THE ROAD THROUGH HEDAL FOREST (Traditional Norwegian Tale)
<< Living Without Fear >>
It's always been said that the woods are inhabited by charmed and mysterious creatures. Have you ever seen them?
In the cold lands of Scandinavia, two brothers were left orphans: a snow storm ended the lives of their parents. So they decided to look for work on the other side of Hedal Forest, famous for the strange creatures that lived in it. The two young men were very brave, but in the middle of the night when they heard a deep snort that came from the forest, their teeth began to chatter and they hugged each other scared to death...
Three gigantic trolls approached them clumsily along the path. But the two brothers realized that they were not as dangerous as they looked, because they had only one eye for the three of them. So the brothers began to chop at their legs with hatchets. The trolls tried to trap them with clumsy swipes at the air but without success. The turned from one side to another and exchanged the eye to see what was happening until being overtaken by desperation and pain, with the result that they could no longer fight or advance. And that's where they stayed, in the middle of the road, in a puddle of blood. Meanwhile, at dawn's first light, the two brothers crossed the forest triumphantly.
Fear usually paralyzes us more than the danger itself, and for that reason the only way to conquer it is to not think about it.
martes, 19 de febrero de 2013
jueves, 14 de febrero de 2013
LeSSoN 8
THE GIRL IN THE PORTRAIT (Traditional Baltic Tale)
<< Living Art >>
The natives of many cultures thought that if someone made a portrait of them, they were robbing their soul. Could there be some truth to this?
A young sailor found a phantom ship adrift. When he went on board, he came across a series of useless objects... except for the portrait of a mysterious girl who seemed to look at him from the bottom of her soul. The sailor hung the painting in his house and from then on no longer felt so alone, because the girl, apart from looking at him, made the food and the housework when he was away. Then the sailor visited a witch: <<If you want the girl to stay with you, wait until she steps out of the painting, and then keep the empty frame, under lock and key, in the basement>>.
The sailor followed the advice and a few days later he married the girl. In nine months they had a son who also became a sailor. They lived happily for many years until the sailor, who was old, died. That night, when the woman was preparing the shroud, she found the key to the basement,where she discovered the frame and returned to the painting where she had always been.
When the son came home after a long voyage, he looked for his parents everywhere, even in the basement, where he found the portrait of his mother when she was much younger. Then he understood everything: he hung the portrait in his ship and in that way his mother returned to the sea.
Maybe portraits don't have a true soul, but they do have something that unsettles and attracts us.
<< Living Art >>
The natives of many cultures thought that if someone made a portrait of them, they were robbing their soul. Could there be some truth to this?
A young sailor found a phantom ship adrift. When he went on board, he came across a series of useless objects... except for the portrait of a mysterious girl who seemed to look at him from the bottom of her soul. The sailor hung the painting in his house and from then on no longer felt so alone, because the girl, apart from looking at him, made the food and the housework when he was away. Then the sailor visited a witch: <<If you want the girl to stay with you, wait until she steps out of the painting, and then keep the empty frame, under lock and key, in the basement>>.
The sailor followed the advice and a few days later he married the girl. In nine months they had a son who also became a sailor. They lived happily for many years until the sailor, who was old, died. That night, when the woman was preparing the shroud, she found the key to the basement,where she discovered the frame and returned to the painting where she had always been.
When the son came home after a long voyage, he looked for his parents everywhere, even in the basement, where he found the portrait of his mother when she was much younger. Then he understood everything: he hung the portrait in his ship and in that way his mother returned to the sea.
Maybe portraits don't have a true soul, but they do have something that unsettles and attracts us.
lunes, 11 de febrero de 2013
LeSSoN 7
THE WIZARD KALDOON (Traditional Transylvania Tale)
<< The Power of Love >>
In both stories and real life, there is always someone who is against true love stories. Why should that be?
A windowed farmer was in financial ruin with no more comfort than his only daughter, María. He went to look for work in the city where he came across a strange spectacle of wizards and tightrope walkers. The farmer wanted to get away from the hubbub but a mysterious young man, who said he was the prince of Kaldoon, stopped him.
<<Isn't this what you've come looking for?>>, the young man asked him while he played with some gold coins. <<If you want to end your ruin you will give me your beautiful daughter in matrimony.>> The farmer agreed but when he gave the news to María she became so sad that she lost all her beauty and brightness because she was really in love with Florián, a boy from the village. When Prince Kaldoon came in search of his fiancée and saw she had lost her looks, he told the farmer that this wasn't what had been agreed on. But inmediately afterwards, he took the girl away on his horse.
Lovestruck Florián knew that this Kaldoon was not a prince but a wizard, and that his loved one was in great danger. So after much riding, he was able to find her in a cave, and they took advantage of a nap by the wizard to escape. Later they got married and the girl forgave her father.
