don't eat vegetables!"

"You have to eat your vegetables, or you'll get sick," Tracy said firmly. The next time they came to an island, she made them go to the market and buy fruits and vegetables. She told them to fill their empty rum barrels with water from a clear spring. "Too much rum isn't good for you," she told them.

Stacy saw some pick checkered fabric and told Blackheart to buy it.

"Whatever for?" he asked.

"I'm going to teach the men to sew. We'll make tablecloths and bedspreads and curtains for the ship," Stacy said.

"That does it!" Blackheart roared. "You are going home right now!"

He took her back to her father the king.

"I don't have any treasure for you," the king said.

"Forget the treasure," Blackheart said. "Just take her back. She's too much trouble. She's changing everything. Before we know it, we'll be running a cruise ship instead of a pirate ship."

"A cruise ship!" Stacy said. "What a great idea! Why don't you give it a try?"

Blackheart turned his back and tried to leave, but the king's men grabbed him. "Just a minute," the king said. "Take Princess Stacy with you. I can't afford to pay her dowry, so she'll never get married if she stays here."

"Oh all right!" Blackheart said. "I'll give you a chest full of gold and jewels." He sent his men to the ship to get some treasure.

"Thank you," the king said. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"No, thank you," Blackheart said. "I have to get back to my ship."

"Don't forget to eat lots of fruit and vegetables!" Stacy called after him.

"You did a great job," her father told her. "I'm going to give you half of this treasure."

"Great!" Stacy said. "I think I'll use it to start a cruise ship business. I really enjoyed sailing on the ocean."

"There's one thing I don't understand," the king said. "How come the pirates let you boss them around like that? Why didn't they tie you up and throw you in the brig?"

Stacy grinned. "Captain Blackheart said I reminded him of his mother."

"That was a funny story," Stacy told Ben a couple of days later. "Am I really that bossy?"

"Sometimes you are," Ben said. "But that's not a bad thing. You know how to organize and get things done. I like being in your group for a class project because I know we will do a good job."

Stacy smiled. "Thanks, Ben. I never thought of it that way."

Tale #50 -- Mind Control

2005-12-12T15:26:00.000-06:00

"I wonder what's wrong with David McDougall," Oreo said. She and Bandit were sitting outside the bathroom door, listening to strange noises inside.

"Maybe he has a furball," Bandit said.

"Don't be silly," said Oreo. "People don't have enough fur to get furballs."

"It sure sounds like he's coughing something up," Bandit said.

The bathroom door opened. David McDougall staggered back to his bedroom without even saying good morning to the cats.

"Hey! We're hungry!" Bandit called. He pushed against the bedroom door. It didn't open. Then he scratched on the door. Nothing happened.

"There must be something seriously wrong with him," Oreo said. "Usually, he yells as soon as you start scratching."

"Yeah," Bandit said. He licked his paw and rubbed his face. "If he doesn't get moving soon, we'll starve to death."

"No need to worry yet," Oreo said. "There's still lots of dry food. Let's take a nap and see what happens."

Two hours later, the cats woke from their naps and went to David McDougall's door again. They called and called, but there was no answer.

"What will we do now?" Bandit said.

"We will have to exercise mind control," Oreo said.

"Mind control?" Bandit asked. "What's that?"

"We sit side by side at the window and attract attention by using our thoughts." Oreo explained.

"How do we do that?" Bandit asked.

"If we think really hard about what we want, it will happen," Oreo said.

"Really?" Bandit said. "How come?"

"Cats rule the world," Oreo said.

"I suppose it's worth a try," Bandit said.

The cats sat side by side in front of the window and thought as hard as they could.

Somebody! Anybody! Please come here! WE NEED HELP!

"I think it's working!" Bandit said. "Ben's mother's car is turning into the driveway."

Soon the door bell rang. David McDougall did not answer. Then the phone rang again and again and again.

"She's using her cell phone," Oreo said. "That should get his attention."

After a while, David McDougall answered the phone. He told Ben's mother to go away. Then he growled, "Oh, all right!" and went to the door to let her in.

"You look terrible," Ben's mother said.

"That was a dirty trick, threatening to call 9-1-1," David McDougall said.

"Get in my car," Ben's mother said. "I'm taking you to the hospital."

"I'm not going," David McDougall said.

"Yes, you are," Ben's mother said. "You need to see a doctor."

"You'll have to wait until I get dressed," David McDougall said.

"You don't need clothes at the hospital," Ben's mother said. "Just throw a coat on over your pyjamas."

In the evening, Ben came to feed the cats.

"It's about time!" Oreo said. "We were starving!"

"Mr. McDougall had an emergency appendectomy," Ben told them. "He'll be home in a day or two. The doctor said he got to the hospital just in time."

"Wow!" said Bandit. "Mind control really works. Let's think about smoked salmon. Maybe Ben will bring us some."

