Diddily Dee Dot's Dreamland for Children Everywhere Cydney's Castle
diddilydeedotsdreamland .
Do you think the Red Indians would know of Robin Hood, or maybe, Camelot and Merlin, not to mention Arthur and Lancelot. Many of the Myths of the World are very similar in different ways !!! I'm sure you know what I mean. Anyway I have taken the story of Robin Hood and Merlin to the Red Man's America, and I have brought a little tale of the Iroquois Indians back to Camelot. Enjoy the link. xxx,
THE LITTLE ELVES OF DARKNESS a tale that the Iroquois tell their children.
THE little Elves of Darkness, so says the old
Iroquois Grandmother, were wise and mysterious.
They dwelt under the Earth, where were deep
forests and broad plains. There they kept captive
all the evil things that wished to injure human
beings,—the venomous snakes, the wicked spiders,
and the fearful monsters. Sometimes one of these evil creatures escaped and rushed upward to the bright,
pure air, and spread its poisonous breath over the
Upper World. But such happenings were rare,
for the Elves of Darkness were faithful and strong,
and did not willingly allow the wicked beasts and
reptiles to harm human beings and the growing things.
When the night was lighted by the Moon's soft rays,
and the woods of the Upper World were sweet with the odour
of the Spring flowers, then the Elves of Darkness left
the Under World, and creeping from their holes,
held a festival in the woods. And under many a tree
where the blades of grass had refused to grow,
the Little People danced until rings of green sprang
up under their feet. And to the festival came the Elves
of Light,—among them the Tree-Elves, Flower-Elves,
and Fruit-Elves. They too danced and made merry.
But when the moonlight faded away, and day began to break,
then the Elves of Darkness scampered back to their holes,
and returned once more to the Under World,
while the Elves of Light began their daily tasks.
For in the Springtime these Little People of Light
hid in sheltered places. They listened to the complaints
of the seeds that lay covered in the ground,
and they whispered to the Earth until the seeds burst
their pods and sent their shoots up to the light.
Then the little Elves wandered through the woods
bidding all growing things look up to the Sun.
The Tree-Elves tended the trees, unfolding their leaves,
and feeding their roots with sap from the Earth.
The Flower-Elves unwrapped the baby buds,
and tinted the petals of the opening flowers,
and played with the Butterflies and Bees.
But the busiest of all were the Fruit-Elves.
Their greatest care in the Spring was the Strawberry Plant.
When the ground softened from the frost,
the Fruit-Elves loosened the soil around each
Strawberry root, that its shoots might push through
to the light. They shaped the plant's leaves,
and turned its blossoms toward the warm rays of the Sun.
They trained its runners, and helped the timid fruit to
form. They painted the luscious berry,
and bade it ripen. And when the first Strawberries
blushed on the vines, these guardian Elves protected them from the evil insects
that had escaped from the world of darkness underground.
The old Iroquois Grandmother tells how once,
when the fruit first came to earth, the Evil One,
Hahgwehdaetgah, stole the Strawberry Plant,
and carried it to his gloomy cave, where he hid it away.
And there it lay until a tiny sunbeam pierced the
damp mould, and finding the little vine,
carried it back to its sunny fields.
And ever since then the Strawberry Plant has lived
and thrived in the fields and woods. But the Fruit-Elves,
fearing lest the Evil One should one day
steal the vine again, watch day and night
over their favourite. And when the Strawberries ripen,
the Elves give the juicy, fragrant fruit
to the Iroquois children as they gather the
Spring flowers in the woods.
Hahgwedaetgah
Iroquois Creator of Evil & Ruler of the
Underworld
HAHGWEHDAETGAH:
A North American myth of the Iroquois describes Hahgwehdaetgah, the creator
of evil and ruler of the underworld. The Iroquois believe that the
kingdom of Hahgwehdaetgah lies at the bottom of an abyss below the earth.
It is filled with the broken bodies of enemy warriors slain in battle.
The realm is one of despair, regret, and an overwhelming sense of failure,
but not of physical suffering.
Hahgwehdaetgah and his twin brother
Hahgwehdiyu, a good god, were born of the creator goddess.
Hahgwehdaetgah killed his mother during childbirth and then went on to
create all things vile: horrible monsters, fierce beasts, and all manner of
plagues and disasters. He was despised by all other creatures and by
his virtuous twin.
Eventually the two brothers fought a
battle to determine who would rule the earth. Hahgwehdaetgah tried to
use trickery, but the good god knew his brother's evil ways and was able to
defeat him with an enchanted arrow. Hahgwehdiyu exiled his brother to
the underworld, where he oversaw a kingdom of half-man, half-monster
spirits. They are shape-shifters who can return to earth to terrorize
the living. Hahgwehdaetgah also became overlord of the dead.
YDNEY'SASTLE
CYDNEY'S CASTLE CYDNEY'S CASTLE
THE
LITTLE HARE
A Fairy Tale from thePink Fairy Book edited by Andrew Lang
Once upon a time... A long, long way off, in a land where water is very scarce,
there lived a man and his wife and several children. One day the
wife said to her husband, 'I am pining to have the liver of anyamatsane for my dinner. If you love me as much as you say you do,
you will go out and hunt for a nyamatsane, and will kill it and get
its liver. If not, I shall know that your love is not worth having.'
'Bake some bread,' was all her husband answered, 'then take the
crust and put it in this little bag.'
The wife did as she was told, and when she had finished she said to
her husband, 'The bag is all ready and quite full.'
'Very well,' said he, 'and now good-bye; I am going after the
nyamatsane.'
But the nyamatsane was not so easy to find as the woman had hoped.
The husband walked on and on and on without ever seeing one, and
every now and then he felt so hungry that he
was obliged to eat one
of the crusts of bread out of his bag. At last, when he was ready to
drop from fatigue, he found himself on the edge of a great marsh,
which bordered on one side the country of the nyamatsanes. But there
were no more nyamatsanes here than anywhere else. They had all gone
on a hunting expedition, as their larder was empty, and the only
person left at home was their grandmother, who was so feeble she
never went out of the house. Our friend looked on this as a great
piece of luck, and made haste to kill her before the others
returned, and to take out her liver, after which he dressed himself
in her skin as well as he could. He had scarcely done this when he
heard the noise of the nyamatsanes coming back to their grandmother,
for they were very fond of her, and never stayed away from her
longer than they could help. They rushed clattering into the hut,
exclaiming, 'We smell human flesh! Some man is here,' and began to
look about for him; but they only saw their old grandmother, who
answered, in a trembling voice, 'No, my children, no! What should
any man be doing here?' The nyamatsanes paid no attention to her,
and began to open all the cupboards, and peep under all the beds,
crying out all the while, 'A man is here! a man is here!' but they
could find nobody, and at length, tired out with their long day's
hunting, they curled themselves up and fell asleep.
Next morning they woke up quite refreshed, and made ready to start
on another expedition; but as they did not feel happy about their
grandmother they said to her, 'Grandmother, won't you come to-day
and feed with us?' And they led their grandmother outside, and all
of them began hungrily to eat pebbles. Our friend pretended to do
the same, but in reality he slipped the stones into his pouch, and
swallowed the crusts of bread instead. However, as the nyamatsanes
did not see this they had no idea that he was not really their
grandmother. When they had eaten a great many pebbles they thought
they had done enough for that day, and all went home together and
curled themselves up to sleep. Next morning when they woke they
said, 'Let us go and amuse ourselves by jumping over the ditch,' and
every time they cleared it with a bound. Then they begged their
grandmother to jump over it too, end with a tremendous effort she
managed to spring right over to the other side. After this they had
no doubt at all of its being their true grandmother, and went off to
their hunting, leaving our friend at home in the hut.
As soon as they had gone out of sight our hero made haste to take
the liver from the place where he had hid it, threw off the skin of
the old nyamatsane, and ran away as hard as he could, only stopping
to pick up a very brilliant and polished little stone, which he put
in his bag by the side of the liver.
Towards evening the nyamatsanes came back to the hut full of anxiety
to know how their grandmother had got on during their absence. The
first thing they saw on entering the door was her skin lying on the
floor, and then they knew that they had been deceived, and they said
to each other, 'So we were right, after all, and it was human flesh
we smelt.' Then they stooped down to find traces of the man's
footsteps, and when they had got them instantly set out in hot
pursuit.
Meanwhile our friend had journeyed many miles, and was beginning to
feel quite safe and comfortable, when, happening to look round, he
saw in the distance a thick cloud of dust moving rapidly. His heart
stood still within him, and he said to himself, 'I am lost. It is
the nyamatsanes, and they will tear me in pieces,' and indeed the
cloud of dust was drawing near with amazing quickness, and the
nyamatsanes almost felt as if they were already devouring him. Then
as a last hope the man took the little stone that he had picked up
out of his bag and flung it on the ground. The moment it touched the
soil it became a huge rock, whose steep sides were smooth as glass,
and on the top of it our hero hastily seated himself. It was in vain
that the nyamatsanes tried to climb up and reach him; they slid down
again much faster than they had gone up; and by sunset they were
quite worn out, and fell asleep at the foot of the rock.
No sooner had the nyamatsanes tumbled off to sleep than the man
stole softly down and fled away as fast as his legs would carry him,
and by the time his enemies were awake he was a very long way off.
