WINTER SEASON'S GREETINGS

 Io Saturnalia, Good Yule, Merry Christmas!!! For all you readers and your families, sincerely from the bottom of our hearts! ☃️🎄💙

LA BUFANDA DE MAMÁ NOEL

 LA BUFANDA DE MAMÁ NOEL

En el frío Polo Norte, entre montañas de nieve y luces que bailan en el cielo, vivían Mamá Noel y Papá Noel. En su casita de madera, calentita y llena de risas, Mamá Noel estaba tejiendo. No era una bufanda cualquiera. Era una bufanda especial. De color rojo brillante, suave como una nube, y con pequeños copos de nieve bordados que parecían de verdad. Esta bufanda tenía un secreto mágico: siempre daba calor, incluso en los días más helados. Pero lo más especial era que, cuando alguien la llevaba, sentía su corazón lleno de felicidad. Un buen día, Mamá Noel dejó la bufanda lista sobre una silla junto al fuego. Quería dársela a uno de los duendes ayudantes de Papá Noel, que siempre tenían las manos frías cuando empaquetaban regalos. Pero al volver para buscarla, la bufanda había desaparecido. ¡Oh, no! exclamó Mamá Noel, mirando aquí y allá. Ni rastro de ella. ¿Dónde estará mi bufanda mágica? Muy cerca de la casita, un grupo de niños jugaba en la nieve. Había cinco: Clara, Pedro, Lola, Dani y Sofía. Les encantaba deslizarse por colinas blancas y hacer muñecos de nieve con narices de zanahoria. Pero ese día se encontraron con algo curioso al pie de un árbol: unas pequeñas huellas que llevaban a lo profundo del bosque. Y, justo al lado, un hilo rojo delgado como un espagueti. ¡Mirad! dijo Sofía señalando el hilo. Esto parece de una bufanda. Vamos a seguirlo sugirió Lola emocionada. Podría ser una aventura. Los niños siguieron el hilo, curioso y serpenteante, que se enredaba entre arbustos y troncos helados. El bosque estaba tranquilo. Solo se escuchaba el crujir de la nieve bajo sus botas. ¡Hasta que, de repente, escucharon un estornudo enorme! ¡Atchís! ¡Atchís! venía de detrás de una roca grande y redonda. Al rodearla, los niños se encontraron con un reno pequeño, con el hocico brillante y la carita llena de lágrimas. Sobre su lomo, allí estaba la bufanda roja. El renito miró a los niños con ojos tristes. Lo siento, dijo con voz temblorosa. Tenía mucho frío, y la bufanda estaba ahí… brillar y calentar al mismo tiempo. No pude evitar llevármela. Pero es la bufanda de Mamá Noel, dijo Pedro cruzando los brazos. Ella la hizo para ayudar a los duendes. El renito bajó la cabeza, apenado. Pero antes de que nadie dijera nada más, Clara dio un paso adelante y acarició suavemente al renito. Míralo bien, está helado, señaló Clara. Y si se resfría, no podrá tirar del trineo de Papá Noel. ¡Es verdad!, exclamó Dani. Papá Noel necesita a todos sus renos sanos para repartir los regalos. Entonces podemos ayudarle, sonrió Lola. Vamos a llevarlo a la casita de Mamá Noel. Seguro que nos ayudará a que esté calentito. El renito levantó la cabeza con el hocico tembloroso, y sus ojitos comenzaron a brillar con esperanza. ¿De verdad me ayudaríais?, murmuró. ¡Claro que sí! dijeron todos a coro. El grupo caminó despacito de vuelta a la casita. Dani y Pedro caminaban delante, quitando la nieve para que el renito pudiera avanzar, y Clara y Sofía sujetaban la bufanda para que no se soltara. Lola iba cantando una canción para que todos se sintieran más animados. Cuando llegaron, la Mamá Noel estaba mirando por la ventana, preocupada. Al verlos, con el renito detrás, se llevó las manos al pecho. ¡Ay, pequeño! dijo, arrodillándose para abrazar al renito. Está helado como un témpano. Entrad, entrad todos. Vamos a calentarnos. Dentro, el fuego crujía en la chimenea, y olía a galletas recién hechas. Mamá Noel sirvió chocolate caliente para los niños y les dio una mantita al reno. Mientras les escuchaba contar todo lo sucedido, iba asintiendo con una sonrisa. Sabéis, dijo al final, la bufanda mágica no era solo para los duendes. Está hecha para cualquiera que necesite calor y alegría. Hicisteis bien al ayudar a nuestro amiguito. Eso también es parte de la magia. El renito, ya más cálido y con las fuerzas recuperadas, se rió y movió la cola. ¡Gracias, niños! prometo ser el mejor reno tirando del trineo este año. Cuando llegó la noche, los niños volvieron a sus casas, contentos y con el corazón lleno de amor. El renito se quedó con la bufanda, y Mamá Noel ya había empezado a tejer otra, aún más bonita, para los duendes. La moraleja de esta historia, queridos niños, es que compartir y ayudar a los demás hace que el espíritu navideño cobre vida. Cuando damos lo mejor de nosotros, un poquito de magia llena nuestras vidas y las de quienes nos rodean. Y así, en el frío del Polo Norte, el calor de un gesto amable mantuvo el espíritu de la Navidad vivo y brillante. Ahora, ¿podéis narrar una historia donde tengáis que cuidar de un animalito usando algo mágico que haya en vuestras casas? ¿Qué haríais para ayudarle?