Tale #51 -- A Spring Ride

2005-12-11T22:33:00.000-06:00

"What's wrong now?" Carol asked Ben.

"Nothing," Ben said.

"Stop trying to fool me," Carol said. "I know there's something wrong. It's the day before Easter. That's supposed to be a happy time, but you're moping again."
"How come the calendar says that spring has come," Ben asked, "but there is still snow on the ground?"

"That's the North for you," Carol said. "We've had white Easters before."

"Yeah," Ben said, "but--"

Just then there was a roar outside. It was Ben's Uncle Joseph on his snowmobile. "Would you like to go for a ride on the river?" he asked the children.

"Are you sure the ice is thick enough?" Carol asked.

"Oh, yes," Uncle Joe said. "I was there yesterday, and there's no sign of any breakthrough."

Ben got his snowmobile suit and put it on. Then he pulled on his snowmobile boots. Uncle Joe helped him with his helmet and his gloves.

"Aren't you coming?" Uncle Joe asked Carol.

"No thanks," Carol said. "A couple of my friends are coming over in twenty minutes."

"Where would you like to go?" Uncle Joe asked Ben.

"Do you know of any caves around here?" Ben asked.

"Yes," Uncle Joe said. "About five kilometres down the river, there's a trail that leads right to them."

"Hmmm," Ben said, "let's try going there."

What a great day for a ride! The sun was shining brightly, but the snow wasn't melting yet. Ben forgot all about moping.

Soon, they arrived at the caves.

"Let's drive around here a little bit," Ben said casually.

"Look!" Uncle Joe pointed. "I see something red."

Ben's heart started to beat faster. Could it be--?

Uncle Joe steered towards the red object. They found Dancing Bear sitting in a deck chair at the mouth of her cave, enjoying the sunshine. Her feet were propped up on a stump. She was wearing her red scarf and a huge pair of purple sunglasses with sparkly sequins.

"Dancing Bear!" Ben yelled. He jumped off the snowmobile seat and ran through the snow towards her. "Dancing Bear! Happy Easter!"

"Hello, Ben!" Dancing Bear said. Ben jumped into her lap and hugged her. "You're so thin!" he said.

"Don't worry," Dancing Bear said. "I'll soon fix that."

"When are you coming into town?" Ben asked.

"Not for a while," Dancing Bear said. "I'm just starting to wake up."

"Do you need something to eat?" Ben asked.

"Well--" Dancing Bear said.

"What would you like?" Ben asked.

"I have an appetite for strawberries," Dancing Bear said.
Ben looked at his Uncle Joe. Uncle Joe smiled. "You're in luck! Strawberries are on special this week."

Uncle Joe took Ben to the supermarket to buy strawberries, and then took him back out to Dancing Bear's cave.

"Thanks a lot," Ben said to his uncle. "You're the best. Is there anything I can do to thank you?"

"I'm cleaning out my garage next week-end," Uncle Joe said. "I could use some help."

"I'll be there," Ben said. "What time would you like me to come?"

"Around nine-thirty on Saturday would be great," Uncle Joe said.

Tale # 51 -- CLEAN-UP AT UNCLE JOE'S GARAGE

2005-12-10T16:25:00.000-06:00

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS

On the Saturday after Easter, Ben's alarm clock woke him up at six o'clock. He went down the stairs to the living room in his pyjamas and watched cartoons for two hours. Then he went back to his room and dressed in an old sweat shirt and some raggedy jeans.

His mother was mixing pancake batter in the kitchen. Ben got some orange juice out of the fridge.

"Looks like you're all ready to go to Joe's place," Ben's mother said. "I'm impressed. I know how much you like to watch Saturday cartoons."

"I offered to help," Ben said, "and I will. It was really nice of Uncle Joe to take me to see Dancing Bear last week-end."

"You'd better have a good breakfast," his mother said. "I've seen that garage. You'll need lots of energy."

After finishing a big stack of pancakes with maple syrup, Ben put on his oldest running shoes and walked to his uncle's place. The sun was shining brightly and the snow was melting fast. Spring was on the way.

TRASH AND TREASURES

Uncle Joe was already at work loading his truck.

Ben stood at attention and saluted. "Private Ben reporting for duty."

Uncle Joe grinned. "You're early. I like that."

The garage was so full that there was no room for any vehicles. Uncle Joe had to park his truck in the driveway. Aunt Marie usually parked her car behind the truck. Uncle Joe couldn't go anywhere without moving the car first.

"Where's Aunt Marie today?" Ben asked. "I don't see her car."

"Gone shopping in Timmins," Uncle Joe said. "This clean-up is a surprise."

"Do you really think we can make enough space for both vehicles?" Ben asked. "There's an awful lot of stuff here."

"I know we can do it," Uncle Joe said. "All we have to do is get rid of everything we don't really need."

"Sounds easy," Ben said.

