Subject: My second story for children Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 18:52:09 -0500 From: "Win Wenger, Ph.D." To: John McPherson , anakin@dur.mindspring.com, mcole@napanet.net, mjoyner@botree.com, GeoNelson@aol.com, "Rolls Straveca (SRCS)" , "Swcgluck@aol.com" , RickAshby@aol.com, Kuene@cts.com (Corbin/Kueneman) Childwrite endeavor, context-builder 3-W Here, as promised, is that second children's story I wrote some years ago, to see if it might help trigger ideas and build context for our joint endeavor. --win (Maybe if I were to do more of these, it should be as "Dr. Win?") The art for this one was also really good, even though this went unpublished.... > THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE > > --by Dr. Win Wenger > >Little Eddie Wills was only ten years old when he firmly decided that he >was going to grow up to be a great knight and hero. > > --- > > All the other kids laughed at him. ""Eddie Wills!" they jeered. "That's >not the name of a warrior. To be a great knight you have to be named >George, or Thor, or Basil, or Florian, or Whorf. But Eddie! - ha!ha!ha!" > > --- > > And several of the bigger kids beat him up. That was when Eddie realy >firmly decided he was going to learn how to fight and to be a great knight. > > --- > > Eddie worked hard and practiced and learned, trying to become a knight. >All that training was hard work, and sometimes he had to stop and do other >things. Sometimes something beautiful would catch his eye--an old building >leaning as if it were tired; a flower with morning dew glinting in the sun; >a graceful tree or a fiery proud horse, and he might stop long enough to >try to draw it or paint it. Usually his pictures didn't look very much like >what he intended, sometimes they did. > > --- > >Most of the time, though, he worked hard at learning to become a knight. > > And because Eddie was bright and alert, and worked hard, and practiced and >exercised hard, and picked up every trick he could find, by the time he >became a man everyone saw that Ed Wills had grown up to become a great >warrior indeed! > > --- > > --But inside, Ed Wills still felt like a little body, and sometimes he was >afraid, though he tried not to let anyone know when he was frightened. > > --- > > He felt better about it when several of the older knights confided to him >that yes, in difficult situations sometimes they, too, were frightened >though they tried not to let on about it. > > The year before had been difficult for everyone, though. That was the year >that everyone's crops failed, with the floods and too much rain. Now there >was very little food to be found, though some people said some other people >still had lots of food hidden away. Now this year, everyone's crops >withered under the summer sun without any rain, and died. > > --- > > Now people were really starting to go hungry, and some said the only thing >that would save them was the Philosopher's Stone. > > "--But the Philosopher's Stone," said the village Elder in a weak quavery >voice that kind of sounded like his watery eyes looked, "can be reached >along one path only," and he gave Ed a map. "--And this path is guarded by >50 fierce dragons." > > Ed would have to fight his way through the 50 fierce dragons, and he was >afraid for good reason. --But there was no one else who could go, so he went. > > --- > > The way was long and hard and tiring and hot. No one had been this way for >many years, and the path was broken and hard to follow. Finally, on the >morning of the eighth day of his quest, crawling over some rocks which had >fallen into the path, Ed looked into the sunrise and there was his first >dragon coming at him! > > "Wait," cried Ed, "I don't even know your name!" > > "Asaph," harrumphed the dragon, spreading his wings and flurrying up a >terrible cloud of dust. "Who be you, fool human?" > > --- > > "Ed Wills," said Ed, "And pleased to meet you, Asaph. But my village is >starving and I must bring my people the Philosopher's Stone." > > "Your name is 'Dead,' fool human, unless you turn and run back the way you >came, this very instant, and maybe even then!" > > "I have to go get the Philosopher's Stone for my people. I don't want to >hurt you--why do we have to fight?" > > --- > > "Because it is The Way," roared Asaph, and leaped to attack. > > It was a terrible fight. The very first instant of the attack, the >dragon's claw made a long searing scratch all the way down Ed's arm. Ed got >his shield up in time to fend off worse damage. There was no more time for >feeling afraid, and he pressed his own attack forward with his flashing sword. > > --- > >The fight was long and hot and sore. The great sword grew very heavy in >Ed's hand, but he fought on. At last he found a weak spot in the dragon's >side and drove in the final blow. > > Ed could not help but notice, there was such a terribly sad look in >Asaph's eye just before life faded out of it forever. > > --- > > The road was hot and hard to walk on under the afternoon sun, and it was a >long way before Ed could reach his next dragon. It was evening, and then >night and a brief rest and then, all too soon, it was morning and Ed was >looking into another sunrise facing the second dragon. > > ___ > > This dragon was even larger than the first one, all gold in the morning >sunrise with red glints where the scales of his back gleamed against the >sun. His wings spread tremendously as he strode forward to attack Ed. > > "Wait," cried Ed, "I don't even know your name!" > > "Brin," roared the dragon, huffing his chest and raising both wings in a >great double-arch, ready to leap. > > "I don't want to hurt you, any more than I wanted to hurt Asaph. Why must >we fight?" asked Ed. > > "Ha!