They sprang quickly to their feet and began to sniff the soil round
the rock, in order to discover traces of his footsteps, and they
galloped after him with terrific speed. The chase continued for
several days and nights; several times the nyamatsanes almost
reached him, and each time he was saved by his little pebble.
Between his fright and his hurry he was almost dead of exhaustion
when he reached his own village, where the nyamatsanes could not
follow him, because of their enemies the dogs, which swarmed over
all the roads. So they returned home.
Then our friend staggered into his own hut and called to his wife: 'Ichou!
how tired I am! Quick, give me something to drink. Then go and get
fuel and light a fire.'
So she did what she was bid, and then her husband took the
nyamatsane's liver from his pouch and said to her, 'There, I have
brought you what you wanted, and now you know that I love you
truly.'
And the wife answered, 'It is well. Now go and take out the
children, so that I may remain alone in the hut,' and as she spoke
she lifted down an old stone pot and put on the liver to cook. Her
husband watched her for a moment, and then said, 'Be sure you eat it
all yourself. Do not give a scrap to any of the children, but eat
every morsel up.' So the woman took the liver and ate it all
herself.
Directly the last mouthful had disappeared she was seized with such
violent thirst that she caught up a great pot full of water and
drank it at a single draught. Then, having no more in the house, she
ran in next door and said, 'Neighbour, give me, I pray you,
something to drink.' The neighbour gave her a large vessel quite
full, and the woman drank it off at a single draught, and held it
out for more.
But the neighbour pushed her away, saying, 'No, I shall have none
left for my children.'
So the woman went into another house, and drank all the water she
could find; but the more she drank the more thirsty she became. She
wandered in this manner through the whole village till she had drunk
every water-pot dry. Then she rushed off to the nearest spring, and
swallowed that, and when she had finished all the springs and wells
about she drank up first the river and then a lake. But by this time
she had drunk so much that she could not rise from the ground.
In the evening, when it was time for the animals to have their drink
before going to bed, they found the lake quite dry, and they had to
make up their minds to be thirsty till the water flowed again and
the streams were full. Even then, for some time, the lake was very
dirty, and the lion, as king of the beasts, commanded that no one
should drink till it was quite clear again.
But the little hare, who was fond of having his own way, and was
very thirsty besides, stole quietly off when all the rest were
asleep in their dens, and crept down to the margin of the lake and
drank his fill. Then he smeared the dirty water all over the
rabbit's face and paws, so that it might look as if it were he who
had been disobeying Big Lion's orders.
The next day, as soon as it was light, Big Lion marched straight for
the lake, and all the other beasts followed him. He saw at once that
the water had been troubled again, and was very angry.
'Who has been drinking my water?' said he; and the little hare gave
a jump, and, pointing to the rabbit, he answered, 'Look there! it
must be he! Why, there is mud all over his face and paws!'
The rabbit, frightened out of his wits, tried to deny the fact,
exclaiming, 'Oh, no, indeed I never did;' but Big Lion would not
listen, and commanded them to cane him with a birch rod.
Now the little hare was very much pleased with his cleverness in
causing the rabbit to be beaten instead of himself, and went about
boasting of it. At last one of the other animals overheard him, and
called out, 'Little hare, little hare! what is that you are saying?'
But the little hare hastily replied, 'I only asked you to pass me my
stick.'
An hour or two later, thinking that no one was near him, he said to
himself again, 'It was really I who drank up the water, but I made
them think it was the rabbit.'
But one of the beasts whose ears were longer than the rest caught
the words, and went to tell Big Lion about it. Do you hear what the
little hare is saying?'
So Big Lion sent for the little hare, and asked him what he meant by
talking like that.
The little hare saw that there was no use trying to hide it, so he
answered pertly, 'It was I who drank the water, but I made them
think it was the rabbit.' Then he turned and ran as fast as he
could, with all the other beasts pursuing him.
They were almost up to him when he dashed into a very narrow cleft
in the rock, much too small for them to follow; but in his hurry he
had left one of his long ears sticking out, which they just managed
to seize. But pull as hard as they might they could not drag him out
of the hole, and at last they gave it up and left him, with his ear
very much torn and scratched.
When the last tail was out of sight the little hare crept cautiously
out, and the first person he met was the rabbit. He had plenty of
impudence, so he put a bold face on the matter, and said, 'Well, my
good rabbit, you see I have had a beating as well as you.'
But the rabbit was still sore and sulky, and he did not care to
talk, so he answered, coldly, 'You have treated me very badly. It
was really you who drank that water, and you accused me of having
done it.'
'Oh, my good rabbit, never mind that! I've got such a wonderful
secret to tell you! Do you know what to do so as to escape death?'
'No, I don't.'
'Well, we must begin by digging a hole.'
So they dug a hole, and then the little hare said, 'The next thing
is to make a fire in the hole,' and they set to work to collect
wood, and lit quite a large fire.
When it was burning brightly the little hare said to the rabbit,
'Rabbit, my friend, throw me into the fire, and when you hear my fur
crackling, and I call "Itchi, Itchi," then be quick and pull me
out.'
The rabbit did as he was told, and threw the little hare into the
fire; but no sooner did the little hare begin to feel the heat of
the flames than he took some green bay leaves he had plucked for the
purpose and held them in the middle of the fire, where they crackled
and made a great noise. Then he called loudly 'Itchi, Itchi! Rabbit,
my friend, be quick, be quick! Don't you hear how my skin is
crackling ?'
And the rabbit came in a great hurry and pulled him out.
Then the little hare said, 'Now it is your turn!' and he threw the
rabbit in the fire. The moment the rabbit felt the flames he cried
out 'Itchi, Itchi, I am burning; pull me out quick, my friend!'
But the little hare only laughed, and said, 'No, you may stay there!
It is your own fault. Why were you such a fool as to let yourself be
thrown in? Didn't you know that fire burns?' And in a very few
minutes nothing was left of the rabbit but a few bones.
When the fire was quite out the little hare went and picked up one
of these bones, and made a flute out of it, and sang this song:
Pii, pii, O flute that I love, Pii, pii, rabbits are but little
boys. Pii, pii, he would have burned me if he could; Pii, pii, but I
burned him, and he crackled finely.
When he got tired of going through the world singing this the little
hare went back to his friends and entered the service of Big Lion.
One day he said to his master, 'Grandfather, shall I show you a
splendid way to kill game?'
'What is it?' asked Big Lion.
'We must dig a ditch, and then you must lie in it and pretend to be
dead.'
Big Lion did as he was told, and when he had lain down the little
hare got up on a wall blew a trumpet and shouted--
Pii, pii, all you animals come and see, Big Lion is dead, and now
peace will be.
Directly they heard this they all came running. The little hare
received them and said, 'Pass on, this way to the lion.' So they all
entered into the Animal Kingdom. Last of all came the monkey with
her baby on her back. She approached the ditch, and took a blade of
grass and tickled Big Lion's nose, and his nostrils moved in spite
of his efforts to keep them still. Then the monkey cried, 'Come, my
baby, climb on my back and let us go. What sort of a dead body is it
that can still feel when it is tickled?' And she and her baby went
away in a fright. Then the little hare said to the other beasts,
'Now, shut the gate of the Animal Kingdom.' And it was shut, and
great stones were rolled against it. When everything was tight
closed the little hare turned to Big Lion and said 'Now!' and Big
Lion bounded out of the ditch and tore the other animals in pieces.
But Big Lion kept all the choice bits for himself, and only gave
away the little scraps that he did not care about eating; and the
little hare grew very angry, and determined to have his revenge. He
had long ago found out that Big Lion was very easily taken in; so he
laid his plans accordingly. He said to him, as if the idea had just
come into his head, 'Grandfather, let us build a hut,' and Big Lion
consented. And when they had driven the stakes into the ground, and
had made the walls of the hut, the little hare told Big Lion to
climb upon the top while he stayed inside. When he was ready he
called out, 'Now, grandfather, begin,' and Big Lion passed his rod
through the reeds with which the roofs are always covered in that
country. The little hare took it and cried, 'Now it is my turn to
pierce them,' and as he spoke he passed the rod back through the
reeds and gave Big Lion's tail a sharp poke.
'What is pricking me so?' asked Big Lion.
'Oh, just a little branch sticking out. I am going to break it,'
answered the little hare; but of course he had done it on purpose,
as he wanted to fix Big Lion's tail so firmly to the hut that he
would not be able to move. In a little while he gave another prick,
and Big Lion called again, 'What is pricking me so?'
This time the little hare said to himself, 'He will find out what I
am at. I must try some other plan. 'So he called out, 'Grandfather,
you had better put your tongue here, so that the branches shall not
touch you.' Big Lion did as he was bid, and the little hare tied it
tightly to the stakes of the wall. Then he went outside and shouted,
'Grandfather, you can come down now,' and Big Lion tried, but he
could not move an inch.
Then the little hare began quietly to eat Big Lion's dinner right
before his eyes, and paying no attention at all to his growls of
rage. When he had quite done he climbed up on the hut, and, blowing
his flute, he chanted 'Pii, pii, fall rain and hail,' and directly
the sky was full of clouds, the thunder roared, and huge hailstones
whitened the roof of the hut. The little hare, who had taken refuge
within, called out again, 'Big Lion, be quick and come down and dine
with me.' But there was no answer, not even a growl, for the
hailstones had killed Big Lion.