Looking for and finding true love is one of the main motivations in live. So let's not lose it!
<< The Power of Love >>
In both stories and real life, there is always someone who is against true love stories. Why should that be?
A windowed farmer was in financial ruin with no more comfort than his only daughter, María. He went to look for work in the city where he came across a strange spectacle of wizards and tightrope walkers. The farmer wanted to get away from the hubbub but a mysterious young man, who said he was the prince of Kaldoon, stopped him.
<<Isn't this what you've come looking for?>>, the young man asked him while he played with some gold coins. <<If you want to end your ruin you will give me your beautiful daughter in matrimony.>> The farmer agreed but when he gave the news to María she became so sad that she lost all her beauty and brightness because she was really in love with Florián, a boy from the village. When Prince Kaldoon came in search of his fiancée and saw she had lost her looks, he told the farmer that this wasn't what had been agreed on. But inmediately afterwards, he took the girl away on his horse.
Lovestruck Florián knew that this Kaldoon was not a prince but a wizard, and that his loved one was in great danger. So after much riding, he was able to find her in a cave, and they took advantage of a nap by the wizard to escape. Later they got married and the girl forgave her father.
Looking for and finding true love is one of the main motivations in live. So let's not lose it!
lunes, 1 de octubre de 2012
LeSSoN 6
THE FISH WITH THE GOLDEN SCALES
<< The Flood >>
Scientists say that the way the planet is now, the end of the world is approaching. Can you imagine if this were true?
One day the wise man Manú found a tiny fish in his wash basin. <<Don't kill me, please>>, implored the little fish. <<I've never killed a living being, so why would I do so now?>>, answered the wise man.
So he put it in a jar with water, where its golden scales shone in the sunlight. But in a few days the little animal had grown so much that the wise man had to take it to a pool.
But this didn't work at all because the fish took on such huge proportions that it asked the wise man to take it to the sea. But before the fish went under the foamy waters of the ocean, it said to the wise man: <<The end of the world is near and since you are a good man, I will send you a large boat where you will place all kinds of animals, plants, men and women.
Days later, the sky got dark and the boat reached the port just as the fish had said.
Then Manú brought inside the animals and the seed, but very few men and women because most of them had taken him for a madman. As soon as he sailed, it began to rain until the water covered the whole Earth. Manú had saved the living beings from terrible destruction.
We shouldn't be pessimists with regard to our world, but it is necessary to take note of how destructive we can be.
<< The Flood >>
Scientists say that the way the planet is now, the end of the world is approaching. Can you imagine if this were true?
One day the wise man Manú found a tiny fish in his wash basin. <<Don't kill me, please>>, implored the little fish. <<I've never killed a living being, so why would I do so now?>>, answered the wise man.
So he put it in a jar with water, where its golden scales shone in the sunlight. But in a few days the little animal had grown so much that the wise man had to take it to a pool.
But this didn't work at all because the fish took on such huge proportions that it asked the wise man to take it to the sea. But before the fish went under the foamy waters of the ocean, it said to the wise man: <<The end of the world is near and since you are a good man, I will send you a large boat where you will place all kinds of animals, plants, men and women.
Days later, the sky got dark and the boat reached the port just as the fish had said.
Then Manú brought inside the animals and the seed, but very few men and women because most of them had taken him for a madman. As soon as he sailed, it began to rain until the water covered the whole Earth. Manú had saved the living beings from terrible destruction.
We shouldn't be pessimists with regard to our world, but it is necessary to take note of how destructive we can be.
lunes, 23 de mayo de 2011
LeSSoN 5
THE ISLAND OF ORADO (Traditional Russian Tale)
<< All That Glitters Is Not Gold >>
Before, to get rich overnight, people looked for treasures on desert islands. Today, one has to pick the right numbers on the lottery.
In Moscow lived Fédor Budonov, a rich old man who counted his gold coins every day. Meanwhile, his servant Boris had to be satisfied with hearing the jingle and obey his lord.
One day, Budonov heard talk about an island where there was an immensse mountain of gold, and since he never had enough, he sailed with his servant to that place. When he saw the mountain, Budonov's eyes shined in such a way that... Then he took out a strange little bottle and made Boris drink it. In just a few minutes, the boy fell asleep. The old man put him in a cow's skin and called several crows to carry him up to the top of the gold.
When Boris woke up, he saw he couldn't go down from there and had no alternativa but to obey his greedy master: he dug night and day to dig out the nuggets, which the old man kept in chests. There was no rest for Boris, until one night the mountain changed into a volcano: with a roar it threw the young man through the air, and after several turns he fell safely to the beach. But his master didn't have the same luck, and was petrified by the lava, along with his golden mountain. Fortunately, Boris fled with the treasure.