Uncle Joe and Ben put some things in boxes and took them over to Aunt Sylvie's. She was having a garage sale that week-end. Then they filled twenty-two garbage bags full of junk and hauled them to the dump along with three worn-out tires, a couch whose springs were poking through the upholstery, a broken TV set, an old stereo with missing speakers, and a humidifier that didn't work any more. Afterwards they organized the garage and put everything in its proper place.

"Where do you want me to put this?" Ben asked as he wiped the dirt off the handlebars of a green BMX bike.

Uncle Joe walked over. "Hmmm," he said. "That used to be David's bike. He's much too big for it now."

"Can I try it out?" Ben asked. That bike was just right for jumps and wheelies and other tricks.

"The tires look a little soft," Uncle Joe said. "Let me pump it up a bit."

Ben could hardly wait to try out the bike.

BEN'S RIDE

As soon as the bike was ready, Ben jumped on it and started pedalling.

"Stay out of the puddles!" Uncle Joe shouted after him. That was easier said than done because the snow was melting so fast.

Ben jumped the bike off the curb onto the street. Then he tried some wheelies. The bike did everything perfectly.

"What a great bike!" Ben said to himself as he coasted down the hill.

The street at the bottom of the hill had a miniature stream flowing across it. "Whee!" Ben yelled, and rode right through it.

Oops! There was a coating of ice on the pavement under the cold water. The bike slipped sideways and fell over.

OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A car that was passing by stopped, and the driver jumped out. "Are you OK?"

"I think so," Ben said. "But I wrecked the bike." Ben was trying not to cry. He wished he had listened to Uncle Joe when he told him to stay out of puddles.

The man helped Ben stand up and checked the bike. "I don't see any damage," he said. "That's one sturdy bike."

Ben's elbow was very sore, but he didn't say anything about it. He got back on the bike and pedalled slowly and carefully back to Uncle Joe's place.

UNCLE JOE'S SURPRISE

"What happened to you?" Uncle Joe said. "You're dripping."

"I found out why you told me to stay out of puddles," Ben said.

Uncle Joe laughed. "Both David and I had to learn from experience. I guess you did too."

Uncle Joe helped Ben take off his soggy clothes. While Ben was in the shower, his uncle found some of David's old clothes that were still in the house.

Soon Ben was warm and dry again. His uncle put some band-aids on his scrapes.

"Would you like to have that bike?" Uncle Joe said.

"To keep forever?" Ben asked. He was so excited that he could hardly breathe.

"Why not?" Uncle Joe said. "David doesn't need it any more."

"Wow! Thanks!" Ben yelled. He hugged his uncle and rode home proudly on his new green bike.

Tale #52 -- HELLO AND GOOD-BYE

2005-12-09T21:33:00.000-06:00

The Return of Dancing Bear

After Dancing Bear finished her hibernation, she came into town to see what was happening. One day, Ben came home from school, and there she was in his yard, looking at the brightly-coloured tulips blooming in the flower beds.

Ben hugged her and hugged her. Then he hugged her some more. "I thought you were never coming back, " he said. "Are you here to stay?"

Dancing Bear hugged him back. "I can’t promise anything," she said, "but I think I’ll be around for a while."

"Where are you staying?" Ben asked. "Are you at David MaDougall’s house again?"

"His daughter Vivian is visiting him right now, " Dancing Bear said. "I think he’s doing just fine without me."

"You can stay in my room," Ben said. "You can have the bed. I don’t mind sleeping on the floor."

"Thank you," Dancing Bear said. "I’ll think about it."

"Please think fast," Ben said. "It will be fun – like a sleep-over."

"I don’t need a bed in a house," Dancing Bear said. "I’m a bear, remember? I can sleep anywhere."

Oreo’s Little Girl

"So this is your little girl," Bandit said. Oreo was sitting on Vivian’s lap and purring. "She’s not so little any more."

Oreo stopped purring. "She’s not the way I remember her."

Vivian stood up and went to the kitchen. Oreo almost fell, but she managed to jump onto the footstool. "See what I mean?" she said. "She didn’t bother moving me off her lap. She just stood up as if I didn’t exist."

"Don’t be so sensitive," Bandit said. "She knows you’re smart enough to look after yourself, and she expects you to do it."

"She used to adore me," Oreo said. "And now she doesn’t care!"

Oreo went down into the basement and curled up on an old chair. Bandit followed her and jumped up beside her.

"Hey – you still have me!" he said. He started licking the top of her head.

"Dancing Bear is a much better cat-brusher than Vivian," Oreo said.

"I agree," Bandit said. He lay down beside Oreo. She had to move over to make room for him, but she didn’t complain about it.

A Big Surprise

Bandit and Oreo were lying on the back of the couch side by side, looking out the window at the driveway. David McDougall and Vivian were loading luggage into her car.

