Have a warm and cozy Sip-able Sweet Party

This is a fun and more than slightly impressive way to get friends and family together for a party in the wintertime that does not require a holiday. There is something for everyone and it’s rather easy on the host or hostess as well.

It’s fun to send wacky invitations to those you’d like to gather with by mail or email. You can require that those attending all wear their ugliest or wildest sweater or hat or , *teehee* leg warmers.

The Recipes:

Rich and Thick Hot Chocolate with 3 variations
makes 4 cups (eight 1/2 cup servings) *get real, make a bit more, it’s a party*

-2 teaspoons cornstarch
-4 cups milk, divided
-2 (3.5 oz) dark chocolate bars (at least 70% cacao), chopped *for the love of God, do not use hershey bars*
-1/3 cup honey
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-Pinch of salt (tip: do not omit the salt. It enhances the rich, smooth taste of the chocolate while buffering the naturally occurring bitterness.)
-Marshmallow whipped cream (recipe to follow) or Whipped party spoons (recipe to follow)

1) Whisk together cornstarch and 1/2 cup milk until smooth.
2) Cook remaining 3 1/2 cups milk over medium heat until bubbles appear around edge of saucepan (about 4 minutes; do NOT boil). Whisk in chocolate, honey, vanilla extract and salt until blended and smooth. Whisk in cornstarch mixture.
3) Bring milk mixture to light boil, whisking frequently (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat. Let cool just slightly. (mixture will thicken as it cools) Serve immediately with marshmallow whipped topping or whipped party spoons, if desired.

Variations:

Mexican Rich and Thick Hot Chocolate
Prepare recipe as directed through step 2, whisking in 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder with chocolate. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Orange Almond Rich and Thick Hot Chocolate
Prepare recipe as directed up to step 2, whisking in 3 tablespoons orange juice and 2 tablespoons almond liqueur with chocolate. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Grown-Up Rich and Thick Hot Chocolate
Prepare recipe as directed up too step 2, whisking in 1/2 cup Southern Comfort with chocolate. Proceed with recipe as directed.


Marshmallow Whipped Cream
makes about 1 1/2 cups

*maximum make-ahead time is 2 hours*

-1/2 cup whipping cream
-1 tablespoon powdered sugar
-1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

1) Beat whipping cream at medium high speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Fold in marshmallows. Serve immediately, or cover and chill for up to 2 hours.


Everyday Hot Chocolate
makes about 4 1/2 cups

Kids will love to add stir-ins to theirs, while the adults may want to go fancier. Offer Whipped Topping Dollops on Spoons to add to theirs.

-4 cups milk
-2/3 cup chocolate syrup
-3 tablespoons hot fudge topping
-Pinch of salt
-Stir-ins: crushed hard peppermint candies, chopped thin creme de menthe chocolate mints, miniature marshmallows, milk chocolate kisses, cherry cordial creme kisses
-Whipped Party Spoons

1) Cook milk in a large non-aluminum saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, 6 to 8 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do NOT boil). Whisk in chocolate syrup, fudge topping, and salt, whisking vigorously until chocolate is well blended and mixture is frothy. Serve immediately with desired stir-ins, if desired, or Whipped Party Spoons.


Whipped Party Spoons
makes 8 dollops

-parchment paper
-1 cup thawed frozen whipped topping
-1/4 cup desired topping (chopped toffee bars, shaved white chocolate, ground cinnamon and nutmeg, finely chopped crystallized ginger, chocolate covered coffee beans)

1) Line jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Place 8 spoons on pan, and freeze 15 minutes.
2) Spoon whipped topping into a 1 quart zip top plastic freezer bag. (do not seal) Snip corner of bag to make a 1/2 inch hole. Pipe dollops onto spoon. Freeze 5 minutes.
3) Sprinkle each dollop with about 1 1/2 teaspoon of desired topping. Freeze dollops 45 minutes. Serve immediately on a tray. Or, transfer to a 13x9 inch baking pan; cover tightly and freeze up to 2 days.

Chewy Granola Bars: Healthy Snack

Teach your kids to connect with their food and they will snack healthfully for life.
Yes, kids are definitely picky eaters, well most of them are. Some kids will eat and try anything given to them. Yay, for those parents.

Healthy snacking doesn't have to be hard. Take advantage of a child's natural curiosity about food. Take them to the farmers market, get them involved in gardening and cooking. You can simply help them grow herbs in a window box if you haven't got garden space. The earlier you spark their interest, the better for them. Let them choose which bunch of asparagus the family will have with dinner and then let them snap off the ends or let them pick the herbs that will be used in tonight's supper and let them throw them into the pot or pan and give it a stir. Get them involved and the more likely they'll be to try and even finish the dish.

There is nothing exciting about ripping open a bag of processed food. However, it is very exciting to help something grow and be part of the process of cooking it. They'll learn not to eat things that have no resemblance to real food.

You can wrap these healthy treats in wax paper or recycled aluminum foil for taking on the go.

Makes 16 2inch bars

-butter for pan
-1 1/3 cups rolled oats
-1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
-1/2 cup oat bran
-1 1/2 cups crisp brown-rice cereal
-1 cup dried cranberries
-2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
-1/2 cup brown rice syrup
-1/4 cup turbinado sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1/2 teaspoon salt

1) (this is the kids part)
Lightly butter an 8 inch square baking pan. Mix the oats, seeds, oat bran, cereal, cranberries and ginger in a large bowl until well blended.

2) (mom / dad's part)
In a small saucepan, combine rice syrup, sugar, vanilla and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and starts to thicken, 3-5 minutes.

3) Pour over the oat mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until evenly coated. Spoon into prepared pan and top with a sheet of wax paper. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan. Cool to room temperature. Remove the wax paper and cut into bars. Wrap the bars individually or place them in an airtight container and store at room temperature.

Drakestail

Drakestail was very little. But, tiny as he was, he had brains, for having begun with nothing he amassed a hundred crowns.