Wealth can enslave as much as proverty. So it will be better for us to look for alternatives that lead us to freedom.
<< All That Glitters Is Not Gold >>
Before, to get rich overnight, people looked for treasures on desert islands. Today, one has to pick the right numbers on the lottery.
In Moscow lived Fédor Budonov, a rich old man who counted his gold coins every day. Meanwhile, his servant Boris had to be satisfied with hearing the jingle and obey his lord.
One day, Budonov heard talk about an island where there was an immensse mountain of gold, and since he never had enough, he sailed with his servant to that place. When he saw the mountain, Budonov's eyes shined in such a way that... Then he took out a strange little bottle and made Boris drink it. In just a few minutes, the boy fell asleep. The old man put him in a cow's skin and called several crows to carry him up to the top of the gold.
When Boris woke up, he saw he couldn't go down from there and had no alternativa but to obey his greedy master: he dug night and day to dig out the nuggets, which the old man kept in chests. There was no rest for Boris, until one night the mountain changed into a volcano: with a roar it threw the young man through the air, and after several turns he fell safely to the beach. But his master didn't have the same luck, and was petrified by the lava, along with his golden mountain. Fortunately, Boris fled with the treasure.
Wealth can enslave as much as proverty. So it will be better for us to look for alternatives that lead us to freedom.
viernes, 20 de mayo de 2011
LeSSoN 4
THE THREE SISTERS (Traditional Greek Tale)
<< Mistaken envy >>
Are you satisfied with what you have, or do you want what your brothers and neighbors have?
Three sisters were so poor that hunger set off their imaginations in such a way that... the oldest one saw herself married to the royal chef, the middle one to the king's treasurer, and the youngest one to the prince. And without knowing how, it turned out that their dreams came true and they went to live in the palace.
But a war broke out and the prince set off to defend his kingdom. Within a few months his wife had twins. But her envious sisters put the babies in a basket and threw it into the river, running downstream. They told the poor princess that her children had been born dead and shut her up in a tower.
The little ones were recued by some farmers, but since they were very old they soon died and the children were alone until they found a fairy. The fairy told them that they had to find the golden bird, but before that they had to spend a night holding on to the leaf of a cypress tree.
The little ones were so afraid that they were on the point of giving up but... at dawn, the golden bird appeared and led them to the palace. There the prince told them the truth and they freed the princess. But they weren't happy until the envious sisters disappeared from their life and wandered forever without finding true love.
Although we may not have everything we want, we have to be content with our lot in life. Live happily, be happy!
<< Mistaken envy >>
Are you satisfied with what you have, or do you want what your brothers and neighbors have?
Three sisters were so poor that hunger set off their imaginations in such a way that... the oldest one saw herself married to the royal chef, the middle one to the king's treasurer, and the youngest one to the prince. And without knowing how, it turned out that their dreams came true and they went to live in the palace.
But a war broke out and the prince set off to defend his kingdom. Within a few months his wife had twins. But her envious sisters put the babies in a basket and threw it into the river, running downstream. They told the poor princess that her children had been born dead and shut her up in a tower.
The little ones were recued by some farmers, but since they were very old they soon died and the children were alone until they found a fairy. The fairy told them that they had to find the golden bird, but before that they had to spend a night holding on to the leaf of a cypress tree.
The little ones were so afraid that they were on the point of giving up but... at dawn, the golden bird appeared and led them to the palace. There the prince told them the truth and they freed the princess. But they weren't happy until the envious sisters disappeared from their life and wandered forever without finding true love.
Although we may not have everything we want, we have to be content with our lot in life. Live happily, be happy!
jueves, 16 de septiembre de 2010
LeSSon 3
THE ORIGIN OF THE KOALA (Traditional Australian Tale)
<< Liquid Gold >>
Living beings cannot survive without water. What will happen when this valuable asset begins to run out?
The aboriginals in a village had such hard hearts that they paid no attention to Kubu, an orphan boy who could not speak and who wandered the streets begging. So Kubu climbed up trees, his only friends, from where he watched the horizon tinted in beautiful colors so as to forget his hunger and thirst.
One fine day everyone went hunting, but first they hid their provisions, and especially the water, so that the orphan couldn´t take it away from them. But when Kubu was alone in the village, a tree began to move its branches in a strange way. Kubu understood its language and approached the trunk where he discovered the villagers´ secret hiding place. He had a real feast and then climbed up the tree.
When the aboriginals came back they became so furious that they climbed up to the orphan and threw him out... and when Kubu woke up he was on the ground surrounded by expectant face. He didn´t understand why the were looking at him that way, until he realized that his body was covered with hair and that he had been changed into a small bear. The spirit of the trees gave him the gift of being the only animal that does not need water to live. And that´s why he´s called koala: "he who doesn´t need water".
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