"I’m not sorry to see Vivian go," Bandit remarked. "Everything was different when she was around."

Oreo licked her paw. "I don’t know," she said. "Maybe we didn’t give her a chance to get to know us."

"Yes, we did," Bandit said. "We were friendly, but it didn’t work. Vivian just isn’t a cat person."

"She used to be," Oreo said. "I don’t know what happened."

"She had a baby," Bandit said. "Maybe she is a baby person now."

"Maybe her little girl is a cat person," Oreo said.

"I wonder why Vivian didn’t bring her along," Bandit said. "After all, David MacDougall is her grandfather."

"Maybe she needed a break," Oreo said. "Baby humans are very demanding – just one of them is worse than a whole litter of kittens."

"How come you still love Vivian when she doesn’t love you?" Bandit asked.

"I don’t know," Oreo said. "I just do."

"Well, it isn’t fair," Bandit said.

Just then, David MacDougall and Vivian came into the living room together.

"She’s come to say good-bye!" Oreo said. She jumped off the couch and ran to Vivian. Vivian picked her up and held her.

"See – I told you she still cares!" Oreo said.

David MacDougall walked over to Bandit and picked him up. He held him firmly by the scruff of his neck.

"What’s going on?" Bandit said.

David MacDougall and Vivian took the cats to the dining room. Their pet carriers were ready and waiting.

"What’s this?" Bandit said. "Are we going to the vet again? We’ve already had our shots for this year!"

"I don’t know," Oreo said. "Maybe David MacDougall is taking us to Ben’s place."

David MacDougall and Vivian put the cats into their carriers and fastened the doors. But they didn’t put the pet carriers into David MacDougall’s truck. They put them into the back seat of Vivian’s car.

"Good-bye," David MacDougall said. "I’ll miss you."

"What is this?" Bandit said. "Where are we going?"

"I think he wants us to live with Vivian and her little girl," Oreo said.

"I don’t want to!" Bandit yelled. "This is my home! I want to stay here!"

"That’s one disadvantage of being a cat," Oreo said. "We don’t get to decide where we want to live."

Good-bye

Just then Dancing Bear came along. She peered into the car. "What’s going on?" she said.

"David MacDougall is sending us to live with Vivian," Bandit yelled. "Tell him we don’t want to go!"

Dancing Bear turned to David MacDougall. "Why are you sending the cats away?" she asked.

"Oreo is Vivian’s cat," David MacDougall explained. "She’s found an apartment in a building that allows small pets, and she wants Oreo back. I’m sending Bandit along to keep Oreo company."

"They don’t want to go," Dancing Bear said.

"What is the matter with you, Dad?" Vivian asked. "Why are you talking to a bear?" She waved her arms. "Shoo! Get out of here!"

"Dancing Bear is special," David MacDougall said. "She’s been helping me look after the cats."

"What kind of silly story is that?" Vivian said. "Dad, you’re just too weird!"

Dancing Bear tried to talk to Vivian and explain that the cats would be happier if they stayed in the home they were used to. But Vivian couldn’t understand her. She just kept waving her arms and yelling.

David MacDougall watched them for a while. Then he sighed and went back into the house.

"I’m sorry," Dancing Bear said to the cats. "There’s nothing I can do."

"Thanks for trying," Oreo said. "Vivian is not a cat person. It looks like she’s not a bear person either."

"It’s not fair!" Bandit yelled. "I want to stay here! All my friends are here!"

Vivian took out her cell phone and called the Ministry of Natural Resources office. "Get someone over here right away!’ she shouted. "There’s a bear in my Dad’s driveway!"

"I’d better get out of here," Dancing Bear said. "Good-bye. You’re the best cats in the world."

"Good-bye," Oreo said.

"It’s not fair!" Bandit yelled.

Dancing Bear walked down Alexandra Street. She turned onto Ninth Street and just kept walking and walking far out of town. She was crying as she walked.. She cried for a long time. She slept in the bush that night and the next. Then she came back into town and told Ben what had happened.

"Poor Mr. MacDougall!" Ben said. "What can we do to help? Should we get him a new cat? Animal Rescue always has cats who need homes."

"It’s too soon," Dancing Bear said. "We have to give him time to get over this."

Tale #53 -- THE JOY OF AUCTION SALES

2005-12-08T21:24:00.000-06:00

Life in Saskatchewan

The Saturday after Vivian left with Bandit and Oreo, Ben went to David MacDougall’s house at 906 Alexandra Street. He rang the doorbell. Dancing Bear answered the door.

"Hello, Ben," she said. "David MacDougall has gone for a bike ride. I’m sure he will be happy to see you when he comes back."

"Are you living here again?" Ben asked.

"Yes," Dancing Bear said. "It seemed like the right thing to do."

"How is Mr. MacDougall doing?" Ben asked.

"He manages to keep busy," Dancing Bear said.

