Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
By J P Ronan
Drawing by M X McDonald
1
Introduction
An eve’s repose with a tranquil mind, music and warm brandy may lift the
humble soul. The reader shares not the moment of its origin but the visitor is
welcomed to split the benefits of the verse forged herein.
May the writings here placed forth bring serenity and respite to the being of
those who are curious.
Drawing by M X McDonald
NSBN 1526373849 A
Published by Ronan’s Press in 2009
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Dedicated to the loving memory of Mary Ann McElwain
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Catalog
Winter:
Winter’s Still
It is?
Beneath the Boughs
When
Kind Words
Grandma’s Hearth
Christmass Tree
My Leave
Dreams
Simpler
101 Famous Poems
Rusted Rail
Better Wishes
Soldiers
Grandpa’s Cellar
Acclaim
One Wish
Visiting
What to do?
Life’s List
Lawful
Taxes
Mid winter
Snowy Path
Mild Winter’s Warmth
First Buds
My Worth
They Wait
Life
Winter’s End
Holiday Cheer
New Year
4
Turkey’s reign
Where Christmass Goes
Spring:
Springtime’s Calendar
Robin’s Nest
First
Purple Blossoms
Phlox
Hidden
Spring Rain
She shows
Spring’s Torrent
She Moves
Aged Mother Dear
A Good Son
Spring Rain
El Nino
First Buds
Muses:
Gifts Come
Simpler
Writing
Confused?
Living Life’s End
Smiles
Whisky
City Street?
5
Cruelle
Grandma’s Crow
Coyotes
Grandma’s Pal
Jay Jay
When
Love:
Mother’s Passing
Sister in Prayer
Some Cousins
Young Wife
Age Mother Dear
Parents Lost
I
Love’s Progression
Love’s Cause
Who Would?
Highland Woman
Tales:
A Forest of Magic
Framer Cloug’s Chicken Story
The Man Who Becomes King
The Princess Who Fooled the Man Who Brings Winter
The Witch Who Stole Children
6
___________Winter________
Winter’s Still
7
Midst life most full
∞∞
8
It is?
9
Abused by heat and mechanical plunder,
10
To all mankind it allures.
It is weakness, it is need.
∞∞
11
Holiday Cheer
12
Each to other, each to bear.
∞∞
13
Explore fresh surface with height that unable.
∞∞
14
When
∞∞
15
Kind Words
16
But hold closer by prayers of remembrance.
∞∞
17
Grandma’s Hearth
∞∞
18
19
Chrismass Tree
B
The
Earth
Happy
Tonight
Christmass
Cheer proceed
Peace fulfilling
Good hearts lifting
Love’s gift compelling
Forgiveness to us dwells
Prayer for others answering
Till heavens gate be opening
God
Son
Spirit
Reign
______ ________ _________
| Christ | | is | | born |
-------- ----------- --------------
∞∞
20
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My Leave
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It is only the present that holds no love!
∞∞
23
Dreams
∞∞
24
Simpler
Simple is preferred,
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Odd coaches in groups abound,
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Centricity defies universality,
∞∞
27
101 Famous Poems
28
“Grass” by Sandburg has few but most forceful tones,
∞∞
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Rusted Rail
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My last steps shall fall where called to be,
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Thoughts of parent, child and spouse,
∞∞
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Better Wishes
33
Better good friends and our health do we maintain.
∞∞
34
Soldiers
∞∞
35
Grandpa’s Cellar
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To a boy child his first vision draws,
∞∞
Acclaim
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No dreams did unfold to guide his fate,
∞∞
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One Wish
∞∞
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Visiting
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A collection of fresh packages bound in color and frill,
∞∞
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What to do?
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Worry and deceit shall never be base to a life of bliss!
∞∞
Life’s List
43
Would he another wife ever need to make?
If man choose not but love from those that be his kind,
∞∞
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Lawful
∞∞
46
Taxes
∞∞
47
Mid winter
∞∞
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Snowy Path
That the cold shall let stand long on soil and lake.
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The winds from all directions seem sent,
The snow quickly flies past with steps brisk or with none,
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The top of birdbath emerges as castle of frost,
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Only to the adventurer does nature display.
∞∞
52
Mild Winter’s Warmth
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∞∞
First Buds
∞∞
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My Worth
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How to others then am I to be judged?
∞∞
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They Wait
About small circles they collect where all are joined to stay.
Hat and bag will drop to ground in damp and frost the same.