The little hare enjoyed himself vastly for some time, living
comfortably in the hut, with plenty of food to eat and no trouble at
all in getting it. But one day a great wind arose, and flung down
the Big Lion's half-dried skin from the roof of the hut. The little
hare bounded with terror at the noise, for he thought Big Lion must
have come to life again; but on discovering what had happened he set
about cleaning the skin, and propped the mouth open with sticks so
that he could get through. So, dressed in Big Lion's skin, the
little hare started on his travels.
The first visit he paid was to the hyaenas, who trembled at the
sight of him, and whispered to each other, 'How shall we escape from
this terrible beast?' Meanwhile the little hare did not trouble
himself about them, but just asked where the king of the hyaenas
lived, and made himself quite at home there. Every morning each
hyaena thought to himself, 'To-day he is certain to eat me;' but
several days went by, and they were all still alive. At length, one
evening, the little hare, looking round for something to amuse him,
noticed a great pot full of boiling water, so he strolled up to one
of the hyaenas and said, 'Go and get in.' The hyaena dared not
disobey, and in a few minutes was scalded to death. Then the little
hare went the round of the village, saying to every hyaena he met,
'Go and get into the boiling water,' so that in a little while there
was hardly a male left in the village.
One day all the hyaenas that remained alive went out very early into
the fields, leaving only one little daughter at home. The little
hare, thinking he was all alone, came into the enclosure, and,
wishing to feel what it was like to be a hare again, threw off Big
Lion's skin, and began to jump and dance, singing--
I am just the little hare, the little hare, the little hare; I am
just the little hare who killed the great hyaenas.
The little hyaena gazed at him in surprise, saying to herself,
'What! was it really this tiny beast who put to death all our best
people?' when suddenly a gust of wind rustled the reeds that
surrounded the enclosure, and the little hare, in a fright, hastily
sprang back into Big Lion's skin.
When the hyaenas returned to their homes the little hyaena said to
her father: 'Father, our tribe has very nearly been swept away, and
all this has been the work of a tiny creature dressed in the lion's
skin.'
But her father answered, 'Oh, my dear child, you don't know what you
are talking about.'
She replied, 'Yes, father, it is quite true. I saw it with my own
eyes.'
The father did not know what to think, and told one of his friends,
who said, 'To-morrow we had better keep watch ourselves.'
And the next day they hid themselves and waited till the little hare
came out of the royal hut. He walked gaily towards the enclosure,
threw off, Big Lion's skin, and sang and danced as before--
I am just the little hare, the little hare, the little hare, I am
just the little hare, who killed the great hyaenas.
That night the two hyaenas told all the rest, saying, 'Do you know
that we have allowed ourselves to be trampled on by a wretched
creature with nothing of the lion about him but his skin?'
When supper was being cooked that evening, before they all went to
bed, the little hare, looking fierce and terrible in Big Lion's
skin, said as usual to one of the hyaenas 'Go and get into the
boiling water.' But the hyaena never stirred. There was silence for
a moment; then a hyaena took a stone, and flung it with all his
force against the lion's skin. The little hare jumped out through
the mouth with a single spring, and fled away like lightning, all
the hyaenas in full pursuit uttering great cries. As he turned a
corner the little hare cut off both his ears, so that they should
not know him, and pretended to be working at a grindstone which lay
there.
The hyaenas soon came up to him and said, 'Tell me, friend, have you
seen the little hare go by?' 'No, I have seen no one.'
'Where can he be?' said the hyaenas one to another. 'Of course, this
creature is quite different, and not at all like the little hare.'
Then they went on their way, but, finding no traces of the little
hare, they returned sadly to their village, saying, 'To think we
should have allowed ourselves to be swept away by a wretched
creature like that!'
There were three brothers. The three were going on the road to seek
for work. Night came upon them. They knew not where to go to get
lodgings: it was night. They were travelling through a wood on an old
road. They saw a small light, and they came to a cottage. They were
hungry and tired. The door was open. They saw a table with food upon it.
Said the eldest brother, 'Go you in.'
'I am not going in; go in yourself.'
'Not I, indeed.'
'You are two fools,' said Jack. And in he went, and sat down at the
table, and ate his bellyful. The other two watched him. They were
afraid to enter the house. At last the other two went in, and sat down
and ate.
Now a little old woman comes. Said the old woman, 'I have seen no man here for many years. Whence came ye hither?'
'We are seeking for work.'
'I will find work for you to-morrow.'
They went to bed. Up they rose in the morning. And there was a great
pot on the fire, and porridge and milk. That was the food they ate. Now
the old woman tells the eldest brother to go into the barn to get the
tools, and to go into the wood to fell the trees. He took off his coat.
There he is doing the work. There came an old dwarf, and asked him who
told him to fell the wood. He could not see this little man, so small
was he. He looked under his feet; he saw him in the stubble. The old
dwarf hit him and beat him, until he bled, and there he left him. Now
the maid comes with his dinner. The girl went home and told the two
other brothers to come and carry him home and put him to bed.
In the morning the second brother goes to the wood.
The eldest brother told him it was a little man who beat him, and the
second brother laughed at him. He went off now down to the woods. Here
is something that asks him who told him to fell the trees. He looked
around him; he could see nothing. At last he saw him in the stubble.
'Be off,' said he. The little stranger knocked him to pieces. The
little maid came down to him with his dinner, and went home and told
the two brothers to come and carry him home. The two brothers went down
and brought him home.
Jack laughed at them: 'I am going down to-morrow myself.'
In the morning he went down to the wood. Here he is felling the
trees. He heard something. He looked beneath his feet. He saw the
little man in the stubble. Jack kicked him.
'You had better keep quiet,' said the little man.
The dwarf hit him. Down went Jack, and the dwarf half-killed him.
There was Jack lying there now. The maid came with his dinner. Home
went the maid, and told the two brothers to come and carry him home.
'No,' said Jack, 'leave me here and go.'
The two brothers went home. Jack was watching him, and the little
man crept under a great stone. Up got Jack now, and home he went, and
told his two brothers to go into the stable and get out four horses.
They took a strong rope, and the three went with the horses and
fastened the rope round the stone. They took the horses, and pulled it
up, and found a well there.
'Go you down,' said one.
'Not I,' said the other; 'I am not going down.'
'I will go down,' says Jack. 'Fasten this rope and let me down, and
when you hear me say "Pull up," pull me up; and when I say "Let go,"
let me go.'
Now the two brothers fastened him and let him down. Down he went a
very little way. The little man beat him. 'Pull me up.' He goes down
again. He forgets the word: 'Let me down.' He came into a beautiful
country, and there he saw the old dwarf. The old dwarf spoke to him:
'Since you have come into this country, Jack, I will tell you something
now.' The old man tells Jack what he is to do. 'You will find three
castles. In the first one lives a giant with two heads, and,' said the old dwarf, 'you must fight him. Take the old rusty sword. I will be there with you.'
'I am afraid of him.'
'Go on, and have no fear. I will be there with you.' Here is Jack at the castle now. He knocked at the door. The servant-maid came, and he asked for her master.
'He is at home. Do you wish to see him?'
'Yes,' said Jack, 'I want to fight with him.'
The maid went and told him to come out. 'Are you wanting something to eat?'
'No,' said Jack, 'come out, and I will fight with you.'
'Come here and choose your sword.' (Jack chose the old rusty sword.) 'Why do you take that old rusty sword? Take a bright one.'
'Not I. This one will do for me.'
The twain went out before the door. Off went one head. 'Spare my life, Jack. I will give you all my money.'
'No.'
He struck off the other head; he killed him. (Now this was the Copper Castle: so they called it.)
Now Jack goes on to the next, the Silver Castle. A giant with three
heads lived there. Jack chose the rusty sword, and struck two heads off.
'Don't kill me, Jack; let me live. I will give you the keys of my castle.'
'Not I,' said Jack; and off went the other head.
Now Jack goes on to the next, the Golden Castle. And there was a giant with four heads.
'Have you come here to fight with me?'
'Yes,' says Jack.
The giant told him to choose a sword, and he chose the old rusty sword; and out they went. Jack struck off three heads.
'Don't kill me, Jack. I will give you my keys.'
'Yes, I will,' said Jack; and off went the other head.
Now all the castles, and the money and the three fair ladies in the
three castles, were his. Off Jack goes now and the lady with him. He
goes back to the Silver Castle, and takes that lady. He goes to the
Copper Castle, and takes that lady. And the four went on and came to
the place where Jack descended. The old dwarf was there waiting for him. Jack sent the three ladies up to his brothers. Now the old
dwarf wanted meat. Jack went back to the castle, and cooked some meat
for him. The old dwarf carried Jack up a bit; the old dwarf stopped; he
wanted meat. Jack gave him meat. He went up a bit further; he stopped;
he wanted meat. Jack gave him meat. He went up a bit higher. He wanted
meat. Jack had none. Now he was a very little way from the surface. He
knew not what to do. He drew his knife from his pocket, and cut a
little meat off his leg, and gave it to the old dwarf. Up went Jack.
Two of the ladies and his two brothers had gone off. And the eldest
brother had taken the fairest lady; and the second brother had taken
the other lady; and they had left the ugly lady for Jack. Jack asked
her where they had gone. The lady told him; and he hastened after them.
