Lali and the Storyteller Episode One: You Chose the Poem!

ou choose the poem!" Storyteller beamed, and her eyes twinkled merrily in her warm brown face. Just then, Lali's cat stretched himself and twined around Lali's ankles, soft and bright as sunshine. He was a large handsome yellow beast, with a glossy coat that spoke of full meals and much time for grooming. Lali smiled at him. She picked him up, and cuddled her face in his fur. He bumped her under the chin with his head, and purred. She snuggled him in her arms. "See, Tomasi," she said to him fondly. "It's our lucky day! Storyteller visits!"

Storyteller smiled widely, full lips merrily upturned. Slowly, gently, she held her hand out to Tomasi. He sniffed it, then rasped the woman's fingertips with a sandpapery tongue. "He likes you!" Lali's eyes danced.

"Yes, I have a way with fur folk." Storyteller thought a moment, humming ummmm, hmmmmm, mmmmm, under her breath. "Ah! I remember now. Just the thing! I give you a poem about a cat!"

"Listen, Tomasi," Lali whispered. "It's a poem like you!"

Storyteller threw back her head and spoke:

"I like it! Tell me another?" Lali looked up at Storyteller hopefully.

"Another day, child. Another day."

"Awwww...."

"Now, Storyteller must walk the world, to find the tales to bring to you. Yet I will be back, oh yes! Back with more tales, and a thirst to trade them for. When the week turns to the third day, watch for me. I'll stop in the shade of this tall, tall tree, with tales for you. Is it well?"

"It is well. Walk happy, Storyteller!"

"Dance happy, Lali!"

And the Storyteller took up her hiking stick, put on her pack, and went her way, humming hmmmmm, ummmm, mmmmm, until the next week.

This article © 2000-2004 Peg Fisher, used by permission.

Lali and the Storyteller Episode One: You Chose the Story!

ou choose the tale!" Storyteller nodded happily. "I have just the tale for you, because you have a cat." She winked a bright, dark eye at the golden shape of Tomasi, contentedly purring in the sunlight.

The Story


It was like this. A young cat wished to see the world, so he went down to the sea to take ship. Down at the harbor there were many, many vessels, but one craft caught his eye. It had a deep green hull, and a high white sail, and a pennant showing dolphins leaping out of the water. "That's the one for me," said Cat, and he went down to the dock, to find the Captain.

Now, the Captain was a canny, dark-haired fisher named Mira, and she and her whole family fished the sea. She had a tall bright eyed daughter, Eleni, who navigated. Then there was a strong shouldered son, Bruno, who hauled up the full nets, and another son, Erik, who cleaned the catch and traded with the town folk. And last, there was a little laughing girl, Sanda, who sang as she fixed their meals in the galley. Mira could do all these things, and more, for it was she who taught them to her children.

Cat looked at the fishers as they went about their work. They had unloaded the fresh catch, which Erik took on a cart to market. Bruno and Mira were rolling barrels of salt fish up the gangplank, then lowering them into the hold. Eleni stashed them fast, and little Sanda kept the tally. When he saw all this, Cat's whiskers tingled in a good way. He went up to Captain Mira and said, "I wish to see other lands beyond this shore. Will you take me there?"

Captain Mira looked him over thoughtfully, from the briskness of his whiskers to the litheness of his tail, and she liked what she saw. His green eyes were alert, his brown tabby coat was clean. All in all, he was the very picture of a young cat out to seek adventure.

"Can you keep the rats off my decks, and out of my hold, below?"

"Yes, Captain. Try me!"

"Right, then," she nodded briskly. "Come aboard."

So Cat came aboard, and he watched carefully, and chased down or ran off all the rats. Captain Mira was pleased. "You'll do," was all she said, but she smiled at him too, and Cat's whiskers tingled in a good way.

Next day, they set sail for the Outer Islands. They sailed through sun and wind, through calm and storm, and Cat enjoyed himself thoroughly. Once, when Sanda called out to him, he even got to see dolphins leap from the water, arc high into the air, then plunge beneath the waves again. It was wonderful!

At last, they hove into view of an island. Cat was almost sorry to see the journey end, but he was eager to go ashore, too. So the fishers lowered their dinghy and rowed him in. "Farewell," said Captain Mira. "Watch the docks for us, if you want to take ship again," said Eleni. Sanda hugged him, then they all waved goodbye.

