SEPT 2007

Keeping the wolves away.

One day Mama needed Giufa to run an errand, She called and called him   Finally she found him

throwing stale bread all around the outside of their house.

"Giufa! what are you doing," asked his mother.

"Mama. I am keeping the wolves away."

"Giufa! There are no wolves near our house."

"Exactly," said Giufa.

"Exactly what?"   asked Mama

"Exactly that!" said Giufa.   "Mama, its simple.""

"No Giufa, something is simple, but not this."

"Listen mama, do wolves like bread ?"

"Giufa, do you take me for a zucchini head? I know and you know perfectly well wolves do not like bread. They like meat."

"Exactly," said Giufa. "Wolves do not like bread but birds do "

What? You know birds have nothing to do with wolves!

"Exactly!" said Giufa. Continuing to throw handfuls of bread all around his house.

"When a wolf comes the birds will fly away all at once and we will be warned"

Mama shook her head . Just then

Bepe passed by their house on the way to market.

"Giufa! What are you doing?" Bepe asked.

"He is keeping the wolves away."

"But there are no wolves around here," said Bepe.

"Exactly. said mama.

And Giufa said, "See mama, it works."

Archives start here:

Three Hens ~ a fable

© 2007 by Norah Dooley

Once there were three hens who were hatched from the same nest.

These three sisters lived on a fine farm with a loving farmer.

She loved all her three hens dearlyand let them wander freely in her farm yard  and even in her kitchen garden.Their lives should have been happy but-- the sisters fought all the time.

If the farmer gave them cracked corn,they fought to be first or to get the biggest piece.While the three sisters bickered and complained

" Yours is too big!"--

"I got here first"--

"I'm always last!" --

the geese would waddle over and eat their food.

When the farmer brought them fresh water,they would fight hard to have a turn to themselves.

" You were first last time" --

"I'm the fastest." --

"I'm thirstier than you !"   --

They always upset the panand would have to wait until the next morningbefore they had another drink.

These sisters squabbled over every bug and worm they found.

When they screamed at each other,

"I saw the worm first"--

"It was under my foot." --

"My feather dropped there yesterday"--

a robin or a barn swallow could   swoop down and eat it up while they   argued.

Whenever the farmerpicked up one hen to admire and pet it,the other two would peck at the farmer's toes and each other. They would cause such a commotion at her feet, squawking and flapping,that the farmer would have to run to her house , leaving the chickens in a cloud of dust.

Early one morning a fox slipped into the barnyard.

The geese stood together in a circle,They fought off the fox with their strong necks and wings.The ducks signaled each other and flew off to themiddle of the farm pond and were safe.Even the pigs stood together. They stomped and snorted the fox away.

But the three sisters?

They ran over to their safe perch where

they fought

" I should be first" --

" Then me second !"--

" That is my spot!"--

So the fox ate them all up

one

by

one

by

one.   And they never even noticed who had the first turn.

THE END

Moral:

All good things come form living in peace and harmony with your brothers and sisters .

Archives start here:

MAR/ APR 2007

A story about friendship

From the blog of Paulo Coelho ~poet origin unknown

http://en.paulocoelhoblog.com/12.05.2006/twenty-years-later-the-city/

“Once upon a time there was a poor but very brave man called Ali. He worked for Ammar, a rich old merchant. One winter’s night Ammar said: “nobody can spend a night like this on top of the mountain without a blanket or food. But you need money, and if you can manage to do that you will receive a great reward. If you don’t, you will work for thirty days without pay”. Ali answered: “tomorrow I shall do this test”.

But when he left the shop, he saw that a really icy wind was blowing and became scared, so he decided to ask his best friend, Aydi, if it was crazy of him to accept that bet.

After reflecting a while, Aydi answered: “I shall help you. Tomorrow, when you are at the top of the mountain, look ahead. I will be on the top of the mountain next to yours, where I will spend the whole night with a bonfire lit for you. You look at the fire and think about our friendship – that will keep you warm. You will manage, and later on I shall ask you something in return.”

