One day there was a girl named Seleke (sell-a-key). She lived in a house with her mother, not at the bottom of a cliff, and not at the top, but right in the middle about half way up. In the land above lived the Snarling Wolves. At the bottom of the cliff, beside the ocean, lived Ugly Giants.
It was night time. Seleke was in her bedroom. Her little bedroom window looked out over the sea. From it she could see many things.
There were great big waves on the ocean, and rocks in the water called shoals. Seleke's window could also see a tall, white lighthouse, called the Ptarmigan Light. The lighthouse shined a narrow beam of light in a big circle, to warn ships away from the rocks. The light meant, "Don't get too close! Danger!" because if ships hit rocks they can sink.
Seleke loved to watch the Ptarmigan Light shine its light around. When ever it was foggy, or rainy, or there was a storm, the Ptarmigan light would warn ships away from the dangerous shoals.
On this night Seleke went to bed to the sound of the lighthouse blowing its fog horn, like this (make a fog horn noise). Soon she fell asleep.
Seleke startled awake. It was late at night, and she would usually be sleeping, but a loud noise had woken her up.
There was a big storm happening outside! The wind blew. Her window shook. There was thunder, and lightning. (make crashes and such) It was the thunder that woke Seleke up.
Seleke looked out the window, down at the ocean below.
Seleke saw a ship! The wind was blowing so hard that the ship was having trouble steering. Then Seleke realized that the Ptarmigan Light was not shining. As she watched, the ship came closer and closer to the rocks.
"Mom! Mom!" said Seleke, "The light house is not shining."
Seleke's mother made her dress in warm clothes and a rain coat. She put on a big yellow hat, and big yellow boots. Then they lit lanterns and went outside into the wind and the rain.
When the lightning flashed they could see the ship. It had run aground on the rocks. Sailors were putting boats over the side and rowing towards shore. As they rowed, the ship was wrecked and sank below the waves.
"Those sailors need us." said Seleke's mother.
She got long ropes and lowered them over the cliff. When the sailors reached shore they climbed the ropes. Seleke brought each sailor back to the house. Soon the house was full of wet, cold sailors.
Seleke brought in wood for a fire, while her mother made hot chicken soup. The sailors were shivering with cold. When the fire got going, they all huddled around it, sipping their hot soup.
One sailor said, "Thank you for helping us. I am the first mate, Isaac Stern."
"What happened to the captain?" asked Seleke.
"We lost sight of the Ptarmigan Light, and the captain went down with the ship." said Isaac.
"The light was off," said Seleke, "I could not see it from my window."
"We saw the whole thing." said Isaac, "We were sailing through the storm, using the lighthouse to guide our course. Suddenly there was a big bolt of lightning from the sky. It hit the Ptarmigan light, kaboom! Then the light went out. It was so dark, and so rainy, we lost our way and hit the rocks. Now our ship is at the bottom of the ocean."
"You can all sleep here tonight." said Seleke's mother.
"Thank you." said Isaac. All the sailors said thank you.
"What was on your ship?" asked Seleke.
"We were carrying flashlights, and steam engine parts, and dump truck parts, and dolls." said Isaac, "Now they are below the waves, with our ship."
"I am sorry to hear that." said Seleke.
"So are we." said Isaac.
That night the sailors all slept on the floor in front of the fire. The next morning, Seleke woke up to the sound of hammers, and saws. Seleke found Isaac.
"What is going on?" she asked.
"We will be walking out of here soon," said Isaac, "But we wanted to show our gratitude. We are building a new room onto your house."
"But, why do we need a new room?" asked Seleke.
"Because," said her mother, "in four months you will have a new baby brother. This room is for him."
The next day the sailors finished the room and began their long walk home. It wasn't long before Seleke had a new baby brother. But that is another story.
The End
(c) 2008 Ken Demarest
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Seleke Finds Paul a Rod
One day there was a girl named Seleke (sell-a-key). She lived in a house with her mother, not at the bottom of a cliff, and not at the top, but about half way up. Above lived Snarling Wolves, and beside the ocean lived Ugly Giants.
Seleke was outside weeding their little garden when up came a little man with a bushy beard and a conical hat. It was the Conductor who rode with Paul the steam engine.
Paul is the name of the steam engine that works the tracks near Seleke's house. Seleke loved Paul's bright paint and polished brass. Even though Paul wasn't very big, and only pulled one passenger car, Seleke thought he was the most handsome engine in the world.
"Seleke!" said the conductor, "I'm so glad I found you at home."
"Conductor," Seleke said, "Your cheeks are all red. You are breathing hard. What has happened?"