FELICES FIESTAS A TODES LES LECTORES DE ESTE BLOG!!!

ESTE CUENTO CON SU ILUSTRACIÓN ES NUESTRA FORMA DE FELICITAROS.

OS DESEAMOS LAS MEJORES NAVIDADES, 2025 Y REYES DEL MUNDO.

DE TODO CORAZÓN.

CANTRIPS & CONTRAPTIONS XXIV - MORE ON ENJOLRAS + A SURPRISE!

 Dear reader, you already know Enjolras is an autumn sidhe in this AU

fey mien

powers

the whole Liam-Varich adoption issue

And here is the special wintertime surprise of today; GOOD YULE EVERYONE with this epic CHESHIRE TREE from our local mall El Saler here in Valencia ---- this Xmas it's Wonderland-themed decorations all over the place, so you can play croquet with the Red Queen of Hearts or celebrate an unbirthday party with the Mad Hatter! The crowner is of course the Cheshire Tree at the centre of it all...

POLLITOS DE PASCUA CON FLORES

Esta primavera, esta Semana Santa, en vez de traeros "easters" (tarjetas de Pascuas), nuestra felicitación consiste en el tutorial paso a paso de una suave y adorable manualidad de temporada, hecha y perfumada con unas flores amarillas muy comunes en nuestro clima mediterráneo, para que l@s lector@s hagáis estas figuritas vosotr@s mism@s. ¡Esperemos que disfrutéis fabricándolas y decorando con ellas!

#AdventCalendar 23: THE LEGEND OF THE POINSETTIA

THE LEGEND OF THE POINSETTIA

Dedicated to Madame Ana Laviste Arner, may she rest in peace -without my grandmother's encouragement, I would not be the one I am-, along with a spiritual pot of crimson poinsettia leaves.