Ali won the test, got the money, and went to his friend’s house: “You told me you wanted some payment.” Aydi grabbed him by the shoulders: ”Yes, but it isn’t money. Promise that if at any time a cold wind passes through my life, you will light the fire of friendship for me.”

http://en.paulocoelhoblog.com/12.05.2006/twenty-years-later-the-city/

Archived

 

DEC / JAN 2007

The Princess Who Could Not Be Silenced

A tale from Norway collected at http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/

THERE was once a King, and he had a daughter who was so cross and crooked in her words that no one could silence her, and so he gave it out that he who could do it should marry the princess and have half the kingdom, too. There were plenty of those who wanted to try it, I can tell you, for it is not every day that you can get a princess and half a kingdom. The gate to the King's palace did not stand still a minute. They came in great crowds from the East and the West, both riding and walking. But there was not one of them who could silence the princess.

At last the king had it given out that those who tried, and failed, should have both ears marked with the big redhot iron with which he marked his sheep. He was not going to have all that flurry and worry for nothing.

Well, there were three brothers, who had heard about the princess, and, as they did not fare very well at home, they thought they had better set out to try their luck and see if they could not win the princess and half the kingdom. They were friends and good fellows, all three of them, and they set off together.

When they had walked a bit of the way, Boots picked up something.

"I've found-I've found something!" he cried.

"What did you find!" asked the brothers.

"I found a dead crow," said he.

"Ugh! Throw it away! What would you do with that?" said the brothers, who always thought they knew a great deal.

"Oh, I haven't much to carry, I might as well carry this," said Boots.

So when they had walked on a bit, Boots again picked up something.

"I've found-I've found something!" he cried.

"What have you found now?" said the brothers.

"I found a willow twig," said he.

"Dear, what do you want with that? Throw it away!" said they.

"Oh, I haven't much to carry, I might as well carry that," said Boots.

So when they had walked a bit, Boots picked up something again. "Oh, lads, I've found-I've found something!" he cried.

"Well, well, what did you find this time?" asked the brothers.

"A piece of a broken saucer," said he.

"Oh, what is the use of that? Throw it away!" said they.

"Oh, I haven't much to carry, I might as well carry that," said Boots.

And when they had walked a bit further, Boots stooped down again and picked up something else.

"I've found-I've found something, lads!" he cried.

"And what is it now?" said they.

"Two goat horns," said Boots.

"Oh! Throw them away. What could you do with them?" said they.

"Oh, I haven't much to carry, I might as well carry them," said Boots.

In a little while he found something again.

"Oh, lads, see, I've found-I've found something," he cried.

"Dear, dear, what wonderful things you do find! What is it now?" said the brothers.

"I've found a wedge," said he.

"Oh, throw it away. What do you want with that?" said they.

"Oh, I haven't much to carry, I might as well carry that," said Boots.

And now, as they walked over the fields close up to the King's palace, Boots bent down again and held something in his fingers.

"Oh, lads, lads, see what I've found!" he cried.

"If you only found a little common sense, it would be good for you," said they. "Well, let's see what it is now."

"A worn-out shoe sole," said he.

"Pshaw! Well, that was something to pick up! Throw it away! What do you want with that?" said the brothers.

"Oh, I haven't much to carry, I might as well carry that, if I am to win the princess and half the kingdom," said Boots.

"Yes, you are likely to do that-you," said they.

And now they came to the King's palace. The eldest one went in first.

"Good-day," said he.

"Good-day to you," said the princess, and she twisted and turned.

"It's awfully hot here," said he.

"It is hotter over there in the hearth," said the princess. There lay the red-hot iron ready awaiting. When he saw that he forgot every word he was going to say, and so it was all over with him.

And now came the next oldest one.

"Good-day," said he.

"Good-day to you," said she, and she turned and twisted herself.

"It's awfully hot here," said he.

"It's hotter over there in the hearth," said she. And when he looked at the red-hot iron he, too, couldn't get a word out, and so they marked his ears and sent him home again.

Then it was Boots' turn.

"Good-day," said he.

"Good-day to you," said she, and she twisted and turned again.

"It's nice and warm in here," said Boots.

"It's hotter in the hearth," said she, and she was no sweeter, now the third one had come.

"That's good, I may bake my crow there, then?" asked he.

"I'm afraid she'll burst," said the princess.

"There's no danger; I'll wind this willow twig around," said the lad.

