Learned today that some scholars think the Panchatantra is the origin of all fairy tales. That’s probably not entirely true, but it is one of the oldest sources. It was written in Sanskrit in the 3rd Century BCE by Vishna Sharma who gathered his material from even older versions. Tales from the Panchatantra have spread widely. Today they can be found from Java to Iceland. The enduring/endearing power of folk tales is the subject of a...
Read More
This photo makes me smile. I found it in a collection of internet photos. No credit. No explanation. But TEAPOTS filled with flowers decorating a handrail made me stop flipping through the photos and wonder. Who planted these? Who thought to do that with teapots? Now, that’s a person I’d like to know. Talk about making the world a little better. Talk about making a little part of your environment greener. Better than better, flower...
Read MoreA couple of local gents are drinking a pint in a pub near Cushendall, County Antrim, one evening when a redhead comes through the door. “Ah, there’s that Liz Weir who believes in fairies,” one says. Weir, an Irish storyteller with an international reputation, stops. “And you don’t?” He smiles and shakes his head. “So now, tell me, will you be cutting down that fairy tree on your place any time soon?” She means an old Hawthorne...
Read MoreDon’t be fooled. The little folk of fairytale and fable are the keepers of the wisdom. What’s more, they’re not stuffy about it. Worldwide, no matter the tradition, folk tales challenge the norm, encourage creative problem-solving, even question who you are in order for you to grow into someone else. We need these stories. Proof is in the fact that if our families don’t provide, we will look elsewhere for them. I have a...
Read MoreEvery four-year-old caught with a stolen chocolate has the right instinct. Go with a whopper. Given a choice between a contrite confession or a good story, most of us will take the story. Why? Because stories are elastic, creative, and, if inventive enough, we can’t help ourselves. We admire the effort. The video says it all: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysN_Z1xQq4w] Blog this! Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on
Read MoreMy husband met a unicorn last week. He was impressed enough to take pictures. He says he doesn’t believe in unicorns. He has a degree in physics, thank you! However, everyone who sees his pictures says “unicorn.” White, blue-eyed–what else could it be? No horn? They hide their horn, except in moonlight. I’m guessing that more people know that than understand what goes on in a particle accelerator. Unicorns have...
Read More