"I just wanted to show him my new book," Ben said. He pulled it out of his backpack. The book was called A Prairie Year. On the cover, there was a picture of a man and his two children looking after a mother pig and her babies. The baby pigs were about the same size as a large cat.

"Those baby pigs are really quite cute," Dancing Bear said. "But they would look better if they had some fur."

Ben laughed. "Pigs don’t have fur!" he said.

"I think they need some," Dancing Bear said. "Especially in the winter."

"My aunt Peggy from Saskatchewan sent me this book," Ben said. "It’s all about life on a ranch. There is a story for each month of the year. The pictures are really good – almost like being there."

"Have you ever been in Saskatchewan?" Dancing Bear asked.

"Once, when I was very little," Ben said. "I don’t remember anything about that. My parents are thinking of driving to Drumheller this summer."

"Drumheller is in Alberta, isn’t it?" Dancing Bear said.

"Yes," Ben said. "That’s the badlands area. There are a lot of dinosaur fossils there. We would have to go through Saskatchewan to get to Alberta. I’m sure Mom and Dad would stop at Aunt Peggy’s ranch. She raises horses, you know."

"Does she have any bears on her ranch?" Dancing Bear said.

"No," Ben said. "Bears don’t live on ranches. They live in the bush."

"Some bears live in town," Dancing Bear said.

The Farm Auction

Dancing Bear and Ben were looking at the pictures in his new book together. Ben was telling her all the things he knew about ranch life.

The picture for September showed a group of people gathered around some farm equipment and some household items. Two men were standing on the back of a pick-up truck, wearing cowboy hats. One of them was speaking into a microphone. The other one was waving a thin cane.

Dancing Bear smiled, "Oh! An auction sale! I haven’t been to one in years. I wish there were an auctioneer in Hearst."

"What’s an auction sale?" Ben asked. "I’ve never been to one."

"At an auction sale, there are no set prices," Dancing Bear said. "Whoever bids the highest price for something gets to buy it."

"How does that work?" Ben said.

"The auctioneer keeps saying prices until someone makes a bid. Then he tries to get a higher price. The man with the cane is a spotter. He’s watching the people to see who is bidding. Some people raise a hand. Some people yell. Some people just nod their head, or use some other special signal. When the spotter sees that someone is bidding, he yells 'Yeah!' and the auctioneer goes on to a higher price."

Dancing Bear pretended to be holding a microphone. She started talking very fast in a sing-song voice. "Who will give me two hundred dollars for this beautiful couch? Nobody? How about a hundred? How about fifty to get it started!"

"Yeah!" Ben yelled, pointing at an imaginary bidder.

"Fifty," Dancing Bear chanted, "now sixty, sixty, sixty–"

"Yeah!" Ben yelled.

"Seventy, seventy, seventy–"

"Yeah!"

"Eighty, eighty, eighty – are you all done at eighty?" Dancing Bear asked. Ben pretended to look around for a new bidder.

"Eighty, eighty – come on, this is practically brand new! A nice soft place to watch TV!" Dancing Bear chanted. "Going once, going twice, going three times – SOLD to the lady in the red ball cap for eighty dollars! You got a real bargain, ma’am."

"That was fun," Ben said. "I’d like to have an auction sale. Would you be the auctioneer?"

"What would you sell?" Dancing Bear asked.

"I have some stuff to get rid of," Ben said. "I’ll tell all my friends, and they can bring their stuff too."

"You’ll need a bookkeeper to keep track of all the sales," Dancing Bear said. "And somebody to collect the money."

"I think Carol would be perfect for the job of bookkeeper," Ben said. "And maybe Mom will help with the money. She has a cash box she uses for garage sales."

"What will you do?" Dancing Bear said with a smile.

"I'll be the spotter, or course," Ben said.

"What about the commission?" Dancing Bear asked.

"What’s that?" Ben asked.

"That’s how the auctioneer and the helpers get paid," Dancing Bear said. "The seller gets eighty per cent of the money, and the workers get twenty per cent."

"I think Carol and my Mom will work without being paid," Ben said. "How much will I have to pay you?"

"I don’t need money," Dancing Bear said. "But maybe you could give the commission to charity."

"What a great idea!" Ben said. "They are collecting money at school to buy fruit trees for a village in Africa. I’d love to make a donation for that."

"That sounds excellent," Dancing Bear said. "Now all you have to do is get organized and advertise. When will you have your auction?"

"I’ll ask Mom if I can do it in our yard in two weeks," Ben said. "We have to hurry. Soon, people will be going to their cottages for the summer."

Ben’s Charity Auction

"Do you think anyone will come?" Ben asked. He was feeling very nervous. Everything was ready for the auction, but nobody had arrived yet.

"Of course they will!" Dancing Bear said. "You put up posters all over town. People love to go to an auction sale."

