A short video from Phileas!!! Join us at the Fairlop Fair!!!

Here's a link to the video from Phileas....give it a watch and share it with your friends and family! 
See you at the Fair!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w90ArtcWMfU

Story 67!

Phileas also heard some Native American stories whilst in Utah, stories that had been passed on to some of the rail road workers. Here is one of those stories... 

How the Rainbow Was Made

One day when the earth was new, Nanabozho looked out the window of his house beside the wide waterfall and realized that all of the flowers in his meadow were exactly the same off-white color. How boring! He decided to make a change, so he gathered up his paints and his paintbrushes and went out to the meadow.

Nanabozho sat down in the tall grass and arranged his red and orange and yellow and green and blue and violet paint pots next to him. Then he began to paint the flowers in his meadow in many different colors. He painted the violets dark blue and the tiger lilies orange with brown dots. He made the roses red and pink and purple. He painted the pansies in every color combination he could think of. Then he painted every single daffodil bright yellow. Nanabozho hummed happily to himself as he worked in the brilliant daylight provided by Brother Sun.

Overhead, two little bluebirds were playing games with each other. The first little bluebird would chase his friend across the meadow one way. Then they would turn around and the second bluebird would chase him back the other way. Zippity-zip went the first bluebird as he raced across the sky. Zappity-zing went the second bluebird as he chased him in the brilliant sunshine.

Occasionally, Nanabozho would shade his eyes and look up…up into the endless blue sky to watch the two little birds playing. Then he went back to work, painting yellow centers in the white daisies. Above him, the two birds decided to see how fast they could dive down to the green fields below them. The first bluebird sailed down and down, and then pulled himself up sharply just before he touched the ground. As he soared passed Nanabozho, his right wing dipped into the red paint pot. When the second bluebird dove toward the grass, his left wing grazed the orange paint pot.

Nanabozho scolded the two birds, but they kept up their game, diving down toward the grass where he sat painting and then flying back up into the sky. Soon their feet and feathers were covered with paint of all colors. Finally Nanabozho stood up and waved his arms to shoo the birds away.

Reluctantly, the bluebirds flew away from Nanabozho and his paint pots, looking for another game to play. They started chasing each other again, sailing this way and that over top of the giant waterfall that stood next to Nanabozho's house. Zippity-zip, the first bluebird flew through the misty spray of the waterfall. The first bluebird left a long red paint streak against the sky. Zappity-zing, the second bluebird chased his friend through the mist, leaving an orange paint streak. Then the birds turned to go back the other way. This time, the first bluebird left a yellow paint streak and the second left a pretty blue-violet paint streak. As they raced back and forth, the colors grew more vivid. When Brother Sun shone on the colors, they sparkled radiantly through the mist of the waterfall.

Below them, Nanabozho looked up in delight when the brilliant colors spilled over his meadow. A gorgeous arch of red and orange and yellow and green and blue and violet shimmered in the sky above the waterfall. Nanabozho smiled at the funny little bluebirds and said: "You have made a rainbow!"

Nanabozho was so pleased that he left the rainbow permanently floating above his waterfall, its colors shimmering in the sunshine and the misting water. From that day to this, whenever Brother Sun shines his light on the rain or the mist, a beautiful rainbow forms. It is a reflection of the mighty rainbow that still stands over the waterfall at Nanabozho's house.

A Creation Tale from the Ojibwe Nation retold by S. E. Schlosser on http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2012/10/how_the_rainbow_was_made.html

Story 66!

Story 66!

Phileas has been enjoying his time in Salt Lake City USA. Here is a map of America so you can find it for yourself:

Image from: http://www.uknetguide.co.uk/Holiday-Guides/North-America/United-states/Salt_Lake_City_has_a_population_of_17_million.html

Salt Lake City is the Capital city of the state of Utah.  It has a very large population. Phileas was told the scary tale of the Bear Lake Monster...here it is for you to read!

Bear Lake Monster

If you travel to Bear Lake in Utah on a quiet day, you just might catch a glimpse of the Bear Lake Monster. The monster looks like a huge brown snake and is nearly 90 feet long. It has ears that stick out from the side of its skinny head and a mouth big enough to eat a man. According to some, it has small legs and it kind of scurries when it ventures out on land. But in the water - watch out! It can swim faster than a horse can gallop - makes a mile a minute on a good day. Sometimes the monster likes to sneak up on unwary swimmers and blow water at them. The ones it doesn't carry off to eat, that is.

A feller I heard about spotted the monster early one evening as he was walking along the lake. He tried to shoot it with his rifle. The man was a crack shot, but not one of his bullets touched that monster. It scared the heck out of him and he high tailed it home faster than you can say Jack Robinson. Left his rifle behind him and claimed the monster ate it.

Sometimes, when the monster has been quiet for a while, people start saying it is gone for good. Some folks even dredge up that old tale that says how Pecos Bill heard about the Bear Lake monster and bet some cowpokes that he could wrestle that monster until it said uncle. According to them folks, the fight lasted for days and created a hurricane around Bear Lake. Finally, Bill flung that there monster over his shoulder and it flew so far it went plumb around the world and landed in Loch Ness, where it lives to this day.

Course, we know better than that. The Bear Lake Monster is just hibernating-like. Keep your eyes open at dusk and maybe you'll see it come out to feed. Just be careful swimming in the lake, or you might be its next meal!

A Utah Ghost Story retold by S. E. Schlosser, on http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/07/the_bear_lake_monster.html

Story Number 65

Coyote and The Red Ants

Phileas enjoyed the Ute's performance so much, he decided that he would stay for a few more nights and learn more about this tribe and hear more of their stories. One night, Phileas was sitting on a log enjoying some delicious food when suddenly he felt an excruciating pain on his leg "OW! OW! I've been bitten by something OW! It feels like my leg is on fire!" Screamed Phileas, Phileas was jumping around in pain and the whole Ute tribe burst into laughter and started chanting "Coyote, Coyote, Coyote" "What? Who's a Coyote?" Asked Phileas, "Oh! You don't know who Coyote is," said an old woman, "well, we must tell you the story of Coyote and The Red Ants." So Phileas, with more caution sat back on the log and listened to the old woman's story...