Now the King of the country made a personal visit to borrow his hoard. And, my word, Drakestail was more than a little proud of having lent money to the King! But after the first and second year, seeing they never even paid the interest, he became uneasy and resolved to go and see his Majesty.

So one fine morning Drakestail very spruce and fresh, headed down the road singing "Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money back?"

He had not gone far when he met his friend Fox. "Good-morning, neighbor," says friend Fox, "Where are you off to so early?"

"I am going to see the King for what he owes me."

"Oh! take me with thee!"

Drakestail said to himself, "One can't have too many friends." "I will," said he. "But make yourself quite small, get into my throat, go into my gizzard, and I will carry you."

"Happy thought!" said friend Fox.

He takes bag and baggage, and presto, he was gone like a letter into the post. Drakestail was off again, singing "Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money back?"

He had not gone far when he met his lady friend Ladder leaning on her wall. "Good-morning, my duckling," says the lady friend, "Where are you going so boldly?"

"I am going to see the King for what he owes me."

"Oh, take me with thee!" said friend Ladder.

Drakestail said to himself, "One can't have too many friends." I will!" said he. "But with your wooden legs you will soon be tired. Make yourself quite small, get into my throat, go into my gizzard, and I will carry you."

"Happy thought!" said friend Ladder. Nimbly, her bag and baggage goes to keep company with friend Fox. "Quack, quack, quack," Drakestail is off again, singing.

A little farther along and he meets his sweetheart, friend River. "There my cherub, why is my handsome so lonesome on this muddy road?"

"I am going to see the King for what he owes me." "Oh, take me with thee!" said friend River.

Drakestail said to himself, "One can't have too many friends." "I will," said he. "But you who sleep while you walk will soon be tired. Make yourself quite small, get into my throat, go into my gizzard, and I will carry you."

"Ah, happy thought!" said friend River. She takes bag and baggage, and glop, glop, glop, she takes her place between friend Fox and friend Ladder. Then "Quack, quack, quack," Drakestail is off again singing as before.

A little farther along he meets comrade Wasp's Nest, maneuvering his wasps. "Well, good morning Drakestail," said comrade Wasp's Nest, "Where are we bound for so spruce and fresh?"

"I am going to see the King for what he owes me."

"Oh, take me with thee!" said friend Wasp's Nest. Drakestail said to himself, "One can't have too many friends." "I will," said he. "But with your battalion to drag along, you will soon be tired. Make yourself quite small, get into my throat, go into my gizzard, and I will carry you."

"By Jove, that's a good idea!" said comrade Wasp's Nest. He took the same road to join the other with all his party. Drakestail was off singing, "Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money back?"

He arrived at the capital, and threaded his way straight up High Street till he came to the King's palace. He strikes the door with the huge knocker. "Who is there?" asks the porter, putting his head out of the wicket.

"Tis I, Drakestail. I wish to speak to the King."

"Speak to the King! That's easily said! The King is dining, and will not be disturbed."

"Tell him that it is I, and he knows well why I must see him."

The porter shut his wicket and went up to tell the King, who was just sitting down to dinner with a napkin round his neck with all his ministers. "Good, good!" said the King, laughing, "I know what it is! Make him come in, and put him with the turkeys and chickens."

The porter returned and said to Drakestail, "Have the goodness to enter." "Good!" said Drakestail to himself, "I shall now see how they eat at Court." "This way, this way," said the porter. "One step farther, a little more. There, there you are."

"How? What? In the poultry yard?" Imagine how angry Drakestail was! "Ah! So that's it!" said he. "Wait! I compel you to receive me. Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money back?"

The turkeys and chickens are creatures who don't like those that are not like themselves. When they saw the newcomer they rushed at him all together to overwhelm him with pecks. "I am lost!" said Drakestail to himself, when by good luck he remembered his comrade, friend Fox, and he cried, "Reynard, Reynard, come out of your earth, or Drakestail's life is of little worth."

Then friend Fox, who was waiting for these words, hastened out, threw himself on the wicked fowls, and scared them back to their corners. Drakestail, quite content, began to sing again, "Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money back?"

Well, the King who was still at the table heard this refrain, and was terribly annoyed and ordered them to throw this tail of Drake into the well! It was done as he commanded. Drakestail was in despair of getting himself out of such a deep hole, when he remembered his lady friend, Ladder.

"Ladder, Ladder, come out of thy hold, or Drakestail's day will soon be told." Friend Ladder, who was only waiting for these words, hastened out and leaned her two arms on the edge of the well. Then Drakestail climbed nimbly on her back and with a hop he was in the yard where he began to sing louder than ever.

When the King, who was still at the table laughing at the trick he had played on his creditor, heard him again reclaiming his money, he became livid with rage. He commanded that the furnace should be heated and this tail of Drake be thrown into it. The furnace was soon hot, but his time Drakestail was not so afraid; he could count on his sweetheart, River.

"River, River, outward flow, or to death Drakestail must go." Friend River hastened out, and threw herself into the furnace which she flooded. After that she flowed growling into the hall of the palace. Drakestail, of course quite content, begins to swim, singing deafeningly, "Quack, quack, quack, when shall I get my money back?"

The King was still at the table, and thought himself quite sure of his game; but when he heard Drakestail singing again, he became furious and got up from the table, brandishing his fists. "Bring him here, and I'll cut him to bits! Bring him here quick!" cried he.

The King's ministers tackled Drakestail and forced him into a serving dish. Deep in the dish Drakestail feverishly chanted, "Wasp's Nest, Wasp's Nest, call your battalion or Drakestail will soon be served up with scallions!"

My friend Wasp's Nest led the swarm to attack all enemy hands so they could not strike back! Unknown to the palace and all those inside, the King was allergic to Wasp's poisonous sting. Swollen and heavy he met his demise, and the ladies and gentlemen broke out in cries!

These cries were full of surprise and joy, for planted on the royal throne was the kingdom's Viceroy! They took the newly polished crown and placed it on that of Drakestail, whom it fitted like wax.

Thus he became King. "And now," said he after a special ceremony, "ladies and gentlemen, let's go to supper. I am so very hungry!"