"It's too loose," said she.

"I'll stick this wedge in," said the lad, and took out the wedge.

"The fat will drop off," said the princess.

"I'll hold this under," said the lad, and pulled out the broken bit of the saucer.

"You are crooked in your words, that you are," said the princess.

"No, I'm not crooked, but this is crooked," said the lad, and he showed her the goat's horn.

"Well, I never saw the equal to that!" cried the princess.

"Oh, here is the equal to it," said he, and pulled out the other.

"Now, you think you'll wear out my soul, don't you?" said she.

"No, I won't wear out your soul, for I have a sole that's worn out already," said the lad, and pulled out the shoe sole.

Then the princess hadn't a word to say.

"Now, you're mine," said Boots.

And so she was.

Featured FOLK TALE for the month of OCT '06

The Old Horse
and the Bell of Justice
this is an ancient tale from Abruzzi. First written down in the 16th century Centi novellini Antiche © 2006 Norah Dooley

ONCE upon a time there was a good and very wise king. He wished all the people in his city to be happy. Happiness, he reasoned comes from peace, but peace comes most easily where there is justice.
In order that justice might be done to every one, this king ordered a great bell to be hung in the highest tower. Tied to this bell was a strong rope.
so long, it reached nearly to the ground.
"I have placed the bell in the center of my city," said the king, "so that it will be near ALL the people. The rope I have made long, so that even the smallest child can reach it."
“My dear people,said the king "If there be an one among you who feels that he or she has not been justly treated, let them come ring this bell. Then, whether you be old or young, whether you be rich or poor, your story shall be heard. The bell of justice had hung in its place for many years. Many times it had been rung by the poor and needy, and, to his honor the King and his judges saw to it that JUSTICE had been done.

At length the old rope became so worn with use and age that it had to be taken down, Another rope, long enough and strong enough, could not be found. So the king had to send away for one.
"What if some one should need help while the rope is down?" said one of the children. Some of the women cut long grapevines and and fashioned them into a rope and the men fastened it to the great bell.
As it was springtime, green shoots and green leaves hung from the new grapevine rope.
At that same time, just outside this city, there lived a rich old farmer. This farmer had a horse that had been with him for many a year.
In feast and in famine she had served her master well.
Now the horse had grown so old and so lame that she was no longer able to work & the greedy farmer resented the food and water the old horse consumed. After making her carry one more burden to the city, her master turned her out into the streets."Eat horse and you might live.”
said the miserly farmer; "you are of no use to me." And there he left her.
So the old horse went, a limping bag of bones, searching for food along the city streets. Some pitied her and gave her scraps but she grew hungrier and hungrier. Finally, she limped up to the tower where the bell of justice hung.
Her dim eyes saw the green shoots and the fresh leaves of the grapevine.
Thinking these might be good to eat, she gave a pull at the vine.
"Ding-dong! ding-dong!" said the great bell.
The people came running from all sides.
"Who is calling for justice?" they cried.
There stood the old horse, pulling leaves from the grapevine rope.
"Ding-dong! ding-dong!" rang the bell.
"Whose horse is this?" asked the judges, as they came running up.
Why that is Farmer Grey’s mare, said one.
He rode her upon her when meet his wife said an old gaffer.
Every planting and harvest she worked from dawn to dusk ,said the farmer’s neighbor.
Twas she who drove his daughter and granddaughter to the church to be wed! said an old woman.
The judges listened well and then they spoke
“This horse calls for justice, they said, and she shall have it!”
And then the judges sent for her cruel master.
To him they said:
You must build a warm barn, and there your faithful horse should have the best of hay and grain as long as she lives.
The shamed farmer led his horse home AND
The people shouted for joy and rang all the bells for justice!!!