One day Coyote decided he would go running in the fields. He was enjoying his exercise, when suddenly he came across some ants. So he thought to himself that he would sit and watch them. They were scurrying all over, some went far away, but they didn't get lost and they came back after a while. Coyote thought it was peculiar. He said to the ants, "you are a small people, yet you never lose your way. How is that? You must teach me what you know so that when I leave my family alone I shall not get lost but will be able to go straight back to them." The ants told him, "If you want to learn this, you must promise not step on us, mess with us or ever get in our way." 

Coyote agreed and promised that he would not step on them, mess with them or get in their way. As you may know, Coyote has a short attention span and bad memory, and he was very quickly distracted by the ants other activities and he asked, "what are you doing? I see you people run to a place and then come back. I see you carrying little stones and sticks to your hole. I don't know why you do that. There must be someone in there who tells you to do it. Can you let me go down and see." "There is not enough room for you, it's too dark down there and have you forgotten your agreement already? If you try to go in there, we might bite you." Said the ants

"I'm not afraid. You are small. Even if you do bite me it wont hurt. Come on, bite me. My body is tough," said Coyote who was now sticking his tongue out at the ants,  "my tongue is tough, go on bite it, I will show you."

"You'll swallow us when we get on your tongue." Said the ant, "well if you don't trust me, you can get on my lips," insisted Coyote, "all right, if you insist," said the ant. So the ant climbed up onto Coyote's lip and bit Coyote on the tongue.

Coyote howled, put his hand up and scratched at the ant. He jumped and he kicked and he ran away as fast as he could. The ants watched and laughed as Coyote ran away screaming, "you should have kept your promise, silly Coyote, they call us fire ants for a reason."

Story Number 64

Pokoh, The Old Man - The Ute Tribe's Creation Myth

As Phileas Travelled around the Beautiful Salt Lake City of Utah, he started to wonder, like he did in Egypt, how this beautiful came to be? So he decided to ask around. The first man he bumped into was scoffing his face with Utah Scones, "Excuse me their Sir," said Phileas, "I don't supposed you could..." "Hey Buddy! I'm eating here," Shouted the man, "Go bother someone else!" So Phileas swiftly moved on. The next person he saw was a preacher, but Phileas had heard that all before. He decided that he would go further a field to find his answer. Eventually Phileas came across a tribe of Native Americans, who were called the Ute tribe. The tribe were in the middle of a ritual, the women were sat around watching whilst the men were dancing, stomping and singing. Phileas quietly crept over and joined the women, he leaned over and asked an elderly woman "Excuse me, but please could you explain what is going on." The woman smiled and said "This is an ancient celebrating the creation of the world, please stay and watch." Phileas laughed to himself and sat and watched the performance. Later the tribes elder explained the story to Phileas, and it went like this...

The Ute tribe say that Pokoh, an old man, created the world. Pokoh had many thoughts. He had many blankets in which he carried around gifts for men. He created every tribe out of the soil where they used to live.

That is why an Indian wants to live and die in his native place. He was made of the same soil. Pokoh did not wish men to wander and travel, but to remain in their birthplace.

Long ago, The Sun was a man, a bad man, but the moon was good. The Sun used to carry around a quiver of deadly arrows, which he used to use to kill all things.

The sun has two daughters, Venus and Mercury. One day twenty men tried to kill Venus and Mercury, but after fifty days they return to life.

The rainbow is the daughter of Pokoh, and her body is covered in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet flowers.

One day the lightning struck the ground and filled the flint with fire.

There are many worlds. Some have passed and some are still to come. In world the Indians all creep; in another they all walk; in another they all fly. Perhaps in a world to come Indians may walk on four legs, slither like snakes or swim like fish.

Story 63

Story 63 Phileas had so much fun with the last tongue twister story he really wanted to leave you another one, so he went to the nearest library to find one for you. And he managed to find the perfect one... Bakery Bear Brenda was busy baking a batch of blueberry muffins in the kitchen of Butler's Bakery when the bell rang. "Be with you in a bit," Brenda called, brushing her blond braid over her shoulder. Brenda put the blueberry muffins into the oven and bustled into the store. A big brown bear stood with his paws on the counter. "Grumph," said the big brown bear. "Aaaaa!" said Brenda Butler. Brenda ran out through the back door to get Bill Boyle, the policeman. "Bill, there is a big brown bear in the bakery!" Brenda cried. "A bear?" Bill asked. Bill followed Brenda into the bakery. The bear was busy eating blintz's and a bunch of bagels. It looked at Bill Boyle and grunted bad-temperedly. "Here bear. Nice bear," Bill said nervously. The bear gave Bill a baleful grin. Bill backed away. The bear ambled toward Bill. Bill ran. "Oh boy," Brenda babbled and fled from the store. "I'd better call Barney," Bill told Brenda. Barney Blake was the local dogcatcher for the town of Bradley. Barney drove up in his big blue van and hopped out. "Where's the bear?" Barney asked Brenda. "It's in the bakery," Brenda said. Barney took a big net and went into the bakery. Brenda heard a bang. Grabbing a broom from the closet, Brenda rushed into the store. Barney was standing on a bench, waving his arms and yelling "Shoo!" at the bear. The bear was biting Barney's black boots hungrily. Brenda beat the bear with the broom. "Back off, you big bully," Brenda shouted. When the bear bit the broom, Barney jumped off the bench and ran out of the bakery. Brenda followed. "What happened to your net?" asked Brenda breathlessly. "The bear broke it," said Barney. A wave off smoke came billowing out the back door of the bakery. "My blueberry muffins are burning!" cried Brenda. She raced into the kitchen. As Brenda removed the burnt blueberry muffins from the oven, the bear came into the kitchen. "Shoo you bumbling brute," Brenda said to it. "You are bad for business. You made me burn my muffins." Brenda threw a blueberry muffin at the bear. The bear ate the muffin and went back into the store. "Is it gone?" asked Bill, as he and Barney came cautiously into the kitchen. "The bear is in the store," said Brenda. "I have a plan." Brenda sent Bill to get some honeycomb and had Barney back his van behind the bakery. Meanwhile, Brenda beat up a batch of buttermilk biscuits. Then she mixed the honey from the honeycomb into the batter. Soon, the kitchen was bursting with the smell of honey buttermilk biscuits. The loud banging noises the bear was making in the bakery store ceased abruptly as the bear smelled the honey. Brenda carried the big batch of biscuits out to the van. Bill opened the back door. The breeze blew the smell of the honey-buttermilk biscuits into the bakery. The bear nudged open the swinging door of the bakery and ambled into the kitchen. He knocked over the big brown bowl and grumbled when he found no honey. Then the bear sniffed his way out the back door. Brenda had placed the basket of biscuits at the back of Barney's van. The bear bounded up the ramp and Barney banged the door shut. Brenda and Bill cheered. "I will take the bear back to the forest and let him out," said Barney. While Barney and the bear drove away in the blue van, Brenda and Bill bustled back into the bakery to clean up. Find this story from: http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/07/the_bakery_bear.html

