The Story of Princess Kate (short story telling)

Long-long time ago, there was a peaceful kingdom called Picalla. The kingdom led by a king named Thora who had a beautiful daughter named Kate. When Kate was a child, a bad knight named Saruman, took her and locked her in a cage. Until finally the girl was old enough, she grew up into a beautiful young woman. The bad knight fallin’ love with her and asked her to marry him.

“Oh beautiful lady, will you marry me?”

“Of course not! I'm not willing to marry you! You're evil knight!” said Kate

The bad knight was so angry, so he locked her in a high tower with no exit, and only a window.
The girl was very sad because have no friends, she cried everyday, everyday... Until one day, a knight who was hunting with twins dwarf, saw the girl cried, and he called out,

"Lady, lady, lady, why do you cry?"

“Who are you?” loud Kate.

“I’m Sir Gareth of Orkney, and they are my loyal followers” said the knight

The girl said “A bad knight named Saruman catch me!”

“Saruman?” said Pit

“Who is he?” said Pip

“Its sound bad!” said Pit and Pip

The knight falling in love with her at the first sight and said,

“I don’t care who is he. Don’t worry lady! I will kill him and save you!”

“Are you sure? he's really bad! He can turn you into a monkey!”

“I promise.. with God’s help on my side”

Then, the knight called out the bad knight.

“Hey you the foolish knight! Hey Saruman! Are you ready for the fight? Go out and face me!”

The bad knight so surprised, and he tried to attacked Sir Gareth of Orkney and his followers. 

Fortunately, the bad knight lose and the fight won by Sir Gareth of Orkney.

“Now you're safe princess, let's go home, we will ride a white horse together.”

Finally, Princess Kate back to Picalla, and married with Sir Gareth of Orkney. They lived happily ever after. (The End)

The Twelve Months

Alexander Chodsvko - Slav Fairy Tales

There was once a widow who had two daughters, Helen, her own child by her dead husband, and Marouckla, his daughter by his first wife. She loved Helen, but hated the poor orphan because she was far prettier than her own daughter.

Marouckla did not think about her good looks, and could not understand why her stepmother should be angry at the sight of her. The hardest work fell to her share. She cleaned out the rooms, cooked, washed, sewed, spun, wove, brought in the hay, milked the cow, and all this without any help.

Helen, meanwhile, did nothing but dress herself in her best clothes and go to one amusement after another.

But Marouckla never complained. She bore the scoldings and bad temper of mother and sister with a smile on her lips, and the patience of a lamb. But this angelic behavior did not soften them. They became even more tyrannical and grumpy, for Marouckla grew daily more beautiful, while Helen's ugliness increased. So the stepmother determined to get rid of Marouckla, for she knew that while she remained, her own daughter would have no suitors. Hunger, every kind of privation, abuse, every means was used to make the girl's life miserable. But in spite of it all Marouckla grew ever sweeter and more charming.

One day in the middle of winter Helen wanted some wood-violets.

"Listen,'' cried she to Marouckla, "you must go up the mountain and find me violets. I want some to put in my gown. They must be fresh and sweet-scented-do you hear?''

"But, my dear sister, whoever heard of violets blooming in the snow?'' said the poor orphan.

"You wretched creature! Do you dare to disobey me?'' said Helen. "Not another word. Off with you! If you do not bring me some violets from the mountain forest I will kill you.''

The stepmother also added her threats to those of Helen, and with vigorous blows they pushed Marouckla outside and shut the door upon her. The weeping girl made her way to the mountain. The snow lay deep, and there was no trace of any human being. Long she wandered hither and thither, and lost herself in the wood. She was hungry, and shivered with cold, and prayed to die.

Suddenly she saw a light in the distance, and climbed toward it till she reached the top of the mountain. Upon the highest peak burned a large fire, surrounded by twelve blocks of stone on which sat twelve strange beings. Of these the first three had white hair, three were not quite so old, three were young and handsome, and the rest still younger.

There they all sat silently looking at the fire. They were the Twelve Months of the Year. The great January was placed higher than the others. His hair and mustache were white as snow, and in his hand he held a wand. At first Marouckla was afraid, but after a while her courage returned, and drawing near, she said:

"Men of God, may I warm myself at your fire? I am chilled by the winter cold.''

The great January raised his head and answered: "What brings thee here, my daughter? What dost thou seek?''

"I am looking for violets,'' replied the maiden.

"This is not the season for violets. Dost thou not see the snow everywhere?'' said January.

"I know well, but my sister Helen and my stepmother have ordered me to bring them violets from your mountain. If I return without them they will kill me. I pray you, good shepherds, tell me where they may be found.''

Here the great January arose and went over to the youngest of the Months, and, placing his wand in his hand, said:

"Brother March, do thou take the highest place.''

March obeyed, at the same time waving his wand over the fire. Immediately the flames rose toward the sky, the snow began to melt and the trees and shrubs to bud. The grass became green, and from between its blades peeped the pale primrose. It was spring, and the meadows were blue with violets.