--everyone knows that," snorted Brin. "It is The Way!" and leaped >forward to try to land on Ed. Ed ducked aside and Brin crashed down where >Ed had been standing. Ed's sword cut deeply into Brin's wing and the fight >was on. > > --- > > This battle went on even longer under the hot sun, sweat running into Ed's >eyes. His sword arm bewcame so weary he felt like it was on fire. The dust >swirled up from Brin's lunges and at times Ed felt like he was choking, but >he knew his people back home would die if he didn't bring back the Stone >and that he had to win. Finally, late in the afternoon, he did win. > > --- > > What a sad crumpled heap Brin was now, more like a pile of old rags than >anything that had once been the living flame of a great dragon. Brin no >longer was furious and great and terrifying, he was just a heap of old >garbage. Even as Ed looked on, trying to catch his breath after the fight, >the last iridescence of the scales, highlighted by the setting sun, >crumpled, withered and disappeared into grayish blackness. > > --- > > All too soon it was dawn again and already, Ed was in view of the third >great dragon. > > This dragpon was almost as large as Brin had been, and was gleaming so >brightly in the morning sun Ed had to squint to look at him. > > --- > > "I don't even know your name, mighty dragon," said Ed as the gleaming >dragon came toward him. > > "Corion," growled the dragon. "Not that it matters if you know who it is >that kills you. Give up now and I'll be merciful and make it quick." > > "Why must we fight?" angrily replied Ed. "I don't want to hurt you any >more than I wanted to hurt poor Asaph and Brin." > > --- > > "Everyone knows why we must fight," said the dragon as he spread his >gleaming golden wings for the attack. "It is The Way." > > "Then I shall make a better Way," said Ed to himself and said to the >dragon, "Well, before we fight, could you stand there in the sunrise a >minute?" > > Surprised, Corion paused where he was. "Why should I do that?" > > "Your brother Brin was so beautiful in the sunrise yesterday, I truly >hated to kill him. And you're beautiful too--that fierce beak, the sharp >fierce angle of your brow, the sun glinting off of your arched wings--you >are a sight I never want to forget!" > > "Well," said Corion, arching his neck. "Do you really think so?" > > --- > > "It's just extraordinary, the sheen where the sun rides over the shing >scales of your great back," Ed said, "It makes waves of color as you >breathe, and it is very bright." > "Well, I had no idea you felt that way, said the dragon, spreading his >wings even further and swelling his chest. "Tell me more." > > "I don't have enough words to tell what I see when I look at you," sighed >Ed, "but truly I have never seen a dragon so golden as you." > > "It is a nice color, I agree," said Corion. "In fact, if you step around >here to see it from the side where the sun is, it's even brighter." > > "Oh my, yes," said Ed as he scrambled around. > > --- > > "You know," said Corion, "--long as you're over there anyway, why don't I >just let you go on. You seem like a nice enough fellow, even if you are a >human, and I'm sure Daylith will be able to keep you from the Stone." > > "Why thank you!" said Ed. "As a dragon you're certainly very nice >yourself, as nice as they come. The sight of you in the sun is a memory I >will treasure forever." And Ed happily went on down the road. > > --- > > It wasn't long before he came to the next dragon, a great bronze dragon >than any he had seen thus far. The great bronze dragon came charging at him. > > "Stop, Daylith!" shouted Ed. "I must talk with you!" > > In surprise, Daylith skidded his heels in the dirt to stop, and his wings >beat thunder until he recovered his balance. "You know my name," he said, >startled. > > --- > > "And your appearance certainly lives up to that name, bright as day itself >with the sun shining against your wings and back!" > > "You don't say," said Daylith who now seemed amused. > > "How do you get your scales so bright? Do you polish them?" > > "I think you are only saying such things to try to get around me," said >Daylith. > > "Think what you like," said Ed, "but please do me a favor." > > "If you think you're going to get around me with all that smooth talk---" > > "Oh, no, nothing like that," said Ed, "but if you'll move just a little up >that hillside there and face that way, witrh the sun just right behind you, >I'd like to try to paint your picture. It should only be just a few