Story 62

Story 62 On Phileas' first day in the USA he began to get very excited to travel and explore, so while he went to site see he wanted to leave you with this fun tongue twister story... Allison's Alligator Alex alligator arrived at Allison Arthur's apple farm in April, when the apple trees were covered with blossoms. "Whatever am I to do with an alligator?" Allison asked. Inside the box, Alex yawned. Alex stuck his legs through the holes at the bottom of the box and ambled into the house in search of dinner. "Oh no you don't!" cried Allison. "You cannot live in the house. You are to stay in the stream behind the apple orchard." Allison put Alex in the small stream. Then Allison put a strong fence around the stream so Alex did not try to eat Mrs. Chory's chickens. Alex liked the stream and his pen. He especially liked the steaks Allison gave him every morning and evening. One day in August a red apple fell off a tree and rolled under the fence and into Alex's pen. Alex sniffed it a bit and then took a bite. It was the most delicious thing Alex had ever eaten. Alex slipped under the fence and ambled into the apple orchard. Alex found a line of baskets sitting under a tree. Alex ate all the apples in the baskets. Then he wandered under another tree and ate all the apples in the baskets he found there. He was very happy. And very full. He went back into his cage. Allison came by later with his steak. Alex sniffed at it, but he was not very hungry. "Do you know what someone did Alex?" asked Allison. Alex yawned. "Someone stole all my apples. They knocked over the baskets and stole the apples. If it happens again, I'm calling the police." That night, Alex had a very pleasant dream about apples. After his steak the next morning, Alex slipped under the fence and out into the orchard. There were a bunch of people climbing up and down ladders with baskets. Alex watched for a few moments. Then he realized that when the people came down the ladders, their baskets were full of apples. Alex wandered over to the closest ladder. A small girl descended with a basket full of apples. Alex grinned at her. The little girl screamed and dropped the basket. She ran away, yelling for her mother. Alex stuck his head in the basket and began eating apples. He heard voices coming towards him. "Now April, you know what I've said about fibbing. There are no alligators in this orchard." said April's mother. Alex pulled his head out of the basket and grinned at April's mother. "Ahhhh!" she screamed. April and her mother ran away as fast as they could. Alex walked over to another tree. A man was climbing down the ladder. He stepped on Alex's back. Alex grunted and tried to walk away. The man looked down at Alex and yelped. The man dropped his basket and ran toward the house. Alex ate all the apples in his basket. Just then, Allison came running into the orchard. "Alex!" she yelled. Alex took one look at Allison and bolted back into his pen. Allison followed him. "So you're the one who ate all my apples." she said. "I'd better fix your cage." Once Alex's cage was fixed, he could no longer go into the apple orchard. Alex stared longingly at the trees full of apples. At dinner time, Allison brought Alex a steak as usual. "You are a bad boy, Ales," she said. "But I can't blame you for liking apples. I brought you a surprise." Allison went outside the cage, and picked up a basket. It was full of apples! Alex ate all the apples before he ate his steak. Find the story at: http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/07/allisons_alligator.html

Story 61

Story 61

Phileas has now set off on a grand ship to the USA, but on his travel across the sea he started to think about Pirates and wondered if they might meet any on the journey. So we went to ask the head cabin boy if he knew of any Pirates around these parts. "I am afraid I am not allowed to let any information about Pirates out" replied the cabin boy, "but I do have a story about Pirates if you wish to hear it?" "Yes please" replied Phileas excitedly. "OK make yourself comfortable and I shall begin"