"We sure have a lot of stuff," Carol said. She had a notebook and three pens ready to go. "I wonder if we’ll ever get rid of it all."

"Don’t worry," Dancing Bear said. "Once the bidding starts, people will buy things they never thought they needed."

She was right. By the end of the afternoon, everything was sold. Ben had a nearly new beanbag chair for watching TV, two books, a video game, and thirteen dollars.

"I got rid of all my garage sale stuff that never sells," Ben’s Mom said. "Having an auction sale was an excellent idea, Ben. Maybe we should do it every year."

"We have almost eighty dollars in commission," Carol said. "How many fruit trees will that buy?"

"Four or five," Ben said, "if we donate all our money."

"Did you have another idea?" Dancing Bear asked.

"Well," Ben said. "Everybody worked so hard – I thought maybe we could go to Macdonald’s for supper. But the people in Africa really need those fruit trees."

"That’s okay, Ben," his Mom said. "I was thinking the same thing. Don’t worry about using the commission money – I’m buying."

Tale #54 -- THE GREAT ESCAPE

2005-12-07T21:34:00.000-06:00

Home is Where the Heart Is

"I’m bored," Bandit said. "I want to go outside."

"Apartment cats don’t go outside," Oreo said.

The two cats were sitting on the living room carpet side by side, looking out the balcony door. Vivian’s apartment was on the second floor. There was a big maple tree right beside the balcony. Bandit and Oreo were watching a squirrel which had its home in the tree.

It was almost five o’clock. Vivian was still at work. Her daughter Carrie was at day care.

"I guess Vivian will be home soon," Bandit said.

"Not for a while," Oreo said. "Today is Thursday. Vivian usually gets groceries on Thursday."

"I wonder if she’ll get us something interesting to eat," Bandit said.

"Not likely," Oreo said. "You know that Vivian thinks cats shouldn’t have people food."

"At least she could get some different flavours of cat food," Bandit said.

"Vivian isn’t a cat person any more," Oreo said. "She doesn’t realize that we like variety."

"Do you think Carrie will grow up to be a cat person?" Bandit asked. "She doesn’t know the difference between real animals and her stuffed toys."

"I think she likes us," Oreo said. "She’s too little to understand now, but when she grows up, she might be a great cat person."

"That’s possible," Bandit said. "But she’s a nuisance. I’m glad she goes to bed early."

They watched the squirrel scramble up and down the tree. Then some birds arrived and sat on the branches.

"If I could go outside, I would climb that tree," Bandit said.

Oreo said nothing. She was remembering the way Bandit used to climb the tree in front of David MacDougall’s house when he was just a kitten. He was good at climbing up, but he had trouble coming down. Sometimes he would sit on a branch for hours until somebody rescued him. Sometimes he would fall. It was a long fall for such a little cat. He was never seriously hurt, but he would stay away from the tree for a while. Finally, Oreo taught him how to come down safely, tail first instead of head first. After that, the two of them became friends.

"I don’t like it here," Bandit said. "I’m going home."

"This is your home," Oreo said.

"No, it isn’t," Bandit said. "I didn’t choose it, and I’m not staying."

The Way Out

When Vivian came home that day, she was very busy with Carrie and all her grocery bags. Bandit slipped out the apartment door while it was open.

"Bandit! Come back!" Vivian yelled.

Bandit did not come back. He ran down the hall, looking for a way out.

Vivian ran after him. She grabbed him roughly, brought him back to the apartment, and threw him on the floor. "Stay!" she yelled. She slammed the door and started unpacking groceries.
Carrie started chasing Oreo around the apartment. They managed to upset a potted plant. Vivian put the cats into their pet carriers until Carrie was asleep. After she let them out, Oreo asked to be brushed, but Vivian ignored her completely.

"I guess she’s tired," Oreo said.

"Stop making excuses for her," Bandit says. "She just doesn’t care."

"If she doesn’t care, why did she want us?" Oreo said.

"Maybe she didn’t," Bandit said. "Maybe David MacDougall gave us to her because didn’t want us any more."

"That’s ridiculous," Oreo said. "David MacDougall is a cat person." But she looked worried.

"How come I couldn’t get out?" Bandit said. "All I saw was a bunch of doors."

"You have to take the elevator," Oreo explained.

"What’s an elevator?" Bandit asked.

"It’s a big box that goes up and down, so people don’t have to climb the stairs," Oreo said. "Did you notice the big double doors with some buttons with arrows?"

"So that’s the elevator," Bandit said. "How do I use it?"

"You have to stay out of sight and wait for someone to push the DOWN button," Oreo said. "Then slip in quickly before the doors close and try to be inconspicuous. When you get to the ground floor, go across the lobby and wait for somebody to open the outside door. If the elevator goes to the basement, just hang around the garbage bins. Sooner or later, somebody will open the outside door. When they do – run! You have to be quick!"

"Wow – you sure know a lot," Bandit said. "Will you come with me? I could use your help."