Though it was Christmas Eve, Pepita was feeling sad. The little house where she lived with her grandmother was not decorated, there was not a single ornament... and the old lady and the orphan had not enough money to buy one another even a single present.
"Don't feel this sad, Pepita," her abuela said. "Come, give me a kiss. Even the most insignificant gift from a person who loves you can make you happy, if it's from someone whom you love as well."
Pepita gave her grandmother a great kiss, and hugged her as strong as she could.
"All right, go out for a walk. Look," her abuela said with a word of encouragement, "there old legs of mine cannot carry me to church, and will never again do so, but you can go there to see the crèche where the Niño Jesús is resting."
Pepita wrapped herself in her shawl and left towards the village. The streets were full of people carrying presents that they would leave in front of the crèche.
Upon crossing the crowd, she felt ill-at-ease for not bringing anything, because she had nothing she could give away. Upon entering the church, she stopped on the threshold without entering, dropping her head out of shame for presenting herself empty-handed.
All of a sudden, Pepita remembered words of wisdom from her grandmother: "Even the most insignificant gift from someone who loves you makes you happy, as long as that person really loves you." She looked all around, skimming the threshold with her eyes, but all that she could see were the weeds that grew all along the wayside. Would that succeed in making Jesus happy, with such a humble gift? She doubted for a while, but, since she could not see anything else, and since there was not anything else, she wound up picking a handful of weeds, then tied them into a bouquet, and, following the others, entered the church in their wake.
When the people of the congregation saw her walking along the nave with her bouquet of weeds, they glared daggers at her and began to whisper in each other's ears; some of them even laughed. "This is not a gift worthy of the Niño Jesús," they said. Yet Pepita kept on walking bravely, without paying the least attention to them.
And what a surprise overcame her when, as she came nearer and nearer the crèche... all of a sudden, she opened her wide eyes like oranges: the weed leaves were turning red! Everyone else kept silence and watched her, stupefied. With every step Pepita took, the leaves turned a beautiful crimson red and in the shape of stars! Little by little, the weeds transformed until Pepita's arms were full of lovely blood-red leaves in the shape of stars. She smiled for sheer joy and, thus smiling with elation, Pepita left the flower-like leaves in between the bull and the mule, and she arranged them so that they formed a brilliant, splendid crimson garland all around the straw bed of the Niño Jesús.
Then, all the faithful approached to light a candle and leave it in front of the crèche, for they all felt that they had just witnessed a miracle.
As, on that Christmas Eve, a light-hearted Pepita left the church, her heart was singing with sheer happiness and elation. By the wayside, she saw that there was a red poinsettia that must have fallen from her arms. And thus, she picked it up and ran all the way home, eager and impatient to give it as a gift to her abuela.

HAPPY EASTER!

The Belgian Easter Bunny

Long before there was a church spire in Belgic Land, or a cross had gleamed in the sunset air, there was a lovely fairy, named Eastre. She was so bright and beautiful, that men thought of her as the lady of the upspringing light, at dawn, where her palace was built in the air. So they called her Eastre, or the East, or the Orient, after that part of the sky and the cardinal direction, from which the sunshine first comes daily, and also, whence, for thousands of years, so many things have come from the dear old mother continent of Asia!

Now, on one of her first daily journeys, in traveling from the Orient, Queen Eastre, who was very fond of the Belgian people, brought with her a special gift for them. It was not gold, or pearls, or flowers, but four members of the lagomorph, closely related to the rodent, family; that is, a pair of rabbits, and a couple of hares. These long-eared creatures look very much like each other, but belong to different species. She set them loose in the countryside and let them run free. They soon multiplied, so that, in a century or so, there were millions of them, in both families.

Wherever one went, he would see Mr. and Mrs. Bunny and their children. Whether it was up in the hills, or the high part of the Walloon country, where the birch and the pine trees grow, and the houses are of stone, or, down in the Flemish low lands, where are the lime and willow trees, and many houses of wood or birch, there were the Bunny families and plenty of them.

Most of these fuzzy creatures were well behaved, and quite mild in their manners. The children liked them and had rabbit warrens, or burrows in the ground, where the tuft- tails lived; or, they kept them in coops, or open boxes, as pets. The little folks were delighted to find them so soft and fluffy. Their long ears served for handles, by which they could be lifted up easily, and carried about. The bunnies did not squeal, or bite, or kick, though they sometimes squirmed and wriggled tremendously. The boys and girls gave their pets queer names, such as Molly Cotton-tail, Mr. Buzz-Fuzz, Monsieur Snowball, or Mynheer Powder Puff, in winter; and, in summer, Bark Nibbler, or Hop Skipper, or Three Lips. This was on the idea, that the upper covering of the mouth consisted of two parts, instead of one.

Nobody ever knew, or could tell, why Mr. Bunny or Mrs. Bunny had a split upper lip; but all noticed that both the little and big bunnies had the same sort of a mouth-covering. This was very plain to be seen; for, except when they were asleep, the pretty creatures were either eating, or chewing something; and so they appeared to be nibbling or gnawing most of the time. Yet this was long before the days of chewing gum, when even human beings and some polite people let their mouths act like those of fourfooted folk. In fact, these Belgian bunnies seemed to be just like some of our girls, that buy gum in the shops and then work their jaws, until they are tired and gradually grow very large, like a camel's or a donkey's.

