Sometimes it's good to judge a book by its cover as had I cracked it, I may have deemed it too arduous for Julian's nighttime read and put it back on the shelf. There are about ten fairy tales in all - some about thirty or forty pages long which can make it a bit, well - lengthy. But mostly it was the flowery prose that I thought might go over his head as I started off:
"Finnian, the Abbot of Moville, went southwards and eastwards in great haste. News had come to him in Donegal that there were yet people in his own province who believed in gods that he did not approve of, and the gods that we do not approve of are treated scurvily, even by saintly men."
Okay, a little flowery, but let's read on. As the prose progressed, the kids got more entrenched so that by the time we got up to this passage describing Finnian's decision to go on a hunger strike, the kids were tickled to laughter (urged on by my dramatic reading of the prose):
"He fasted on the gentleman, and he did so to such purpose that he was admitted to the house; for to an hospitable heart the idea that a stranger may expire on your doorstep from sheer famine cannot be tolerated."
Many things can be tolerated, but expiring on my doorstep is something that I just won't stand for!
So dear readers as we go verily on our way towards Monday, remember to judge a book by its cover and never let somebody fast on your doorstep.
As a sidenote, all that flowery prose has Julian's vocabulary wheels a turning. He was rhyming away at the table today and comes up with kitchen. I think to myself, "that's a hard one..." too soon before he called out "bitchin!" I must admit that I did think "good one" before I disciplined him as I unsuccessfully fought down laughter.
Stay tuned for our next Fireside Theatre installment in which I choose a family movie for us to watch.
10 comments:
G, will you read us "The Twins of Ewuin Machae" next?
I love to judge a book by its cover, I never allow anyone to fast on my doorstep, and I would totally rhyme kitchen with bitchin'. Julian is brilliant. :)
Of course, Doug. Would you like some warm milk with honey?
Theresa, then you come to this lesson prepared! Thank you on Julian's behalf, although you'll understand my not passing your compliment along :)
I tell you, that Julian's going to go far... :D (That word used to be a favorite of my brother's many years ago... along with "narly" ha ha.
Think you should do a podcast of Irish Fairy Tales. Reading it I wanted somebody to read it to me
Julian's bitchin good :)
Oh yee of the bitchin' kitchen, I like hot tea with honey and a splash of Baileys. Can we arrange that? That Julian has got it all going on and with you in his corner, I'd be willing to bet he will end up better than fine.
good to see you back at the blogging, G.....I really loved the Taft presentation by Tali! - a confident young lasse that one....i was really chuckling as you recounted the story of Julian's rhyme time - that one has a perspective we could all use a bit more of... also was cracking up at Pete making his pitch for the Saturday Spin-all I could think of was the time Pete told me he was going to Heebie Jeebie's to see "Freakin at the Freakers Ball" or something like that - whoever that was - it sounded like a world I had little hope of ever entering -always ahead of his time musically, as were you, G - love, Pat
Terry, haha, he is. I love that narly and bitchin - what a dude!
Pia, I love that idea! He is bitchin, isn't he? :)
Have you been pulled over for walking lately?
Claire, coming right up - sit right down here in our bitchin kitchen! I'll take a piece of that bet because I like how that sounds.
Pat (the elder): Yeah, I've been dusting off the ole blog for spring :)
The Taft presentation just cracked me up, so glad you enjoyed. She is a confident one. Of course, when I corrected Julian on the "bitchin" word, he rebounded with "What? Is bitchin' a bad word? I can't say bitchin? Kitchen bitchin?" Okay Julian, nice getting your last licks in. Every once in a while, I sit right down next to him at eye level to try to see what he sees.
Hahaha on Pete. I have to mail this link to him cause G-d knows he's not reading my blog. I did tell him that I featured Gogol Bordello though (you should listen to it if you haven't :). Freakin at the Freakers Ball was a Doctor Hook song. As I only discovered recently, as I was too young when the songs were out, they were quite the party band. Every video shows them pretty stoned out of their minds. And also what I just discovered - like today, is that the songs (or many) were written by Shel Silverstein! You learn something new every day and if you don't, well there's always tomorrow. I'll be in touch soon, thanks for dropping by, Pat. xox
That's it!!....think Charlie Brown getting knocked for a loop from the sheer power of Lucy's voice - that was the reaction when I heard Doctor Hook - Freakin' must have one of his albums? - can't imagine totally misfiling that one - anyway, I know afterwards I loved to ask Mom if she was gonna go "Fraekin' at the Freakers Ball" with Pete - she just rolled her eyes, and threw the dish towell out in front of her like she could make me disappear that way - "what are you talkin' about" - if only I knew all the "shenanigans" would come back amplified in the next generation, I would have been much more subdued - well, probably not - I think she loved communication of any sort with her kids, no matter how nonsensical. BYW, I think the comment from your blogger friend that Julian has it all going on and would bet on him doing just fine with you in his corner couldn't be more true!!Peace Mama - PTE
Pat, er anonymous! I thought I got back to this comment. Yup, Doctor Hook and of course Mommy loved the nonsense - within reason of course :)
Yeah, Choo Choo'll be allright. Don't know about me and Scissors :)
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