"Paul has thrown a rod!" said the conductor.
"What does that mean?" asked Seleke.
"It means a part of him has broken, and he can not move. He needs a new rod." said the conductor.
Seleke said, "There is a sunken ship off shore here. We helped the sailors of that ship one night, and they told me they had a cargo of Steam Engine parts, including rods!"
Seleke and the conductor looked down at the sea. The was no wind, so the water was very still and very clear. The sunken ship was easy to see.
The conductor said, "How will we lift such a heavy rod from the ocean?"
Seleke said, "I have an idea."
Seleke got out her purple kite. Up and up into the air it flew. The conductor asked, "What are you doing?" but Seleke just said, "Wait and see!"
Soon a very large cloud appeared in the distance. The cloud got closer and closer, and Seleke could see a big windmill on the cloud. It was her friend the miller, who sold flour to Seleke's mother so she could make pancakes.
Seleke tied a note to the kite. The wind blew the note up and up. After reading the note, the miller lowered a rope with a great big basket on the end. Seleke and the conductor got in, and the miller used his windmill to winch them up.
"Hello Seleke!" cried the miller.
"Hello Mr. Miller!" said Seleke, "We need your help."
So here is what they did. First, the miller guided his cloud over the sunken ship. Then, using a great big hook, they lowered a rope down to the wreck. Then they jiggled. And they jostled. And jiggled some more, until the hook snagged onto a Steam Engine rod.
The rod was very heavy. Using the mill's sails they hoisted up the rod, and put it on the cliff near Seleke's house.
"Thank you Mr. Miller!" said Seleke.
"Thank you indeed!" said the conductor.
"You are very welcome. Good luck fixing Paul." said the miller.
Then Seleke and the conductor slid down the rope and landed near the rod. Using a wheel barrow, they carried the rod along the cliff ledge. Soon they came to a little door set right into the cliff face. The conductor took our a great big key. He unlocked the door. Inside was a great big train station hollowed right out of the cliff.
Seleke and the conductor rolled the wheel barrow along the train tracks. Paul was far away, deep in the tunnels, and he needed their help.
"I am so glad to see you!" said Paul, "I hate being stuck in this tunnel all alone."
The conductor got out a great big tool box. In the box was a huge wrench, almost as tall as you are. He used it to take off Paul's broken rod, like this: (make exagerated wrenching motions)
Then he use the wrench to put the new rod on.
"That is better!" said Paul, "Seleke thank you for helping us. Would you like a free ride?"
"Definitely!" said Seleke, and they road around all afternoon.
The End
(c) 2008 Ken Demarest
Seleke was outside weeding their little garden when up came a little man with a bushy beard and a conical hat. It was the Conductor who rode with Paul the steam engine.
Paul is the name of the steam engine that works the tracks near Seleke's house. Seleke loved Paul's bright paint and polished brass. Even though Paul wasn't very big, and only pulled one passenger car, Seleke thought he was the most handsome engine in the world.
"Seleke!" said the conductor, "I'm so glad I found you at home."
"Conductor," Seleke said, "Your cheeks are all red. You are breathing hard. What has happened?"
"Paul has thrown a rod!" said the conductor.
"What does that mean?" asked Seleke.
"It means a part of him has broken, and he can not move. He needs a new rod." said the conductor.
Seleke said, "There is a sunken ship off shore here. We helped the sailors of that ship one night, and they told me they had a cargo of Steam Engine parts, including rods!"
Seleke and the conductor looked down at the sea. The was no wind, so the water was very still and very clear. The sunken ship was easy to see.
The conductor said, "How will we lift such a heavy rod from the ocean?"
Seleke said, "I have an idea."
Seleke got out her purple kite. Up and up into the air it flew. The conductor asked, "What are you doing?" but Seleke just said, "Wait and see!"
Soon a very large cloud appeared in the distance. The cloud got closer and closer, and Seleke could see a big windmill on the cloud. It was her friend the miller, who sold flour to Seleke's mother so she could make pancakes.
Seleke tied a note to the kite. The wind blew the note up and up. After reading the note, the miller lowered a rope with a great big basket on the end. Seleke and the conductor got in, and the miller used his windmill to winch them up.
"Hello Seleke!" cried the miller.
"Hello Mr. Miller!" said Seleke, "We need your help."
So here is what they did. First, the miller guided his cloud over the sunken ship. Then, using a great big hook, they lowered a rope down to the wreck. Then they jiggled. And they jostled. And jiggled some more, until the hook snagged onto a Steam Engine rod.