He caught them by the church: they were going to be married. The
fairest lady looked back, and saw Jack.
'That one's mine,' said Jack.
Jack took and married her. He left the other lady for his eldest
brother to marry. There was only the second brother now, and he took
the ugly lady. There are the three brothers and the three ladies.
Now they want to go down to the three castles. Jack told the old dwarf to carry them down.
'I will carry you down; you must give me food as I come down.'
'Yes,' said Jack, 'I will give you plenty of food.'
'I will take you down.'
He carried them all down. And the old dwarf went along with Jack.
Jack put one brother and one lady in the Copper Castle, and the other
brother in the Silver Castle; and Jack went to the Golden Castle. And
Jack kept the old dwarf all his days. The old dwarf died, and at last
Jack grew old himself.
There! you've done me.
Welcome to Cydney's Castle and to Camalot the City of Legend and Myths?
“I must not pass over in silence the mountains called by the Welsh Eryri, but by the British, Snowdon, or the mountains of Snow, which... seem to rear their lofty summits even to the clouds”
A Little of Greek Mythology created by especially for Children
The Pomegranate Seeds
The Pomegranate was often used as a herbal remedy to lengthen life
and restore vigor, these qualities often made it a symbolic link
between the living and the dead.
Zeus and Demeter had a beautiful daughter called Persephone. Hades fell in love with her and wanted to marry her.
Hades
asked Zeus if he could marry her, Zeus dare not say no because he did
not want to upset Hades. He knew that if he said yes Demeter would be
angry. Whatever he answered would be wrong, so he did not answer. Zeus
hoped that Hades would just forget Persephone.
One day as she was sitting alone by a lake Hades; god of
the Underworld stole her and took her away to his home to become his
wife.
When Demeter found that her daughter was missing she was very
worried. She stopped eating and drinking, wore a dark veil and spent
the whole time searching for her. Demeter went to the sun god;Helios.
She thought that in his daily journey across the sky he must have seen
what happened to Persephone. Helios told her that Hades had stolen
Persephone away and married her, and that she must stay in the
Underworld with him.
Demeter was so upset she would not let the plants grow.
People and animals died because there was no food. Zeus sent for her
and said that as long as Persephone had not eaten in the Underworld she
could be freed. Hades could not argue because he knew that she had
refused all food.
Persephone was back in her mother's arms when Hades
gardener arrived and said that she had suckedon seven pomegranate
seeds. That meant that she had to go back to the Underworld. Persephone
cried and Demeter cried.
It was decided that Persephone could live on
earth for nine months, but must spend the other three months each year
in the Underworld. Every year whilst Persephone was away Demeter
refused to allow any plants to grow. The trees would lose their leaves
and all plants would die away to come again when Persephone was free.
For evermore there was to be a winter each year.
King Midas
King Midas was a very wealthy king. Collecting gold was his
hobby, his joy and his life. One day as he sat counting his wealth he
saw an old man asleep under a tree. He saw that it was Silenus from the
court of Dionysus, God of wine. Midas was cunning and treated Silenus
like a king for ten days before taking him back to Dionysus. Dionysus
was grateful for the care lavished on his old servant and told King
Midas that he would grant any wish that he made.
Midas asked that anything he touched would be turned to gold. Dionysus
granted his wish but warned him about his greed. Midas was very happy.
He touched a tree and it turned to gold. He touched the walls of his
palace and it turned to gold. He touched his horse, then his servant,
his food and finally his children. Everything turned to gold.
Midas began to feel very unhappy. He could not eat, sleep, drink or
touch anything because everything turned to gold. He missed his
children dreadfully.
Finally Midas went back to find Dionysus and told him that
he wanted to get rid of his golden touch. Dionysus laughed when he saw
the change in the king. Eventually he decided to take pity on him and
told him to go and bath in the river Pactolus. King Midas went to the
river. He was afraid to get into the water in case it turned to gold
and killed him. He got a jug and washed himself down. Little by little
the gold washed away. King Midas was so relieved. He took jug after jug
of water back to his palace to wash his children, his servants, his
horse and the whole palace. He did not stop work until he had restored
everything to its normal state.
I found this little poem / song and thought, "O I like this, very nice indeed."
King Midas Blues
Isn't this a lovely addition to the page it has been written to remind us of how we are destroying our world, an excellent addition in deed.
A BABY ON WORM'S HEAD
This is a very strange tale set in the time of the legendary King Arthur:
A more unlikely place for a baby's upbringing than the weird, wild headland of Worm's Head in the Gower could hardly be found. And a more unlikely upbringing than that of the child Cenydd could hardly be imagined. This is the Tale.... King Arthur ruled Britain in those days and held his court at Loughor. To him they brought an infant of a few days old, sorely crippled in one leg, and who was the child of great sin,for the father had seduced his own daughter. The king's counsellors advised him that a child so conceived should be put to death. But Arthur said that by this judgement could only be decided by God and so the child was placed in a wicker cradle and placed in the current of the Loughor river. This being done the cradle set off towards the Burry Estuary and out to the open sea. That very night a great storm arose. A northerly gale it would be, for the tiny craft, skimming across the white wave-tops, was carried south to be smashed to splinters against the great gaunt cliffs of Worm's Head. But before this happened the seagulls (who throng there by thousands to this day) had caught up the child in their strong talons and carried it to the top of the cliffs. There they made for it a bed of their own feathers and shielded it from wind and rain with their wings. And so they did for a week and a day. On the ninth day down came an angel from heaven bearing a great brass bell and placed it besides the baby. In after years this bell was preserved in the chapel at Burry Holms and called by the folks of those parts the Titty Bell. For it had a brazen breast, and when the baby was hungry he turned his mouth to the bell and sucked a baby's proper nourishment. Later there came a hind on the Worm's Head who suckled the growing baby. And when it was weaning time and the hind's milk was no longer sufficient, down came another angel to tel the boy God's will as to his diet, which was to be the five kinds of herbs that grow on the headland. Moreover, the angel informed him that God commanded that he should stay in that place until he was given leave rom heaven to depart.
Eighteen years passed away. Every day of them the angel came to instruct Cenydd in all things holy and good, and every year Cenydd grew in holiness as he grew in stature. Then came the day when the angel brought him God's command to leave Worm's Head. He was to cross to the mainland (for the Head is islanded at high water) and walk four miles northward along the coast to another rocky headland jutting from the sands, where he would find a spring of fresh water. Here he was to build a chapel and dwell there with prayer and fasting as his portion, preaching God's word to any who should come to him. So Cenydd waited for the next time of low water and set off scrambling across the jagged rocks to the mainland, with pain and labour because of his crippled leg. He came limping and weary to the rocky headland and found the spring, as he had been told. He then began to build the chapel of rocks and made his dwelling. It was not long before rumour of the Holy Man on Burry Holms reached those who lived in the neighbourhood, and within the year St Cenydd, Llangennith there was a constant stream of folk coming to hear his wise words and receive his blessing. To all he gave water from the spring, which was undoubtedly a holy well. The fame of his holiness spread until pilgrims from all over the south of Wales, and many too from the north, made long journeys to see and hear Cenydd. Nor did Cenydd live all his life on Burry Holms. In later years he was summoned by Saint David to aid him in spreading the Word, and together they wrought much good and built many churches. Such is the story of Saint Cenydd. His chapel on Burry Holms is a ruin now, but his name is perpetuated in the church and village of Llangennith, from whose over-shadowing hill you may see the Worm's Head where he was saved by seagulls and an angel for the greater good of the world.
St. Cenydd was the original Gower boy who made good. Legend has it he was born in the sixth century with a withered leg, cast adrift in a basket on the Loughor estuary, rescued by gulls and reared by angels. Our local boy grew up to found St. Cenydd's priory which accounts for the present building being the largest parish church in Gower.
The Danes burnt it, but our church survives, dominated by its massive 13th century stone tower with saddleback roof. Now wall-mounted inside, a carved slab is reputed to have marked the grave of the saint. Also see the effigy of a De La Mare knight ('the Dolly Mare'). Folk singer Phil Tanner lies in the churchyard.
On a nice day visit Burry Holmes at the north end of Rhossili bay where we commemorate St. Cenydd's day each summer on the site of a wooden Celtic church oratory, the only one found in Wales.
The Worm's Head is also reknown for it's many wrecks and if you follow the link url provided you will find a map and you can see the many ships who came to Davy Jones's locker on more than one occasion www.nciwormshead.org.uk/wrecksSW/WrecksSW.html
MY LORD BAG-OF-RICE
Hidesato, a Japanese hero, as brave as any knight of King Arthur's Court, was one day wandering about in search of an adventure when he came to a lovely lake at the foot of a mountain. It was crossed by a bridge, but on that bridge a hideous dragon lay sleeping. Hidesato feared nothing, so he clamboured over the dragon's scaly coils, and was going on when he heard a voice calling: "My Lord ! My Lord ! " Hidsato turned round. The dragon had vanished from the bridge, and in his place a handsomely-dressed man with red hair, who wore a flashing crown. "I have just proved that you are a brave man," said he. "Now I beseech thee to help me against my enemy." "If your enemy be an evil person I will fight him for you," said Hidesato, "for that is the duty of a knight. But who are you ?" "I am the King of the Lake," said the stranger. " My enemy is a monstrous centipede , half a mile long and as thick as the biggest tree in the world. His skin is as tough as steel, Every night he comes down to the lake and carries off one of my people. Yesterday he took away my favourite child." "If he does not slay me I will slay him," said Hidesato.