Ian & Mac Stories - Yo! Ho! Ho! A Pirate’s Treasure! Ian and Mac went for a walk along the beach. It was a beautiful summer day. The sun was shining, seagulls were flying to and fro, and the beach grasses were green and blowing in the gentle breeze. "What’s that out there?" Ian pointed towards a speck on the water. Mac put his hand over his eyes to look. The sun was so bright that it was sparkling on the waves and made it difficult to see. "It looks like a boat. It’s the funniest looking boat I’ve ever seen though. It has sails. Och no! Look at the flag! It’s a pirate ship." "A pirate ship? There are no pirates anymore, are there?" Ian questioned. "There’s at least one and they just lowered a rowboat. Let’s hide behind this sand dune and watch," Mac urged. The two raccoons hid as a small boat headed for shore. Five men jumped out. "They are pirates, Ian. Look at their clothes," Mac whispered. "They look funny. Who wears striped socks anymore and hats like that?" Ian giggled. "Pirates! They must have been on a deserted island or something and don’t realize what year it is," Mac said softly. The pirates started shouting at each other and then two of them lifted a huge chest out of the small boat. "It’s a treasure chest," Ian said. "Do you think it’s full of food?" "It might be. Let’s watch and see what they do with it," Mac said. The raccoons watched as the pirates began to dig a deep hole in the sand. "What are they doing?" Ian wondered. "They’re digging a big hole but what for? Surely they’re not going to put the treasure chest filled with food in there, are they?" "Quiet, Ian. They’ve stopped digging. Och, aye, they’re taking a break. We’d better move. They’re coming our way," Mac said. Ian and Mac scurried further down the beach and hid behind a cluster of trees. "They’re drinking something now and singing songs. I think they’re tired. When they fall asleep, why don’t we go and open the treasure chest and take the food. They’ll never suspect us," Ian said. "Good idea. There we go. They’re all falling off now. Come on, quietly though. I’d hate to have them catch us. They might make us wear their socks. Hee hee," Mac chuckled. Ever so quietly, the two raccoons crept towards the treasure chest. "The pirates are snoring, Mac," Ian giggled. When they reached the chest, the two of them lifted the lid. "GOLD!" Ian shouted. "JEWELS! This isn’t treasure. It’s not food." "Quiet! You’ll wake them up," Mac cautioned, but it was too late. "Well, lads, ye’ve found our treasure chest. Trying to sneak a little for yourselves were ye," one of the pirates said. "YIKES!" Ian gulped. The pirate pulled a sword out of his pants. "I’ll show ye what we do to raccoons who try to steal our treasure," he shouted and raised the sharp blade into the air. "YIKES!" Mac shouted. The two raccoons didn’t wait another second. They ran as fast as they could into the woods. "I’ll get ye," the pirate shouted and ran after them. Ian and Mac ran, and ran, and ran, and ran, and didn’t stop until they were back at their tree. "Do you see the pirate, Mac?" Ian whispered. They looked down. "No, I don’t think he came this far into the woods." "I’m staying up here for a week, until I’m sure those pirates are gone," Ian shivered in terror. And they did just that. For a solid week Ian and Mac sat up at the top of their tree. "I think they’re gone now," Mac said one morning. "We should go down to the beach and see though, and make sure." "What if they’re there?" Ian shook. "I don’t think they will be. Let’s go," Mac said. "I’m hungry and need a walk." Hesitantly the two of them headed for the beach. Whenever Ian heard a noise, he ran and hid. "Stop it right now," Mac said. "You’re acting like a baby. Come on, we’re nearly there." They reached the beach. Mac peeked over the sand dune. The ship was gone. "We’re safe. No sign of the pirates." Relieved, Ian stood up. There was no ship, no pirates, no swords and no treasure chest. "I wonder if they buried the treasure chest," Ian said. "Let’s go and have a look," Mac urged. They walked towards the spot where the pirates had dug their hole. There was a mound there. "Yep. It looks like they did bury it, but what do we care. It’s only gold and jewels. There’s no food." "You’re right, Mac. Let’s forget about it then and go find some berries for breakfast," Ian said. As he searched through the woods around the beach he heard a noise. He turned around and there was a Jolly Roger flag with its skull and cross bones. "YIKES!" he shouted and ran as fast as he could, passing Mac. "It’s the pirates." Mac ran behind him and they went all the way back to the tree. "You saw the pirates?" Mac asked, out of breath. "Well, not exactly. It was a flag with a skeleton face on it, but it scared me," Ian said, quite embarrassed. "Ian! I’ll be right back," Mac said. He ran down to the beach, found the Jolly Roger and brought it back to the tree. "What have you brought that thing back here for?" Ian said. "I don’t like it." "There’s no use in leaving it there to rot in the waves and wind. We can use it to keep the rain out," Mac smiled. That night, as Ian lay on the branch trying to go to sleep, the face on the flag kept looking at him. "I can’t sleep, Mac. Not with that skull looking at me. Turn it over the other way." Mac, seeing he had no choice, if he wanted any sleep that night, switched the skull so it faced the sky. Finally, Ian fell asleep. Mac thought about the pirates and the treasure chest and how sad it was that there hadn’t been food in it, and then joined Ian for a good night’s sleep. Find the story at: http://www.electricscotland.com/kids/stories/ianmac28.htm

Story 60

Story 60

Phileas is having the most wonderful time in Japan and he can not wait to see you all at the Fairlop Fair to tell you stories from his journey, but while we wait just another 20 days for his return he left us with this story...

The Quarrel of the Monkey and the Crab

Long, long ago, one bright autumn day in Japan, it happened, that a pink-faced monkey and a yellow crab were playing together along the bank of a river. As they were running about, the crab found a rice-dumpling and the monkey a persimmon-seed.

The crab picked up the rice-dumpling and showed it to the monkey, saying:

"Look what a nice thing I have found!"

Then the monkey held up his persimmon-seed and said:

"I also have found something good! Look!"

Now though the monkey is always very fond of persimmon fruit, he had no use for the seed he had just found. The persimmon-seed is as hard and uneatable as a stone. He, therefore, in his greedy nature, felt very envious of the crab's nice dumpling, and he proposed an exchange. The crab naturally did not see why he should give up his prize for a hard stone-like seed, and would not consent to the monkey's proposition.

Then the cunning monkey began to persuade the crab, saying:

"How unwise you are not to think of the future! Your rice-dumpling can be eaten now, and is certainly much bigger than my seed; but if you sow this seed in the ground it will soon grow and become a great tree in a few years, and bear an abundance of fine ripe persimmons year after year. If only I could show it to you then with the yellow fruit hanging on its branches! Of course, if you don't believe me I shall sow it myself; though I am sure, later on, you will be very sorry that you did not take my advice."

