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!
Suscribirse a:
Entradas (Atom)