"Gather them quickly, Marouckla,'' said March.

Joyfully she hastened to pick the flowers, and having soon a large bunch she thanked them and ran home. Helen and the stepmother were amazed at the sight of the flowers, the scent of which filled the house.

"Where did you find them?'' asked Helen.

"Under the trees on the mountain-side,'' said Marouckla.

Helen kept the flowers for herself and her mother. She did not even thank her stepsister for the trouble she had taken. The next day she desired Marouckla to fetch her strawberries.

"Run,'' said she, "and fetch me strawberries from the mountain. They must be very sweet and ripe.''

"But whoever heard of strawberries ripening in the snow?'' exclaimed Marouckla.

"Hold your tongue, worm; don't answer me. If I don't have my strawberries I will kill you,'' said Helen.

Then the stepmother pushed Marouckla into the yard and bolted the door. The unhappy girl made her way toward the mountain and to the large fire round which sat the Twelve Months. The great January occupied the highest place.

"Men of God, may I warm myself at your fire? The winter cold chills me,'' said she, drawing near.

The great January raised his head and asked: "Why comest thou here? What dost thou seek?''

"I am looking for strawberries,'' said she.

"We are in the midst of winter,'' replied January, "strawberries do not grow in the snow.''

"I know,'' said the girl sadly, "but my sister and stepmother have ordered me to bring them strawberries. If I do not they will kill me. Pray, good shepherds, tell me where to find them.''

The great January arose, crossed over to the Month opposite him, and putting the wand in his hand, said: "Brother June, do thou take the highest place.''

June obeyed, and as he waved his wand over the fire the flames leaped toward the sky. Instantly the snow melted, the earth was covered with verdure, trees were clothed with leaves, birds began to sing, and various flowers blossomed in the forest. It was summer. Under the bushes masses of star-shaped flowers changed into ripening strawberries, and instantly they covered the glade, making it look like a sea of blood.

"Gather them quickly, Marouckla,'' said June.

Joyfully she thanked the Months, and having filled her apron ran happily home.

Helen and her mother wondered at seeing the strawberries, which filled the house with their delicious fragrance.

"Wherever did you find them?'' asked Helen crossly.

"Right up among the mountains. Those from under the beech trees are not bad,'' answered Marouckla.

Helen gave a few to her mother and ate the rest herself. Not one did she offer to her stepsister. Being tired of strawberries, on the third day she took a fancy for some fresh, red apples.

"Run, Marouckla,'' said she, "and fetch me fresh, red apples from the mountain.''

"Apples in winter, sister? Why, the trees have neither leaves nor fruit!''

"Idle thing, go this minute,'' said Helen; "unless you bring back apples we will kill you.''

As before, the stepmother seized her roughly and turned her out of the house. The poor girl went weeping up the mountain, across the deep snow, and on toward the fire round which were the Twelve Months. Motionless they sat there, and on the highest stone was the great January.

"Men of God, may I warm myself at your fire? The winter cold chills me,'' said she, drawing near.

The great January raised his head. "Why comest thou here? What does thou seek?'' asked he.

"I am come to look for red apples,'' replied Marouckla.

"But this is winter, and not the season for red apples,'' observed the great January.

"I know,'' answered the girl, "but my sister and stepmother sent me to fetch red apples from the mountain. If I return without them they will kill me.''

Thereupon the great January arose and went over to one of the elderly Months, to whom he handed the wand saying:

"Brother September, do thou take the highest place.''

September moved to the highest stone, and waved his wand over the fire. There was a flare of red flames, the snow disappeared, but the fading leaves which trembled on the trees were sent by a cold northeast wind in yellow masses to the glade. Only a few flowers of autumn were visible. At first Marouckla looked in vain for red apples. Then she espied a tree which grew at a great height, and from the branches of this hung the bright, red fruit. September ordered her to gather some quickly. The girl was delighted and shook the tree. First one apple fell, then another.

"That is enough,'' said September; "hurry home.''

Thanking the Months she returned joyfully. Helen and the stepmother wondered at seeing the fruit.

"Where did you gather them?'' asked the stepsister.

"There are more on the mountain-top,'' answered Marouckla.

"Then, why did you not bring more?'' said Helen angrily. "You must have eaten them on your way back, you wicked girl.''

"No, dear sister, I have not even tasted them,'' said Marouckla. "I shook the tree twice. One apple fell each time. Some shepherds would not allow me to shake it again, but told me to return home.''

"Listen, mother,'' said Helen. "Give me my cloak. I will fetch some more apples myself. I shall be able to find the mountain and the tree. The shepherds may cry `Stop!' but I will not leave go till I have shaken down all the apples.''

In spite of her mother's advice she wrapped herself in her pelisse, put on a warm hood, and took the road to the mountain. Snow covered everything. Helen lost herself and wandered hither and thither. After a while she saw a light above her, and, following in its direction, reached the mountain-top.