The simple-minded crab could not resist the monkey's clever persuasion. He at last gave in and consented to the monkey's proposal, and the exchange was made. The greedy monkey soon gobbled up the dumpling, and with great reluctance gave up the persimmon-seed to the crab. He would have liked to keep that too, but he was afraid of making the crab angry and of being pinched by his sharp scissor-like claws. They then separated, the monkey going home to his forest trees and the crab to his stones along the river-side. As soon as the crab reached home he put the persimmon-seed in the ground as the monkey had told him.

In the following spring the crab was delighted to see the shoot of a young tree push its way up through the ground. Each year it grew bigger, till at last it blossomed one spring, and in the following autumn bore some fine large persimmons. Among the broad smooth green leaves the fruit hung like golden balls, and as they ripened they mellowed to a deep orange. It was the little crab's pleasure to go out day by day and sit in the sun and put out his long eyes in the same way as a snail puts out its horn, and watch the persimmons ripening to perfection.

"How delicious they will be to eat!" he said to himself.

At last, one day, he knew the persimmons must be quite ripe and he wanted very much to taste one. He made several attempts to climb the tree, in the vain hope of reaching one of the beautiful persimmons hanging above him; but he failed each time, for a crab's legs are not made for climbing trees but only for running along the ground and over stones, both of which he can do most cleverly. In his dilemma he thought of his old playmate the monkey, who, he knew, could climb trees better than any one else in the world. He determined to ask the monkey to help him, and set out to find him.

Running crab-fashion up the stony river bank, over the pathways into the shadowy forest, the crab at last found the monkey taking an afternoon nap in his favorite pine-tree, with his tail curled tight around a branch to prevent him from falling off in his dreams. He was soon wide awake, however, when he heard himself called, and eagerly listening to what the crab told him. When he heard that the seed which he had long ago exchanged for a rice-dumpling had grown into a tree and was now bearing good fruit, he was delighted, for he at once devised a cunning plan which would give him all the persimmons for himself.

He consented to go with the crab to pick the fruit for him. When they both reached the spot, the monkey was astonished to see what a fine tree had sprung from the seed, and with what a number of ripe persimmons the branches were loaded.

He quickly climbed the tree and began to pluck and eat, as fast as he could, one persimmon after another. Each time he chose the best and ripest he could find, and went on eating till he could eat no more. Not one would he give to the poor hungry crab waiting below, and when he had finished there was little but the hard, unripe fruit left.

You can imagine the feelings of the poor crab after waiting patiently, for so long as he had done, for the tree to grow and the fruit to ripen, when he saw the monkey devouring all the good persimmons. He was so disappointed that he ran round and round the tree calling to the monkey to remember his promise. The monkey at first took no notice of the crab's complaints, but at last he picked out the hardest, greenest persimmon he could find and aimed it at the crab's head. The persimmon is as hard as stone when it is unripe. The monkey's missile struck home and the crab was sorely hurt by the blow. Again and again, as fast as he could pick them, the monkey pulled off the hard persimmons and threw them at the defenseless crab till he dropped dead, covered with wounds all over his body. There he lay a pitiful sight at the foot of the tree he had himself planted.

When the wicked monkey saw that he had killed the crab he ran away from the spot as fast as he could, in fear and trembling, like a coward as he was.

Now the crab had a son who had been playing with a friend not far from the spot where this sad work had taken place. On the way home he came across his father dead, in a most dreadful condition—his head was smashed and his shell broken in several places, and around his body lay the unripe persimmons which had done their deadly work. At this dreadful sight the poor young crab sat down and wept.

But when he had wept for some time he told himself that this crying would do no good; it was his duty to avenge his father's murder, and this he determined to do. He looked about for some clue which would lead him to discover the murderer. Looking up at the tree he noticed that the best fruit had gone, and that all around lay bits of peel and numerous seeds strewn on the ground as well as the unripe persimmons which had evidently been thrown at his father. Then he understood that the monkey was the murderer, for he now remembered that his father had once told him the story of the rice-dumpling and the persimmon-seed. The young crab knew that monkeys liked persimmons above all other fruit, and he felt sure that his greed for the coveted fruit had been the cause of the old crab's death. Alas!

He at first thought of going to attack the monkey at once, for he burned with rage. Second thoughts, however, told him that this was useless, for the monkey was an old and cunning animal and would be hard to overcome. He must meet cunning with cunning and ask some of his friends to help him, for he knew it would be quite out of his power to kill him alone.

The young crab set out at once to call on the mortar, his father's old friend, and told him of all that had happened. He besought the mortar with tears to help him avenge his father's death. The mortar was very sorry when he heard the woful tale and promised at once to help the young crab punish the monkey to death. He warned him that he must be very careful in what he did, for the monkey was a strong and cunning enemy. The mortar now sent to fetch the bee and the chestnut (also the crab's old friends) to consult them about the matter. In a short time the bee and the chestnut arrived. When they were told all the details of the old crab's death and of the monkey's wickedness and greed, they both gladly consented to help the young crab in his revenge.

After talking for a long time as to the ways and means of carrying out their plans they separated, and Mr. Mortar went home with the young crab to help him bury his poor father.

While all this was taking place the monkey was congratulating himself (as the wicked often do before their punishment comes upon them) on all he had done so neatly. He thought it quite a fine thing that he had robbed his friend of all his ripe persimmons and then that he had killed him. Still, smile as hard as he might, he could not banish altogether the fear of the consequences should his evil deeds be discovered. IF he were found out (and he told himself that this could not be for he had escaped unseen) the crab's family would be sure to bear him hatred and seek to take revenge on him. So he would not go out, and kept himself at home for several days. He found this kind of life, however, extremely dull, accustomed as he was to the free life of the woods, and at last he said:

"No one knows that it was I who killed the crab! I am sure that the old thing breathed his last before I left him. Dead crabs have no mouths! Who is there to tell that I am the murderer? Since no one knows, what is the use of shutting myself up and brooding over the matter? What is done cannot be undone!"