 

Caterina the Wise - Farmer’s Daughter
retold by Norah Dooley

Once a farmer was hoeing in his field when his hoe struck some metal. He uncovered a beautiful golden bowl and brought it home immediately.
“Look at this, daughter! I will bring this to the king for surely it must be his and he will reward me.”
“Papa! Think a minute. Any one can see this bowl once had a top. The first thing the king will say, after he thanks you, will be “ where is the top? “
“Don’t be silly!” said the farmer and he brought the bowl to the king the very next day.
And what did the King say but, “Thanks. but where is the golden top to my bowl? “
The farmer hit himself in the forehead and said“Just what she said you’d say”
“Who is this who knew what I would say? “
“My daughter, Caterina. She is known far and wide for her wit. I should have listened to her.”
“Is that so. Take this message to your wise peasant girl . I want to see her when she has made me twenty linen shirts for my palace guard.” And the King put a bag of flax seed in the farmers hand. Tell her I want them tomorrow and my word is LAW.
“Oh dear,” the farmer told his daughter, “ it is even worse than you thought. Now I have YOU in trouble too.” He told his daughter the king’s wishes but she just laughed. She gave her father an acorn and this message for the King.
“Here is an acorn. The very day you make an oak loom for weaving from this I'll finish your shirts for you.”
Her father was scared to bring her answer but the king was so pleased with her words that he asked to meet Caterina.
“Tell her she must come to my palace, when it is neither night nor day, neither riding nor walking, neither hungry nor fed and neither naked nor clothed. And make it tomorrow!. My word, lucky peasant, is law.”
Hearing this Caterina smiled and, after thinking a bit laughed. She rose in the dead of night to prepare for her visit. She chewed at a pea pod, wrapped herself in a fish net, tied the net to the saddle of her donkey and left in the dark of night. She arrived at the palace just before dawn when it is neither full night nor days beginning.
The King was delighted. He had her dressed in the finest silks and they spent the day talking and laughing. The King decided to marry her right then and a great feast was ordered for the celebration.The King told Catherine that although she would be Queen, his word was still LAW and she must never ever poke her nose in his business.Caterina agreed.
Her father, he was worried and he said “I’ve saved your hoe and your work clothes because I know this kind of good luck can’t last for the likes of us. You and your big mouth will be home soon enough.”
The festivities for the wedding filled the town and the inns were overfull. One farmer had brought a pregnant cow into town to sell and had to spend the night in the piazza next to a waggoner. In the morning his new calf was under the wagon. The waggoner claimed it was his and the owner of the cow couldn’t believe it. He raged and spluttered and the waggoner argued and argued. Their quarrel grew so fierce that a huge crowd gathered and finally they were dragged into the King’s court of justice, The king was preoccupied with the wedding and feasting gave the case little attention . Since the waggoner was he calmer of the two he gave this decision: The calf goes with the cart.
Well the owner of the cow couldn’t stand it. So he snuck back into the palace and found the Queen alone. He told her the whole story and she gave this advice:
“Go out to where the king hunts every morning. Where the dry river bed meets the road? Bring your nets for fishing . When the king comes he will laugh and ask why you are fishing in
in a dry river. You will say “Your lordship, if a cart can give birth to a cow, rocks can spawn fish in a dry river. I aim to catch some.”
It happened just as Caterina said it would except that the King guessed it was Caterina that farmer had been talking to , especially since the farmer did not deny it. The King reversed his decree and returned the calf to him. Then in a rage, he called Caterina to him.

“ You have meddled in my judgments. I forbade it. Now back to your farm and father you go. You may take one thing, only one! Take the thing you care about most home with you. So leave at once!”
Caterina said, “I will do as you wish Majesty but let me leave tonight after dinner when no one is about. It will be less embarrassing for us both.”
The King agreed and also to a last dinner she proposed. Caterina had a heavy and salty meal prepared and she served the King herself, pouring generous glasses of wine with each course. Soon enough the King fell asleep, snoring like a pig.
Caterina called the servants and ordered them to carry the king, chair and all, to her father’s tiny house in the country.There she put him to bed. In the morning the King woke to the braying of the donkey and the cluck of the chickens and to a sore back from a thin mattress and he said, “Catherine! Where are we?”
“ You said, Highness, that I should return home with one thing I loved. I took you home and I’m keeping you.”
The King laughed and laughed. And, of course, they made up. They both went back to the royal palace where they still live today, judging and arguing -- laughing and loving, together.

finito

Archives continued

Featured FOLK TALE for the month of JUNE '06

Guaní and His Goats based on a story by famed Puerto Rican folklorista, Pura Belpre´retold by Norah Dooley © 2006

Long, long ago there was a boy named Guaní. He lived on the Island of Brave People. He was a Taino - one of the Good People. Because all his family had been killed, he often wandered in the hills alone. You see,the Taino did not fight. They used their machetes to open coconuts, cut down bananas or to cut through the rain forest. Instead of fighting, their chiefs and medicine men settled any problems with words. But the Carib people did not listen to words. They came from far over the seas, into the villages of the Taino - stealing, burning and killing. Guaní's entire village had died in such a raid.