The rod was very heavy. Using the mill's sails they hoisted up the rod, and put it on the cliff near Seleke's house.
"Thank you Mr. Miller!" said Seleke.
"Thank you indeed!" said the conductor.
"You are very welcome. Good luck fixing Paul." said the miller.
Then Seleke and the conductor slid down the rope and landed near the rod. Using a wheel barrow, they carried the rod along the cliff ledge. Soon they came to a little door set right into the cliff face. The conductor took our a great big key. He unlocked the door. Inside was a great big train station hollowed right out of the cliff.
Seleke and the conductor rolled the wheel barrow along the train tracks. Paul was far away, deep in the tunnels, and he needed their help.
"I am so glad to see you!" said Paul, "I hate being stuck in this tunnel all alone."
The conductor got out a great big tool box. In the box was a huge wrench, almost as tall as you are. He used it to take off Paul's broken rod, like this: (make exagerated wrenching motions)
Then he use the wrench to put the new rod on.
"That is better!" said Paul, "Seleke thank you for helping us. Would you like a free ride?"
"Definitely!" said Seleke, and they road around all afternoon.
The End
(c) 2008 Ken Demarest
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Seleke and the Balloon
One day there was a girl named Seleke. She lived with her mother, not at the bottom of a cliff, and not at the top, but right in the middle half way up. Above lived the Snarling Wolves and below lived the Ugly Giants.
Today, Seleke was out weeding her garden. When you put plants into a garden, like vegetables or flowers, you want them to grow. But sometimes other plants come into the garden. Those are weeds, and you pull them out of the ground and throw them away.
Seleke had a beautiful flower garden. She grew many different kinds of flowers, and she was always very careful to weed. She was just thinking how she needed some new flowers when she heard a noise from above.
(make the noise of a hot air balloon burner)
(burn, burn) Seleke looked up. Above her she saw the biggest balloon she had ever seen! It was as tall as her house. Hanging below it was a great big basket, and in the basket, a man. He pulled a chain and a special device called a "burner" sent hot air up into the balloon.
"Is that a hot air balloon?" Seleke called.
"Indeed!" called the man, "But I am lost. Can you direct me to the land of the Snarling Wolves?"
"Why would you want to go there?" Seleke asked, "It is so very dangerous!"
"I am on a quest," said the man, "to find a very rare flower called the Wolf's Jaw Orchid. It grows only in the land of the Snarling Wolves."
"But if you go there, won't the wolves eat you?" Seleke asked.
"That is what my balloon is for!" said the man, "I plan to fly high above and spy out the Orchid with this." and he pulled out a great, big, long telescope as long as you are tall. It was shiny, and brass, and the biggest Seleke had ever seen.
Seleke said, "The land of the Snarling Wolves is just above us, at the top of this cliff."
"Thank you," said the man, "Is that your garden?"
"Yes it is." Seleke replied.
"I could use a person who understood plants." said the man, "Perhaps you could come with me."
"I would love to," said Seleke, "but we do not know each other."
"My name is Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster." said the man as he put out his hand to shake.
"And mine is Seleke." said Seleke as she shook his hand.
Seleke ran inside to ask her mother if she could go with Sir Peter to find the Wolf Jaw Orchid.
At first her mother thought it was a bad idea, but when she peeked out the window and saw Sir Peter she said, "Oh! It is Sir Peter. I know all about him. You can go, as long as you promise not to set foot in the land of the Snarling Wolves. Do you promise?"
"Yes." said Seleke.
She ran outside and hopped into the basket.
Sir Peter pulled on his chain and the burner went (burn, burn). Slowly the balloon rose into the air, higher, and higher, and up above the land of the Snarling Wolves.
Below, Seleke could see the Squirrel's tree above her house, and Wolf's Head Rock where she had once followed Captain Slipjack, and even the Wolf's den. But no Orchid.
"When we find the Orchid, we are not going to pick it." said Sir Peter, "I would not want to harm such a rare and beautiful thing. We are just going to pick some seeds."
Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster handed Seleke the telescope. Seleke looked through it and the ground seemed very close. It really worked well!
Sir Peter said, "We may have to search for quite a while, Seleke, so try to be patient. Just let me know if you see the Orchid."
Sir Peter was right. It was three hours before Seleke said, "I see it! I see it!"
"Excellent!" cried Sir Peter, "Now, all we need is an open area where we can land."
"But all I see are trees," said Seleke, "There is no open field."
Now balloons are delicate things. If they touch trees they can pop (make the noise) or get ripped, or even snag on the branches (show how snagging works on a shirt).