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Once upon a time, there were three bears, Father Bear, Mother Bear and Baby Bear.

They lived in the woods and were very happy except for one thing, Baby Bear had no-one to play with.

One morning, Mother Bear made porridge for breakfast and while the porridge was cooling down, Father Bear said "Let's go for a walk!" So they did.

Somebody else was out for a walk that morning. It was a little girl called Goldilocks. When she came to the bears' house, the door was open and Goldilocks could see three bowls of porridge on the table.

"Ooh...I'm rather hungry!" said Goldilocks.
So she tried the first bowl. It was too hot.
Then she tried the second bowl. That was too cold.
Then she tried the third bowl. That was just right. So she ate it all up.
Then Goldilocks said, "Ooh.... I'm rather tired!" So she went upstairs to have a rest.

She tried the first bed. It was too soft.
She tried the second bed. Oh no, that was too hard.
She tried the third bed. That was just right. So she lay down and fell fast asleep.

Soon the three bears came back from their walk, ready for their breakfast.

Father Bear said "Who's been eating my porridge?"
Mother Bear said "Who's been eating my porridge?"
Baby Bear said "Somebody's been eating my porridge and they've eaten it all up!"

The three bears went upstairs.

Father Bear said "Who's been sleeping in my bed?"
Mother Bear said "Who's been sleeping in my bed?"
Baby Bear said "Somebody's been sleeping in my bed and she's still there!"

When Goldilocks woke up and saw the three bears she was so surprised she ran straight down the stairs.

"Don't go!" said Baby Bear. "Stay and play with me! Please!"
So Goldilocks stayed and played with Baby Bear and Mother Bear made them all some more delicious porridge.

The End.

The Elves and the Shoemaker

Once upon a time lived a very poor shoemaker.

He only had enough leather left to make one pair of shoes.

One night before he went to bed, he cut out the shoes so he could start work on them the next day.

The next morning, when the shoemaker woke up, he was amazed to find a beautiful pair of shoes standing on his table, where he had left the leather.

They were made perfectly!

In fact, the shoes were so beautiful that when someone came to try them on they paid twice as much as the shoemaker asked for them!

The shoemaker could now buy enough leather for two pairs of shoes.

Before going to bed, he laid out the leather for the two pairs of shoes.

When he woke up - lo and behold - there were two wonderfully made pairs of shoes standing on the table!

Soon the shoemaker became a very rich man.

One night, the shoemaker and his wife decided to stay hidden in the shop to see who crept in to make the beautiful shoes.

They were very surprised to see two very little elves who came into the shop and stitched the shoes together very carefully.

The peculiar thing about the elves was that they wore no clothes.

The shoemaker's wife wanted to show the little men how grateful they were for their help so she decided to knit them little socks, sew little trousers and shirts and leave them for them the following night.

When the elves crept into the shop that night and saw the lovely little clothes they were overjoyed.

They leapt about and sang with delight!

The shoemaker and his wife never saw the elves again.

But they would always be grateful to them for showing them how to make such beautiful shoes.

Homemade Crayons

Use old (or designate a thrift store pan for this purpose) non-stick muffin pans or non-stick candy molds in your child's favorite shapes or characters. Another idea is to place cut dixie cups inside muffin tins and peel the paper away when crayons are ready.

Procedure for Rainbow Crayons

Preheat your oven to 250

1. Peel the paper off the crayons

2. Put 5-10 different colors in each muffin or mold space

3. Place the muffin tins or molds in the oven until the crayons melt

4. Let the new crayons cool overnight

5. Remove the crayons the next day

Procedure for CHUNK crayons

sing those seemingly endless broken pieces, use plastic candy or sucker molds found in the craft section of most any store. The kids can pick out their favorite characters. The crayons can be melted in the oven or microwave in a glass measuring cup. This makes it even easier to pour into the molds. A spoon can be used for this also.

Melt crayon pieces

Pour into mold or muffin cups

Let set for 24 hours

Color and create

Procedure for Soap crayons (for bathtime)

7/8 cups of Ivory Snow powdered detergent

1/8 cups of water

Wilton's Cake Food Coloring

Ice cube tray

1. Add the food coloring to the water to make VIVID colors

2. Add the colored water to the Ivory Snow and mix well

3. Press the mixture into the compartments of an ice cube tray

4. Let the mixture set for a couple of days then remove the crayons

Play-dough Recipes

Traditional Play Dough

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1/4 cup salt
• food coloring

Mix all ingredients, adding food coloring last. Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from pan and knead until blended smooth. Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled. Will last for a long time.

This recipe is the same as the Earth Friendly recipe. The only variance is the amount of ingredients. Therefore, this recipe is earth friendly.

Cornstarch Clay-dough

• 1 cup cornstarch
  
• 2 cups salt
  
• 1 1/3 cups cold water
  

Put salt and 2/3 cup water in pan and bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch with 2/3 cup water and mix well. Blend 2 mixtures together and knead into clay. The dough has to be heated as it is combined to set. Makes about 3 cups. This clay can be air dried and then painted. Store unused clay in airtight container in the fridge.

No-Cook Clay Dough

• 3 cups flour
  
• 3 cups salt
  
• 3 tablespoons alum
  

Combine ingredients and slowly add water, a little at a time. Mix well with spoon. As mixture thickens, continue mixing with your hands until it has the feel of clay. If it feels too dry, add more water. If it is too sticky, add equal parts of flour and salt.

How the Buffalo were Released Unto Earth

In the first days a powerful being named Humpback owned all the buffalo. He kept them in a corral in the mountains north of San Juan, where he lived with his young son. Not one buffalo would Humpback release for the people on earth, nor would he share any meat with those who lived near him.

Coyote decided that something should be done to release the buffalo from Humpback's corral. He called the people to a council. "Humpback will not give us any buffalo," Coyote said. "Let us all go over to his corral and make a plan to release them."

They camped in the mountains near Humpback's place, and after dark they made a careful inspection of his buffalo enclosure. The stone walls were too high to climb, and the only entrance was through the back door of Humpback's house.