So it was that one day Guaní sat alone on his favorite hill. He looked up at the white clouds floating by,
"Oh Yukiyú", he said out loud, he often spoke to the Creator God when he was alone. "Please send me someone to love. Someone just for me. I am lonely."
He sat up and stretched. All about him was lush green or bright blue, from the faraway hills, the sea below and down into the valley in front of him.
"Oh!" he exclaimed. Goats."

In the green pasture below he saw twelve kid goats chasing each other and butterflies and each others tails. Their frolicing made him laugh out loud. He waited to see who was caring for them. He watched the goats, getting closer and closer, until the sun started to send red streaks from behind the hills. No one came.

"Oh Yukiyú, are these ones to be my friends?" Guaní walked down to meet them and the goats fairly fell over him. They all wanted to be next to him at once. They danced and played together until all the light left the sky. Guaní's heart was full of happiness. He and the goats slept beneath the moon in the pasture.

The next morning Guaní and his goats walked about. The goats led him to a spring.
"A place with water is a place we can live in, little ones" said Guaní to his goats.

He happily spent the day building a pen for the goats and a small house for himself nearby. He was just finishing when the sun started to set. Guaní hurried to the spring to collect his goats. They were standing much as he had left them but they were not moving. "What is it little ones?", called Guaní. "Why don't you come to me?"

When he reached the nearest goat he understood. In the failing light, the goat had looked the same. Its foot was in the air, its head was cocked back as if to catch a butterfly. But it was made of new white wood. All of them were made of wood. Standing around the spring were twelve wooden goats. Guaní stood in the middle of them and cried bitter tears. He cried until he had no more tears left.
Guaní ran to the edge of the forest and curled up beneath a cieba tree where he fell into a deep sleep. In the night he had a strange dream. A huge man stood over him. Though he was powerful his eyes were gentle and Guaní felt at peace when he looked up to him. The man spoke to him.
" Follow the golden path to me Guaní and all be well, all will be well." The dream ended and Guaní woke up. The sun was rising and sent a low bright light from behind him. In the hills he could see the light fall on a winding path. The path looked like a gold ribbon. "My dream", remembered Guaní. And he hurried from the valley up to the hills.
Guaní walked and walked. He was up higher in the hills than he had ever been. As he went higher the path became smaller and smaller until it ended in front of the opening to a small tunnel. Guaní bent low and looked in. The tunnel was dark but a soft light glowed from deep within. He climbed in and as soon as he could stand he saw he was in a great cave filled with light. Seated at the far end of the chamber, on a stone chair, was the man who had been in his dream. He was even larger than in Guaní's dream. His eyes were kind and his red skin refelcted the strange smokeless fire before him. He wore a kirtle made from the feather's of many birds. Light filled the the cave and danced in the thousands of crystals that made up its walls .
" You have come. That is good. What do you wish?", the man spoke in a gentle voice.

"It is about my goats, I wanted something to love and I do love them and now..." Guaní could not speak.
" Ah yes, the goats. They were bewitched by Coqui. He is a jealous frog who lives with all of his huge family at the bottom of that spring. But your love is much stronger than his jealousy. Think of your love when you play this. " And the man reached into the fire and pulled from it a small flute made of clay.
Guanì stared in wonder. "But I don't know how to ..." he started.
"Think of your love when you play this." he said again and put the flute in Guaní hands.
Guaní looked at the flute then looked up. He found himself outside the cave. The sun was getting low. He thought perhaps he had been dreaming again. But no, there was the flute. It was smooth and perfectly shaped. He clutched it in one hand and started to run down to the valley. He reached the spring just at sunset. There were his goats - motionless, white statues in the orange light of sunset.