∞∞
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Life
Merely in life,
∞∞
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Winter’s End
∞∞
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Holiday Cheer
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∞∞
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New Year
New cheers,
New beers,
New tiers,
New peers
New gears,
But,
Old taxes,
Old bills,
Old debts,
Old habits,
Old shoes,
Stalemate!
∞∞
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Turkey’s reign
Turkey bake,
Turkey loaf,
Turkey pie,
Turkey gravy,
Turkey stew,
Turkey casserole,
Turkey toast,
Turkey surprise,
Turkey sandwich,
Turkey neck,
Turkey cards,
Turkey pattern,
Turkey lights,
Turkey parade,
Turkey Day!
∞∞
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Where Christmass goes
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Festively laid in South American place,
∞∞
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__________Spring_________
Springtime’s Calendar
∞∞
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Robin’s Nest
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Warmly huddled together they hold in community perch,
∞∞
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First
∞∞
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Purple Blossoms
And herald to the ground of tiny buds the warm winds to bring.
∞∞
72
Phlox
And from the floor of earth their spring colors early show,
∞∞
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Hidden
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∞∞
Spring Rain
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∞∞
She shows
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Stilled by unmoving concern,
As robins to nest,
As bees to swam,
∞∞
Spring’s Torrent
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Life’s refuge holds below weighty branch,
∞∞
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She Moves
Not by reason,
Not by plan,
She moves.
By divine consent,
By eternal form,
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By majestic appeal,
By prosperous reach,
∞∞
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Aged Mother Dear
Unsteady feet,
Unable hands,
Confused in thought,
No weakness break,
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No year fatigue,
∞∞
A Good Son
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Father’s word to heed he shall lastly take,
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Honor in act maintained,
No fault persists,
No sin deforms,
∞∞
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Spring Rain
∞∞
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El Nino
Moist…………...Damp……………Wet.
∞∞
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First Buds
∞∞
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___________Muses___________
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Gifts come not,
∞∞
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Simpler
Simple is preferred,
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Lost coaches abound,
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Centricity defies universality,
∞∞
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The beautiful game
∞∞
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Writing
Word added,
Word removed,
Words condensed,
Words rearranged,
Words replaced.
∞∞
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Confused?
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Ants in letters yours be sanitarily poors.
∞∞
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Living life’s End
∞∞
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Smiles
Invite,
Welcome,
Forgive,
Approve,
Reward,
Comfort,
Heal,
Instruct,
Please,
Share,
Nurture,
Love,
Inform,
Laugh,
∞∞
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Whisky
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Sherry makes purry,
∞∞
100
City Street?
∞∞
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Cruelle
∞∞
102
Grandma’s Crow
∞∞
103
Coyotes
∞∞
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Grandma’s Pal
∞∞
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Jay Jay
∞∞
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_______________Love___________
Mother’s Passing
∞∞
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Sister in prayer
No angel,
No saint,
No intercessor,
∞∞
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Some Cousins
In hospital.
In jail,
In debt,
Indigent,
In need,
In our prayers.
∞∞
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Young Wife
∞∞
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Aged Mother Dear
Unsteady feet,
Unable hands,
Confused in thought,
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Tender memories stay true.
No weakness break,
No year fatigue,
∞∞
113
Parents Lost
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Our release will inspire,
Amen
∞∞
115
I
I love you
I need you
I want you
I desire you
I hold you
I with you
I you
YOU
∞∞
116
Love’s Progression
To
You
Send
Loves
Future
Promise
Together
∞∞
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Love’s Cause?
∞∞
118
Who Would?
119
Who would to undeserving give love,
As we such be?
∞∞
120
Highland Woman
∞∞
121
When
∞∞
122
________________Tales______________
A Forest of Magic
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In an ancient time a land is home to a forest of magic. A pool of water
the woods.
unequal halves.
The bright rust color of its fur allows the stag to pass among
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The deer moves close to a place of the wee folk.
stag observes four small men. They are digging roots and
light sparkle.
“How is one to have beer with his supper? There are no big
ground hog.
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The stag moves onward deeper into the darkest woods. As he
wonders, the sound of laughter and music call him into a camp
A band of spirit folk make music and dance with the lost
and beat drums. Harps made from tree branch and spider’s
Small children fly through knotty holes that mar the oaks.
Black birds carry tiny men and women elves through the
Little trumpets of gold sound as the birds fly about with such
dwell there.
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In the center of the forest is a lone lofty mountain which
vapor.