There was the flaming fire, the twelve blocks of stone, and the Twelve Months. At first she was frightened and hesitated - then she came nearer and warmed her hands. She did not ask permission, nor did she speak one polite word.

"What hath brought thee here? What dost thou seek?'' said the great January severely.

"I am not obliged to tell you, old graybeard. What business is it of yours?'' she replied disdainfully, turning her back on the fire and going toward the forest.

The great January frowned, and waved his wand over his head. Instantly the sky became covered with clouds, the fire went down, snow fell in large flakes, an icy wind howled round the mountain. Amid the fury of the storm Helen stumbled about. The pelisse failed to warm her benumbed limbs.

The mother kept on waiting for her. She looked from the window, she watched from the doorstep, but her daughter came not. The hours passed slowly, but Helen did not return.

"Can it be that the apples have charmed her from her home?'' thought the mother. Then she clad herself in hood and pelisse, and went in search of her daughter. Snow fell in huge masses. It covered all things. For long she wandered hither and thither, the icy northeast wind whistled in the mountain, but no voice answered her cries.

Day after day Marouckla worked, and prayed, and waited, but neither stepmother nor sister returned. They had been frozen to death on the mountain.

The inheritance of a small house, a field, and a cow fell to Marouckla. In course of time an honest farmer came to share them with her, and their lives were happy and peaceful.

The Fire That Would Not Burn

There was great trouble in the white castle that stood at the top of the hill. The huge fire that had burned in the castle kitchen for years had suddenly gone out, and no one seemed to be able to light it again.

It was deep winter outside. The hill was white with snow, and the fountains in the castle garden looked like tall ladies dressed in white cloaks. From all the castle turrets there hung long icicles, and inside the castle, where the walls and the floor were made all of stone, it was so cold that every one was blowing on his fingers and saying that something must be done at once about starting the fire in the kitchen.

It had been the warmest and the most useful fire in the castle, always bright and glowing and cheerful. It made the big kettle sing, and it cooked the food, and painted pictures in the fireplace for the little Prince, who always sat in front of it before he went to bed. Some said that the fire needed a special kind of fuel to keep it burning, and others said that it had gone out because it was such a hard, cold winter. Still others said that the castle folk were quarreling so over matters of state that they made the castle too cold for any fire to burn. The King blew the bellows, and the Queen wrapped up the little Prince in a fur coat, and the Cook piled on more logs, but still the fire would not burn.

"Go down the hill road," the King at last commanded the Court Messenger, "and wherever you see a bright fire burning in one of the houses, go inside and ask for some coals to bring back to the castle. It may be that we can light our fire in this way."

So the Messenger, with a great iron lantern for holding the coals, started out in the bitter cold.

"A light for the castle fire!" he called as he went. "Who will give me some coals with which to light the castle fire?"

As the Messenger went on his way, a great many people heard him and they all wanted to have a share in lighting the fire at the castle. Some thought that to do this would bring them riches.

"Here are glowing coals for you," said Gerald, whose father kept the forest; "and tell the King that we want as many gold pieces as there are lumps of coal in return, and some extra ones if he will add them."

So the Messenger put Gerald's red coals with the tongs inside his lantern, and he started back to the castle. He had gone only a few steps, though, when he saw that the coals had turned cold and gray, so he had to throw them beside the road and search farther.

A bright light shone from the fire in Gilda's house. Gilda's father was one of the King's guards and when she heard the Messenger's call, "A light for the castle fire!" she opened the door and asked him to come in.

"Fill your lantern with our coals," Gilda said, "and they will surely light the fire in the castle. Tell the King, though, that in return for the coals he must make my father Captain of the guards."

The Messenger took the coals and started back to the castle. He had gone but a little way, though, when he saw that the coals from Gilda's fire were no longer burning but had turned to gray ashes. So he emptied them out in the snow and went on down the hill. But his search was a hard one. So few of the coals that he was given would burn, and so few people wanted to give them freely.

At last he came to a tiny house on a bleak side of the hill. The wind blew down through the old chimney, and the frost had crept in through the cracks in the wall. The door opened at once when he knocked, though, and inside he found a little girl, stirring porridge over a small fire.

"A light for the castle fire?" she repeated when the Messenger had told her what he wanted. "You may have as many coals as you like, although we have few large ones. I am my father's housewife and I tend this small fire so that the kitchen may be comfortable for him when he comes home from work. I am cooking his supper, too," she said. "But do you sit down and warm yourself, and have a bowl of warm supper before you start out in the cold again. Then you may have half of our fire if the King needs it."

The Messenger did as the little girl bade him, and then he lifted one small, bright coal from the fire, and put it in his lantern.

"It will never burn all the way back to the castle," he said to himself, but with each step the coal grew brighter. It cast pink shadows on the snow as if the spring were sending wild roses up through the ground. It made the dark road in front of the Messenger as bright as if the sun were shining, and it warmed him like the summer time. When he came to the castle, the coal still burned and glowed. As soon as he touched it to the gray logs in the fireplace they burst into flames, and the castle fire was kindled again.

