Children's TV shows come and go ... but some things are forever. Case in point:--- Take a Grandmother reading to her Grandchild. Not just anyGrandmother mind you ... and not just any Grandchild either ... for these are among the stories I overheard my wife, Nancy (at 73) reading to ourGrandson, Caleb (age 8), when his Daddy, Stuart, brought him here in September, 2008 to be with us for a few days at the end of Magnolia Lanein Christiansburg, VA. For you see earlier, back in July, Caleb lay comatose in the sterile surroundings of a hospital in Ft. Lauderdale, FL --- neardeath, really --- when a miracle occurred ... for Caleb was to fully recover from that terrible auto accident of July 1st, 2008.
I don't have a recording of Nancy reading many of these same stories, but I was able to find a recording on the Internet of someone reading theseAesop's Fables, which are timeless in their messages to us all, young and old alike. And as for Caleb? Well, let's just say that his Grandma hadCaleb's attention throughout her reading of each and every one them ... just as I now have your attention.And talk about quality time with your Grandkids?--- It just doesn't get any better than this ... so if you haven't done so in awhile, try reading storiesto your own Grandchildren sometime again soon. It will be rewarding to you both ... young and old alike ... this New Year's Resolution of yours!
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The Ant and the
Chrysalis
An Ant nimbly running about in the sunshine in search of food came
across a Chrysalis that was very near its time of change. The
Chrysalis moved its tail, and thus attracted the attention of the Ant,
who then saw for the first time that it was alive. "Poor, pitiable
animal!" cried the Ant disdainfully. "What a sad fate is yours!
While I can run hither and thither, at my pleasure, and, if I wish,
ascend the tallest tree, you lie imprisoned here in your shell, with
power only to move a joint or two of your scaly tail." The Chrysalis
heard all this, but did not try to make any reply. A few days after,
when the Ant passed that way again, nothing but the shell remained.
Wondering what had become of its contents, he felt himself suddenly
shaded and fanned by the gorgeous wings of a beautiful Butterfly.
"Behold in me," said the Butterfly, "your much-pitied friend! Boast
now of your powers to run and climb as long as you can get me to
listen." So saying, the Butterfly rose in the air, and, borne along
and aloft on the summer breeze, was soon lost to the sight of the
Ant forever.
"Appearances are deceptive."
An Ant nimbly running about in the sunshine in search of food came
across a Chrysalis that was very near its time of change. The
Chrysalis moved its tail, and thus attracted the attention of the Ant,
who then saw for the first time that it was alive. "Poor, pitiable
animal!" cried the Ant disdainfully. "What a sad fate is yours!
While I can run hither and thither, at my pleasure, and, if I wish,
ascend the tallest tree, you lie imprisoned here in your shell, with
power only to move a joint or two of your scaly tail." The Chrysalis
heard all this, but did not try to make any reply. A few days after,
when the Ant passed that way again, nothing but the shell remained.
Wondering what had become of its contents, he felt himself suddenly
shaded and fanned by the gorgeous wings of a beautiful Butterfly.
"Behold in me," said the Butterfly, "your much-pitied friend! Boast
now of your powers to run and climb as long as you can get me to
listen." So saying, the Butterfly rose in the air, and, borne along
and aloft on the summer breeze, was soon lost to the sight of the
Ant forever.
"Appearances are deceptive."
The Goose With the Golden Eggs One day a countryman going to the nest of his Goose found there an egg all yellow and glittering. When he took it up it was as heavy as lead and he was going to throw it away, because he thought a trick had been played upon him. But he took it home on second thoughts, and soon found to his delight that it was an egg of pure gold. Every morning the same thing occurred, and he soon became rich by selling his eggs. As he grew rich he grew greedy; and thinking to get at once all the gold the Goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find nothing. "Greed oft o'er reaches itself." |
The Milkmaid and
Her Pail
Patty the Milkmaid was going to market carrying her milk in a
Pail on her head. As she went along she began calculating what
she would do with the money she would get for the milk. "I'll buy
some fowls from Farmer Brown," said she, "and they will lay eggs
each morning, which I will sell to the parson's wife. With the
money that I get from the sale of these eggs I'll buy myself a new
dimity frock and a chip hat; and when I go to market, won't all
the young men come up and speak to me! Polly Shaw will be that
jealous; but I don't care. I shall just look at her and toss my
head like this. As she spoke she tossed her head back, the Pail
fell off it, and all the milk was spilt. So she had to go home
and tell her mother what had occurred.
"Ah, my child," said the mother,
"Do not count your chickens before they are hatched."
Patty the Milkmaid was going to market carrying her milk in a
Pail on her head. As she went along she began calculating what
she would do with the money she would get for the milk. "I'll buy
some fowls from Farmer Brown," said she, "and they will lay eggs
each morning, which I will sell to the parson's wife. With the
money that I get from the sale of these eggs I'll buy myself a new
dimity frock and a chip hat; and when I go to market, won't all
the young men come up and speak to me! Polly Shaw will be that
jealous; but I don't care. I shall just look at her and toss my
head like this. As she spoke she tossed her head back, the Pail
fell off it, and all the milk was spilt. So she had to go home
and tell her mother what had occurred.
"Ah, my child," said the mother,
"Do not count your chickens before they are hatched."
...Bruce********