Our deer scout will not come near this place. He as well as all
the creatures of the forest, animal and spirit alike takes much
dread by it.
land. For many such reasons the people have long made this
This forest is also home to Eta. She is a true spirit child of the
forest.
almost barren. The trees will not grow here nor bush nor holly.
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He waits and watches.
The tiny lights make busy among the sparse bracken on the
Our stag emerges into land east and out of the forbidden
forest.
home.
∞∞
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Farmer Cloug’s Chicken Story
A tale that should have been told for generations to children in the early
“In the spring time when families stroll to search for the first flowers,
inevitably one comes upon a bird’s egg lying abandoned upon the open
ground. The lost egg is always found misplaced, broken and empty. Often, if
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“The robin is a bird that tends little its nest as it must dance from sunrise to
sun set upon the earth that holds the worm. So then the birds that prey seek
the nest unprotected. Without difficulty the robin’s egg is carried away so
that the contents may be eaten. Much practiced is the blue bird and raven in
such tactics.”
“In years past there was a ranch up toward the higher ground. It was a short
flight by feathers from the tallest mountain peaks. This here homestead was
set in a natural ravine with one narrow access way at each end. Wide enough
it was that the family kept chicken, goose, and turkey easily. So bountiful
was the ranch that the number of birds became sufficiently large that the
“The raven is a bold intelligent rascal who is capable of stealing from any
nest. They are grand fliers as good as any critter in the air. Seems some
ravens will try their thieving ways as far away as the mountain tops.”
“One day a black bird was carrying an egg what it made off with from a
distant nest. It wanted to take that egg to its own home form dinner. It
“Well sir that raven was so anxious and in such a hurry to return with that
stolen egg to its neighborhood it just got right clumsy and dropped the
thing.”
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“Down from above the egg tumbled with that crow a cawing and fussing
“That there one egg landed smack dab in the center of the old chicken ranch.
Fell right into a pile of hay in the chicken yard. Landed safe and sound.
Caused a mighty stir among them hens what feared for the welfare of that
“There was one larger than normal female chicken what won out and toke to
‘Well by and by that egg took to hatching. Out came a bird what weren’t no
chicken, or duck, or turkey. It was a might good sized critter and a mighty
strange looking peep. In no time this here hatchling was a big as any rooster”
“In fact them roosters began at once to pick on the critter whilst it were still
a baby.”
“Before them roosters could do any harm to that young bird it grew to be
taller than any thing what was in the chicken yard. In a matter of a few
weeks that there new hatched bird grew to stand over three feet tall.”
“Believe it or not that ravine had stole an eagle egg. It weren’t no small
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“That eaglet thought it were as much a chicken as any other in the yard. It
went about strutting and pecking just as the hen what hatched it. It’s
different size and color didn’t make no mind for any critter on the ranch.”
“That there young eagle was accepted as being as proper a chicken as any
“So large was it’s eagle beak and eagle claws that critters what normally
would hunt for chickens got sacred off. No hawk, or falcon, or other eagle
would swoop near the ranch. The weasel, the mink, the fox all feared to
become dinner for the great eagle in the chicken yard. All the birds in the
ranch hailed the wonderful changes the eaglet brought to their lives.
“That there eagle never had cause to learn to fly. It never left its chicken
“To this day some say there are found up in them mountains chickens 3 to 4
feet in height with dark feathers like an eagle except for the chicken colored
white heads and tails.” “Them mountain chickens are fond of perching in
the tallest trees and that’s about the only place one can see then.”
∞∞
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133
The Man Who Becomes King
In early Celtic times, a legend grew among fairy folk of a human that
came to be king. In the ancient Isle of Mahr lived a people called Chead.
The son of a Druid named Oiche was called to service by the king. He
carries a magical spear made with metal made from a fairy’s fire. An elf’s
tale of how this man came to wed is here rendered by Maeve, the eldest
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“While on patrol in the western coast of the ancient Celtic Isle of Mahr, The
young king’s soldier, Oiche passes into a remote seaside village of the
Chead.”
“Upon the last storm to wash the coast, a fisherman was lost from the last
boat making its way home from the sea. The young sailor has left a wife,
village.”
“Now the king's law provides that an unpaid debt is to be settled by way of
placing one or all of the debtor's family into slavery. This is decreed until
“Although the size of the debt is quite small and as the land is poor, no one
wants more hungry mouths to be feeding. The widow is without the hope of
assistance.”
“The debtor is a hard ugly man and is insisting that the woman’s children be
taken for sale in the capital city of Cliath whence the amount due is to be
remitted. In addition, he demands the widow to work under his roof to clean
and cook. Once more, this is proper under the king's law.”