They wondered why the new fire made the kettle sing so much more sweetly than it had ever sung before, and warmed the hearts of the castle folk so that they forgot to quarrel. At last, when they talked it over with the Messenger, they decided that it was because love had come from the cottage with the coal, and was kindled and burning now in the castle fire.

Why the Sea is Salt

Long ago, there were two brothers, one rich and one poor. The Rich Brother was stingy. It was winter. The wind howled down the chimney, and the snow almost covered the hut in which the Poor Brother lived.

"We cannot starve," said the Poor Brother to his wife. "I will ask my brother to help us."

Now it annoyed the Rich Brother to have the Poor Brother ask for help. When the Poor Brother asked for bread, the Rich Brother said angrily, "Here, take this ham and go to the dwarfs. They will boil it for you."

So the Poor Brother started out, with the ham under his arm, to find the home of the dwarfs. He trudged on through the snow until he saw seven queer little dwarfs rolling a huge snowball, at the foot of a hill.

The dwarfs paid no attention to the Poor Brother, but kept on rolling the snowball, which grew larger and larger each moment, as they sang,

"Behind the door
The Mill you'll find,
But snow, the Mill
Will never grind.
We'll gather snow,
And still more snow,
Then roll it down
To cool Below."

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the Chief Dwarf. "We have snow enough here to put out a dozen fires. Come, brothers, let us roll the snowball Below!"

"Heave ho! Heave ho!" cried the other six dwarfs.

In the twinkling of an eye, the seven little dwarfs had rolled the snowball through an entrance in the side of the hill.

Down, down, the snowball rolled, until it reached the place where the fires burned. Then sizzle, sizzle, came the hot steam pouring out of the entrance.

All this time the Poor Brother had stood watching the seven dwarfs, and saying not a word. But suddenly he thought, "If I do not go Below at once, there will be no fire left to boil my ham."

So the Poor Brother groped his way through the steam and the smoke, and at last he found his way into the home of the seven dwarfs.

It certainly was a very queer place! There were great fires burning on every side. Although the huge snowball had cooled the air, it had not quenched the fires.

The Chief Dwarf was stirring some fat that was boiling in a kettle. When he saw the Poor Brother standing before him with the ham under his arm, he cried, "Ho, ho! Who comes here?"

Before the Poor Brother could answer, the seven little dwarfs had crowded around him, teasing for the ham. It was many a day since they had tasted ham, and they were very fond of it.

"What will you give me for the ham?" asked the Poor Brother.

"We have neither silver nor gold," said the dwarfs, "but we will give you the Mill that stands behind the door."

"Of what use would the Mill be to me? I am hungry and have come to boil the ham," said the Poor Brother.

"It is a wonderful Mill," the Chief Dwarf replied. "It will grind anything in the world that you might wish, excepting snow and ham. I will show you how to use it."

The Poor Brother agreed to give the ham in exchange for the Mill, and the Chief Dwarf told him how to use it.

The dwarf said, "When you wish the Mill to grind, use these words:

Grind, quickly grind, little Mill,
Grind--with a right good will!
"When you wish the Mill to stop grinding, you must say,

Halt, halt, little Mill!
The Mill will obey you."

Taking the little Mill under his arm, the Poor Brother climbed up and up, until he came to the entrance in the side of the hill. Then he trudged home again through the snow.

When he arrived in front of the hut, he put the little Mill down on the snow, and said at once,

"Grind, quickly grind, little Mill,
Grind a HOUSE--with a right good will!"
The little Mill ground and ground, until there stood, in place of the hut, the finest house in the world. It had fine large windows and broad stairways, and the house was furnished from garret to cellar.

By spring, the Mill had ground out the last article that was needed for the house, and the Poor Brother cried,

"Halt, halt, little Mill!"
The Mill obeyed him.

Then the Poor Brother placed the Mill in the barnyard and told it to grind horses, cows, woolly sheep, and fat little pigs.

When he told it to halt, the Mill stopped grinding.

The Poor Brother carried the Mill to the fields and commanded it to grind rich crops of wheat, oats, barley, and corn.

Then he took the Mill into the house and asked it to grind fine clothing for his wife and his daughters, and to keep all the cupboards filled with good things to eat.

At last the Poor Brother had everything that he wanted. He placed the Mill behind the kitchen door and sat down, with his wife and daughters, to eat the choicest food he had ever tasted.

The Rich Brother heard about all the strange things that had happened, and he went to visit the Poor Brother.

"How did you manage to become so rich?" he asked in astonishment.

The Poor Brother told about the Mill, and that he need only say,

"Grind, quickly grind, little Mill,
Grind--with a right good will!"
And the Mill would grind anything he might wish to have.

The Rich Brother did not wait to hear any more but said, "Lend the Mill to me for an hour."

Taking it under his arm, the stingy Rich Brother ran across the fields toward home.

His wife was in the hayfield, spreading the hay after the mowers. He passed her on the way home and told her that he would attend to breakfast that morning.

"I will call you when all is ready," said he.