The King of the Lake thanked him joyfully, and bade him come to the palace beneath the water. Hidesato followed his host boldly. He found a beautifl flowery countryunder the lake. T he palace was of crystal, furnished with gold and ebony. While they feasted ten goldfish played the lute and ten carp danced to amuse the guests. But all at once the merriment was interrupted by a rumbling like thunder. Everyone except Hidesato grew silent and trembled. With white lips the King of the Lake whispered : "My enemy is coming ! " "Take me to the bridge," said Hidesato. As soon as they reached the surface he saw a deadful sight. Down the mountain came the monster, lighting up the whole scene with his fiery eyes.
Hidesato had three arrows. He drew his bow. The first arrow struck the centipede's head and glanced off. The same thing happened with the second. Then he remembered something that his grandmother had told him, she said; that human saliva was as deadly to a dragon as snake venom is to a mortal He then took out his last arrow and before putting it to the bow he wet his lips and moistened the end of the arrow. Once more he drew back the bow. It pierced the monster's brain. Over and over it rolled down into the lake, which was chuned into a storm as the creature thrashed about in its death agony. At last all was still. The moonlight shone down on the dead monster lying at the bottom of the lake. No words can describe the joy and gratitude of the Lake people. They drew Hidesato down to their palace, and begged him to stay forever, but he vowed that a knight must not sit feasting while the world is full of wrongs that needed righting. When they saw he would not stay they let him go, but sent a retinue of servants to escort him to the nearest town. They were goldfish till they rose to the surface of the lake. When Hidosato reached the town they laid three parcels before him, bowed, and vanished. In the first parcel there was a roll of silk which never grew less however much was cut off it. In the second ther was a cooking pot which boiled without a fire. In the third there was a bag of rice which could not be emptied. Hidesato was thus enabled to clothe the naked and feed the hungry wherever he went. And that is how the knight became known as -
My Lord Bag-Of-Rice.
Another beautiful little story from Japan written pre 1936, for that is when Arthur Mee's book was printed.
THE TASK
Oh, Rumpelstiltskin is my name! But how could any princess guess A title for an ugly dwarf, Herself a dream of loveliness! But till she told the name aright, or so the ancient fable went, In spinning gold from yellow straw
Full many weary days she spent.
I know not how her story ends; Perhaps beyond some distant hill Shut in her lonely turret room, Her slender hands are spinning still; I only know from dawn to dusk, By road and lane, piled thick and high, Her wains of yellow straw go by.
Rumpelstiltskin ( Rumpelstiltzkin )
There was once upon a time a poor miller who had a very beautiful
daughter. Now it happened one day that he had an audience with the
King, and in order to appear a person of some importance he told him
that he had a daughter who could spin straw into gold. "Now that's a
talent worth having," said the King to the miller; "if your daughter is
as clever as you say, bring her to my palace to-morrow, and I'll put
her to the test."
When the girl was brought to him he led her into a room full of straw,
gave her a spinning- wheel and spindle, and said: "Now set to work and
spin all night till early dawn, and if by that time you haven't spun
the straw into gold you shall die." Then he closed the door behind him
and left her alone inside.
So the poor miller's daughter sat down, and didn't know what in the
world she was to do. She hadn't the least idea of how to spin straw
into gold, and became at last so miserable that she began to cry.
Suddenly the door opened, and in stepped a tinylittle man and said:
"Good-evening, Miss Miller-maid; why are you crying so bitterly?"
"Oh!" answered the girl, "I have to spin straw into gold, and haven't a notion how it's done."
"What will you give me if I spin it for you?" asked the manikin.
"My necklace," replied the girl.
The little man took the necklace, sat himself down at the wheel, and
whir, whir, whir, the wheel went round three times, and the bobbin was
full. Then he put on another, and whir, whir, whir, the wheel went
round three times, and the second too was full; and so it went on till
the morning, when all the straw was spun away, and all the bobbins were
full of gold.
As soon as the sun rose the King came, and when he perceived the gold
he was astonished and delighted, but his heart only lusted more than
ever after the precious metal. He had the miller's daughter put into
another room full of straw, much bigger than the first, and bade her,
if she valued her life, spin it all into gold before the following
morning.
The girl didn't know what to do, and began to cry; then the door opened
as before, and the tiny little man appeared and said: "What'll you give
me if I spin the straw into gold for you?"
"The ring from my finger," answered the girl. The manikin took the ring, and whir! round went the spinning-wheel
again, and when morning broke he had spun all the straw into glittering
gold.
The King was pleased beyond measure at the sights but his greed for
gold was still not satisfied, and he had the miller's daughter brought
into a yet bigger room full of straw, and said: "You must spin all this
away in the night; but if you succeed this time you shall become my
wife."
"She's only a miller's daughter, it's true," he thought; "but I
couldn't find a richer wife if I were to search the whole world over."
When the girl was alone the little man appeared for the third time, and
said: "What'll you give me if I spin the straw for you once again?"
"I've nothing more to give," answered the girl.
"Then promise me when you are Queen to give me your first child."
"Who knows what may not happen before that?" thought the miller's
daughter; and besides, she saw no other way out of it, so she promised
the manikin what he demanded, and he set to work once more and spun the
straw into gold. When the King came in the morning, and found
everything as he had desired, he straightway made her his wife, and the
miller's daughter became a queen.
When a year had passed a beautiful son was born to her, and she thought
no more of the little man, till all of a sudden one day he stepped into
her room and said: "Now give me what you promised."
The Queen was in a great state, and offered the little man all the
riches in her kingdom if he would only leave her the child. But the
manikin said: "No, a living creature is dearer to me than all the
treasures in the world."
Then the Queen began to cry and sob so bitterly that the little man was
sorry for her, and said: "I'll give you three days to guess my name,
and if you find it out in that time you may keep your child."
Then the Queen pondered the whole night over all the names she had ever
heard, and sent a messenger to scour the land, and to pick up far and
near any names he could come across. When the little man arrived on the
following day she began with Kasper, Melchior, Belshazzar, and all the
other names she knew, in a string, but at each one the manikin called
out: "That's not my name."
The next day she sent to inquire the names of all the people in the
neighborhood, and had a long list of the most uncommon and
extraordinary for the little man when he made his appearance. "Is your
name, perhaps, Sheepshanks Cruickshanks, Spindleshanks?" but he always
replied: "That's not my name."
On the third day the messenger returned and announced: "I have not been
able to find any new names, but as I came upon a high hill round the
corner of the wood, where the foxes and hares bid each other
good-night, I saw a little house, and in front of the house burned a
fire, and round the fire sprang the most grotesque little man, hopping
on one leg and crying:
"To-morrow I brew, to-day I bake,
And then the child away I'll take;
For little deems my royal dame
That Rumpelstiltzkin is my name!"
You can imagine the Queen's delight at hearing the name, and when the
little man stepped in shortly afterward and asked: "Now, my lady Queen,
what's my name?" she asked first: "Is your name Conrad?"
"No."
"Is your name Harry?"
"No."
"Is your name perhaps, Rumpelstiltzkin?"
"Some demon has told you that! some demon has told you that!" screamed
the little man, and in his rage drove his right foot so far into the
ground that it sank in up to his waist; then in a passion he seized the
left foot with both hands and tore himself in two.
We must thank Bahamas 4 Kids for these wonderful facts about the legends of the Bahamas, It is the nicest site I have found on the Browser Bars. There web address http: is under neath their headline for the page I wanted to show you. I think it would be nice to take some of these strange names and try and find out more about them, that would be great.
Myths and Legends in the Bahamas
Mythical Beast of Bahamian Legend.
Lusca is a mythical creature of Bahamian folklore. Half-shark,
half-octopus, Lusca lurks around in the underwater caves, tunnels and
blue holes found all over the Caribbean. However, it is believed that
she lives mostly in the underwater caves and blue holes around the
Bahamas Islands, especially around Andros, the largest island in the
Bahamas.
Lusca
She is mean spirited and some islanders believe that she likes to
drown divers and explorers who are not careful. Some even believe that
if your boat is over a bluehole she could pull it in down into the dark
waters.
The tidal currents of the inland blue holes are said to be the breath
of Lusca. As she breathes in, water pours into the caverns, in some
cases forming a whirlpool, and when Lusca breathes out, cold, clear
water gushes up to the surface.
But Lusca is not all bad because the tidal flow also brings food for
the real creatures that live in the blue holes, such as grouper,
lobster and reef sharks and other fish. So, Lusca has long been thought
of as the guardian of the dark blue holes because she makes sure the
fish that live there are fed.
Even today, many local Bahamians stay away from the mystical blue holes.
Chickcharnies
Chickcharnies live in Andros, the largest island in The Bahamas. They
are elfish, birdlike creatures with piercing red eyes. They have three
fingers, three toes and a tail, which they use to hang upside down from
trees.
Chickcharnies live in the pine forests and build nests by joining two pine trees together at the top.