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“The young widow woman is hysterical.”
“She says, she’ll kill any wretch whose hand reaches for a child. She asks,
to let her have the husband's place at sea until the fish run and the debt be
settled as agreed.”
“The greedy villain sees only an opportunity to collect the debt and make the
“Oiche is overpowered.”
“The plain looking woman is in a piteous state, and the three very young
“The soldier wishes the debt to be settled and the lost sailor's family left
suitably provided.”
“No other party in the village or there about is soon to take on a debt with
the black heart of the likes of the one standing over the woman now.”
“Oiche has no choice but to pay the debt at once and take on the care of the
widow and her children by himself or he will have to take them all straight
week.”
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“Now the flat land of the west of the island is full of brush and briars and
wild boar roaming at the plenty. The openness of the land makes the hunting
“Oiche has the idea of making a deep circular pit in a clearing of trees next
to the field where the great boars are fond of foraging. Here the smell, the
sound and the scent of an intruder give early notice to the beasts which they
“The boars are large, some nearing the size of a small cow in height and
“All through the night, while the pigs sleep in their boroughs, Oiche
“He digs a large pit covered over with patches of brush and makes a swing
of vine to carry him safely across to the other side of the pit.”
“Oiche climbs atop a tree above the pit and looks out, seeking for the great
“It was not long before the movement of many hoofs and snorts fill the air
from a short distance away at the opposite side of the field with gently
sloping hills. They graze and play while their mother eats grass and root.”
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“Oiche climbs down the tree quietly, and focuses his attention on three
piglets wondering off a ways from the mother’s side. He covers himself with
“He heads toward the side of the field where the piglets graze. He turns the
shaft of his spear so that its fairy blade rotates in the light of the early sun to
“When he is within twenty feet from them, he charges onward with his spear
and impales one of the small boars. It lets out a loud anguished squeal, and
“In one fast charge of fury, the huge boar makes straight towards him with
her tusks erect and her squealing brood behind her. Any thread of caution in
the sow gives way to the frenzy of a charging pack of ravenous pigs.”
“The bunch races out in mass onto the thatch covering the pit. Oiche dares
not look behind, for a moments delay may cost him his life. He grabs hold of
the swing and hears the cries of the brood behind him as they fall into the
pit.”
“Here Oiche slays the great beast with his spear and holds captured
“The meat from the female boar fills four barrels for that’s how large was
she.”
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“Oiche pays the widow’s debt.”
“The woman and her three children, two barrels of pork and piglets would
find their way to a new home in an abandoned ring fort of the west. The
widow would by and by be taken as Oiche's wife. She would bear him
∞∞
139
The Princess Who Fooled the Man Who
Brings Winter
Early Native America tells in legend of the coming and passing of winter.
Here is a version that did not survive but it is worth pretending. Here the
native warrior named Mara Nar tells the tale over a campfire.
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“When the earth was very young, the land and the seasons were much
different. Our early ancestors lived not as we natives now. There were great
hairy beasts that ran the hills. Some had great long horns upon their head.
Some had great horns upon their face with noses longer than a man’s arm.
The skies were filled with birds of a size large enough to lift up a man full
grown.”
“The medicines of the early people were not as many as the medicines of
today.”
“The villages were small and distant, not as the great camp of Chief Many
Horns today.”
“So early was the time of the land that the horse was but the size of a large
“In winter sleds were drawn by hand or pack of dogs upon the snow.”
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“It was very dangerous for all that lived long ago. Great cats with teeth the
length of a man’s hand stalked the terrain. Great bears much larger than any
“Only by cunning and disguise could the natives hunt and live”.
“In the hills near here, a tribe of warriors dwelt long time ago. A small band
of hunters moved after the great herds of hairy beast as they roamed after
forage. In the middle of the year, when the earth warmed, the beasts would
“The natives could make long camp. In this time of the year, the women
“”During this period the newborn would have time to grow strong enough to
“Among this tribe was an older woman and wife of the chief that was to
give birth before winter resumed. She had not carried an unborn child for 16
springs. Her last child, a princess would come of age at the time of the
coming birth.’
“One by one the other pregnant women of the tribe gave birth.”
“The elder maiden was having difficulty because of her advanced years.”
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“The medicine men told the woman’s family that if the birth was late then
the mother and the child would not likely survive the first months of the new
snows.”
“The maiden’s daughter was distraught. The princess sought the advice of
all in the tribe. None could comfort her. There was no medicine, no practice,
“She held her mother’s hand and prayed sacred chants to their ancestors.