Cat felt sad to be leaving his friends, but he was wild to explore as well. He looked along the rocky coastline and wondered what strange pools and mysterious caves it might hold. As he looked, his whiskers tingled in an iffy way. In his excitement, though, Cat ignored the tingling.

Cat set out along the coast, searching for new sights. He indeed found tidal pools full of life --darting minnows, fringed anemonies, scuttling crabs, starfish. This was good, yet he found himself missing the chance to see dolphins.

When he grew hungry, Cat caught a fish to eat. It was tasty, but still he found himself thinking of Sanda, and the hearty soups and rich chowders she made. Not only that, he missed her merry laughter. "I shall be lonelier here," he thought, and his whiskers trembled in a downhearted way, but again, he pretended not to notice.

Cat went on, and he came to a cliff, and indeed there were mysterious caves. The wind around the rocks there whistled and moaned eerily. It made the fur on Cat's spine stand up. It made his whiskers tingle in a spooky kind of way. Finally, this time, Cat listened to his whiskers! "I don't like this place!" he cried. "I want to go back with my friends!"

Hurry, hurry, hurry! Cat raced back along the shore. "Will my friends still be there?" he thought, anxiously. He couldn't see the docks yet. He hurried faster. Then he rounded a big boulder and away in the distance he could see them. The dinghy was rowing back to the ship! Oh no!

"Wait for me," he shouted, and ran harder. The dinghy kept going, too far away for them to hear him. He shouted louder, "WAIIIIIIT!" The dinghy kept on. Cat reached the docks, and stopped, gasping. His shoulders drooped sadly as he watched his fisher friends leave. But suddenly, his whiskers tingled in a good way! Could it be? Yes! The dinghy was turning back!

Greatly relieved, Cat waited as his friends rowed back to get him.

"Through exploring already?" asked Captain Mira.

"I thought better of it," Cat answered. "I missed you. Take me back? I want to go where you go, and be a Sea Cat."

"Hooray!" cried Sanda. Eleni smiled up at him. "Done," said Captain Mira. "Come aboard." And she lent him a hand as he clambered back into the dinghy.

"And that, my friend, is how Cat became Sea Cat," finished the Storyteller.

"Ah!" cried Lali, "What a story! Is there more? What did Sea Cat do?"

"That is another tale for another day," replied Storyteller. Lali looked sad. "No worries, child, I'll be back! Watch for me on the third day and I'll trade you another tale for another dinner. It is well, then?"

"It is well. Walk happy, Storyteller!"

"Dance happy, Lali!"

Then Storyteller put on her pack, picked up her hiking stick, and went her way humming, hmmmm, ummmmm, mmmmmm, until the next week.

This article © 2000-2004 Peg Fisher, used by permission.

Lali and the Storyteller Episode Two: You Chose the Poem!

Leaves fall gently in the wind,
Sweep and sway and swirl,
Dance around my feet again,
Crisp and crunch and curl.

Rake them high into a pile
Dive right in, I gotta smile!
Stop and watch the clouds a while -
Through the sky they whirl.

Take my leaves to garden plot,
Mulch with every bit I got!
Through the winter, nourish earth.
New leaves grow with spring's rebirth.

"And because this is the season of plenty, here's another one:"

Days grow shorter, wind turns chill,
Maples blaze along the hill,
Autumn's here again.

Wood smoke wisps from chimney stack,
Look, the geese are coming back!
Autumn's here, my friends.

Gather now around the fire,
Share a song, and build it higher!
Autumn's here again, my friends,
Autumn's here again.

"And while we're at it," she said, "let's have a story too."

Lali and the Storyteller Episode Two: You Chose the Story!

Years ago, in a time more new than now, the land was mostly forest. It was before cars, before horse and wagon, and before the Boat People came. Only the First People lived in the land. They had dark hair and warm reddish-brown skin, and they built their lodges in a clearing among the trees.

One day, the Eldest tribesman called everyone together. "Listen well, my young," said Eldest. All that we have that is good is given to us by our Mother, the Earth. She has been very kind to us this summer. Our crops have grown well, and the forest is rich with game, our streams plentiful with fish. Let us all gather some of our best harvest, and hold a great feast to honor Mother Earth, and thank her!"