Chickcharnies are peaceful but mischievous creatures and they like
pretty colours. When you go sightseeing in Andros carry flowers or wear
bright colours to charm them. Legend says if you see a chickcharnie and
show it respect, you'll be blessed with good luck for the rest of your
life. Be careful not to sneer at it, however, or your head will turn
completely around!
An old legend has it that a man named Billy Bowleg - the great
Seminole medicine man - was adopted and trained by the Chickcharnies.
They took him when he was 14 and kept him for five years. When he
returned to this people his reputation as a healer spread throughout
the Bahamas.
Where the Chickcharnie came from There really once was a
creature like the Chickcharnie on Andros. It was a 2-foot-tall owl
called Tyto pollens, a remote cousin of the smaller Common Barn-owl.
Tyto pollens was a large owl that could not fly and like most other
owls it swivel its head. So that's probably where the Chickcharnie
legen came from... but who knows.
Anansi
Anansi is a very popular figure in Bahamian stories. He is a
trickster, and is usually a spider-god, but in some stories he is human
and in some stories he is part spider part human.
Anansi is very rebellous and sometimes he likes to cause trouble. He
can do almost anything. He can marry the Kings daughter, create wmoney
out of thin air; He can trick the Devil and even cheat Death. Even if
Anansi loses in one story, you know that he will win in the next. He is
very intelligent and quick-witted. No matter what happens to him he
usually comes out well in the end... often because he was able to trick
some one.
The Lost City of Atlantis
Many people believe that the ancient, sunken city of Atlantis was in
the Bimini islands in the Bahamas. Huge, flat stones lying neatly about
20 feet under the clear waters of North Bimini might be all that is
left of The Lost City of Atlantis. They look like a road and are known
as Bimini Road.
Welcome to Cydney's Castle and the Cities of Legend and Myths? PAINSCASTLE
Today all that remains of
this great fortress are
massive earthworks. These consist of a great motte which was once
crowned by a
keep. Beneath this is a rectangular bailey all of which is still deeply
ditched.
The remains of two barbicans can still be made out that approached the
entrances
to motte and bailey. The earthworks suggest at least two round towers
stood in
the bailey enceinte as well as a hall block. The Giant of Painscastle.
Once upon a time there was a strong castle which stood above the little village of Painscastle. It was held by a huge and ruthless man known as the Giant, he had a huge band of men at arms. Like the other lords in their castles at Hay and Radnor and Clifford, the giant of Painscastle deemed everything his that he could take by force, whether it was gold or cattle, or even some young girl who he decided he wanted. There was a lake on the western limits of the giant of Painscastle's land, it was called Llan Bwchllyn in the Welsh language. Well it so happened that one May morning he and two of his followers were riding past the lake when they caught sight of a young man and a girl walking along the green shore, each with an arm round the other's waist. The giant recognised the young man as a squire called Arthur, he was well noted for his skill with a bow and arrow, and though he had not seen the girl before he noticed that she was very beautiful and instantly determined to have her for himself. Bidding his men to follow, he cantered down to the Bwchllyn shore. Before Arthur could defend himself or the young lady, his axe had been taked away and he himself knocked to the floor. He could only watch as they galloped away, with the screaming girl flung across the giant's saddle-bow. Half-dazed from the blow, wild with grief and fury, Arthur nevertheless acted quickly. He knew that the girl would be taken to the giant's castle and that his only hope lay in attacking it swiftly and with sufficient force to make a siege successful. He ran to the farm of Llanbwchllyn and then sent out messengers on speedy ponies to the local chieftains he knew to be enemies of the giant, first to Old Radnor Castle, then to Cefn-y-Blaen, here there were forty strong and sturdy fighting men. Then he went quickly to his own house for his bow and a quiver full of arrows, and with half a dozen of his men at his back he set out to keep watch on Painscastle. Arthur knew that the giant of Painscastle would expect him to do just what he did, and he himself would have sent messengers to Hay Castle and Clifford Castle, whose lords would fight on his side. But already Arthur was making his plans to defeat the giant. If he posted his six men by the castle watching the main gateway, then he, himself went into a thicket from which he could see the small postern door in the rear of a tower, not a bow shot away. The giant arrived back at the castle with Arthur's girl-friend still across his saddle, he gave the girl to an old beldame who ws threatened with death if she didn't keep the girl alive and secure. Then he hurried away to muster his men at arms. The old beldame was toothless and ugly but she had a soft heart, and when the young mistress sobbed out her sad story and asked for her to help her escape, she took heart and began working out a plan to help her. Quickly she gathered together a few young mens cloths, a hose, a leather jerkin and cloak, like those that the men at arms wore. Then she led the young girl quickly across the hall where men were hastily arming themselves. She managed to let the girl into a chamber at the foot of a tower and drew the bolts of the little door in the outward wall. It just happened to be the postern door. Crouched in the thicket, Arthur saw the door begin to open, slowly and cautiously. So the giant was sending out his messengers this way! He fitted an arrow to the bow-string and drew it to his ear. He was a master bowman and he would aim for the heart. Out of the doorway stepped a figure in a cloak and casque. There was a sharp twang! and the figure collapsed with an arrow in its breat and a dying shriek that was crtainly not the voice of a man. Arthur rushed forward to the fallen figure only to realise that he had killed his own love. Springing up like a madnan, he was in time to thrust in through the postern before the old woman could close it; and after him dashed his six men, who had come running at the sound of the shriek. Yelling their war-cries, they gained the castle hall where the giant and his men werearming themselves. Five to one, Arthur's men stood but in the brief and bloody battle that followed, and using their short axes, they killed some, the rest ran away. Arthur, ducking below the sweep of the Painscastle leader's great sword, brought his battle axe down in a mighty blow that split the giants helmet in half, the giant was dead. The Painscastle men who ran, joined forces with the arriving armies of Hay and Clifford. And Arthur found himself reinforced by the men of Cefn-y-Blaen and Old Radnor Castle. The two opposing troops met at the ford of the Bach Howey stream half a mile south of Painscastle, and here at Rhyd-lydan the Painscastle faction was defeated with great slaughter, in which the squire Arthur dies. It is said that he sought death and found it so that he coud be reunited with his love on the other side. You can still see the ruins of Painscastle today. The castle is no longer there but the earthworks and huge mound are still there for all to see and remember the story of yet another Arthur.
The massive
earthworks of Painscastle dominate
the valley of the Bach Howey in the old Welsh commote of Elfael Is
Mynydd, which
was reckoned in the thirteenth century to be just one day’s
march from
Hereford. In 1093 the Norman Marcher barons launched a concerted attack
upon
Wales after the death of King Rhys ap Tewdwr of Deheubarth. During this
assault
Ralph Tosny of Clifford castle
annexed the
neighbouring cantref of Elfael, probably building a castle at Glan
Edw in Elfael Uwch Myndd. It is possible that Ralph commenced
the
fortification of Painscastle, but there is no conclusive proof.
Painscastle is
named after a man of the next generation and it is quite possible that
the
castle was not commenced for another thirty years.
And now CAMELOT
Camelot was the most famous castle in the medieval legends of King Arthur,
and where, according to legend, he reigned over Briton before the Saxon
conquest.
At Camelot Arthur established a brilliant court and seated the
greatest and most chivalrous warriors in Europe, the Knights of the Round
Table.
Camelot was the starting point of the Quest for the Holy Grail, and
by the 1200's, it came to symbolize the center of the Arthurian world.
The oldest known stories of Arthur don't refer to Camelot by name. It is
first mentioned explicitly in the romance Lancelot written by Chretien de
Troyes in the twelfth century. Different writers throughout the ages have
placed Camelot in different locations. Sir Thomas Malory, in Le Morte
D'arthur (15th century), placed the castle in Winchester. Geoffrey of
Monmouth, in his History of the Kings of Britain (about 1136) named Caerleon
Castle in Wales. Another theory puts Camelot near Tintagel, Arthur's reputed
Cornish birthplace. According to the romancers, Camelot was named after a
pagan king called Camaalis. Modern attempts at identifying Camelot have
sought to place Camelot at the ruins of Cadbury Castle in Somerset, excavated
in the 1960's.
But this is a wonderful way to make a lovely new page of castle and ogre's and dungeons and dragons. But lets watch some well known Fairy Tales Songs first.
JUST CLICK ON ^ THE DVD SLOT NEXT TO START ON VIDEO BOX IF THE "ERROR" SLOGAN SHOWS, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH VIDEO
Hop-o'-my-thumb
Retold by Joseph Jacobs
ONCE upon a time there was a Wood-cutter and his wife who had seven children, all boys. The eldest was only ten years
old. They were very poor, and their seven children were a great burden, since not one of them was able to earn his
living.
What troubled them still more was the fact that the youngest was not only very delicate, but silent, which they took
for stupidity, but which was really a mark of his good sense. He was very small, and when he was born he was scarcely
bigger than one's thumb, which caused him to be called little "Hop-o'-My-Thumb." This poor child was the scapegoat of
the house, and was blamed for everything. He was, however, sharper and wiser than all his brothers, and though he spoke
little, he listened a great deal.
At last there came a bad year, and so great a famine, that the poor people resolved to rid themselves of their
children. One evening, when the children were all in bed, and the Wood-cutter with a sorrowful heart, was sitting by
the fire with his wife, he said to her: "You know that we can no longer support our children. I cannot let them die of
hunger before my eyes, and I am resolved to take them to the wood to- morrow, and lose them. It will be easy to do
this, for, while they amuse themselves tying my sticks, we have only to slip away without their seeing us.