“Late in the warm time no birth has arrived for the mature maiden. All in the
“There is a spirit who brings winter and later he returns to take winter away.
“Here at the native’s long camp the coming of winter is first seen along the
trail that follows down through the high passes of the mountains.”
“The maiden’s daughter decides to make a camp in the midst of the trail to
be used by the man who brings winter. So alone by herself away from the
protection of the warriors’ bow and spear the young girl resided”.
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“Day after day the girl waited. Then at last came a tiny old man wearing a
enter”.
“It is also the custom to ask permission to leave a camp once entered.”
“It is the further custom to offer assistance to the camp while present.”
“The old man finds a beautiful young princess living alone. He was much
“The young native girl was busy crushing white hazel nuts between two
The princess sent him back up into the passes to gather more of the special
“Again he found the handsome young maiden alone. She was again busy but
this time she was boiling herbal leaves from a red birch tree. The work was
so consuming that he had to offer assistance to his desirable host. Again the
old man was asked to search the highlands but this time for the rare precious
leaf.”
144
“The lovely young native girl was yet found busy”.
“The old man was now late upon his journey and wished to pass through her
“There was just one more task that needs his assistance then he should be
“The maiden produced a small white stone. It was perfectly round with a
natural hole passing through its center. There are only a dozen such stones
“So long delayed was the man who brings winter that the warm season had
“When the old man finally retuned from his task the young princess had long
“So impressed with the condition of the earth was the old spirit that he has
“This hot season upon the earth is named after that young princess who
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“The maiden’s native name means summer.”
∞∞
146
The Witch Who Stole Children
Tales from the old world. in difficult times persist yet today. The success of
these tales rely not on the possibility of their truth. It rests on the cause of
fear that may come to pass. Our story teller holds captive a group of
147
“In years long ago, in a land far from here, a land beyond the great ocean, a
land distant from any like unto our ways of living, there dwelt an evil
woman.”
“An old hag, her body curved with bend, she walked only with the help of a
“The weather had been cruel for several years all around the small kingdom
“The skies were gray and wet all year long even in the midst of summer”
“A cold settled over the land. A cool that can only be found in the deep of
“Only one person lived well amidst all the hardship. The hag showed no
hunger, she showed no cold, she showed only bitterness and resentment at
“This old monster of a female had four small children that in later years
would disappear. One at a time, in the middle of the night by torchlight the
148
ugly prune of a woman took her children to be sold in the land beyond the
“With each of her wicked crimes she became uglier and meaner.”
“Animals would not live with her. All ran from her presence.”
“Her body began to give an scent that repulsed all whom she passed. An
aroma that does not wash from the flesh as it is comes from inside a rotting
soul.”
“As the heart blackens, the need for wickedness becomes insatiable.”
“Darkness of the soul brings one in malevolence to haunt the shadows of the
night.”
“The detestable old ghoul was hardly ever seen and never to come under
human eye during the day. Only at night and more often only her putrid
“In the worst of those times, in the midst of the most severe want and need
about the land, when hope had vanished from all hearts, when tomorrows
149
came with more hardship than yesterdays, Children began to vanish from
their homes.”
“Mothers began to find the beds of the children empty at first light.”
“Fathers’ walked the day to search in vain for their lost ones.”
“One night the men gathered with axes, shovels, pitchforks. With torchlights
they mustered.”
“All the graves were covered with crucifixes so no sprits could emerge or
“The men dispersed in groups with canine to seek the trail left by a
decomposing soul.” “The first parties to take scent sounded their horns.
Across plowed field and wide meadow, along the bank of stream the host of
men pursued.”
“Out toward the mountains the hated hag made stride. The boom of the army
in chase, the frenzy of the baying hounds drove the malicious wench into a
“Her path is to end upon a ledge that over looks a deep rocky abyss. Here at
the narrowest point of the broken path the men halted. They collected
150
boulders to block the footpath. So high and so deep is the obstruction that no
one human can make way. The devilish hag is forever held at the far side.”
“A wooden crucifix washed and blest by Holy Water was mounted to hold
“To any who may dare, to those who chose to tread where angels shun, for
living souls that keep no faith, the evil on that mountain yet stands.”
“To the reckless who seek from near or far, there is dreadfulness that
“In present days, upon the foulest nights, sounds not just from gales of wind
but unnatural howls carry into the villages. The mothers still watch their
children in the night and the fathers hitherto guard their doors.”
∞∞
151