After four days Coyote summoned the people to another council, and asked them to offer suggestions for releasing the buffalo. "There is no way," said one man. "To release the buffalo we must go into Humpback's house, and he is too powerful a being for us to do that."

"I have a plan," Coyote said. "For four days we have secretly watched Humpback and his young son go about their daily activities. Have you not observed that the boy does not own a pet of any kind?"

The people did not understand what this had to do with releasing the buffalo, but they knew that Coyote was a great schemer and they waited for him to explain. "I shall change myself into a killdeer," Coyote said. "In the morning when Humpback's son goes down to the spring to get water, he will find a killdeer with a broken wing. He will want this bird for a pet and will take it back into the house. Once I am in the house I can fly into the corral, and the cries of a killdeer will frighten the buffalo into a stampede. They will come charging out through Humpback's house and be released upon the earth."

The people thought this was a good plan, and the next Morning when Humpback's son came down the path to the spring he found a killdeer with a crippled wing. As Coyote had foreseen, the boy picked up the bird and carried it into the house.

"Look here," the boy cried. "This is a very good bird!"

"It is good for nothing!" Humpback shouted. "All the birds and animals and people are rascals and schemers." Above his fierce nose Humpback wore a blue mask, and through its slits his eyes glittered. His basket headdress was shaped like a cloud and was painted black with a zig-zag streak of yellow to represent lightning. Buffalo horns protruded from the sides.

"It is a very good bird," the boy repeated.

"Take it back where you found it!" roared Humpback, and his frightened son did as he was told.

As soon as the killdeer was released it returned to where the people were camped and changed back to Coyote. "I have failed," he said, "but that makes no difference. I will try again in the morning. Perhaps a small animal will be better than a bird."

The next morning when Humpback's son went to the spring, he found a small dog there, lapping at the water. The boy picked up the dog at once and hurried back into the house. "Look here!" he cried. "What a nice pet I have."

"How foolish you are, boy!" Humpback growled. "A dog is good for nothing. I'll kill it with my club."

The boy held tight to the dog, and started to run away crying.

"Oh, very well," Humpback said. "But first let me test that animal to make certain it is a dog. All animals in the world are schemers." He took a coal of fire from the hearth and brought it closer and closer to the dog's eyes until it gave three rapid barks. "It is a real dog," Humpback declared. "You may keep it in the buffalo corral, but not in the house."

This of course was exactly what Coyote wanted. As soon as darkness fell and Humpback and his son went to sleep, Coyote opened the back door of the house. Then he ran among the buffalo, barking as loud as he could. The buffalo were badly frightened because they had never before heard a dog bark. When Coyote ran nipping at their heels, they stampeded toward Humpback's house and entered the rear door. The pounding of their hooves awakened Humpback, and although he jumped out of bed and tried to stop them, the buffalo smashed down his front door and escaped.

After the last of the shaggy animals had galloped away, Humpback's son could not find his small dog. "Where is my pet?" he cried. "Where is my little dog?"

"That was no dog," Humpback said sadly. "That was Coyote the Trickster. He has turned loose all our buffalo."

Thus it was that the buffalo were released to scatter over all the earth.

Osiris and Isis

Seth hated his brother, Osiris. Osiris, King of Egypt, civilized his people, and taught them to cultivate the land with barley and grain, and laws to live by. The opposite of Seth’s chaos and drought.

Finally, with the help of the Queen of Ethiopia and 72 other conspirators, Seth decided to destroy him.
Seth held a great feast, and a coffin was offered as a prize. All the guests slipped into it, trying it out for size, however, always one was too tall, too small, too fat, too skinny.

When Osiris tried out the coffin, it fit exactly.

Immediately the conspirators nailed shut the coffin and poured molten lead into the cracks, cutting off all air as Osiris took his last breaths on earth.

Osiris became Triumphant and ruler of the dead.

They launched his coffin into the river Nile. But the currents carried it up the coast to Byblos, instead of sinking to the bottom, as Seth desired. There on the shore near a great tamarisk tree, the coffin finally rested. The tree immediately sensed that this was a great God, and quickly reached out its long branches and embraced the coffin in loving protection. In time, the branches and roots grew around the coffin, and the tree increased in size and splendor.

“Ah, what a great tree!’ all the people of Byblos said, admiringly. “Just look at its size and beauty! It is as if from the Gods!”

The people admired it so much, that the King of Byblos ordered it cut down and placed inside the palace hall as a support, unknowing that the coffin was entwined inside.

Back in Egypt, Isis was distraught over her husband. No one knew where he had disappeared. She placed her son, Horus, in good care with the Cobra Goddess Wadjet, and then fled for the Delta in search of her husband. She knew that the souls of men did not rest without the correct funeral rites.

Wandering throughout Egypt, she searched for her husband everywhere.

“Have you seen my husband? Have you seen his painted coffin?” she asked. None had.

Finally, it was some children she met that said they had seen his coffin floating down the Nile. As she continued her journey, again she sought out children to ask, until she found Byblos and sat at the mouth of the Nahr al-Kalb, the Dog River. There the maidens of the Queen of Byblos came to bathe and do the washing. Isis lovingly adjusted their jewels and a sweet aroma accompanied the maidens back to the palace.

“What is that heavenly scent? The Queen asked, and the maidens said it was from the sad woman down by the shore. The Queen immediately brought Isis into the palace and they talked of their children together. The Queen said her young son, the Prince of Byblos, was ill and near death. Isis was a great healer and worker of magic spells.

“I will heal your son, but only if I can do it my way and you must never disturb me,” Isis said. The King and Queen agreed. Day in day out with Isis, the young prince Diktys grew healthier, bigger and stronger.
“Tell me,” The queen asked. “What is she doing in there?” But none of the maidens could answer.

“All we know,” the maidens said, “is that we hear a strange twittering when she enters the hall of the pillar.”
The Queen could stand it no longer and hid in the great hall to see what Isis was doing with her son.