"This is quite a pickle!" said Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster, "How will we get to the Orchid?"
Sir Peter and Seleke thought and thought. Maybe they could fly far away and find a field, but then they would have to travel through Wolf Country to reach the Orchid. Finally Seleke had an idea.
"We can tie a rope to my ankles and dangle me from the balloon," she said, "Then you can lower me down and I will get the seeds from the Wolf's Jaw Orchid."
Sir Peter tied the rope securely to Seleke, and to the balloon. Then Seleke crawled out and lowered herself. She dangled by her ankles, like this (give an example). Her head was below her feet, and her long hair hung down as far as her arms could reach.
Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster opened the vent at the top of the balloon gently to let some hot air escape. Slowly the balloon began to descend.
When Seleke reached the Wolf's Jaw Orchid she reached inside and pulled out three white seeds.
Just then she heard, "Arooo! Arooo!"
It was a pack of Snarling Wolves. They had seen the balloon and followed it. When they smelled Seleke they came to investigate.
Seleke called up to Sir Peter, "Quickly! Raise the balloon! Up! Up!"
Sir Peter pulled on the chain for all he was worth. (buuuurn, buuuurn) went the burners. But balloons are not fast movers. The wolves were getting closer!
Then the balloon began to rise. As Seleke went up she realized that a bit of her hair was tangled in a bush. But she was pulled up anyway, and some hair was yanked out of her head. Worse yet, and Snarling Wolf jumped at her, but she was too high and the wolf missed.
Sir Peter pulled Seleke up with all his strength. Because he had put so much hot air into the balloon they were rising fast, and quickly entered a freezing cold cloud.
"Here are the seeds!" Seleke said.
"Quickly, pop them in your mouth!" said Sir Peter.
"Why?" asked Seleke.
"Because the seeds are very delicate. This freezing air will kill them."
Seleke popped a seed into her mouth, but it was so big that only one would fit. Sir Peter put the other two into his mouth, like this (pop them in and push your tongue into each cheek to show it).
Seleke said, (mumble as though your mouth is full) "We must get out of this cloud!"
Sir Peter pulled a cord to release hot air and mumbled, "I will lower us, Seleke."
Soon they were below the clouds and heading for the edge of the cliff and Seleke's house.
(mumble) "I see wolves below." said Seleke, "They are following us through the forest."
(mumble) "We will soon be away." said Sir Peter.
He was right. In no time they were back at Seleke's house, and the wolves were left up on the cliff's edge.
Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster said to Seleke, (mumble) "Thank you for helping me gain the seeds of the Wolf's Jaw Orchid. If you wish you may keep the seed in your mouth."
"Thank you!" said Seleke.
Then they said goodbye and Sir Peter floated away. Seleke went and planted the seed right away.
The next Spring she had a great, big, beautiful Wolf's Jaw Orchid. She was so proud.
And that is the story of Seleke and the Balloon.
The End
(c) 2008 Ken Demarest
Today, Seleke was out weeding her garden. When you put plants into a garden, like vegetables or flowers, you want them to grow. But sometimes other plants come into the garden. Those are weeds, and you pull them out of the ground and throw them away.
Seleke had a beautiful flower garden. She grew many different kinds of flowers, and she was always very careful to weed. She was just thinking how she needed some new flowers when she heard a noise from above.
(make the noise of a hot air balloon burner)
(burn, burn) Seleke looked up. Above her she saw the biggest balloon she had ever seen! It was as tall as her house. Hanging below it was a great big basket, and in the basket, a man. He pulled a chain and a special device called a "burner" sent hot air up into the balloon.
"Is that a hot air balloon?" Seleke called.
"Indeed!" called the man, "But I am lost. Can you direct me to the land of the Snarling Wolves?"
"Why would you want to go there?" Seleke asked, "It is so very dangerous!"
"I am on a quest," said the man, "to find a very rare flower called the Wolf's Jaw Orchid. It grows only in the land of the Snarling Wolves."
"But if you go there, won't the wolves eat you?" Seleke asked.
"That is what my balloon is for!" said the man, "I plan to fly high above and spy out the Orchid with this." and he pulled out a great, big, long telescope as long as you are tall. It was shiny, and brass, and the biggest Seleke had ever seen.
Seleke said, "The land of the Snarling Wolves is just above us, at the top of this cliff."
"Thank you," said the man, "Is that your garden?"
"Yes it is." Seleke replied.
"I could use a person who understood plants." said the man, "Perhaps you could come with me."
"I would love to," said Seleke, "but we do not know each other."
