conuly

(And please feel free to spread the link to that entry around, I need help!)

...why not help me with something else and list me some fairy and folk tales. Not specific editions, per se (although if you have one that really rocks, that's awesome - and I'm openminded. If it merely seems like it could be traditional, such as The Apple-Pip Princess (black princess FTW!), or if it is based off of a traditional story, such as Bubba, The Cowboy Prince, I'm game), but just... stories themselves.

My nieces flatter me by saying I'm the best one to read books to them, they do, but I want to learn how to tell stories without having a book with me as well. And I also want to build up a supply of traditional stories in the bookcase, so I've got it both ways.

I suppose I could look up the Aarne-Thompson categories and mix and match to make up my own but... seriously, it's 1:44 here already. I don't know if this is an aspie thing or a me thing, but delving into an online (no mess!) pile of sorted and organized stories (and I've already told you all how I really like traditional stories and their variations as it is, oral tradition and how it changes is the underpinning of most of my interests)? I wouldn't get to bed until morning. TUESDAY morning, that is.

So, uh, no. Not today. (Maybe not ever. I know my limits. TVTropes is bad enough!)

No, no, no. A simple list of every fairy/folk tale our collective mind knows will suffice for now. I'm only going to list-list the traditional (old, that is) ones, but I'll keep recent books in mind if they're mentioned. Fables, too, those are good.

( Read more... )

I miss my dad.

He's been dead more than half my life now, and I still miss him every day.

When my father died, my mother was the one who had to tell us that. And later, she said that what she wanted to say was "Daddy's on the roof". It's a family joke of sorts.

A man had a cat, whom he adored, and a bit of a dim brother. One day, the man went on a vacation, and left his cat in his brother's care. As soon as he got where he was going, he called his brother and asked how the cat was.

"Sorry, your cat is dead"

Well, this surprised him, and, in a bit of a snit, he hung up and didn't call back for another three or four days. When he called back, he explained that he'd just been startled, and upset, and that his brother should've broken the news to him more gently, like so:

"You see, when I first called, you could've told me 'the cat is on the roof.' Then I would've been a little concerned, but not very worried, and certain to call back the next day. Then you could've told me 'the cat fell off the roof, but he's at the vet, and the vet is taking care of him.' I would've been worried, but it wouldn't've been a big blow. Then on the third day, you could say 'I'm sorry, the vet did all he could,' and I would be upset, but I wouldn't be surprised at all, and so I wouldn't've hung up on you like that. But it's all over now. So, um... how's mom?"

*silence*

"Mom is on the roof."

Stupid joke, I know, I know, but... it would've made sense.