minutes." > > --- > > "Just a few minutes, eh--oh, all right, let's see what you can do with >making my portrait." Daylith moved a little up the hillside and turned just >so. Ed hauled his brushes and paints out of his pack, the ones he had >brought along to improve the map he was following in case he ever got back >to his village. > > "I haven't done this in quite awhile," said Ed. "But how often does one >get such an extraordinary subject to paint? and he bent to his task, trying >to sketch and then paint a picture of the great bronze dragon. > > --- > > "There," Ed said at last, turning the picture around for Daylith to see. >"It's not so good a representation as I'd like it to be. You really look >taller than that, and I haven't been able to really capture that wonderful >shimmer on your wings - I hope you don't mind---" > > "That's o.k.," said Daylith. "May I keep this painting?" > > "Of course it's yours," said Ed, "That's who I painted it for. Just let me >look at it this one last time, and then let me look at you one last time." > > "You're not so bad, for a human," said Daylith."I just don't feel very >much like smashing you into little bits right now--I think I'll go set this >painting up in my cave and let my cousin, Elroth, finish the job of keeping >you from the Stone." > > "Why, thank you!" said Ed to the great bronze dragon, and went on down the >road. The day had turned cooler and the air smelled sweet, and for the >first time since Asaph, Ed began to think that he had a chance of reaching >the Philosopher's Stone. > > --- > > As he went along the road that afternoon, he heard thunder overhead and >there, with wings widespread, was the great green dragon Eiroth. > > "Hey," Eiroth yelled down, "You the guy who paints portraits?" > > "Well, said Ed, "I'm not very good at it, but you dragons are such a sight >to behold that it's something I feel I've got to try. I've never seen a >great green like you before." > > "Well," said Eiroth. setting down in front of him and preening, "Let's get >started, it's only a few hours before sunset. Let's see what you can do >while the light holds." > > "Ok," said Ed and took his paints and brushes out of his pack. > > --- > > This time Ed painted a really good picture. Maybe practice was helping, >but he was able to make the points of Eiroth's scales in the picture gleam >like metal spearpoints, over the deep glistening sheen of the green. What >pleased Eiroth most, though, was the fierce strong pose Ed gave him in the >picture. Eiroth happily carried the picture away. "I know that my brother >Fundazzle takes his work seriously and I'm sure he doesn't care about >portraits. I'll let him do the job of keeping you from the Stone!" Ed went >on down the road as the day turned into evening. > > --- > > R-R-R-R-ROARRRRR!! The road, the land, everything shook with the great >noise of a tremendous white dragon that came flying out of the sunset >toward Ed. "You, stop right there! Prepare to die!" > > "Fyndazzle!" cried Ed. The dragon continued toward him. "I've never seen a >white dragon before." > > "So what," said Fyndazzle. "Prepare to die!" > > "I don't want to hurt you, said Ed, "You are really such a gorgeous sight >with the sunset behind you." > > Fyndazzle landed just in front of Ed, who could feel his hot breath. >"You're just saying that, and my brothers were fools to let you past them >for painting their silly portraits! Prepare to die!" Fyndazzle reared to >strike. > > "Oh, no," said Ed. "I could never paint your portrait." > > --- > > "Why not," snarled Fyndazzle, surprised. > > "You are just too gorgeous, and there's no paint I have which could match >your glory in a mere picture." > > "What could you do, then," said Fyndazzle who seemed disappointed. >Fyndazzle didn't want a picture, but was disappointed that he couldn't have >one if he had wanted it. > > "Nothing I can say is match for your grace and power and beauty," said Ed, >"but let me try to put a little of what I feel about it into words--- > > "The far wind roaring > cannot raise a glory greater > than the towering sunset cloud. > Soaring over the wind, > The great white dragon! > His name bespeaks him: > Fyndazzle!" > > --- > > "My goodness," said Fynbdazzle. "Do you really think so?" > > Ed nodded, and said, "Do you know what I wish?" > > "No, what?" > > "I;ve never known what it is to fly," said Ed. "Am I too big for you to >carry up into the sky on your back?" > > ___ > > The beat of the great wings was a mighty thunder in his ears. The wind and >setting sun rushed in his gladdened face. Far below, the sunset had turned >the land into burning gold. > > --- > > They flew all the way, past the stations of the other 44 dragons, to the >mesa on top of which was the Philosopher's Stone. > > --- > > As they circled in to land in front of the Stone, Fyndazzle looked back >over his shoulder at Ed, to day," You already know much of the Stone, in >your heart, or you wouldn't be here. Learn the rest of the Stone, take what >you learn back to your land, and your people will live." > > --- > > Engraved on the Stone were these words: > > Do no harm, or the