"My name is Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster." said the man as he put out his hand to shake.
"And mine is Seleke." said Seleke as she shook his hand.
Seleke ran inside to ask her mother if she could go with Sir Peter to find the Wolf Jaw Orchid.
At first her mother thought it was a bad idea, but when she peeked out the window and saw Sir Peter she said, "Oh! It is Sir Peter. I know all about him. You can go, as long as you promise not to set foot in the land of the Snarling Wolves. Do you promise?"
"Yes." said Seleke.
She ran outside and hopped into the basket.
Sir Peter pulled on his chain and the burner went (burn, burn). Slowly the balloon rose into the air, higher, and higher, and up above the land of the Snarling Wolves.
Below, Seleke could see the Squirrel's tree above her house, and Wolf's Head Rock where she had once followed Captain Slipjack, and even the Wolf's den. But no Orchid.
"When we find the Orchid, we are not going to pick it." said Sir Peter, "I would not want to harm such a rare and beautiful thing. We are just going to pick some seeds."
Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster handed Seleke the telescope. Seleke looked through it and the ground seemed very close. It really worked well!
Sir Peter said, "We may have to search for quite a while, Seleke, so try to be patient. Just let me know if you see the Orchid."
Sir Peter was right. It was three hours before Seleke said, "I see it! I see it!"
"Excellent!" cried Sir Peter, "Now, all we need is an open area where we can land."
"But all I see are trees," said Seleke, "There is no open field."
Now balloons are delicate things. If they touch trees they can pop (make the noise) or get ripped, or even snag on the branches (show how snagging works on a shirt).
"This is quite a pickle!" said Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster, "How will we get to the Orchid?"
Sir Peter and Seleke thought and thought. Maybe they could fly far away and find a field, but then they would have to travel through Wolf Country to reach the Orchid. Finally Seleke had an idea.
"We can tie a rope to my ankles and dangle me from the balloon," she said, "Then you can lower me down and I will get the seeds from the Wolf's Jaw Orchid."
Sir Peter tied the rope securely to Seleke, and to the balloon. Then Seleke crawled out and lowered herself. She dangled by her ankles, like this (give an example). Her head was below her feet, and her long hair hung down as far as her arms could reach.
Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster opened the vent at the top of the balloon gently to let some hot air escape. Slowly the balloon began to descend.
When Seleke reached the Wolf's Jaw Orchid she reached inside and pulled out three white seeds.
Just then she heard, "Arooo! Arooo!"
It was a pack of Snarling Wolves. They had seen the balloon and followed it. When they smelled Seleke they came to investigate.
Seleke called up to Sir Peter, "Quickly! Raise the balloon! Up! Up!"
Sir Peter pulled on the chain for all he was worth. (buuuurn, buuuurn) went the burners. But balloons are not fast movers. The wolves were getting closer!
Then the balloon began to rise. As Seleke went up she realized that a bit of her hair was tangled in a bush. But she was pulled up anyway, and some hair was yanked out of her head. Worse yet, and Snarling Wolf jumped at her, but she was too high and the wolf missed.
Sir Peter pulled Seleke up with all his strength. Because he had put so much hot air into the balloon they were rising fast, and quickly entered a freezing cold cloud.
"Here are the seeds!" Seleke said.
"Quickly, pop them in your mouth!" said Sir Peter.
"Why?" asked Seleke.
"Because the seeds are very delicate. This freezing air will kill them."
Seleke popped a seed into her mouth, but it was so big that only one would fit. Sir Peter put the other two into his mouth, like this (pop them in and push your tongue into each cheek to show it).
Seleke said, (mumble as though your mouth is full) "We must get out of this cloud!"
Sir Peter pulled a cord to release hot air and mumbled, "I will lower us, Seleke."
Soon they were below the clouds and heading for the edge of the cliff and Seleke's house.
(mumble) "I see wolves below." said Seleke, "They are following us through the forest."
(mumble) "We will soon be away." said Sir Peter.
He was right. In no time they were back at Seleke's house, and the wolves were left up on the cliff's edge.
Sir Peter Pirrigo Pillaster said to Seleke, (mumble) "Thank you for helping me gain the seeds of the Wolf's Jaw Orchid. If you wish you may keep the seed in your mouth."
"Thank you!" said Seleke.
Then they said goodbye and Sir Peter floated away. Seleke went and planted the seed right away.
The next Spring she had a great, big, beautiful Wolf's Jaw Orchid. She was so proud.
And that is the story of Seleke and the Balloon.
The End
(c) 2008 Ken Demarest
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