Then all the people were very happy and excited about the feast. All, that is, except for young Runs Swiftly. For while the others in his tribe had prospered this year, for him, life had been very hard. His Mother and Father had both died last winter from the coughing sickness, and only his old Grandmother was left with him. She was very old indeed, and very wise, but the years had worn her down and she could not walk as well as she once had.

Runs Swiftly did his best to find food for her and himself, but he was still very young. He could not yet hunt the big deer, which ran even more swiftly than he did. But he could catch trout, and gather the summer berries, so he did. Grandmother did the best she could, too, so there was some corn she'd grown, dried and saved for winter, and pumpkins. But it was not very much, and it was plain, ordinary food. They had nothing wonderful to share at the feast! Runs Swiftly felt very sad.

His grandmother saw this when he returned to their lodge, and she said to him, "Son of my son, what troubles you?"

"Oh, Grandmother, there's to be a great feast to honor Mother Earth, but we have nothing wonderful to bring!"

"Ah, I see," said Grandmother. "And that is why you feel so sad?" Runs Swiftly nodded.

"Listen to me," said Grandmother. "I have something to tell you that you can do. You must go to the forest and listen within. Sometimes, if you listen very carefully, Mother Earth will speak to you and help you."

"What must I do, Grandmother?"

"You must arise early, with the first light of the dawn. Then you must go alone, very quietly, into the forest. Walk until you find a place of stillness. Then sit at the foot of a tree, be very quiet, and listen. Listen to the sounds of the forest. Listen to the drumming of your own heart, and then listen within yourself. Silently ask Mother Earth to help you, and it may be that she will send you a message."

"I will do this, Grandmother," said Runs Swiftly. "Tomorrow, I will go to the forest."

Next morning, Runs Swiftly did just as his Grandmother had told him to do. He rose very early, just as the light began returning. He wore his leggings, and he put on his leather shirt, because the morning air was chill. Then he took up his gathering sack, to have along if perhaps he could find something to bring back. Then, very quietly, he walked out into the trees.

The first rays of light slanted through the branches. Runs Swiftly saw a cobweb glistening with drops of dew, and he heard birds calling farther away. He followed a deer trail into the forest, and looked all about him, seeking the very quiet place.

At last, Runs Swiftly came to a tiny clearing among the trees. It was very quiet and peaceful there. "This must be the place of stillness that Grandmother told me of," he thought to himself. On the far side of the clearing he saw a tall old oak tree, and he went to sit at its foot, just as Grandmother had said to do.

Runs Swiftly listened closely to the sounds of the forest. He heard the wind sigh through the remaining leaves on the trees, and rustle the ones on the ground. He heard branches creak against each other. It was so still that, indeed, he could hear the drumming of his own heart as well. Then he listened to the feelings within himself, and with all his heart he called silently, "Mother Earth! Mother Earth! Please help me!"

Gradually, Runs Swiftly began to feel as if someone very BIG was in the clearing with him!

"Child of my people, what troubles you?" asked a voice. It was a great, powerful voice, rich and strong, yet also it sounded very kind.

"Oh, Mother Earth, my village will hold a feast at the full moon to honor you. I wish to go, but I have nothing wonderful to bring. Can you help me find something?"

"Yes," said the great voice, and it sounded to Runs Swiftly as if someone very BIG was smiling. "I will send one of the fur folk to be my messenger to you. Watch well, and follow where he leads."

"Many thanks, Mother Earth," thought Runs Swiftly, and then opened his eyes. He watched and listened carefully. First he heard a skittering sound. Then as he watched, a squirrel ran up over a fallen log. It paused to look around, and Runs Swiftly noticed it had a hulled black walnut in its mouth.

"I remember those nuts!" thought Runs Swiftly. "My Mother used to gather them for us!" And he remembered his Mother, Bright Water. She would bring the black walnuts back to their lodge, crush the outer hulls off, then dry them in the sun. After they had dried, she'd crack the inner shell between two hard rocks, then pick the tasty nuts out from inside. They were wonderful!

"This is my chance!" thought Runs Swiftly excitedly. "If I can find some of those nuts, they would be just right for the feast! I will watch the squirrel. Maybe it will lead me to the black walnut tree!" So he sat very still, and he watched very quietly. Sure enough, the squirrel ran up a tree, put the nut in a hole high up on the trunk, and then came back out to go get more. Runs Swiftly watched very carefully, and very quietly. As the squirrel leaped off along a tree branch, he saw which way it was going, and very cautiously, he got up and moved along after it.