She watched as Isis bared the great doors, and then created a huge fire. She placed the boy in between two logs in the flames, then turned in to a swallow and circled around and around the pillar she knew was her husband, lamenting and crying.

Horrified, the Queen rushed to rescue her son and tried to escape from the great hall.

Isis returned to her real form and confronted the woman.

“Oh, you foolish woman! You should not have disturbed me. In only a few more days, everything immortal in your son would have been burnt away and he would have become like the gods, forever young and immortal.”
Isis asked that the pillar and what it contained be given to her. Servants where brought to bring down the pillar and they split it open, revealing Osiris. Isis returned the pillar to the people of Byblos, and they worshipped it there for many years.

Isis placed the coffin in a boat and sailed back to Egypt. She hid the coffin in the delta under a bush while she went to check on her son Horus. A scorpion had bitten him, and she stayed with him until he recovered.

But while Isis was away, Seth went hunting in the marshes for wild boar. The moonlight glistened on top of the coffin and revealed its hiding place. Seth tore the coffin’s lid off, took Osiris’s body out and shredded it into 14 or 16 tiny pieces. Then he scattered all the pieces throughout Egypt. “It is impossible to destroy the body of a God, but I have!” he said laughing. “I have destroyed the body of Osiris!”

When Isis returned and saw the broken coffin, she knew it was Seth who did the deed. Out of papyrus she made a small boat and again set out in search of her husband. She sailed through the marshes and up the river searching endlessly for his pieces. Each time she found a piece, she created a shrine and performed the funeral rites for Osiris, as to trick Seth. But she kept the pieces until she found every one of them.

“Oh, my beloved, I have finally found you.” Then using her magic powers, she united the body of Osiris and he was resurrected. But Osiris preferred to remain and reign in the Duat, the heavenly afterworld, as the judge and ruler of the dead. Until one day he shall rise again rule Egypt as before.

The Cherry Blossoms

The nun Rengetsu was returning from a pilgrimage when she stopped in a town to rest for the night. Although she appeared tired and hungry, each door she knocked on refused her lodging. As the sun began to set behind the hills, she hiked up to a cherry orchard on the hillside. There she made a little bed of leaves under the trees and fell asleep. But something stirred her in the middle of the night. A beautiful scent fell over her. Pulling herself up from sleep, her opening eyes befell the loveliest of sights – the black sky behind dozens of trees with white cherry blossoms, all blooming radiant and shimmering in the moonlight. Tree after tree of nature’s beautiful canvas.

Rengetsu took in the beautiful experience. Then she turned toward the town, gave a little bow and said, “Oh, people of the village, thank you so much for turning me away tonight. For if you did receive me, then I would never have been able to witness such beauty tonight.”

As darkness turns to light, as winter heads toward spring, contemplate what good comes from difficulty. What difficulty comes from good? How can we judge anything? How do we know what is deemed good and bad anyway? Think of an obstacle that has become the vehicle for something positive that happened in your life

The Two Wolves

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. This same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too." The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather which wolf would win. The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

The Spirit Who Lived in a Tree

The Buddha decided to be born as a tree. He became a Sal tree and grew for sixty-thousand years. Beneath its enormous branches, hundreds of little Sal trees were growing up. This tree was so enormous and beautiful that all of the people in the nearby village would come and worship it. The King of Benares also heard of the tree.

“Many kings have their palaces built with many a pillar. Well, I shall build my palace with only one great pillar in the middle. This big tree shall be that pillar. I order it cut down!”

All of the townspeople were dismayed. They loved the tree, but they were worried what would happen if they did not carry out the King’s orders.

One night, the people lit oil lamps and walked to the great tree. They tied a string around its great trunk and put a nosegay of flowers on the end. Then they prayed, “Oh great spirit that resides in this tree. The King has ordered that in seven days we must cut you down. We don’t want to do it, but fear for our families. Please spirit, go somewhere else, and do no harm to us. Forgive us. We love and will miss you greatly.”

The tree thought, "This King is determined to cut me down. But my life only lasts as long as this tree. The thought of my death does not bother me as much as ….ah! Look at the little Sal trees around me! Their death and destruction is more painful to me than my own death.”

So that night, at midnight, a bright golden light filled the room and the spirit appeared next to the King’s bed, weeping.

The King awoke. “Oh! Who are you spirit, and why have you come? Why do you weep?”

“I am the spirit that lives in the tree you wish you cut down. I ask that you spare my life.”

The King thought a moment. “No, I cannot. I want my palace to stand on only one tree, and you will be that tree. I must cut you down,” he said.

“Then please,” said the spirit, “I make one request.”

“What is that?” the King asked.

“Please cut me down bit by bit. Begin with the branches, then cut the trunk and cut down to the roots last of all.”

“Why, this is a most painful death,” the King said. “One swift blow at the roots would fell you and you would be out of your misery.”

But the spirit said, “Yes, it is painful. But it is not as painful as seeing my beloved little Sal trees around me destroyed by my fall. Please, I ask you to honor my request.”

The King was deeply moved by the tree’s spirit of sacrifice.

“Oh, spirit,” the King said, “fear not. Your great concern for the life of others has moved me deeply. I will not cut you down. Return, great tree, to the forest in peace.”

The Banyan Deer

Long ago the Bodisat took a life as King of the Banyan deer. He was a radiant color of gold, with eyes like round jewels and his horns glimmering like silver. His mouth was as red as a rose; his hooves were bright and hard like lacquer work; his tail was fine and body large.

The King lived in the forest with a herd of 500 attendant deer. Not far away lived another deer as golden as he, and he was called the Monkey Deer and had a herd of many as well.

Now the king of this country loved to hunt and never ate a single meal without meat. Every day he summoned the townspeople to accompany him hunting. So a lot of work in town never got done, and the people began to complain.

“This king with his insistent hunting practices puts an end to our work and I never get anything done,” one townsperson cried.