When the Rich Brother reached home, he placed the Mill on the table, and told it to grind porridge and red herrings.

The Mill began at once to grind oatmeal porridge and fat red herrings.

All the dishes and pans were soon filled. Then the porridge and herrings began to flow over the kitchen floor into the yard.

The Rich Brother tried to stop the Mill. He turned and twisted and screwed the handle, but he could not stop it, for he did not know the magic words.

At last he waded through the porridge across the fields to the mowers, crying, "Help! Help!"

When he told the mowers about the Mill, they said, "Ask your brother to stop the Mill, or we shall be drowned in porridge."

Then the Rich Brother ran to the Poor Brother's house, crying and shouting for help.

The Poor Brother laughed when he found out what had happened. They rowed back to the kitchen in a boat, and the Poor Brother whispered the magic words. The Mill stopped grinding.

In the course of time, the porridge soaked into the ground, but after that nothing would grow there excepting oats, and afterwards the brooks and ponds were always filled with herrings.

The Rich Brother no longer wished to keep the Mill. The Poor Brother carried it home once more and placed it behind the door.

Years afterwards, a rich merchant sailed from a distant land and anchored his ship in the harbor. He visited the home of the Poor Brother and asked about the Mill, for he had heard how wonderful it was.

"Will it grind salt?" the merchant asked.

"Yes, indeed!" said the Poor Brother. "It will grind anything in the whole world excepting snow and ham."

"Let me borrow the Mill for a short time, and great will be your reward," said the merchant.

He thought it would be much easier to fill his ship with salt from the Mill, than to make a long voyage across the ocean to procure his cargo.

The Poor Brother consented gladly. The merchant went away with the Mill. He did not wait to find out how to stop the grinding.

When the merchant went aboard the ship, he said to the captain, "Here is a great treasure. Guard it carefully."

The captain thought that the little Mill did not appear very wonderful, but he placed it upon the deck of the ship. Then he ordered the sailors to their posts of duty, and the ship sailed away.

When they were out at sea, the merchant said, "Captain, we need not go any further upon our voyage. The Mill will grind out salt enough to fill the hold of the ship."

So saying he cried,

"Grind, quickly grind, little Mill,
Grind SALT--with a right good will!"
And the Mill ground salt, and more salt, and still more salt. When the hold of the ship was full of salt, the merchant cried, "Now you must stop, little Mill."

But the little Mill did not stop. It kept on grinding salt, and more salt, and still more salt.

The captain shouted, "We shall be lost! The ship will sink!"

One of the sailors called, "Ahoy, captain! Throw the Mill overboard."

So, heave ho! Heave ho! And overboard went the wonderful Mill, down to the bottom of the deep sea.

The captain and his crew sailed home with the merchant's cargo of salt.

But the Mill kept on grinding salt at the bottom of the sea.

AND THAT IS WHY THE SEA IS SALT.

Hannah Banana

By Josh Ingram

In the deepest jungle of Africa, there lived a family of monkeys. There was a Mama Monkey, and a Papa Monkey, and they had a young daughter named Hannah.
The monkey family lived very happily swinging and playing in the trees and vines. But unfortunately, it wasn't all play. Papa Monkey had to make sure their home in the canopy was warm and protected.

Mama was responsible for the sewing and cooking of the family's meals. Hannah helped with the cleaning, but her main chore was to collect all the bananas and other fruit for the monkey family's meals.

One morning, Mama Monkey said to Hannah, "Tomorrow is your Papa's birthday. I want to surprise him with his favorite, Banana Rama Lama, Tootie Fruit Cake. I need you to gather all the special ingredients.

Hannah smiled at her mother. She was excited about going on an adventure. "Okay, Mama, what do we need?"

She was so happy that she could barely sit still. Mama pulled a small piece of paper
out of her apron. It was a list of ingredients for the cake.

"Try to be back before the moon goes down," Mama said. Hannah took the list and kissed her mother. She creeped around her sleeping Papa and disappeared into the jungle.

Hannah Banana swung through the trees from vine to vine. She was a very quick little monkey, and she gained speed as she climbed. Hannah pulled out the list and read the first ingredient. She needed three Wala-Wala Berries from the Great Wala-Wala Tree. She knew the jungle quite well from traveling with her father and reached the Great Wala-Wala Tree in just under an hour.

Wrapped around the tree was a huge snake named 'Seth'. He was munching on the Wala-Wala Berries as Hannah came near. Hannah grabbed a branch and started to pick a few berries. She pulled and pulled, but the berries would not come off the branch. "Stop, says I," whispered the snake.

"Please, sir," pleaded Hannah, "I need three Wala-Wala Berries for my mother's cake."

The snake squinted at Hannah. "Swell," said Seth, "Certainly showing some singing skill should salvage some delicious, succulent berries from Seth's stock." Seth started to sing and Hannah repeated... "Sweet Wala-Wala Berry Tree... Sweet Wala-Wala Berry Tree... Won't you share a song with me? Won't you share a song with me? Swing your branches, make it funky. Swing your branches, make it funky. Drop three berries for this monkey."