"Ah!" cried his Wife, "would you then destroy your children?" In vain did her husband set forth to her their great
poverty: she would not consent. She was poor, she said. But she was their mother. At last, having considered what a
grief it would be to her to have them die of hunger before her eyes, she agreed to her husband's plan, and went,
weeping, to bed.
Hop-o'-My-Thumb had listened to all that they had said, for having heard them, from his bed, talking of family matters,
he had risen softly and slipped under his father's stool, in order to hear without being seen. He then went back to
bed, but lay awake the rest of the night, thinking what he should do. He rose early and went to a brook, where he
filled his pocket with little white pebbles, and then returned to the house.
Soon after, they all set off, but Hop-o'-My-Thumb did not tell his brothers anything of what he knew. They went into a
forest, so thick that they could not see each other at a distance of ten paces. The Wood-cutter began to fell a tree,
while the children gathered sticks to make up into bundles. The father and mother, seeing them thus employed, slipped
away unnoticed, and then fled rapidly, by a little winding path.
When the children found they were alone, they began to scream and cry with all their strength. Hop-o'-My-Thumb let them
cry, knowing well how to get home; for, while walking, he had dropped along the path the little white pebbles which he
had in his pockets.
He therefore said to them, "Fear not, brothers, my father and mother have left us here, but I will lead you to the
house only follow me."
They obeyed at once, and he led them home along the same path by which they had come into the forest at first. They did
not dare to go into the house, but placed themselves near the door, in order to hear what their father and mother were
saying.
Now it had so happened that, just as the Woodcutter and his Wife reached home, the lord of the village had sent them
ten crowns, which he had long owed them, and which they had never hoped to obtain. This gave them new life, for the
poor creatures were almost dead from hunger.
The Wood-cutter immediately sent his Wife to the butcher's, where, as it was long since they had eaten anything, she
bought three times as much meat as was needed for the supper of two people.
When they were seated at table, the Wife said, "Alas! where now are our poor children? They would make good cheer with
what we have left. But it is you who wished to lose them. I always said we should repent it. What are they doing now in
the forest? Alas! alas! perhaps the wolves have already eaten them! You were most cruel thus to lose your children."
The Wood-cutter at last grew impatient, for she repeated more than twenty times that they would repent what they had
done, and that she had told him so. He threatened to beat her if she was not silent. The Wood-cutter did not do this
because he was less sorry than his Wife, but because her reproaches angered him. His Wife now shed tears, and cried
out, "Alas! where are my children, my poor children?"
She said this so loud that the children, who were at the door, heard her, and all cried out together, "Here we are!
here we are!"
She ran quickly to open the door, and said, as she embraced them, "How overjoyed I am to see you again, my darling
children! you must be very tired and very hungry; and you, Peter, how muddy you are! come, let me brush you." Peter was
her eldest son, whom she loved more than all the others.
The children then sat down at the table, and ate with an appetite which delighted their father and mother, to whom they
described, all speaking at once, how frightened they had been in the forest.
These good people were filled with joy to have their children with them again, and this joy lasted as long as the ten
crowns held out. But when the money was spent, they fell back into their former misery, and resolved to lose them once
more; and in order not to fail again, they determined to take them much further into the forest than the first time.
They could not, however, speak of this so secretly but that they were overheard by Hop-o'-My-Thumb, who laid his plans
to escape as before. Although he got up early in order to go out and pick up some little stones, he could not succeed
in his purpose, for he found the door of the house shut and double-bolted. He was wondering what he should do, when,
his mother having given them each a bit of bread for breakfast, he thought that he might use his bread instead of
pebbles by dropping crumbs along the paths as they walked. He therefore slipped the bread into his pocket.
Their father and mother led them this time into the thickest and darkest part of the forest, and, as soon as they were
there, ran away and left them.
Hop-o'-My-Thumb was not much troubled, because he believed he could easily find his way by means of the bread which he
had scattered as he passed along. What was his surprise when he could not find a single crumb: the birds had come and
eaten it all.
Now was their lot indeed wretched; the more they wandered about, the deeper they buried themselves in the forest. Night
came, and a great wind arose which frightened them terribly. They thought they heard on all sides the howling of hungry
wolves coming to eat them up. They did not dare to speak, or even turn their heads. Rain began to fall, which wet them
to the skin. They slipped at every step, and, if they fell, got up so covered with mud that they could hardly move
their hands.
Finally, Hop-o'-My-Thumb climbed to the top of a tree, to see if he could not discover something. Having looked on all
sides, he at last saw a little gleam of light, like that from a candle, but it was very far off, beyond the forest. He
got down from the tree: but when he was on the ground he no longer saw anything, which troubled him greatly. However,
having walked for some time with his brothers in the direction where he had seen the light, he again saw it as they
came out of the wood. At last they reached the house where the candle was, though not without many alarms, for they
lost sight of it whenever they descended unto a hollow place.
They knocked at the door, which was opened to them by a woman. She asked them what they wanted. Hop-o'-My-Thumb replied
that they were poor children who had lost themselves in the forest, and who asked, for charity's sake, a place to
sleep.
The woman, seeing how bitter they were, began to weep, and said to them, "Alas! my poor children, whence do you come?
Do you not know that this is the house of an Ogre, who eats little children?"
"Alas, madam," said Hop-o'-My-Thumb, who like his brothers was shaking with fear, "what shall we do? The wolves of the
forest will certainly devour us to-night, if you will not give us shelter. This being the case, we had rather be eaten
by the Ogre, and he, perhaps, will take pity on us, if you will beg him to do so."
The Ogre's wife, who thought she might be able to conceal them from her husband till the next morning, let them come
in, and placed them near a good fire, where a whole sheep was roasting for the Ogre's supper.
When they had begun to get warm, they heard three or four heavy knocks at the door. It was the Ogre. His wife hastily
hid the children under the bed, and then opened the door.
The Ogre asked first if supper was ready, and the wine drawn; and then sat down at the table. The mutton was nearly
raw, but he liked it all the better on that account.
He then began to sniff about, saying that he smelled fresh meat.
"It must be this calf which I have just been dressing that you smell," said the wife.
"I smell fresh meat, I tell you again," said the Ogre, looking fiercely at his wife; "and there is something more of
which I do not know."
Saying these words, he rose from the table and went straight to the bed, where he found the poor children.
"Ah!" said he, "this, then, is the way you wish to deceive me, wicked woman. I know not what prevents me from eating
you, too. Here is game, which comes to me very conveniently to treat three Ogres of my acquaintance, who are coming to
visit me about this time."
He then drew the little boys from under the bed, one after another. The poor children threw themselves on their knees
begging for pardon. But they had to do with the most cruel of all the Ogres, who, far from having pity, devoured them
already with his eyes, and said to his wife that they would be delicious morsels fried, when she had made a good sauce
for them.
He took out a great knife, and, approaching the poor children, began to sharpen it on a long stone, which he held in
his left hand. He then seized one of them, when his wife said to him, "Why do you begin at this time of night? Shall
you not have time to-morrow?"
"Be silent," replied the Ogre; "they will be more tender if I kill them now."
"But you have already so much meat on hand," replied his wife. "Here are a calf, two sheep, and half a pig."
"You are right," said the Ogre; "give them a good supper, that they may not grow thin, and put them to bed."
The good woman was overcome with joy, and brought them their supper at once; but they were too frightened to eat.
As for the Ogre, he set himself to drinking, delighted to have something with which to regale his friends. He drank a
dozen cups more than usual, which went to his head, and obliged him to go early to bed.
Now this Ogre had seven daughters, who were still only children. These little Ogresses all had beautiful complexions,
for they ate fresh meat like their father. They had little round gray eyes, crooked noses, and great mouths filled with
long teeth, very sharp and far apart. They were not yet very wicked, but they promised well, for they already bit
little children whenever they got the chance. They had been put to bed early, and were all seven in one bed, each
having a golden crown on her head.
There was in the same room anther bed of the same size. Here it was that the Ogre's wife put the seven little boy's,
after which she went to bed in her own chamber.
Hop-o'-My-Thumb, who had remarked that the Ogre's daughters had golden crowns on their heads, was afraid that the Ogre
might regret not having killed him and his brothers that evening. So he rose about the middle of the night, and, taking
his nightcap and those of his brothers, he went very softly and placed them on the heads of the Ogre's seven daughters,
after having removed their golden crowns. He then put the crowns on his brothers' heads and on his own, so that the
Ogre might mistake them for his daughters, and his daughters for the boys whom he wished to kill.
The plan succeeded as he had expected. The Ogre, having awakened about midnight, was sorry that he had put off till
next day what he might have done that evening. He jumped quickly out of bed, and, taking his great knife, "Let us see,"
said he, "how our little friends are getting on."
He went on tiptoe to the room of his daughters, and approached the bed where the little boys were all asleep, except
Hop-o'-My-Thumb, who was terribly frightened when he felt the Ogre's hand touching his head, as he had already touched
his brothers'. But when the Ogre felt the golden crowns, he said, "Indeed, I was near making a nice piece of work of
it. I see that I drank too much in the evening."