least harm possible to prevent or reduce harm > --and-- > Delight in beauty; > Delight in things making sense; > Delight in helping others toward delight. > >--- > > "After you've learned the Philosopher's Stone by heart," said Fyndazzle, >"maybe I'll let you paint my picture after all, here by the Stone. In >return, if you do that I'll carry you all the way back to your land." And >the dragon went over to pose by the Stone. > > --- > > --And so Ed did, and so Fyndazzle did, a grand sight landing in the >village in full sight of all Ed's friends and neighbors. With the word of >the Stone, somehow, the people found enough food around to get by until the >new crops came in, which were a rich harvest, and everyone lived well >enough and long lives, long enough to pass on to you this tale. > > > > > > >Copyright 1986, 1995, 1998 by Win Wenger, Ph.D., win@thebestweb.com, >Project Renaissance, 301-948-1122 or Box 332, Gaithersburg, MD 20884-0332 >USA. > >Note to Publisher (and maybe to parents): > >Because this tale in effect teaches some values, and values are the purview >of parents: perhaps we should provide parents some additional options, in >the form of self-adhering paste-ons they can use on the Philosopher's >Stone. For example-- > >[Note to parents--] If your child has a good vocabulary and is generally >curious, you may want to paste this label over the space on the >Philosopher's Stone, page ____: > > DELIGHT IN THE SHEER SCOPE AND > RICHNESS OF WHAT YOU CAN PERCEIVE. > >If, instead, you wish to include a spiritual message to your child, you may >want to paste this lable instead over the space on the Philosopher's Stone >on that page: > > DELIGHT IN THE LORD AND IN > THE WONDERS OF THE LORD. > >--Or, instead, some special short message of your own, which expresses a >basic positive value which you want your child to absorb. --And which also >seems plausible for changing Ed's villagers' behavior from hoarding to >sharing so that they all get through the famine well. Write or type your >brief message in on the blank paste-up label which is tucked into the back >of this book. > ---------------------------------- > >Note to parents and/or to publisher: > >"Sheen.... Iridescence..." These are not "hard" words for children. >Children love "fancy" words even better than they do plain ones, even this >side of Disney's Mary Poppins' "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." >Moreover 'gleam,' 'sheen,' iridescence' etc. are real words and, better >still, descriptive. > >Descriptive words teach perception, almost magically. A famous researcher >describes a beautiful experiment in which young children were set to trying >to draw butterfly wings. Those children who had words in their working >vocabulary for 'dot,' 'stripe,' 'triangle,' 'slash,' etc., were able to >draw those wings well even from memory. Children who did not have those >words, were unable to draw those wings in a way that they themselves could >later recognize was an effort to draw butterfly wings. In a later phase of >the experiment, the researcher took half of the children who did not have >those words, and in a very different context taught them those words. Then, >in the final phase of the experiment, the children were again set to trying >to draw those wings well even from memory. The children who still did not >have those words, were still unable to draw those wings in any way that >they could later recognize. > >Because: our words, the language we speak in, we not only also think in but >perceive in. Our words focus our perceptions, our faculties--even though >the world is far larger than we can ever hope to really encompass in words. >We human beings can see and tell apart 7 million different colors, but only >have a few dozen color names--so "the grass is green." Which greens? What >else is there in those colors of grass? Or as the poet Archibald MacLeish >said, "A poem should be wordless, as a flight of birds...." > >Other researchers find that the qualiuty of our language powerfully shapes >the quality of our thinking--as we might expect--and also the quality of >our perceptions. That surprises some of us, but makes sense once we know >about that butterfly experiment. SO---- > >When "iridescence" becomes part of YOUR child's language, he or she will be >discovering and seeing iridescent beauty everuwhere, as an immediate and >wonderful part of his or her life. > >One suggestion in letting your child encounter and learn such wonderful >descriptive words: whenever possible, define such a word not in some other >words. Instead define it in the wonderful sensory immediacy of something >you can point to instead--a dragonfly, a suitable brooch, some >mother-of-pearl ornament, the colors you can sometimes see in a clear glass >when you hold it to the light at just the right angle....even the oil sheen >of a street puddle in the sun..... > >In these ways, then, your sharing The Philosopher's Stone with your child >can enrich your child's life experience in the direction of appreciating: >beauty and wonder; art; creative ingenuity and non-violence. --And maybe a >few other good things.