Oreo looked sad. "This is my home now," she said. "And Vivian needs me."

Bandit’s Adventure

A few days later, while Vivian was busy with Carrie, Bandit slipped out the door without being seen. Vivian went to work without realizing that one of her cats was missing. She didn’t notice until she fed the cats in the evening and Bandit didn’t show up to claim his share of the food. Vivian looked all over the apartment. Carrie cried and cried because she wanted Bandit. Oreo tried to comfort her, but Carrie pushed her away.

"Stupid cats!" Vivian said. "Why didn’t I leave you with Dad?"

"Why didn’t you?" Oreo said. But Vivian didn’t answer, because she couldn’t understand cat language.

Oreo had trouble sleeping that night. She sat in the dark, looking out the balcony door at the stars. Where was Bandit? Was he all right?

The next day, a friendly man brought Bandit back.

"Are you okay?" Oreo asked.

"I’m fine," Bandit said. "I walked and walked. All I saw was houses and more houses. When I got hungry, I asked this man to feed me. He did, but he brought me back here."

"Please don’t go away again," Oreo said. "I was worried about you."

"You can’t stop me," Bandit said. "I’ll keep trying until I get away."

"If you really want to get away, stay away from people," Oreo said. "And slip off your collar as soon as you can. The tag has your name and phone number on it."

"Please come with me," Bandit said. "I need you more than Vivian does."

"Stay here with me," Oreo said. "It’s dangerous out there."

"I was on my own once," Bandit said. "I can do it again."

"Where did you come from, anyway?" Oreo asked.

"I had two sisters and a brother," Bandit said. "We lived with our Mom. Everything was fine until somebody put us in a cardboard box and drove away from our house and left us somewhere we had never been before."

"That’s awful," Oreo said.

"I climbed out of the box and I started walking until I found a new home with you and David MacDougall," Bandit said. "I don’t know what happened to the others."

"I didn’t know people could be so cruel," Oreo said.

One More Time!

After that, Vivian was careful not to let Bandit slip out of the apartment. He kept waiting for his chance. While he was waiting, he tried to convince Oreo to come with him. She kept saying that Vivian was her special person, and Vivian needed her.

One evening, the weather was very warm. Vivian opened the balcony door and started making hot dogs on the barbecue. Carrie was playing in the living room. She picked Oreo up and squeezed her. Oreo howled and tried to get away. Two of her sharp claws scratched Carrie’s arm. Then it was Carrie’s turn to howl.

Vivian was furious. "That does it!" she yelled. "First thing tomorrow morning, I’m going to make an appointment with the vet and have you both de-clawed!"

After supper, Vivian left the balcony door open to cool the apartment. The two cats went out on the balcony. They liked it there because Carrie wasn’t allowed to go on the balcony without her mother.

"De-clawed! I don’t like the sound of that," Bandit said. "Does it hurt?"

"I don’t know," Oreo said. "But we won’t need our scratching post any more, and we won’t be able to climb trees."

"I think this is a good time for both of us to leave," Bandit said. "What do you think?"

"How would we get away?" Oreo said.

"When Vivian is busy putting Carrie to bed, we can jump from the balcony railing into the tree."

Oreo sat and thought about it. Then she said, "I think I’ll take my chances with you. I love Vivian, but I don’t want to be de-clawed."

"We can get started right now," Bandit said. "It’s almost dark and Vivian isn’t looking this way."

A large tree branch almost touched the balcony. The cats had no trouble jumping onto it. They climbed down the tree. Then Oreo grabbed Bandit’s collar with her claws and helped him take it off. Afterwards, he helped her.

Oreo led the way, staying in the shadows as much as possible.

"How are we ever going to get out of here?" Bandit said. "The city is so big!"

"We’ll think of something," Oreo said.

After a while, they saw a big truck. Some men were putting furniture on it.

"There’s our ticket out of the city," Oreo said. "All we have to do is sneak on the back of the truck when nobody is looking."

"Will it take us to Hearst?" Bandit asked.

"I don’t know," Oreo said. "But at least it will get us away from Vivian."

The Long Ride

"I wonder where this truck is going," Bandit said. They had been riding for a long time. He was hungry and thirsty.

"I guess we’ll find out when we get there," Oreo said.

"I wish there was a litter box on this truck," Bandit said.

"Me too," Oreo said.

"When I was on my own, I didn’t have a litter box," Bandit said. "I just scratched a hole in the earth."

"There’s no earth here," Oreo said. "I guess we’ll just have to use a corner of the truck."

The truck stopped for a few hours, but nobody opened the doors.

"What will become of us?" Bandit said. "Maybe we’ll be trapped here forever."

"Don’t worry," Oreo said. "Just take a nap and stop worrying. We’ll be fine."

She was right. Soon after the cats woke up from their nap, the truck stopped. The men opened the big doors and started moving the furniture. The cats were happy to get out.