Runs Swiftly followed the squirrel to another clearing, and there on one side was a huge old black walnut tree. The ground at its roots was covered with nuts!

"My thanks, squirrel," he whispered. "There's enough nuts here for us both, and more!" Then Runs Swiftly opened his gathering sack and began filling it with black walnuts. It got heavy as he filled it, but Runs Swiftly was glad to have so many of the savory nuts. Then he carried it back to the lodge. "Grandmother," he called, "Look what I've got for the feast!"

Grandmother smiled. "I see you know how to listen to Mother Earth," she said. "You have done well, son of my son."

When the story finished, everyone applauded.

"Thank you, Storyteller," said Carly Jo. "Well, friends, that concludes our celebration for tonight. See you next time!" Then everybody packed up their dishes, helped fold up the tent, and got ready to go.

"Travel well, Storyteller!" they called to her.

"Walk well, everybody!" she replied.

Then Storyteller got into Joe's sputtery, muttery old truck and rode away, down the road, until the next time.

Lali and the Storyteller Episode Three: The Poem

nd I know just the one for you," said the Storyteller. But suddenly Lali's yellow cat Tomasi came out from under the porch and scurried over to bat at the loop on the end of the dangling balloon string. Dab! Pounce! Tomasi leaped and danced after the string. Lali laughed and she danced too, around and around the yard. Finally Dadi came out with three glasses of juice, and a bite of tuna for Tomasi.

"Take a rest now," he grinned. "Catch your breath, have this lemonade, and then let Storyteller have a turn!" So Lali tied her balloon to the porch railing, and they took a juice break. Tomasi had his tuna then stretched out in the sun to rest.

"Where were we?" said Storyteller. "Ah yes. Listen."

Bright Balloon

Fun that dances on a string,
Bright balloon, of you I sing.
Bobbing, bouncing in the air
Tugging t'ward the sky up there,
My, you are a lovely thing!
Bright balloon, of you I sing.

Fun that dances on a string,
Bright balloon, of you I sing.
Follow me throughout my day
in my room or out to play,
(But if I let go the string
bright balloon is vanishing...)
Stay with me for now, I say,
Bright balloon, don't fly away!
My you are a lovely thing.
Bright balloon, of you I sing!

"Oh, I like that one too! Will you come back and tell me another one next time?"

"That I will. Until then, dance happy, Lali, and cook happy, Dadi!"

"Walk happy, Storyteller!" they called.

And then Storyteller took up her hiking stick, put on her pack, and went her way, humming hmmmmm, ummmm, mmmmm, until the next week.

Lali and the Storyteller Episode Three: The Story

mmm. A balloon story... Let me think." Storyteller placed a finger along her warm brown cheek and tapped it several times, pensively. Then, all of a sudden, there was an amazing racket! Tremendously loud noises came pouring out from the trees behind Lali's house!

*WHOOSH!* *WHOOOOSH!*

Deetle Dog howled and ran under the porch to hide. Lali felt scared. "Storyteller, _what_ is that horrible noise? Is it a dragon? It _sounds_ like a dragon."

"No, Lali! Something much better! I know that sound - that's a hot air balloon! And with it that loud... Sun and stars! It must be going right-" She stopped, grabbed Lali by the shoulder and turned her to look up over the trees. "Right there!"

Storyteller pointed up over the tallest tip top of the tall, tall tree, and there it was! A beautiful hot air balloon, striped in all the colors of the rainbow. A wicker basket hung from the bottom, and three smiling people waved and shouted "Hall-OOOOO!" And the balloon was gliding down...

"They're going toward the park!" cried Lali.

Storyteller flung back her head and laughed joyously. "Today, we make our own story! An adventure! Come, run!" Storyteller took Lali by the hand and they ran together, whip-zip! past Mami in the workshop.

"What is it?" she called, "Where you going?"

"Balloon! Come see!"

"Cool!" hollered Mami, and she ran after them. Whip-zip! They ran past Dadi in the hammock, asleep with the paper over his eyes.

"Wake up, Dadi," Lali shouted. "Balloon!"

"Wha...ohh...hmmm?" asked Dadi, stumbling up on his feet.

"Balloon!" cried Mami. "Come! Run!"

Dadi blinked up at the floating colors. "Whoa, neat!" And he began to run too. All along the road they ran, Lali and Storyteller and Mami and Dadi, and even the neighbor's dog, who was braver than Deetle. The balloon was floating just ahead of them, dropping gently, down, down toward the wide open space of the playing field.