“Yes, I’m tired of this!” another one said. “Let’s just make a park. We’ll provide food and drink for the deer, drive them in and then close the entrance. The King can go in there and hunt all he wants and we won’t have to disrupt our schedules anymore.”

So that’s what the townspeople did, surrounding the very place where the Monkey King and the Banyan Deer were living

The King was excited to go to the park and hunt, and when he got there, he saw the two remarkable golden deer.

“What fabulous creatures you are! I grant you your lives.” And he went to shoot another deer and brought it home.

Sometimes the King’s cook would go and shoot one. The deer, as soon as they saw his bow and arrow, would shake with fear of death and run away. However, they would get hit once or twice when the cook pursued them and they became weary or wounded and were killed. The herd told their king, and he sent for the Monkey Deer.

“Friend, the deer are being destroyed. All things must die, however, let them not be wounded with arrows,” the Banyan Deer said. “Let the deer take turns at a place of execution. One day the lot can fall on my herd, and the next on yours.

So every day one deer lay down and placed his neck on a chopping block, and the cook came and carried off the one he found lying there.

But one day the lot fell on a doe that was heavy with young. She went to the Monkey Deer and cried, “Please! I am with young! After I have brought forth my baby, we shall both take our turn on the block. Please order the lot to pass me by.”

But the Monkey Deer refused. So she turned to the Banyan Deer and pleaded with him. The Bodisat listened quietly and said. “So be it. Go back. I will relieve you of your turn.” And he himself went to lay his head on the chopping block at the place of execution.

The cook, seeing him, ran back to the king and said, “The King of the Deer whose life you promised to him is lying in the place of execution. What does it mean?”

Baffled, the King mounted his chariot and road out to the place and seeing the Bodisat said, “Friend! King of the Deer! I granted you your life! Why are you lying here?”

“Oh, great King!” The Bodisat said. “A doe heavy with young came to me. The lot had fallen upon her to be taken. I could not ask another to take her place, so I took it instead. Have no more suspicion, great King!”

“Ah, you golden–colored King of the Deer,” The king exclaimed. “Never before have I seen such mercy, kindness and compassion. I am pleased with you in this matter! Rise up. I grant you your life and to the doe as well!”

“Although we are safe,” The Bodisat said,” what about the other deer in the park?”

“I grant their lives to the rest, my Lord,” the King said.

“But what of the other animals in the forest, the birds in the sky, the fish in the streams. How will they obtain peace?”

“I grant all their lives as well. None shall hunt them,” the King declared.

Having interceded with the King for all creatures, the great being said,

“Walk in righteousness, O great King! By doing justice and mercy to fathers and mothers to sons and daughters, to townsmen and landsmen, when your body is dissolved, you shall enter the happy world of heaven!”

The Monkey and the Moon

There was once a monkey happily swinging from tree to tree. He swung to a branch where there he saw an amazing sight.

Below him was a pond with the glimmering image of the moon shining in the water. He was amazed by its beauty and brilliant white light.

Hanging on to the branch with one paw, he used his other paw to reach for that beautiful moon. He reached and he reached, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not reach the moon. And he refused to let go of the branch to get closer to the moon.

Try as he might, even until death, he will never give up trying to reach for the moon in the water and he will still hang on to his branch.

But by grace or chance, the branch he was hanging onto broke. The monkey plunged into the water. He slapped around in the water for a moment, looking for the moon. Then he looked up into the sky and -- there! There it was! The monkey saw the moon shining brightly against the dark night’s sky.

Jumping Mouse

Once there was a little mouse. He was just like any other little mouse. He was always gathering up seeds to eat and twigs and cotton to build a nest with. But every once in a while this little mouse would pause, stand still and listen intensely. He would listen silently for a while, then go back to his work.

Now this little mouse started to wonder about this sound he was listening to. He asked another mouse. “Brother mouse, do you ever hear a roaring in your ear?”

The other mouse just looked at him as if he were crazy, then dashed off into the log of a rotting cottonwood tree. He tried asking other mice the same thing, but they were too busy working to even answer his question.

But the mouse keep hearing it, and one day decided that he would investigate this sound that he heard.

He followed the sound very carefully. It took him to strange places, places he’d never been to before, far away from the comfort of his home. He was a little scared, but also very curious.

“Hello little brother. What are you doing way out here?” he heard a voice, and it scared him so much he nearly jumped out of his fur.

“Don’t be afraid little fellow, I am brother raccoon. Again, what are you doing out here?”

“Why, I’m investigating this sound that I keep hearing,” the little mouse said.

“Ah!” the raccoon cried. “That sound, what you hear is the sound of the river!”

“The river? What is a river?” the little mouse asked.

“Come, I will show you.” And the mouse followed the raccoon deeper into the strange territory of woods. Finally, they came upon a river, mighty wide and huge, roaring across the land. It seemed that parts of the world were floating down it.

“Here is the river, little friend. I must go now, but I leave you in good hands with brother Frog here.”

“Ok, nice to meet you, Brother Frog,” mouse said. The frog nodded, as raccoon wandered down the river’s edge to go and catch some fish.

“Little Mouse,” Frog said. “Do you want some medicine?”

“Medicine? For me? Oh, why, yes! I would love some medicine!” Mouse said.

“Then crouch down as low as you can and jump as high as you can,” Frog instructed.

So little mouse crouched down as low as he could and jumped as high as he could. He was in mid air and he saw something amazing. He saw the sacred mountains, blue and beautiful. He hung midair in awe and amazement as he gazed in wonder at their majestic beauty that touched his heart. Then, he dropped back down and splash, fell into the river.

“Glub, blub, blub,” little mouse struggled to get to the river’s edge. Finally he succeeded with great effort pulled himself from the waters.

“You tricked me, Frog!” mouse said furious.

“Wait!” Frog cried. “Before your anger gets the best of you, think about what you saw.”

Little mouse thought for a moment, then his angry eyes turned blissful, as he recalled the beauty of the mountains and how he felt inside his heart.

“Oh, why, yes. I saw the sacred mountains. They were amazing. I can never forget that vision.”