"I wonder where we are," Bandit said, looking around. The houses weren’t as close together as they were in the city.

"Look!" Oreo said. "There’s a park! Let’s go there."

The cats ran to the park. They drank from the river.

"I’m hungry," Bandit said. "Let’s ask somebody to feed us."

"That’s not a good idea," Oreo said. "Let’s hunt for our own food."

"What kind of food?" Bandit asked.

"Mice, and birds, and things like that," Oreo said.

"You can eat those?" Bandit asked. He liked to hunt, but he had never tried eating anything he caught.

"Of course," Oreo said. "Before there were people and grocery stores, cats had to do all their own hunting."

Dancing Bear’s Clever Nose

"What’s the matter?" Dancing Bear asked. David MacDougall looked very upset. He had been talking to Vivian on the phone.

"The cats ran away," he said.

"I don’t blame them," Dancing Bear said. "They are outside cats, not apartment cats."

"I didn’t want to give them up," David MacDougall said. "But you have to understand – Oreo was Vivian’s special kitten when she was a little girl. I was just looking after her for Vivian."

Dancing Bear went outside. She walked out of town and smelled the wind. She kept walking and sniffing. Finally, she came back to 906 Alexandra.

"The cats are at a place called Iron Bridge," she told David MacDougall. "We have to go and get them."

"Iron Bridge!" David MacDougall said. "I have never heard of a place called Iron Bridge! What makes you think the cats are at Iron Bridge?"

"My nose knows," Dancing Bear said wisely.

David MacDougall unfolded a map of the province of Ontario and looked at it. He found Iron Bridge, near Sault Ste. Marie.

"That’s a long way from here," David MacDougall said. "I can’t take time off to go on a wild goose chase."

"It’s not a wild goose chase," Dancing Bear said. "It’s a wild cat chase."

David MacDougall paced around the house. Finally he said, "Tomorrow is Saturday. I guess I could drive to Iron Bridge and be back in time for work on Monday morning."

"I’ll come with you," Dancing Bear said.

"You had better be right about this," David MacDougall said.

"Of course I am," Dancing Bear said. "My nose is very sensitive. I can find almost anything."

Together Again

The next morning, David MacDougall and Dancing Bear got into his truck.

"Do you think I should bring the pet carriers?" David MacDougall asked as he put his suitcase in the back of the truck.

"I don’t think you’ll need them," Dancing Bear said. "The cats will be very happy to get a ride home."

David MacDougall went to the gas station to fill up his tank.
"This is going to be an expensive trip," he said. "Gas isn’t cheap, you know."

"It’s worth it," Dancing Bear said.

They stopped at Tim Horton’s for coffee and bagels. Then they headed down the long highway.

It was a lovely drive. Dancing Bear enjoyed looking at all the trees. She waved at a bear beside the highway.

A few hours later, they saw a large body of water from the top of a hill.

"What’s that lake?" Dancing Bear asked.

"Lake Superior," David MacDougall said.

"I’ve never seen so much water," Dancing Bear said.

David MacDougall had made sandwiches and put them in his cooler along with some pop and apples. He and Dancing Bear stopped at a beach for lunch. Dancing Bear took a short walk along the beach and let the water cool her feet.

"This is great!" she said. "We should come here for a vacation sometime."

They drove and drove. It was suppertime when they arrived at Iron Bridge.

"Now what?" David MacDougall said.

"Let’s look for the park," Dancing Bear said. She sniffed the air and pointed. "I think it’s that way."

She was right. David MacDougall found the park, no problem. As soon as he stopped the truck, Dancing Bear jumped out and ran towards the river.

David MacDougall sat in his truck. He was tired. He wondered where they would spend the night. He wondered if Dancing Bear’s nose was as clever as she thought. Could she really find the cats?

"I must be getting soft in the head," David MacDougall muttered. "I drove all the way down here just because a bear said so. What a waste of a week-end!"

Then he saw something that made him forget how tired he was. Dancing Bear was coming! Bandit was walking beside her, and Oreo was riding on her back.

David MacDougall jumped out of the truck. He ran to meet them. He picked up Bandit and held him.

"Your fur is all matted," he said to Bandit, and rubbed his chin. Bandit started to purr.

"They are both thrilled to see us," Dancing Bear said. "They can’t wait to go home."

"What am I going to tell Vivian?" David MacDougall said. "She said that Carrie is really attached to the cats."

"Tell her that she can bring Carrie for a visit," Dancing Bear said. "The cats want to stay with you. 906 Alexandra is their home."

"What if I decide to move?" David MacDougall said.

"We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it," Dancing Bear said.

David MacDougall opened the door of his truck. The cats jumped in and settled on the seat. Then Dancing Bear got in.

"Now, then," David MacDougall said. "All we have to do is find a motel that takes pets."