With this he wandered out into the crab settlement and crept about as slyly as possible near the crab's house and tried to hear the neighbors' gossip round about. He wanted to find out what the crabs were saving about their chief's death, for the old crab had been the chief of the tribe. But he heard nothing and said to himself:

"They are all such fools that they don't know and don't care who murdered their chief!"

Little did he know in his so-called "monkey's wisdom" that this seeming unconcern was part of the young crab's plan. He purposely pretended not to know who killed his father, and also to believe that he had met his death through his own fault. By this means he could the better keep secret the revenge on the monkey, which he was meditating.

So the monkey returned home from his walk quite content. He told himself he had nothing now to fear.

One fine day, when the monkey was sitting at home, he was surprised by the appearance of a messenger from the young crab. While he was wondering what this might mean, the messenger bowed before him and said:

"I have been sent by my master to inform you that his father died the other day in falling from a persimmon tree while trying to climb the tree after fruit. This, being the seventh day, is the first anniversary after his death, and my master has prepared a little festival in his father's honor, and bids you come to participate in it as you were one of his best friends. My master hopes you will honor his house with your kind visit."

When the monkey heard these words he rejoiced in his inmost heart, for all his fears of being suspected were now at rest. He could not guess that a plot had just been set in motion against him. He pretended to be very surprised at the news of the crab's death, and said:

"I am, indeed, very sorry to hear of your chief's death. We were great friends as you know. I remember that we once exchanged a rice-dumpling for a persimmon-seed. It grieves me much to think that that seed was in the end the cause of his death. I accept your kind invitation with many thanks. I shall be delighted to do honor to my poor old friend!" And he screwed some false tears from his eyes.

The messenger laughed inwardly and thought, "The wicked monkey is now dropping false tears, but within a short time he shall shed real ones." But aloud he thanked the monkey politely and went home.

When he had gone, the wicked monkey laughed aloud at what he thought was the young crab's innocence, and without the least feeling began to look forward to the feast to be held that day in honor of the dead crab, to which he had been invited. He changed his dress and set out solemnly to visit the young crab.

He found all the members of the crab's family and his relatives waiting to receive and welcome him. As soon as the bows of meeting were over they led him to a hall. Here the young chief mourner came to receive him. Expressions of condolence and thanks were exchanged between them, and then they all sat down to a luxurious feast and entertained the monkey as the guest of honor.

The feast over, he was next invited to the tea-ceremony room to drink a cup of tea. When the young crab had conducted the monkey to the tearoom he left him and retired. Time passed and still he did not return. At last the monkey became impatient. He said to himself:

"This tea ceremony is always a very slow affair. I am tired of waiting so long. I am very thirsty after drinking so much sake at the dinner!"

He then approached the charcoal fire-place and began to pour out some hot water from the kettle boiling there, when something burst out from the ashes with a great pop and hit the monkey right in the neck. It was the chestnut, one of the crab's friends, who had hidden himself in the fireplace. The monkey, taken by surprise, jumped backward, and then started to run out of the room.

The bee, who was hiding outside the screens, now flew out and stung him on the cheek. The monkey was in great pain, his neck was burned by the chestnut and his face badly stung by the bee, but he ran on screaming and chattering with rage.

Now the stone mortar had hidden himself with several other stones on the top of the crab's gate, and as the monkey ran underneath, the mortar and all fell down on the top of the monkey's head. Was it possible for the monkey to bear the weight of the mortar falling on him from the top of the gate? He lay crushed and in great pain, quite unable to get up. As he lay there helpless the young crab came up, and, holding his great claw scissors over the monkey, he said:

"Do you now remember that you murdered my father?"

"Then you—are—my—enemy?" gasped the monkey brokenly.

"Of course," said the young crab.

"It—was—your—father's—fault—not—mine!" gasped the unrepentant monkey.

"Can you still lie? I will soon put an end to your breath!" and with that he cut off the monkey's head with his pitcher claws. Thus the wicked monkey met his well-merited punishment, and the young crab avenged his father's death.

Story can be found: http://www.worldoftales.com/Asian_folktales/Japanese_folktale_22.html

Story 59

Story 59

On Phileas' travel around Japan he was told this most wonderful Japanese Fairytale and he wanted to share it with you...

The Jelly Fish and the Monkey

Long, long ago, in old Japan, the Kingdom of the Sea was governed by a wonderful King. He was called Rin Jin, or the Dragon King of the Sea. His power was immense, for he was the ruler of all sea creatures both great and small, and in his keeping were the Jewels of the Ebb and Flow of the Tide. The Jewel of the Ebbing Tide when thrown into the ocean caused the sea to recede from the land, and the Jewel of the Flowing Tide made the waves to rise mountains high and to flow in upon the shore like a tidal wave.

The Palace of Rin Jin was at the bottom of the sea, and was so beautiful that no one has ever seen anything like it even in dreams. The walls were of coral, the roof of jadestone and chrysoprase, and the floors were of the finest mother-of-pearl. But the Dragon King, in spite of his wide-spreading Kingdom, his beautiful Palace and all its wonders, and his power which none disputed throughout the whole sea, was not at all happy, for he reigned alone. At last he thought that if he married he would not only be happier, but also more powerful. So he decided to take a wife. Calling all his fish retainers together, he chose several of them as ambassadors to go through the sea and seek for a young Dragon Princess who would be his bride.

At last they returned to the Palace bringing with them a lovely young dragon. Her scales were of glittering green like the wings of summer beetles, her eyes threw out glances of fire, and she was dressed in gorgeous robes. All the jewels of the sea worked in with embroidery adorned them.

The King fell in love with her at once, and the wedding ceremony was celebrated with great splendor. Every living thing in the sea, from the great whales down to the little shrimps, came in shoals to offer their congratulations to the bride and bridegroom and to wish them a long and prosperous life. Never had there been such an assemblage or such gay festivities in the Fish-World before. The train of bearers who carried the bride's possessions to her new home seemed to reach across the waves from one end of the sea to the other. Each fish carried a phosphorescent lantern and was dressed in ceremonial robes, gleaming blue and pink and silver; and the waves as they rose and fell and broke that night seemed to be rolling masses of white and green fire, for the phosphorus shone with double brilliancy in honor of the event.