But after the Belgians had built churches, and took the fairy queen's name for a great festival, which occurred, when the flowers were out, and eggs were plenty, it was told why it was; and this was the story:

Ages ago, when the moon was young, there lived a pretty fairy in the Sky Country of Silver Light, with whom Bunny they called him Prince Bunny then, for he was very handsome fell in love. He often looked up at the moon, which hung in the sky, like a round mirror. There he imagined he saw his own face. So he came to believe himself as handsome as she was.

He wanted so much to get married, that he became crazy over her. Especially, in the month of March, did he get wildly excited, for in those far off early days, the old year ended, and the new one began, in that month. At nearly the same time, the earth began to think of putting on her beautiful new dress of flowers. It was not until long afterward, in western countries, that the almanac was changed, so that New Year's Day came as it does now, in January, and thus the flower time was pushed forward, almost into summer.

Prince Bunny kept on making love to the fairy in the moon, and at last she had to get rid of his importunity, that is, his teasing her, for an answer, by letting him come up into her shining palace.

But no sooner was he there, than she cast a spell upon him, and made him work hard as a servant. She gave him some rushes, that had much grit in them, and acted like a scouring cloth. Then she set him to polishing the moon's bright face; so, that when she turned it full and round upon the earth, she could flood the whole sky with her radiance. By her light on the earth, men could see to read, even at midnight, and old ladies in Scotland could thread needles at nine o'clock.

After thus brightening up her face, and helping to increase her beauty, Bunny, the prince, thought his mistress would change him back into a human being, and let him marry her.

But lo and behold! Whatever her intention might have been, she fell sick and called one of the famous genies, who was the doctor of the sky world. He felt her pulse, put his hand upon her forehead and made her open her pretty mouth, to show her tongue. Then he decided that nothing could cure her dreadful disorder and make her well again, but the elixir of life. This is compounded chiefly from the bruised leaf of the cassia tree, and the medicine must be given often. In fact, nothing else would do, but that Prince Bunny must go to the planet Venus, and get a young cassia tree, that grew there and transplant it to Moon Land. Then, for a thousand years, as men on earth measure time, the cassia leaves must be pounded in a mortar, with a pestle, and out of the juice the elixir of life must be made.

And, of course, nobody could go and get this wonderful tree, but Prince Bunny. He also must plant it, pick the leaves, and pound away, until the magic liquid flowed. Of course, the Moon Lady said to Bunny, calling him Prince, and putting on her sweetest smile, "You will be glad to do this service, because of your great affection for me. So run along, and be quick."

Prince Bunny made the journey to Venus, and pulled up the tree by the roots. When he returned to the Moon Land, he planted it, plucked the leaves, and began to pound away to make the medicine. From time to time, the elixir was made and the Moon Queen drank it and got well, but Bunny had to keep on. Many millions of mortals on the earth, when they saw how busy and faithful he was at his task, admired his devotion. They noticed, also, that he had changed from being a courting lad to a druggist. Then they said:

"How he must love her!" and many a faithful maiden sighed, hoping she might have so fervent a lover and so faithful a spouse.

But during all this while, to the Fairy Queen, there was no such thing as time; for the moon is never in shadow like the earth, and there is no night in Moon Land. So she hardly noticed his absences, either when on his journey, or at his work, which made him so terribly tired. The fairy's spell was on him, and he had to keep at his toil, according to the calendar, which men used on the earth.

After a thousand years of pounding in the mortar, and handing over the cassia leaves, to be made into the elixir of life, Prince Bunny felt quite sure that the Moon Queen would now take him for her husband. But she, being now well and hearty, called him to her and said:

"Now that the Belgians have churches, I want you to go down into their country and bear from me a message. You are to present it through the Queen of the East, the fairy, Eastre.

And this was the word, which the Moon Queen gave to be delivered:

"For days together, you mortals see me die in the sky; but I come again into fullness of life. So shall you die, but live again. This is my message to you. May you be happy as you think of it."

But Prince Bunny flew into a rage. He was smarting under three grievances. The Moon Queen had kept him so long, working for her; she would not now release him into his former human form; and, she would not marry him, and be his wife. So, in bad temper, this is the way he gave his message to the Belgic folk.