As they finished singing, the wind started to blow and the branches at the top of the Great Wala-Wala Tree began to swing. Three plump berries fell from the branch above Hannah and landed in her pouch. She smiled at the sly snake and said, "Thank you for your help, good sir." The snake smiled at her. "Sure, sister. Singing silly songs has saved your celebration snack. Safe travels. So long."

Hannah waved to the snake one last time as she swung away through the trees. She looked at her list again. Her next special ingredient was a handful of Tiki Grass which she knew only grew at the bottom of the Great Tiki Lake. The lake was only a few miles away, so Hannah raced through the jungle as fast as she could.

The animals were all waking up as Hannah climbed. All around her, she could hear the colorful birds singing, and below her, the tigers were growling and the frogs were croaking to each other. When she reached the Great Tiki Lake, she heard loud roaring and big splashing. It scared little Hannah Banana at first, but then she saw that it was just a family of hippos bathing and playing in the lake. The hippos were diving down into the depths to reach the long bushels of Tiki grass that
grew at the murky bottom. Hannah walked up to the shore and all the hippos stopped playing and stared at her. A very large, very grumpy hippo floated over to where Hannah was sitting. "How dare you disturb our..." The hippo paused and rolled his head back in the water, roaring, "RAARRR! My tooth! The pain! It hurts!" The huge hippo glared at Hannah and rubbed his mouth.

But Hannah, being a very smart, very crafty little monkey, saw a way she could get some Tiki Grass from the bottom of the hippos' lake.

"Please, sir," said Hannah Banana, "Maybe I can help your tooth if you do me a favor and get me a mouth-full of Tiki Grass."

The hippo squinted at Hannah and started to laugh. "Ha! How can a little monkey help a big strong hippo? Ha, ha!" The hippo continued to laugh with his mouth wide open. The other hippos laughed with him.

Hannah suddenly jumped into the mouth of the big hippo. She immediately saw the tooth that was causing so much pain and she pulled it out, using all her strength. When the tooth popped out, Hannah flew backwards into the water. The huge hippo roared in pain, but once the sting was gone he had no more pain at all. The wet monkey climbed out of the lake and shook herself dry on the shore. She put the big hippo tooth in her pouch and turned around to see five hippos with mouths full of Tiki Grass. They dropped the bushels of grass in front of Hannah. One hippo said to her, "Thank you so much, little monkey. Our father has been complaining about that tooth for many months."

Hannah grabbed a handful of Tiki Grass and set out on her way, waving goodbye to the happy family of hippos.

The third and fourth ingredients were easy for Hannah to find. She grabbed twelve bananas and plucked fifteen flower petals from some Papola Plants. The last ingredient was a stalk of Bona Cane, the special sweet sugar that could only be found at the top of the Great Mount Conanai. Little Hannah Banana was afraid because of all the scary bedtime stories she'd heard about the Mountain from her Mother and Father. The sun was setting and the jungle was getting darker and scarier. Hannah grabbed her pouch and started to move. The sounds she heard in the jungle were much creepier than those she'd heard earlier in the day. After traveling a few miles, she reached the base of the Great Mount Conanai. It was a very steep climb. She knew she couldn't take too long or she'd miss her Father's birthday. For twenty minutes, she climbed straight up. After a while, she became tired, being a small monkey and carrying three juicy Wala-Wala Berries, a handful of thick wet Tiki Grass, twelve plump bananas, and fifteen Papola petals.

When she reached the halfway point, she looked up into the sky. The moon was rising over the Mountain. A colorful parrot with a long beak flew down and landed on a branch near Hannah.

"Would you like a ride to the top?" asked the parrot.

"Yes, please," said Hannah with appreciation.

"I've been following you all day, young one. Your mother asked me to watch out for
you."

Hannah was happy to see the bird and she grabbed his feet. They slowly flew to the top of the Mountain. At the summit, there was ample sugar cane growing everywhere. Hannah cut off some Bona Cane and stuffed it in her pouch. She said to the friendly bird, "That's the last ingredient. Now we can go." Just as the bird was about to speak, a loud buzz came over the Mountain.

The colorful parrot immediately flew away, as well as all the other birds on the Mountain. The buzzing got louder and closer. It seemed as if the inside of the Mountain was buzzing. Suddenly, a swarm of giant bees came up from the ground. It appeared as if the whole top of the mountain was one big beehive. Hannah was terrified. She ran into the thick of the sugar cane and hid her pouch.

"BUZZZZ...bring back our Bona Cane. BUZZZZ! Little monkey, how dare you steal our sacred crop? BUZZZ!" Hannah came out from her hiding place.
"Please sir," she cried, "I need just a small amount of your special sugar for my Father's birthday cake."

The Chief Bee scowled at little Hannah Banana. This time, the monkey's polite manners would not be enough to convince the giant bee clan. So she started to think about a crafty way to get out of her bad situation.