“And,” Frog said, “You now have a new name. You are Jumping Mouse.”

“Jumping Mouse! Oh, this is wonderful! Wonderful!” Jumping Mouse cried. “Thank you, thank you, Brother Frog!” and he scurried off back home.

But when Jumping Mouse returned home, nobody would listen to his story. They thought he was crazy and didn’t believe in the river or any sacred mountains. Worse, since he was wet, they thought that an animal had snatched him up in its mouth, but spit him out because he was poison. So everybody shunned Jumping Mouse. He was very sad.

Day after day, Jumping Mouse went about his business again of collecting seeds and materials for his nest. But he could not get the image and feeling out of his mind and heart about the Sacred Mountains. How he longed for them! Finally, he could stand it no longer. He was determined to see the Sacred Mountains once more.

“I will see them again!” he cried, and went out to the edge of his world and looked out on the prairie where he thought the mountains lay. He was frightened as he looked out on the open prairie and up into the wide sky above, filled with eagles ready to snatch him up.

But the vision pulled at him with great desire, and he mustered up all his courage and then dashed out on to the prairie. His little legs carried him as fast as he could, as his eyes, glazed over with fear, looked into the sky. Finally, he spotted a bush and dashed into it. His heart was beating furiously as he caught his breath. Then he looked around and saw some amazing things.

Why, there were many, many seeds to collect and so much more nesting material than back home! How easy life was here! Then, he saw an old mouse.
“Hello there, little mouse,” said the old mouse.

“Why hello!” Jumping Mouse said. “You must be a very special and wise mouse to be way out here. You must have seen the sacred mountains!”

“Yes, that is true. I am old and therefore wise. I have come a long way in my life. But those sacred mountains. Forget about them. They are not true. You should just stay here and journey no further.”

Jumping Mouse thought about this for a while as he watched the old mouse in his comfortable surroundings. But he remembered the vision of the sacred mountains.

“No, no! You are wrong! The mountains DO exist. I saw them myself!”

“Don’t be a fool,” the old mouse said. “Do you see those black dots up there? Those are eagles. They will snatch you up quickly once you hit the prairie again. Stay here where you are safe and have so much to live for!”

“No! NO!” and Jumping Mouse gathered up all his courage, looked up at the eagles above, but closed them and dashed out onto the prairie. He hurried as fast as his little legs could carry him and he was fearful as he heard the sound of beating wings. Suddenly he saw a chokecherry bush, and dashed to safety.

He panted hard catching his breath. Then he looked around in his new surroundings. There were even more things that he could eat. The chokecherries were abundant.

Just then he heard a sound. It was heavy, uneven breathing. He peeked out of the chokecherry bush, and saw an enormous, brown, furry animal.

“Hello there,” Jumping Mouse said. “Who are you? Are you all right?”

The creature moved a bit then spoke. “I am a buffalo. But I am dying. The only thing that can cure me is the eye of a mouse. But there is no such thing as a mouse, so I must die.”

Jumping Mouse ran back into the bush. “An eye of a mouse!” he said. “I am a mouse! My eye can heal him! But to lose my eye!” Jumping Mouse sat for a very long time, wondering what to do. “If I don’t give it to him, this great being will die!”

Finally, Jumping Mouse came back to the buffalo.

“Buffalo,”

“Yes?”

There is such a thing as a mouse. I am a mouse. And I give you one of my eyes.”
No sooner that the words were out of his mouth, that one of Jumping Mouse’s eyes flew out of him and into the buffalo. Instantly, the buffalo was healed.

“Oh, Jumping Mouse,” the buffalo said. “I am so grateful for your gift. You have healed me. I wish to do something for you in return. I know of your quest for the sacred mountains. I will take you there. You can walk beneath me and I will protect you from the eagles.

“Oh! Thank you, thank you!” Jumping Mouse said. And he walked beneath the buffalo, although it was very difficult with the heavy pounding hooves shaking the earth and with the use of only one eye. He was terrified, but so excited that he was closer to his goal.

Finally, the buffalo stopped, and so did all the shaking.

“Here is the foot of the sacred mountains. I can go no further, and I must now give-away to the people.”

“Oh, that’s quite all right. Thank you so much!” Jumping Mouse said.

“No, thank you,” Buffalo said.

Jumping mouse searched around some more, investigating all around him the best he could. There were even more seeds, more nesting materials than ever before! He was amazed, and got busy. However, he came across a wolf.

“Wolf! Wolf!” Jumping Mouse cried.

The wolf suddenly shot up to its feet.

“Yes, that’s right! I remember now. I am a wolf, I’m a … I’m …a”

“Wolf!”

“Wolf, yes, that’s me! I am a wolf. I’m. I’m what?

“Goodness,” Thought Jumping Mouse. “What a great being this is, but he has no memory!” Jumping Mouse thought for a little while and then went to the wolf and said.

“Wolf!”

“I’m a wolf! That’s right!” the wolf said jumping up.

“Wolf! I understand that you have no memory. And I have that which will heal you. It’s one of my eyes, and I willingly give it to you.”

No sooner that he said those words, that his second eye went flying out of his head and went straight into the wolf and he was healed.

Tears streamed out of the wolf’s eyes, but little Jumping Mouse could not see them for he was blind.

“I am so grateful to you, little mouse,” the wolf said. “I remember now, that I am a guide to these mountains. I can take you to the lake at the top of these mountains, if you wish.

“Oh, yes, yes, that would be nice,” Jumping Mouse said.

The wolf gently picked him up in his mouth and climbed to the top of the mountain, where he set Jumping Mouse down by the lake’s edge.

“I will stay here as long as you wish,” the wolf said.

“Oh, thank you, but there are others who will need your services.”

“Very well. As you wish.” And the wolf left Jumping Mouse alone.

Jumping Mouse didn’t know what to do, alone and blind at the edge of the lake on top of the mountain, he felt fear and he swore he could feel the presence of eagles around him. He heard screeches and the beating of wings and then…..something hit him, and he blacked out.