"But I don't know how," He said again,looking at the flute in his hands. Then he thought of the first day and how he and the goats had danced. He put the flute to his lips and breathed into it the joy in his heart. Music filled the air. One by one the little goats started to move and dance for Guaní. One by one each goat was returned to its warm and happy nature. Together they danced back to the pen Guaní had built. And there they lived in peace and happiness to the end of their days.


This is how Yukiyú sent music to the island of the Brave People. After many hundreds of years Guaní's flute was lost but the "good people" of Puerto Rico have never forgotten the music.

Bouriquen =Isle of the Brave People= Puerto Rico
Taino= the Good People=tribe of Arawakan Indians who lived in Puerto Rico long before the Spanish came to theat island.

Caribs= a people that lived in South America who moved through the seas and islands to the north of S.A. now known as the Carribean. They were brutal,some were even cannibals.

MAY '06 Money or Wealth?
retold by Norah Dooley © 2006

An old widow woman lived by herself on the side of a mountain. She collected and sold herbs and plants for healing of body and soul. Often she traveled far from her home, collecting rare flowers and roots. Sometimes she was lost but never for too long.

One day, while she was traveling deep in the forest below the mountain she stopped to rest and she dangled her tired toes in a small stream. She saw in the water a bright and surely precious stone. She plunged her hand into the cold water and pulled the stone to her. She held it in the light and enjoyed it’s color and brilliance. She looked at it for quite a while, and then put it in her food bag where she forgot about it completely.

The next day, as she traveled deeper into the forest, the old woman met a traveler. He was young, lost and more than a little hungry. They spoke of their ventures and then the old woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone. He said in a harsh voice-- “Leave off the food woman, will you not give me the stone?”.

The woman looked up in surprise but immediately handed the stone to the man.
“Gladly I will, “ she said, “It is no more mine than yours and I have enjoyed its beauty already.” The man grasped it and turned to leave,
“Would not like some tea or to eat?” she called after him.

The traveler did not answer, just waved the woman off but he was smiling and marveling at his good fortune. He thought the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. Inside his head he heard a small far away voice question taking such wealth from such a shabby old woman. This voice he waved away also. With his stone clutched in his hand he headed straight away for the capital.

After a few bitterly disappointing days in the city where he was almost swindled, was in fact arrested for the theft of his own stone and then released and nearly killed by robbers, he found himself retracing his steps. At last he found the cottage of the old woman.

Her home was very small and had one or at most two of everything -- cups, plates, chairs. Though neat and clean, all was worn and threadbare save for the abundant flowers and plants that grew inside and out.
“ That seals it!” he said out loud but as if to himself.
“Ah, you have come back for some tea?” said the old woman and she stopped sorting dried flower heads and ladled water from an earthen ware jar.

The man reached inside his shirt and took a bag from round his neck.
"I've been thinking," he said to the woman, "I know now exactly how valuable that stone is.”
“Really?” said the woman putting the kettle on the hearth for tea.
“Really. “ And he told of his misadventures in the city while she clucked and nodded appreciatively.

“I'll give this gem back to you in the hope that you can give me something even more precious.” he looked hopeful as he finally sat down as he had been asked.
“Dear me,” said the woman , sitting across from him in a rickety straight backed chair. “ That stone and I, we were but a happenstance. You see -- here, all my worldly goods in one glance -- ah, do take me in also, my cloak and dress and shoes. What you see is all that there is”
“Yes,” said the man. “I can clearly see that. But I also see your wealth. That is what I want .”
“Really?” she said , looking puzzled.
“If I give you this stone, can you give me what you have that allowed you to give me the stone."
“Oh!, “ she exclaimed. This made her laugh out loud - a loud and throaty laugh.
“Oh, do sit down.” she ordered. Seeing her mirth caused the man distress she stopped laughing at once. “Sit and have some tea and we will talk.”
The traveler pulled the stone from the bag.
“Oh no," said the woman. " Do not give me that troublesome pebble! I have everything I need, all the joys and all the sorrows.” said the woman.

The man still looked puzzled.

“I gave it to you.” said the widow, in a matter of fact tone. “When you are finished --pass it along. Then you will have everything you need. Really, it is that simple.”