As they ran up to the edge of the field, a brown haired man with a moustache got out of the basket, and placed an anchor weight on the ground. A rope went from it to the balloon basket. Then The man held out one of his heavily gloved hands and the young woman took it and climbed out of the basket while he steadied it for her. Next, the younger man got out. The balloon bobbed up a bit, tugging on the rope.

The young couple hugged, then shook hands with the older man. "He's the pilot," said Mami. "C'mon, let's go say hi!"

So they all introduced themselves to the man, who was Pilot Tom Stevenson. "And here's Diane and Allan Foster, my passengers," Tom said. "They're celebrating their wedding today!"

"What a wonderful flight!" cried Diane.

"A terrific idea, my heart," said Allan to her. "I'm so glad you thought of it!"

"We flew over a lot of houses along your road," said Pilot Tom, "so I'm suprized there's not more people here to see us."

"I guess everybody else is away at work or at school," said Dadi.

"We're lucky," added Mami. "We work and learn at home."

Lali nodded. "Storyteller's lucky too, that she visits us today!"

"Indeed so!" agreed Storyteller. "And what a fine tale this will make, too!"

Pilot Tom got out two bottles from inside the basket, along with a package of cups. "Traditionally, we carry a bottle of champagne to give to the owner of the land we set down on, as a thank you," he explained. "Though lately, I've taken to carrying a bottle of fruit juice, too. So, since we set down on public land this time, we can all have some!" He passed around the cups and poured. Lali and Dadi and Storyteller had fruit juice, while Mami and Diane, Allan and Pilot Tom sipped champagne.

"Ah! Here comes my ground crew!" Pilot Tom declared, pointing to the main gate. Sure enough, a bright blue truck with Up and Away! Balloon Tours on the side was pulling in. It drove on up, and a tall sandy haired man got out.

"Hey, big guy, it took me a little while to find a crossroad after the wind shifted you, but here I am! Got any juice left?" Lali handed him a cup and Tom poured some.

"Folks, meet my partner, Will Provost." Will smiled and nodded, and everybody smiled back. "Will, these folks are from down the road, and Lali here," he patted her on the shoulder, "has never gone up in a balloon before. What do you think, have we got time for an ascension?"

"OK with you?" Will asked Diane and Allan.

"Sure, we've got time."

Lali was dancing around with excitement. "I get to go up! I get to go up!" she cried happily.

"Tell you what, Will," said Tom. "I had the long flight this time. How about, you take a turn?"

"Sure enough!" grinned Will, and he put on the heavy protective gloves. Tom steadied the big wicker basket as Will climbed in. Mami got on next, and Dadi handed Lali in to her. Then he got in too. "Now, when I fire up the flame to make the hot air, it will be noisy," Will reminded them. "Lali, cover your ears if you need to." Lali nodded.

So while the young couple stayed on the ground, talking with Storyteller and Tom, Will took Lali and Mami and Daddy up in the air. It was wonderful! How strange to look down on the tops of the trees, and the roofs of houses. Lali had climbed way up in the tall, tall tree once, but this was _much_ higher! They looked all around, amazed at how far they could see.

Will sighed contentedly. "Man, I never get tired of this, no matter how often we go. Still, we do need to pack down and drive back, so I guess we'd better descend." He opened the vents that released air from the balloon, and gently they sank back to the ground.

Everyone got out, and then Will opened the vents even more, and the balloon leaned over sideways, then gradually collapsed on itself. When it was down, Tom and Will took the balloon loose from the basket, carefully spread it flat, and then Diane and Allan, who had done it before and knew how, helped them fold it up and pack it away on the truck. Then Tom and Will got in the front seat of the truck, and Diane and Allan got in the back seat of the long cab. Everybody buckled seatbelts, then waved as Will drove off.

Lali sighed with contentment as they walked back to the house. "That was soooooo cool! I'll remember it a long time!"

"Indeed so," agreed Storyteller. "And I have a bright new tale to tell to the others along my way. And there's daylight left for walking, so on I go. Until next time, go well, everybody!"

"Walk well, Storyteller!" they answered.

Then Storyteller put on her pack, picked up her hiking stick, and went her way humming, hmmmm, ummmmm, mmmmmm, until the next week.