Suddenly, the bees' buzzing was drowned out by a great chirping and flapping of wings as every bird in the jungle rose over the Mountain to help little Hannah. They were led by the friendly parrot who had helped Hannah up the mountain. Five small birds flew down and picked up Hannah. The other birds attacked the army of giant bees, and the red parrot snuck into the sugar cane thicket and snatched up Hannah's purple pouch. The birds carried Hannah high above the jungle.

She saw the Great Tiki Lake, but the hippos were all asleep. She saw the Great Wala-Wala Tree, and the snake was singing himself a lullaby and having a bedtime snack. Finally, they reached the monkey family's canopy and the small birds dropped Hannah onto a branch above her home.

She climbed down and tiptoed around her sleeping Father. Mother was waiting up for little Hannah Banana.

"Welcome back, my child," her Mother said. But Hannah did not smile.

"I failed you, Mother. All the ingredients are stuck on Mount Conanai."

But her Mother pulled from behind her back Hannah's empty pouch. A tired bird sat by the oven, helping to bake the cake. He said to Hannah, "I forgot to tell you, little one, that Banana Rama Lama Rootie Tootie Fruit Cake is my favorite too. I get the second largest slice after your Papa!"

Hannah Banana yawned a little monkey yawn, closed her eyes, and fell fast asleep.
When she awoke the next morning, they celebrating her Father's birthday. The colorful parrot handed her a piece of the special cake and it was the best thing she had ever tasted.

The monkey family enjoyed the birthday thanks to Hannah Banana. They lived happy monkey lives in the deepest jungle of Africa.

THE END

The Girl who Married a Bear

Based on a Native American Indian Legend.

Peesunt was the Chief's daughter. She was vain and proud. She was always combing her long black hair, waiting for people to say how beautiful it was and how her skin was soft.

She believed she didn't have to behave like the others and that everyone should respect her because of her father.

One day she went into the forest to pick berries, with other girls from the tribe.

As they walked further and further under the trees, the others became nervous. They started to sing softly.

"Why are you singing?" asked Peesunt. "We're frightened of disturbing the animals" said one. "We need to let them know we're coming - especially the bears."

"Bears are ugly and smelly" sniffed Peesunt. "I don't care if I disturb them!" "Please don't say that" begged another. "They'll hear you and be very angry." "Let them!" said Peesunt. "I'm the Chief's daughter and I don't have to worry about disturbing smelly old bears!"

They came to a clearing and were even more scared to be in the open. Then they saw bushes full of berries and started to filled their baskets.

The day went quickly and they forgot all about the bears as they laughed and talked while they picked the fruit. When the sun began to prepare for sleep, their baskets were full.

"We must leave now" one girl said to Peesunt, "before it gets dark. The animals won't like us disturbing their sleep." "Why should I care?" asked Peesunt. "I want to pick more berries." The others were frightened and started walking.

Peesunt sighed and followed them, but then she saw another bush with the biggest and juiciest berries all over it. "I must pick those" she said to herself. "I'll go back with the best berries and people will say 'Of course. She's the Chief's daughter!"

Quickly she picked the berries until her basket was overflowing. The others were out of sight, singing and talking, not noticing that Peesunt wasn't with them.

She rushed to catch up and the strap on her basket broke and all the berries spilled onto the ground. As she bent to scoop them up, a handsome young man appeared, wrapped in a bearskin cloak.

"Can I help you, Peesunt?" he asked. "How do you know my name?" asked the girl. "Everyone knows of beautiful Peesunt, the Chief's daughter. You are so beautiful, you must be her." "That is true" said Peesunt. "Everyone knows of my beauty."

When they had filled the basket again, the young man fixed the strap so Peesunt could carry it. The sun had almost gone to sleep and the forest was becoming dark.

"It's too late for you to walk back to your village" the young man said. "My people would be honoured if you would stay with us overnight." Peesunt did not know what to do, so she shook her long black hair, vainly and said she would stay.

When they came to his village, she saw other people, all wearing bearskin cloaks. The women would not speak or look at her. They kept their eyes on the ground.

The young man led her to the centre of the village, where people were sitting around a fire. She was welcomed by their chief, who was old and wore a crown made from bear claws.

After everyone had eaten and talked, the chief stood up and looked at Peesunt. "You will stay in this village forever and marry my young nephew, who brought you here." "I will not!" shouted Peesunt. "I am Peesunt - daughter of the chief of my tribe!"

"Enough. I have spoken" said the old man. He waved to two men and they took her to her new husband's lodge. Standing inside, scared and confused, Peesunt heard a little voice squeaking "Peesunt! Peesunt!"

She looked around, but couldn't see anyone. Then she felt something tugging at her dress. Looking down, she saw the tiny Mouse Woman.

"Peesunt. Listen to me! This is very important! These are the Bear People. The chief heard you say that bears were dirty and smelly and that you weren't afraid of them - and he was angry.

You must show respect to your new husband and always obey him. If you don't, you'll be made a slave like the other women."

