Steve Shilstone's Blog, page 13
November 11, 2014
THE BOASTFUL 4 LEAF CLOVER
‘I am splendid, am I not? I can grant wishes, too,’ boasted the 4 leaf clover. ‘My petals are perfect, don’t you think? And there are 4 of them.’
The blades of grass and the 3 leaf clovers all around grumbled and muttered.
‘Petals, she says. Leafs aren’t good enough for her,’ said a nearby 3 leaf clover to a blade of grass.
‘Just wait,’ said the blade. ‘She’ll soon be sorry.’
‘What do you mean?’ said the 3 leaf with a bubble of hope.
There was no time for the blade of grass to reply, for a squeal from on high was quickly followed by a giant hand plucking the 4 leaf clover and carrying it off.
Moral: If you are 4 leafed, keep one hidden just to be safe.
November 5, 2014
JESTERBEASTS BIRTHDAY
In Jesterbeasts, Book 9 of The Bekka Chronicles, the search for her missing (stolen?) cottage leads the good lavender witch from her home world of Boad through a space portal to the California mountains of planet Earth. http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/in...
November 2, 2014
SURPRISED FLOWERS
‘Hey, what’s the big idea?’
‘Nobody said anything about snow.’
‘Take us back to the greenhouse now!’
‘I kind of like it.’
‘You would.’
October 31, 2014
THE GHOST PUMPKIN
the ghost pumpkin floats above its patch tonight
drop by for a visit and a friendly fright
October 26, 2014
THE COBWEB, A STORY FOR HALLOWEEN
The cobweb was all alone high in the rafters of the barn. Its spider had gone off, saying she was sick to death of the barn and wanted to see the bright lights of the big city. The cobweb felt sad, for who was there now to repair the big gap in its side where the bumblebee had crashed through?
I’ll sing, thought the cobweb. That might cheer me up. I’ve never sung before, but it’s worth a try.
The Ipsy Wipsy Spider was the only song the cobweb had ever heard. Its spider had sung it quite a lot at dinnertime. So that was the song the cobweb sang. It was most surprising how well the cobweb sang in its woven strand of a voice.
“Here, what’s that there, a singing cobweb?” remarked the hoot owl without a single hoot. The owl sidled over along the beam. “Cobweb, hold on there a tick or two. How long have you been a singer, and what’s more, where’s your spider?”
“I thought singing would cheer me up, so I tried it. My spider has gone to see the bright lights of the big city,” answered the cobweb.
“Pah! Bright lights are nothing. I’ll show you something. It’s Halloween, you know. Wrap yourself around me like a shawl,” said the owl.
The owl spread wide her wings, and the cobweb wrapped around her body. With a leap and a whuff whuff of wings the owl shot out of the barn and headed for the old graveyard.
“What do you think of this?” crowed the owl, landing on a twisted limb.
“Oh, wonderful!” said the cobweb, and it floated down to mingle with the thousands of other cobwebs in the graveyard. It taught them all how to sing The Ipsy Wipsy Spider, and the joyous chorus was heard as the clock struck midnight, and many ghosts came out to dance.
The owl flew off, proud of its good deed.
October 19, 2014
THE RED LEAF
Once it happened that a king out hunting was trapped by a clutch tree and wrapped in its branches. People of all stripes and degree came from miles around to stand and stare at the captured king.
‘The tree’s got ‘im, that’s for sure.’
‘No way to escape the clutch tree, they say.’
A local wizard stepped forth to stand near, but not too near, the king. He said, ‘There be one sliver of hope. If a volunteer were to travel far and pass by the seven serpents on the seven hills to where the red leaf dwells, the red leaf would grant a wish to free the king. Who will go?’
All looked one at the other and around, not saying a word. Seven serpents sang danger in all heads save one.
‘I’ll go,’ said a tiny maid. She seemed far too small for her boots.
After the laughter and snorting had died down, Elspathia, for that was the tiny maid’s name, asked the wizard to point her in the proper direction, and off she marched.
Go ahead and imagine the trials, tribulations, swamps, rocky heights, lizards, thorny mazes, floods, tornadoes, and most especially the serpents. Clothes in tatters, boots punctured by serpent teeth, skin pockled with stings, Elspathia crawled to rest the palm of her hand on the trunk of the red leaf’s tree. The red leaf shuddered in sympathy.
‘Child, what will you?’ said the leaf.
‘Our king is captured by a clutch tree. I would have him released,’ gasped Elspathia.
‘Done,’ said the leaf.
And done it was, and not only that, Elspathia was flown through the sky to return in triumph and live the rest of her days eating all the cake she wanted.
October 11, 2014
THE CROSSWALK STRIPE
One midnight in San Francisco a crosswalk’s third stripe from the curb finally had had enough.
‘I’m sick and tired of people walking on me and buses and trucks and cars rolling over me,’ it announced loudly. ‘I’m leaving.’
‘You can’t leave,’ said its neighbor, 2nd from the curb.
‘Watch me,’ snapped the third stripe.
It struggled and strained, rippling up into a loop of a hoop. Then, having no idea what to do next, it rolled off down the hill toward the bay.
‘Where are you headed?’ asked a lamppost.
‘Mind your own business,’ snarled the stripe.
‘You don’t have to be so cross,’ said the lamppost.
‘Yes I do, dimwit. I was part of a stupid crosswalk,’ replied the unpleasant stripe.
The stripe continued its roll down to the bay, where it dove in and swam wriggling like a giant eel under water until it came to a spot near a bridge where it decided to live forever. And so it did, happily exchanging insults with rude mermaids.
October 5, 2014
ANOTHER REASON WHY I LIKE ALICE
As there seemed to be no chance of getting her hands up to her head, she tried to get her head down to them, and was delighted to find that her neck would bend about easily in any direction, like a serpent. – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Alice’s delight in finding herself with a long bendy neck is in turn delightful to me.
October 2, 2014
THE GENTLE FLOAT
The gentle float floated gently on the surface of the sea. There was nothing else to be seen for miles around. The float sighed. It felt blessed to be floating so peacefully on the sea. Suddenly it was sent wobbling when whacked from the side. A gasping hummingbird clung to it.
‘Oh good, oh well, oh nice. Thanks for being here. I never would have made it. I’m not cut out for long distance flight, I can tell you. What brought me here, you ask? (The float hadn’t asked. In fact, it hadn’t said anything at all.) Very well, if you insist, I’ll tell you. That scampering weasel told me there were gardens of glory beyond this sea. I fell for it. Are there gardens of glory? No, you say? (The float still hadn’t said a word.) I thought as much. Well, let me catch my breath a bit, and I’ll head back where I came from. I reached here, didn’t I? So I can reach back, can’t I? I agree. (The float maintained silence, concentrating instead on bearing up under the extra weight of hummingbird.) Whew, well, kind of boring out here, isn’t it? I thought so. (The float could have said a word or two about hurricanes and such, but didn’t.) I’m pretty sure I’ve got my second wind now. I’ll be off. Been nice chatting with you.’
The hummingbird zapped off. The float swayed back and forth for a time, then settled into a calm stillness. It floated gently on the surface of the sea.