Jumping Mouse lay there for a long time before waking up. And when he did he found that he could see! Yes, he could see! Not very clearly at first, it was blurry.

Then he heard a voice.

“Jumping Mouse. Do you want some medicine?”

“Medicine for me? Oh, yes, yes!”

“Then crouch down as low as you can and jump as high as you can.”

So Jumping Mouse did as he was told. He crouched down low and then jumped high with all his might. He found that as he jumped, he was lifted up into the air, the wind lifted him higher and higher, and the higher he went, the clearer his vision became. He looked down upon the lake and he saw the whole world reflected in it. And in the center of it, was his friend, Brother Frog.

His vision restored, Jumping Mouse soared through the air.

“And you have a new name, “ Frog said. “You are Eagle and you will live here for eternity.”

Fatima the Spinner and the Tent

There was once a young girl named Fatima who was the daughter of a prosperous spinner. Her father taught her the ancient craft, and every day she would sit and spin fine threads of silk, dreaming of a man she may one day marry.

As she sat and spun she would sing, “Ah, life is good. Ah, fate is kind. How happy I am in this life of mine.”

One day her father said, “Come Fatima, I have business in the Middle Seas. Join me on this journey and perhaps you will find a young man worthy of your hand in marriage.

So Fatima joyously sailed with her father, dreaming of the man she would marry.

A terrible storm, however, swept up, picked up the ship like a toy boat and crashed it onto some rocks.

When Fatima awoke after the tragedy, she found herself washed up on the shore of some strange land. Her clothes were in tatters and the taste of salt was heavy on her lips. Worst of all, next to her was her father, dead.

Terrified, Fatima did not know what to do. But she heard a little voice inside that said.

“Fatima, Fatima all is well. Why things happen, no on can tell.”

So she picked herself up off the shore and began walking.

Soon she came to an elderly couple on the beach. Fatima told them of her lot and they told her that she was near Alexandria and that they were cloth makers.

“We have no child of our own. Please, come and live with us, if you wish!” they said.

Fatima accepted their offer and learned the trade of her new life. She became a fine cloth maker and once again was happy. She would often sit and sing, dreaming of the man she would marry.

“Ah, life is good. Ah, fate is kind. How happy I am in this life of mine.”

One day, Fatima was walking along the beach where she had washed up so long ago. As fate would have it, slave traders were there. They snatched Fatima up, threw her onto a ship and sent her off to Istanbul. She protested bitterly, but to no avail.

Until one day she found herself looking out dejectedly among the stench of human flesh around her at the slave trade auction.

“How can this have happened to me?" she cried. There was no answer, except for the little voice within that said,

“Fatima, Fatima all is well. Why things happen, no on can tell.”

It just so happened that it was a very slow day at the slave market, and a wealthy mast maker saw the beautiful Fatima and took pity on her. He bought her, thinking that she would make a good house servant for his wife and that would better her lot.
But when the mast maker returned home, he discovered that a ship full of his cargo had been lost at sea. He had lost a fortune, and so he had to let go all of his workers. Then he, his wife and Fatima had to sit down and be the ones to carve the masts from trees.

In time, Fatima became a fine mast maker. Happy in her third life, she would often sing as she worked, dreaming one day of the man who she would marry.

“Ah, life is good. Ah, fate is kind. How happy I am in this life of mine.”

Fatima was such a fine worker, that she became a trusted servant of the mast maker.

“Fatima,” he said to her one day, “I need you to sail to Java with this cargo of masts. Be sure to get a good price for them.”

“I most certainly will,” she cried proudly. Shortly she set off on her journey in charge of the cargo, dreaming of the good price she would get for her master.

But, as fate would have it, before she reached Java, a terrible typhoon swept up and crashed her ship across some rocks. All was lost, and Fatima found herself once again washed up on a strange shore, her whole world lost.

When she awoke, this time she cried out with a fist to the sky.

“Why is it that every time I think something’s going to work out it only ends in frustration?” But there was no answer. Only a little voice inside said.

“Fatima, Fatima all is well. Why things happen, no on can tell.”

Fatima once again picked herself up off the shore and began walking.

She met some people and discovered she was in China. Now, no one in China had ever heard of Fatima or her problems, but they had heard of a prophecy. That a stranger, a woman, would arrive in China and that she would make a tent for the emperor. So when Fatima wandered into a town, people immediately, using sign language, said she must go straight to the emperor.

When she got there, the emperor asked her if she could make a tent.

“I think so,” she said. “First I will need some strong rope.”

Strong rope? Nobody understood by what she meant.

So, Fatima, remembering her time with her father learning spinning, went out to the field, gathered some flax and spun it into strong rope.

“Now I will need some stout cloth,” Faitma said.

People rumbled among themselves, as they didn’t understand those words.

“What is stout cloth?” they cried.

So, Fatima, remembering her time among the cloth makers of Alexandria, spun some more flax into thread and wove it into stout cloth.

“Now I need some strong polls. About ten of them.”

Again, nobody knew what she was talking about, so Fatima herself went to the forest to cut down 10 trees, and because of her time among the mast maker in Istanbul, she fashioned 10 poles for the tent. Then she wracked her brain to remember, in all of her journeys she had seen tents. At last she settled on one and lo…. A tent was prepared for the emperor. He was very pleased.

“Because you have fulfilled this prophecy, Fatima, you shall have anything you wish," the emperor said.

Fatima thought about what she wanted. “I will stay here. I wish to marry.”

She married a fine prince and she had many children and many grandchildren. And as she lived her life and watched them play, she would often sing to herself.

“Ah, life is good. Ah, fate is kind. How happy I am in this life of mine.”

Sources
Carol McCormick: Metamorphosis: Stories to Help Us Heal. 1997
Idries Shah : Tales of the Dervishes

The Owl and the Pussy Cat

by Edward Lear

The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!'

II
Pussy said to the Owl, 'You elegant fowl!
How charmingly sweet you sing!
O let us be married! too long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?'
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong-tree grows
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.

III
'Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?' Said the Piggy, 'I will.'
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.