"And if you try to escape, the Bear People will become angry again and kill you" squeaked Mouse Woman. Peesunt understood the warning and changed her ways. She became respectful and obeyed her husband.

She noticed that when the men left the village they turned into bears and when they returned, they became men again.

She was no longer vain and proud. She worked hard and stayed with the Bear People for a long time. She gave birth to two sons, who were both half man and half bear. Peesunt's husband was kind to her and Mouse Woman taught her many things. But she missed her family.

One day, strangers were seen outside the village. Peesunt's husband told her the men were her brothers. "They found bear tracks when you went missing and they have killed many of my people since then. They will not stop looking for you."

He looked at Peesunt sadly. "I've dreamed that they will kill me. I know you love them very much, and I won't hurt them. I ask that they treat me with respect as you have, Peesunt.

They must not drag my body on the ground after they have taken my skin. My feathers must be placed behind my ears and red ochre rubbed on my back."

He stroked Peesunt's long black hair and said goodbye to his sons. Then he put on his bear cloak and started to walk out of the village. Peesunt followed him and saw him turn into a bear. Holding his arms out in front of him, he went to meet the brothers. He let them kill him without struggling.

"Peesunt, our sister! It's so good to see you again!" shouted the brothers. Peesunt cried for her dead husband and with joy to see her brothers again.

She made them treat her husband's body as he had asked and they took her and her two sons back to her father's village.

The people from her tribe looked at her closely and were amazed to see soft brown hair growing on her beautiful skin. She was no longer fully human.

Peesunt told her father, the Chief "I don't feel comfortable living with people now. May I live in the small house at the edge of the village?" "Yes my daughter, you can" said her father.

Peesunt took her two cubs and lived in the small house. One day, one of her brothers brought her some bearskins to make warm clothing for the winter. Peesunt and her children put the skins around them and turned into bears forever. She took the cubs into the mountains and they were never seen again.

The people of her tribe remembered how the daughter of their chief had married a bear and taught them to respect any bear that they killed.

They followed her teaching and were very successful hunters.

THE END

The Red Dragon

A long long time ago most of the animals on earth looked very different from how they look now.

Some were thinner, some were taller and some had more legs than they have today.

The Rhinoceros and the Hippopotamus were very vain and always boring the other animals, asking them to admire their good looks.

"Haven't I got the most handsome face you've ever seen?" the Rhinoceros would ask, as he turned his head from side to side. "Don't you think my left side is as handsome as my right?".

"Look at my slim body" the Hippopotamus would answer. "Isn't this the most beautiful body you've ever seen?"

"Huuh!" the Elephant would trumpet. "Look at my beautiful ivory teeth. They're the most perfect teeth in the world". And he would smile, showing two rows of gleaming ivory teeth.

Every thing was peaceful and boring until one day a red dragon flew down from the sky shouting "The world is going to end! The world is going to end!"

"We've heard that one before" said the lion, with a bored sigh. "The chicken said the sky was falling, but nothing happened".

"It's for real this time. The world is coming to an end!" yelled the red dragon.

"How do you know" the others asked.

"A wizard told me" he replied.

"Then it must be true" they all said. "What shall we do?"

"You can all climb onto my back and I'll fly you to another world" said the red dragon.

They all rushed to get on the dragon's back except the lion.

"I'm king around here and I'm not frightened of anything" he roared. "I'm going to stay here on earth".

"I'm going to stay too" said the tiger, getting down.

"Tigers are just as brave as lions".

When the other animals were ready, the dragon flapped his wings, jumped into the air and came down again.

With such a heavy load on his back he had to try it several times before he took off.

As the red dragon flew higher it was uncomfortable for the animals squeezed onto his back and some of them became scared. They began to fight and push each other.

"Get your tail out of my eye" yelled one.

"Watch where you're putting that paw" yelled another.

"Oh, we're going very high" squeaked a mouse.

"Give me a break and sit still" cried the red dragon. "All you're fighting and shoving is making it very hard for me to fly".

The animals ignored him and finally the red dragon became so tired he couldn't flap his wings any more and started to fall out of the sky.

The animals slid off his back and fell towards the ground screaming in panic. No one was killed but they all landed with a mighty thud.

The snakes legs fell off and he slithered away in the grass.

The Rhinoceros landed on his face, making a large bump on his nose that turned into a horn.

The Hippopotamus kept rolling and bumping over the hillside, getting bigger and fatter until he finally splashed into a waterhole. He was so embarrassed at how round and fat he was, he wouldn't come out.

The elephant broke all his teeth except for two that stuck into the ground. When he tried to pull them out of the ground they stretched into the two long tusks he has today.

The giraffe caught his head in a high tree and his neck stretched and stretched until his body reached the ground.

In fact all the animals changed into how they look today.

The lion and tiger roared with laughter at how funny the other animals looked now.

"I don't see what's so funny" snapped the crocodile, whose face had been flattened by a gorilla landing on it.

The Rhinoceros was very angry about losing his good looks. That's why you have to be very careful near them, even today.

THE END