He then went to the bed of his daughters, where he felt the boys' little nightcaps. "Ah! here they are," said he, "the
fine fellows! I must go boldly to work. Saying these words, and without hesitating, he cut the throats of his seven
daughters. Very well pleased with his expedition, he went back to bed. As soon as Hop-o'-My-Thumb heard the Ogre
snoring, he awakened his brothers, and told them to dress themselves quickly and follow him. They went softly down unto
the garden, and leaped over the walls. They hurried away, and ran almost all night, without knowing whither they went.
The Ogre, when he woke up, said to his wife, "Go upstairs and dress those little fellows who were here last night.''
The Ogress was very much astonished at the kindness of her husband, not suspecting for a moment the way in which he
meant that she should dress them. Believing that he simply wished her to put on their clothes, she went upstairs, where
she was amazed to see her seven daughters with their throats cut. She was so overcome that she immediately fainted. The
Ogre, thinking his wife was too slow, went upstairs to assist her. He was no less astonished than his wife when the
frightful sight met his eyes.
"Ah! what have I done here?" he cried; "but those little wretches shall pay for this, and at once."
He then threw a bucket of water into his wife's face, and, having revived her, said, "Give me quickly my seven-league
boots, that I may go after those boys and catch them."
He then started out into the country at once, and, having rushed about in all directions, came at last to the road
where the poor children were walking, and then not more than a hundred steps from their father's house. They saw the
Ogre striding from mountain to mountain, and crossing rivers as if they were little brooks.
Hop-o'-My-Thumb, who saw a hollow rock near the place where they were, hid himself and his six brothers there, and
watched carefully what became of their enemy. The Ogre, who was very tired with his long and fruitless journey, wished
to rest himself, and sat down, by chance, on the very rock where the little boys were hidden.
As he was overcome with fatigue, he soon fell asleep, and began to snore so frightfully that the poor children were as
much frightened as when he held his knife ready to cut their throats. Hop-o'-My-Thumb was less afraid, and told his
brothers to run into the house while the Ogre slept, and not to worry about him. They followed his counsel, and quickly
reached the house.
Hop-o'-My-Thumb then approached the Ogre, softly drew off his boots, and put them on himself. The boots were very long
and very large; but, as they were fairy boots, they had the gift of becoming larger or smaller, according to the size
of the wearer's leg. In fact, they fitted Hop-o'-My-Thumb as if they had been made for him.
He then went straight to the Ogre's house, where he found his wife weeping over her daughters.
"Your husband," said Hop-o'-My-Thumb, "is in great danger, for he has been taken by a band of robbers, who will kill
him if he does not give them all his gold and silver. Just when they held their knives to his throat he perceived me,
and besought me to come and tell you of the state in which he was, and to direct you to give me all that he has,
without retaining anything, since otherwise they would slay him without mercy. As time passed, he wished that I should
take his seven-league boots, as you see, in order to make haste, and also that you might not think me an impostor."
The good woman, very much frightened, gave him all she had; for this Ogre was a good husband, although he did eat
little children.
Hop-o'-My-Thumb, being then loaded with all the Ogre's treasures, returned to his father's house, where he was welcomed
with great joy and where they all lived happily ever after.
diddilydeedotsdreamland .
maybe, Camelot and Merlin, not to mention Arthur and Lancelot. Many of the Myths of the World are very similar in different ways !!! I'm sure you know what I mean. Anyway I have taken the story of Robin Hood and Merlin to the Red Man's America, and I have brought a little tale of the 
Camelot. Enjoy the link. xxx,
When the night was lighted by the Moon's soft rays,
and the woods of the Upper World were sweet with the odour
of the Spring flowers, then the Elves of Darkness left
the Under World, and creeping from their holes,
held a festival in the woods. And under many a tree
where the blades of grass had refused to grow,
the Little People danced until rings of green sprang
up under their feet. And to the festival came the Elves
of Light,—among them the Tree-Elves, Flower-Elves,
and Fruit-Elves. They too danced and made merry.
Tree-Elves tended the trees, unfolding their leaves,
and feeding their roots with sap from the Earth.
The Flower-Elves unwrapped the baby buds,
and tinted the petals of the opening flowers,
and played with the Butterflies and Bees.
Hahgwedaetgah
YDNEY'S
was sitting alone by a lake Hades; god of
the Underworld stole her and took her away to his home to become his
wife.
plants grow.
People and animals died because there was no food. Zeus sent for her
and said that as long as Persephone had not eaten in the Underworld she
could be freed. Hades could not argue because he knew that she had
refused all food.
It was decided that Persephone could live on
earth for nine months, but must spend the other three months each year
in the Underworld. Every year whilst Persephone was away Demeter
refused to allow any plants to grow. The trees would lose their leaves
and all plants would die away to come again when Persephone was free.
granted his wish but warned him about his greed. Midas was very happy.
He touched a tree and it turned to gold. He touched the walls of his
palace and it turned to gold. He touched his horse, then his servant,
his food and finally his children. Everything turned to gold.
told him that
he wanted to get rid of his golden touch. Dionysus laughed when he saw
the change in the king. Eventually he decided to take pity on him and
told him to go and bath in the river Pactolus. King Midas went to the
river. He was afraid to get into the water in case it turned to gold
and killed him. He got a jug and washed himself down. Little by little
the gold washed away. King Midas was so relieved. He took jug after jug
of water back to his palace to wash his children, his servants, his
horse and the whole palace. He did not stop work until he had restored
everything to its normal state.
A BABY ON WORM'S HEAD
fresh water. Here he was to build a chapel and dwell there with prayer and fasting as his portion, preaching God's word to any who should come to him.
The Worm's Head is also reknown for it's many wrecks and if you follow the link url provided you will find a map and you can see the many ships who came to Davy Jones's locker on more than one occasion
centipede , half a mile long and as thick as the biggest tree in the world. His skin is as tough as steel, Every night he comes down to the lake and carries off one of my people. Yesterday he took away my favourite child."
ed. With white lips the King of the Lake whispered : "My enemy is coming ! "
the bottom of the lake.
There was once upon a time a poor miller who had a very beautiful
daughter. Now it happened one day that he had an audience with the
King, and in order to appear a person of some importance he told him
that he had a daughter who could spin straw into gold. "Now that's a
talent worth having," said the King to the miller; "if your daughter is
as clever as you say, bring her to my palace to-morrow, and I'll put
her to the test."
what to do, and began to cry; then the door opened
as before, and the tiny little man appeared and said: "What'll you give
me if I spin the straw into gold for you?"
n a year had passed a beautiful son was born to her, and she thought
no more of the little man, till all of a sudden one day he stepped into
her room and said: "Now give me what you promised."
"To-morrow I brew, to-day I bake,
Lusca 
ot all bad because the tidal flow also brings food for
the real creatures that live in the blue holes, such as grouper,
lobster and reef sharks and other fish. So, Lusca has long been thought
of as the guardian of the dark blue holes because sh
e makes sure the
fish that live there are fed. 
ish, birdlike creatures with piercing red eyes. They have three
fingers, three toes and a tail, which they use to hang upside down from
trees. 
14 and kept him for five years. When he
returned to this people his reputation as a healer spread throughout
the Bahamas. 
Anansi
Half-dazed from the blow, wild with grief and fury, Arthur nevertheless acted quickly. He knew that the girl would be taken to the giant's castle and that his only hope lay in attacking it swiftly and with sufficient force to make a siege successful. He ran to the farm of Llanbwchllyn and then sent out messengers on speedy ponies to the local chieftains he knew to be enemies of the giant, first to Old Radnor Castle, then to Cefn-y-Blaen, here there were forty strong and sturdy fighting men. Then he went quickly to his own house for his bow and a quiver full of arrows, and with half a dozen of his men at his back he set out to keep watch on Painscastle.
she gathered together a few young mens cloths, a hose, a leather jerkin and cloak, like those that the men at arms wore. Then she led the young girl quickly across the hall where men were hastily arming themselves. She managed to let the girl into a chamber at the foot of a tower and drew the bolts of the little door in the outward wall. It just happened to be the postern door. 
Five to one, Arthur's men stood but in the brief and bloody battle that followed, and using their short axes, they killed some, the rest ran away. Arthur, ducking below the sweep of the Painscastle leader's great sword, brought his battle axe down in a mighty blow that split the giants helmet in half, the giant was dead.
Hop-o'-my-thumb
"Ah!" cried his Wife, "would you then destroy your children?" In vain did her husband set forth to her their great
poverty: she would not consent. She was poor, she said. But she was their mother. At last, having considered what a
grief it would be to her to have them die of hunger before her eyes, she agreed to her husband's plan, and went,
weeping, to bed.
He therefore said to them, "Fear not, brothers, my father and mother have left us here, but I will lead you to the
house only follow me."
by means of the bread which he
had scattered as he passed along. What was his surprise when he could not find a single crumb: the birds had come and
eaten it all.
When they had begun to get warm, they heard three or four heavy knocks at the door. It was the Ogre. His wife hastily
hid the children under the bed, and then opened the door.
himself. The boots were very long
and very large; but, as they were fairy boots, they had the gift of becoming larger or smaller, according to the size
of the wearer's leg. In fact, they fitted Hop-o'-My-Thumb as if they had been made for him.