Now for a time the Dragon King and his bride lived very happily. They loved each other dearly, and the bridegroom day after day took delight in showing his bride all the wonders and treasures of his coral Palace, and she was never tired of wandering with him through its vast halls and gardens. Life seemed to them both like a long summer's day.

Two months passed in this happy way, and then the Dragon Queen fell ill and was obliged to stay in bed. The King was sorely troubled when he saw his precious bride so ill, and at once sent for the fish doctor to come and give her some medicine. He gave special orders to the servants to nurse her carefully and to wait upon her with diligence, but in spite of all the nurses' assiduous care and the medicine that the doctor prescribed, the young Queen showed no signs of recovery, but grew daily worse.

Then the Dragon King interviewed the doctor and blamed him for not curing the Queen. The doctor was alarmed at Rin Jin's evident displeasure, and excused his want of skill by saying that although he knew the right kind of medicine to give the invalid, it was impossible to find it in the sea.

"Do you mean to tell me that you can't get the medicine here?" asked the Dragon King.

"It is just as you say!" said the doctor.

"Tell me what it is you want for the Queen?" demanded Rin Jin.

"I want the liver of a live monkey!" answered the doctor.

"The liver of a live monkey! Of course that will be most difficult to get," said the King.

"If we could only get that for the Queen, Her Majesty would soon recover," said the doctor.

"Very well, that decides it; we MUST get it somehow or other. But where are we most likely to find a monkey?" asked the King.

Then the doctor told the Dragon King that some distance to the south there was a Monkey Island 

where a great many monkeys lived.

"If only you could capture one of these monkeys?" said the doctor.

"How can any of my people capture a monkey?" said the Dragon King, greatly puzzled. "The monkeys live on dry land, while we live in the water; and out of our element we are quite powerless! I don't see what we can do!"

"That has been my difficulty too," said the doctor. "But amongst your innumerable servants you surely can find one who can go on shore for that express purpose!"

"Something must be done," said the King, and calling his chief steward he consulted him on the matter.

The chief steward thought for some time, and then, as if struck by a sudden thought, said joyfully:

"I know what we must do! There is the kurage (jelly fish). He is certainly ugly to look at, but he is proud of being able to walk on land with his four legs like a tortoise. Let us send him to the Island of Monkeys to catch one."

The jelly fish was then summoned to the King's presence, and was told by His Majesty what was required of him.

The jelly fish, on being told of the unexpected mission which was to be intrusted to him, looked very troubled, and said that he had never been to the island in question, and as he had never had any experience in catching monkeys he was afraid that he would not be able to get one.

"Well," said the chief steward, "if you depend on your strength or dexterity you will never catch a monkey. The only way is to play a trick on one!"

"How can I play a trick on a monkey? I don't know how to do it," said the perplexed jelly fish.

"This is what you must do," said the wily chief steward. "When you approach the Island of Monkeys and meet some of them, you must try to get very friendly with one. Tell him that you are a servant of the Dragon King, and invite him to come and visit you and see the Dragon King's Palace. Try and describe to him as vividly as you can the grandeur of the Palace and the wonders of the sea so as to arouse his curiosity and make him long to see it all!"

"But how am I to get the monkey here? You know monkeys don't swim?" said the reluctant jelly fish.

"You must carry him on your back. What is the use of your shell if you can't do that!" said the chief steward.

"Won't he be very heavy?" queried kurage again.

"You mustn't mind that, for you are working for the Dragon King," replied the chief steward.

"I will do my best then," said the jelly fish, and he swam away from the Palace and started off towards the Monkey Island

. Swimming swiftly he reached his destination in a few hours, and landed by a convenient wave upon the shore. On looking round he saw not far away a big pine-tree with drooping branches and on one of those branches was just what he was looking for—a live monkey.

"I'm in luck!" thought the jelly fish. "Now I must flatter the creature and try to entice him to come back with me to the Palace, and my part will be done!"

So the jelly fish slowly walked towards the pine-tree. In those ancient days the jelly fish had four legs and a hard shell like a tortoise. When he got to the pine-tree he raised his voice and said:

"How do you do, Mr. Monkey? Isn't it a lovely day?"

"A very fine day," answered the monkey from the tree. "I have never seen you in this part of the world before. Where have you come from and what is your name?"

"My name is kurage or jelly fish. I am one of the servants of the Dragon King. I have heard so much of your beautiful island that I have come on purpose to see it," answered the jelly fish.

"I am very glad to see you," said the monkey.

"By the bye," said the jelly fish, "have you ever seen the Palace of the Dragon King of the Sea where I live?"

"I have often heard of it, but I have never seen it!" answered the monkey.

"Then you ought most surely to come. It is a great pity for you to go through life without seeing it. The beauty of the Palace is beyond all description—it is certainly to my mind the most lovely place in the world," said the jelly fish.

"Is it so beautiful as all that?" asked the monkey in astonishment.

Then the jelly fish saw his chance, and went on describing to the best of his ability the beauty and grandeur of the Sea King's Palace, and the wonders of the garden with its curious trees of white, pink and red coral, and the still more curious fruits like great jewels hanging on the branches. The monkey grew more and more interested, and as he listened he came down the tree step by step so as not to lose a word of the wonderful story.

"I have got him at last!" thought the jelly fish, but aloud he said:

"Mr. Monkey. I must now go back. As you have never seen the Palace of the Dragon King, won't you avail yourself of this splendid opportunity by coming with me? I shall then be able to act as guide and show you all the sights of the sea, which will be even more wonderful to you—a land-lubber."

"I should love to go," said the monkey, "but how am I to cross the water! I can't swim, as you surely know!"

"There is no difficulty about that. I can carry you on my back."

"That will be troubling you too much," said the monkey.