THE END

MAR - '06

The Old Goat

I believe this is a modernized version of an African folktale...

One day an old goat was chasing butterflies and before long, she discovered that she was lost.

" Oh dear," said the goat to herself, "Little senior moment here."

Wandering about, trying to get her bearings, she found a baobab tree and sat in its shade. Then she noticed a leopard heading rapidly across the savannah in her direction. She recognized the look he had and knew that this would not be a social visit. He looks ready for lunch she thought.

"Oh, oh! I'm in deep trouble now"! said the goat out loud. Noticing some bones on the ground close by, she immediately settled down to chew on them with her back to the bounding predator. Just as the leopard was about to leap, the old goat exclaimed loudly, "Boy, that was one delicious leopard! I wonder if there are any more around here?"

Hearing this, the young leopard stopped dead in his crouch, turned and went slinking off into the bush.

"O man! ," said the leopard, "That was close! That old goat nearly had me!"

Meanwhile, a monkey had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree and he thought he could put this knowledge to good use. So off he went, but the old goat saw him heading after the leopard with great speed, and knew that meant nothing good for her.

The monkey soon caught up with the leopard, and told the whole story. The young leopard was furious at being made a fool of and said, "Yah, monkey- now its you and me, right?"

"Righhhhht !, says the monkey.

"So hop on my back and see what's going to happen to that conniving old goat!"

But the old goat saw the leopard racing across the plain with the monkey on his back and thought, "What am I going to do now?" Luckily, her brain was quicker and stronger than her legs.

So, the old goat sat down with her back to the leopard, pretending she hadn't seen them.

Just when the monkey and leopard were close enough to hear, the old goat said: "Where's that tricky monkey? I sent him off an hour ago to bring me another leopard!"

Then End.

FEB '06- A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Sicilia

They say a friend in need is a friend indeed.
One time Giufá had a neighbor who was always borrowing things and Giufá didn't like him very much. Giufá was sitting in front of his barn chewing on sweet grasses one blade at a time. Up strode his bossy and unpleasant neighbor. The neighbor said, “ Giufá, I want to borrow your donkey. I need to go to before the judge and I would look more -- er, respectable if I rode into town on your donkey .”
Giufá squirmed a bit, as if he was sitting on red ants. Then he sat very still. Giufá said in a voice as thick and sticky with insincerity as honey with flies in it,
"I would love to loan you my donkey, my dear friend. But only yesterday my cousin came from the next town to borrow it to carry his wheat to the mill. I am so sorry but my donkey is not here."
The neighbor was disappointed. But he thanked Giufá and began to walk away.
Just as he got a few steps away, Giufá's donkey, which was in the back of his barn all the time, let out a loud "Eeeeeeeaaaaw!".
The neighbor stopped and whirled about and made dagger eyes at Giufá and said, "My dear neighbor, I thought you told me that your donkey was not here?"
Giufá looked up and shrugged his shoulders. He said, "My friend, who are you going to believe? Me or that donkey?

The end.

Who is Giufá?  

A Man of Many Names or Many men? Or all men everywhere?

-a short essay on a big subject by Norah Dooley

Look for my CD of Giufa stories in late spring 2006

Is Giufá a wise fool or is he a foolish wise guy? No matter, he is Giufá, and all too human. In the many tales about him in Sicily, Giufá is often the trickster and sometimes the joke is on him. Giufá has many names and is a citizen of the world.

He is called Hodja and Mullah Nas-rud’in and Hodja Nasr al-Din and Effendi and Goha. Stories about Nasruddin moved across the Muslim world, which at one time stretched all the way across Europe, from Turkey to Spain. Stories about the Hodja, Mullah Nasreddin, Effendi, Goha and Giufá, are told in Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, the Crimea, Greece, Italy, Rumania, Russia, Turkestan and the Ukraine. In every country we seem to find Nasruddin’s long lost cousin. Or is it Nasruddin himself who has traveled to each place? Perhaps all of these stories, are about one wise fool, yet served with the colors, the flavors and the spices of the people who tell them?

This is an ongoing debate and remains a delightful and human mystery. Sometimes a simple farm boy and other times a city slicker, whether sly and naughty or innocent and dumb, he is still, Giufá.