"As I die and live no more, so shall it be with you poor mortals."

Alas that the people all believed what Bunny said, and they grieved for a long time, but Prince Bunny only laughed and chuckled over the mischief he had made.

When he returned to Moon Land, the Queen asked him what he had said or done, for she heard the people crying. Then he answered, with impudence, and boasted that he had outwitted human beings, who often treated bunnies badly. He rather thought the Queen might be impressed with his smartness and that now she would marry him.

But the Lady of the Moon was very angry at him, and lost her self-control. Seeing a hatchet lying near, which Prince Bunny had used to chop off twigs of the cassia tree, she lifted it up and threw it at him. The blade struck Bunny on the upper lip, and divided it forever. Prince Bunny went first to all the doctors, that live in Moon Land, and among the stars, and, finally, to all that then dwelt on the earth. Not one could help him, or close the cleft in his upper lip. And all bunnies became like him.

As for the people in Belgic Land, they soon learned how the bad prince had deceived them. They recovered their faith, and named the day of the glorious Feast of the Resurrection, after the fairy of the radiant dawn and upspringing light, whom their ancestors loved so dearly. Thus they called the festival, that comes at the opening of the flowers. To our time, this, the happiest day of the year, is, in English, "Easter."

But because Prince Bunny had been so wicked, that was no reason why all hares and rabbits should be punished for his naughtiness.

So the real Bunny, that frisks on four legs, was adopted as the symbol of Easter, along with the eggs, and the hot cakes, which, baked the day before and stamped with the mark of the cross, were served at the Easter breakfast. Of these every child had one, but it was called not bunny, but for short, bun; or "hot cross bun."

Even this was not all. Not every family could afford hot cross buns, or even Easter eggs. There was one poor peasant family, whose father had been sick many months. Not being able to earn any money, his wife was very sad, as Easter day came near, for she could buy neither buns nor eggs, for her ailing husband and the three little girls, who were their children.

However, loving the little folks very dearly, she told them to make a nest, and to pray to the good Heaven, who made both the sun, and the moon, and the earth, and the flowers. So the little maids went to bed early, that night. They were so eager to get up betimes, in the morning, that they did not undress, but got under the covers, with their clothes on. In this way, their mother found them at early dawn and first light, fast asleep, and drenched with perspiration, because the night was unusually warm.

She woke them up, washed their faces, and let them go out to the barn, to see if anything was in the nest, which they had made. Hand in hand, they first skipped, and then they ran, all reaching the door of the barn together. This they pulled open, in a jiffy.

What a sight! There sat a big rabbit on his haunches, wiggling his front paws up and down, as if he was trying to laugh, in order to welcome them and share their joy. Apparently, this bunny was as happy as a rabbit, or hare, could be. There, in the nest, lay three lovely eggs.

Now, many people in Belgium delight to think this fuzzy fellow, in the barn, was no other than Prince Bunny, who had repented of his naughtiness, and asked permission to come down on the earth, for one night; at the time for the first full moon after the spring equinox, on the 21st of March.

But just how he was able to furnish an Easter breakfast is a question no mere mortal has been able to answer, even to this day.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015

It's been another year full of excitement, dear readers, for me and for all of you.

May 2015 be as good or even better than the Year of the Whores... I mean, of the Horse.

So, WELCOME TO THE YEAR OF THE CHEAP... I mean, of the SHEEP!

HAPPY 2015

THIS YEAR'S CHRISTMAS GREETING

This winter, I'll let pictures speak louder than words.

Only one little detail to translate. "GOD JUL" is Swedish for "Merry Christmas" or "Season's Greetings".

MORE EASTER GREETINGS

Springtime is coming.
Thus:

Keep your chin up.

Spread joy to your loved ones.

Enjoy the sunshine with them.

Take five!

You're larger than life.

A STORY FOR EASTER

A hen went into the woods.
Her little chick went with her.
The chick was called Tuppens.
Little Tuppens found some seeds.

The old mother hen said,
"Do not eat the big seeds."

Little Tuppens wanted the big seeds.
So he ate them.
But one of them got stuck in his throat.