"I can do it quite easily. I am stronger than I look, so you needn't hesitate," said the jelly fish, and taking the monkey on his back he stepped into the sea.

"Keep very still, Mr. monkey," said the jelly fish. "You mustn't fall into the sea; I am responsible for your safe arrival at the King's Palace."

"Please don't go so fast, or I am sure I shall fall off," said the monkey.

Thus they went along, the jelly fish skimming through the waves with the monkey sitting on his back. When they were about half-way, the jelly fish, who knew very little of anatomy, began to wonder if the monkey had his liver with him or not!

"Mr. Monkey, tell me, have you such a thing as a liver with you?"

The monkey was very much surprised at this queer question, and asked what the jelly fish wanted with a liver.

"That is the most important thing of all," said the stupid jelly fish, "so as soon as I recollected it, I asked you if you had yours with you?"

"Why is my liver so important to you?" asked the monkey.

"Oh! you will learn the reason later," said the jelly fish.

The monkey grew more and more curious and suspicious, and urged the jelly fish to tell him for what his liver was wanted, and ended up by appealing to his hearer's feelings by saying that he was very troubled at what he had been told.

Then the jelly fish, seeing how anxious the monkey looked, was sorry for him, and told him everything. How the Dragon Queen had fallen ill, and how the doctor had said that only the liver of a live monkey would cure her, and how the Dragon King had sent him to find one.

"Now I have done as I was told, and as soon as we arrive at the Palace the doctor will want your liver, so I feel sorry for you!" said the silly jelly fish.

The poor monkey was horrified when he learnt all this, and very angry at the trick played upon him. He trembled with fear at the thought of what was in store for him.

But the monkey was a clever animal, and he thought it the wisest plan not to show any sign of the fear he felt, so he tried to calm himself and to think of some way by which he might escape.

"The doctor means to cut me open and then take my liver out! Why I shall die!" thought the monkey. At last a bright thought struck him, so he said quite cheerfully to the jelly fish:

"What a pity it was, Mr. Jelly Fish, that you did not speak of this before we left the island!"

"If I had told why I wanted you to accompany me you would certainly have refused to come," answered the jelly fish.

"You are quite mistaken," said the monkey. "Monkeys can very well spare a liver or two, especially when it is wanted for the Dragon Queen of the Sea. If I had only guessed of what you were in need. I should have presented you with one without waiting to be asked. I have several livers. But the greatest pity is, that as you did not speak in time, I have left all my livers hanging on the pine-tree."

"Have you left your liver behind you?" asked the jelly fish.

"Yes," said the cunning monkey, "during the daytime I usually leave my liver hanging up on the branch of a tree, as it is very much in the way when I am climbing about from tree to tree. To-day, listening to your interesting conversation, I quite forgot it, and left it behind when I came off with you. If only you had spoken in time I should have remembered it, and should have brought it along with me!"

The jelly fish was very disappointed when he heard this, for he believed every word the monkey said. The monkey was of no good without a liver. Finally the jelly fish stopped and told the monkey so.

"Well," said the monkey, "that is soon remedied. I am really sorry to think of all your trouble; but if you will only take me back to the place where you found me, I shall soon be able to get my liver."

The jelly fish did not at all like the idea of going all the way back to the island again; but the monkey assured him that if he would be so kind as to take him back he would get his very best liver, and bring it with him the next time. Thus persuaded, the jelly fish turned his course towards the Monkey Island

 once more.

No sooner had the jelly fish reached the shore than the sly monkey landed, and getting up into the pine-tree where the jelly fish had first seen him, he cut several capers amongst the branches with joy at being safe home again, and then looking down at the jelly fish said:

"So many thanks for all the trouble you have taken! Please present my compliments to the Dragon King on your return!"

The jelly fish wondered at this speech and the mocking tone in which it was uttered. Then he asked the monkey if it wasn't his intention to come with him at once after getting his liver.

The monkey replied laughingly that he couldn't afford to lose his liver: it was too precious.

"But remember your promise!" pleaded the jelly fish, now very discouraged.

"That promise was false, and anyhow it is now broken!" answered the monkey. Then he began to jeer at the jelly fish and told him that he had been deceiving him the whole time; that he had no wish to lose his life, which he certainly would have done had he gone on to the Sea King's Palace to the old doctor waiting for him, instead of persuading the jelly fish to return under false pretenses.

"Of course, I won't GIVE you my liver, but come and get it if you can!" added the monkey mockingly from the tree.

There was nothing for the jelly fish to do now but to repent of his stupidity, and to return to the Dragon King of the Sea and to confess his failure, so he started sadly and slowly to swim back. The last thing he heard as he glided away, leaving the island behind him, was the monkey laughing at him.

Meanwhile the Dragon King, the doctor, the chief steward, and all the servants were waiting impatiently for the return of the jelly fish. When they caught sight of him approaching the Palace, they hailed him with delight. They began to thank him profusely for all the trouble he had taken in going to Monkey Island

, and then they asked him where the monkey was.

Now the day of reckoning had come for the jelly fish. He quaked all over as he told his story. How he had brought the monkey halfway over the sea, and then had stupidly let out the secret of his commission; how the monkey had deceived him by making him believe that he had left his liver behind him.

The Dragon King's wrath was great, and he at once gave orders that the jelly fish was to be severely punished. The punishment was a horrible one. All the bones were to be drawn out from his living body, and he was to be beaten with sticks.

The poor jelly fish, humiliated and horrified beyond all words, cried out for pardon. But the Dragon King's order had to be obeyed. The servants of the Palace forthwith each brought out a stick and surrounded the jelly fish, and after pulling out his bones they beat him to a flat pulp, and then took him out beyond the Palace gates and threw him into the water. Here he was left to suffer and repent his foolish chattering, and to grow accustomed to his new state of bonelessness.

Story can be found from: http://www.worldoftales.com/Asian_folktales/Japanese_folktale_21.html