The mother hen saw little Tuppens choking.
So, she ran to the spring.

She said,
"Please give me some water,
Little Tuppens is choking."

The spring said,
"Get me a cup.
Then I can give you some water."

The old hen ran to the oak tree.

She said,
"Please give me a cup.
I want to get some water,
Little Tuppens is choking."

The oak said,
"Shake me!
 Then I can give you a cup."


The old hen ran to the little boy.

She said,
"Please shake the oak tree.
I want a cup.
Then I can get some water,
Little Tuppens is choking."

The little boy said,
"Get me some shoes.
Then I can shake the oak."

The old hen ran to the shoemaker.

She said,
"Please make some shoes.
I want them for the little boy.
Then he will shake the oak tree.
The oak will give me a cup,
The spring will give me some water.
I want it for little Tuppens.
He is choking.
And I worry that he should die."

The shoemaker said,
"Get me some leather.
Then I can make some shoes."

The old hen ran to the cow.

She said,
"Please give me some leather.
I want it for the shoemaker.
Then he will make some shoes,
The boy will shake the oak tree,

The oak tree will give me a cup,

The spring will give me some water.

I want it for little Tuppens.

He is choking.

And time isn't on our side!"

The cow said,
"Get me some corn.
Then I can give you some leather."

The old hen ran to the farmer.

She said,
"Please give me some corn.
I want it for the cow.
The cow will give me some leather,
The shoemaker will make some shoes,
The boy will shake the oak tree,
The oak tree will give me a cup,
The spring will give me some water.
I want it for little Tuppens.
He is choking!
And we're running out of time!"

The farmer said,
"Get me a plow.
Then I can give you some corn."

The old hen ran to the blacksmith.

She said,
"Please make me a plow.
I want it for the farmer.
Then he will give me some corn,
The cow will give me some leather,
The shoemaker will make some shoes
The boy will shake the oak tree,

The oak tree will give me a cup,

The spring will give me some water.

I want it for little Tuppens.

He is... Just be honest, he's going to DIE!"

The blacksmith said,
"Get me some iron.
Then I can make a plow."

The old hen ran to the Seven Dwarves.

She said,

"Please give me some iron.
I want it for the blacksmith.
Then he will make a plow,
The farmer will give me some corn,
The cow will give me some leather,
The shoemaker will make some shoes,
The boy will shake the oak tree,
The oak tree will give me a cup,
The spring will give me some water.
I want it for little Tuppens.
HE IS CHOKING... I KNOW YOU'VE HELPED SNOW WHITE, SO PLEEEASE!"

The Dwarves wanted to help
little Tuppens.
They went into the ground.
They got the red iron.
They gave it to the hen.
The hen gave it to the blacksmith.
The blacksmith made a plow,
The farmer gave some corn,
The cow gave some leather,
The shoemaker made some shoes,
The boy shook the oak-tree;
The oak-tree gave a cup,
The spring gave some water.
The hen gave the water
to little Tuppens.
He drank and the water washed the seed down.
Then little Tuppens ate little seeds.

HAPPY EASTER!

Let every year's April showers

bring forth colourful May flowers,

let the sun shorten each night

and fill every day with light...

When summer comes in the end,

we'll finally comprehend 

that hope's reborn every spring,

for children and bards to sing.

And, when cold and gloom return,

we won't forget that we learn

to stay hopeful and secure,

for spring will return once more.

By Sandra Dermark

Happy Easter

and may every springtime last

more than all the winters past!

CAROLING THROUGH DICKENS

Remember us?

Last week, the class finally started to do literary translation!
And Charles Dickens, on top of that!
And his famous Christmas Carol, on top of that!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Say farewell to 2013!!

First of all, I'd like to say it with a renowned Swedish group:

After that, I will introduce our Spanish musical New Year's greeting:

Finally, here's a card from a reformed villainess that you regular readers surely will recognize (and from her pet chickies!):

WELCOME TO 2014, YEAR OF THE WHORES... I MEAN, OF THE HORSE!

YEAR OF THE MOOMINS AND OF THE GREAT WAR

AND ANOTHER FOOTIE WORLD CUP

HOPE YOU ENJOY IT!