Armadillo's SongA Bolivian Legendretold by S.E. SchlosserThere once lived an armadillo who loved music more than anything else in the world. After every rainfall, the armadillo would drag his shell over to the large pond filled with frogs and he would listen to the big green frogs singing back and forth, back and forth to each other in the most amazing voices."Oh," thought the armadillo, "Oh how I wish I could sing."The armadillo would creep to the edge of the water and watch the frogs leaping and swimming in a frantic green ballet, and they would call back and forth, back and forth in beautiful, musical tones. He loved to listen to the music they made as they spoke, though he didn't understand their words; which was just as well - for the frogs were laughing at this funny animal that wanted so badly to sing like a frog."Don't be ridiculous," sang the frogs as they played. "Armadillos can't sing."Then one day a family of crickets moved into a new house near the armadillo, and he was amazed to hear them chirp and sing as merrily as the frogs. He would creep next to their house and listen and listen all day, all night for their musical sounds."Oh," sighed the armadillo, "Oh how I wish I could sing.""Don't be ridiculous," sang the crickets in their dulcet tones. "Armadillos can't sing."But the armadillo could not understand their language, and so he just sighed with longing and listened to their beautiful voices laughing at him.Then one day a man came down the road carrying a cage full of canaries. They were chirping and flittering and singing songs that were more beautiful even than those of the crickets and the frogs. The armadillo was entranced. He followed the man with the cage down the road as fast as his little legs would carry him, listening to the canaries singing."Oh," gasped the armadillo, "Oh how I wish I could sing."Inside the cage, the canaries twittered and giggled."Don't be ridiculous," sang the canaries as they flapped about. "Armadillos can't sing."The poor tired armadillo couldn't keep up with the man and the cage, and finally he fell exhausted at the door of the great wizard who lived in the area. Realizing where he was, the armadillo decided to beg a boon of the man.Timidly, the armadillo approached the wizard, who was sitting in front of his house and said: "Great wizard, it is my deepest desire to learn to sing like the frogs and the crickets and the canaries."The wizard's lips twitched a little in amusement, for who had ever heard of an armadillo that could sing. But he realized that the little animal was serious. He bent low to the ground and looked the creature in the eye."I can make you sing, little armadillo," he said. "But you do not want to pay the price, for it will mean your death.""You mean if I die I will be able to sing?" asked the armadillo in amazement."Yes, this is so," said the wizard."Then I want to die right now!" said the armadillo. "I would do anything to be able to sing!"The wizard and the armadillo discussed the matter for many hours, for the wizard was reluctant to take the life of such a fine armadillo. But the creature insisted, and so the wizard finally killed the armadillo, made a wonderful musical instrument from his shell, and gave it to the finest musician in the town to play.Sometimes the musician would play his instrument by the pond where the frogs lived, and they would stare at him with big eyes and say: "Ai! Ai! The armadillo has learned to sing."Sometimes the musician would play his instrument by the house where the crickets lived, and they would creep outside to stare at him with big eyes and say: "Ai! Ai! The armadillo has learned to sing."And often the musician would visit the home of his friend who owned the cage full of canaries - who was also a musician - and the two men would play their instruments together while the little birds watched with fluttering wings and twittered in amazement: "Ai! Ai! The armadillo has learned to sing."And so it was. The armadillo had learned to sing at last, and his voice was the finest in the land. But like the very best musicians in the world, the armadillo sacrificed his Life for his Art.Cow's HeadAn Ukrainian Ghost Storyretold byS. E. SchlosserOksana lived in a small house on the edge of town with her father, her stepmother and her stepsister. Oksana's stepmother disliked Oksana, favoring her true daughter, Olena.Soon after her father's remarriage, Oksana found that all the housework fell to her while Olena idled her days away. Oksana's father was a timid man, and could not bring himself to defy his wife. So Oksana wore Olena's cast off clothes, and her hands grew red and chapped from scrubbing in the cold, while Olena attended parties, growing lazy and spoiled.One year, when the winter snows were particularly fierce, Oksana's family ran out of money. Oksana's stepmother began nagging her father to send Oksana away, because they could not afford to keep two girls. Reluctantly, Oksana's father agreed. He took Oksana to a cottage deep in the woods and left her there.Oksana was very frightened. The woods were said to be filled with demons and monsters. But Oksana was also practical. She entered the cottage with her small bundle and found a fireplace, a lopsided table and a rusty old pot. Oksana put away the loaf of bread, the knife and the slab of cheese her father had given her. She folded the blanket and laid it near the fireplace. Then she collected wood and built a fire.Oksana knew the bread and cheese would not last her all winter. So she made a snare using the thin, flexible branches of the trees and caught a snow rabbit to eat. She also dug under the deep snow, and found some roots and berries for food.By dark, Oksana had melted water for drinking, and used the rest to make a stew. So Oksana ate well. Then she lay down near the fire for the night, listening to the wind howl and pretending to herself that she was not frightened of the woods.It was midnight when the knock came.Knock, knock, knock.It echoed hollowly through the dark cottage. Oksana woke with a start, her heart pounding in fear. It came again.Knock, knock, knock.Oksana thought of the monsters. She hid under her blanket, praying the thing would go away.Knock, knock, knock.Oksana rose, grabbing a branch. She crept towards the door. The wind howled eerily down the chimney. Oksana swallowed and swung the door open. There was nothing there. Her heart pounded fiercely as she stared out at the snow whipping about in the light of her small fire. Then she looked down. Oksana let out a shriek of terror and leapt back, dropping her stick. It was a demon. An evil spirit.It had no body!"Who are you?" Oksana stuttered, clutching the door with shaking hands."I am Cow's Head," it replied.Indeed, Oksana saw at once that it was. The head was brown, with curved horns and strange, haunted eyes."I am cold and hungry. May I sleep by your fire?" the Cow's Head asked. Its voice was cold and lifeless.Oksana gulped down her horror."Of course," she said."Lift me over the threshold," demanded the Cow's Head hollowly. Oksana did as she was bidden."Place me near the fire."Anger warred with compassion inside her, but compassion won. Oksana put it next to the fire."I am hungry," said the Cow's Head. "Feed me."Oksana thought of her meager food supply. The stew left in the pot was for her breakfast. She fed it to Cow's Head."I will sleep now," it said. There was no softening in its attitude toward her. Nonetheless, Oksana made it comfortable for the night, giving it her blanket and sleeping in a cold corner with only her cloak to keep her warm.When she woke in the morning, Cow's Head was gone. Where it had slept was a large trunk, filled with the most beautiful gowns she had ever seen. Under the gowns lay heaps of gold and jewels.Oksana stared blankly at the riches in front of her. Her father's voice roused her."Daughter, I am come."Oksana forgot the trunk in her joy. She ran into his arms. He had defied her stepmother to come and bring her back to their home."Papa, come see!" Oksana exclaimed as she pulled him into the cottage. Her words tumbled over each other as she explained.Her father took her home. She was honored in her town for her compassion and her bravery, and won scores of suitors. She married soon after her return from the cottage.Hearing Oksana's story, and seeing the riches she had received, Olena went to the cottage in the forest and spent the night there. But when Cow's Head appeared, she was too lazy to serve it. In the morning, all her gowns had turned to rags and her possessions to dust.But Oksana lived to a ripe old age in happiness and prosperity.Freddy's Fabulous FrogsA Tongue Twister TalebyS.E. SchlosserFabian Frogmorton stole Freddy's frog Fats on the Friday of the town of Flowerpot's Fabulous Frogs Contest.Freddy was furious.Fabian Frogmorton had cheated Freddy out of the Fabulous Frog Award last year. Fabian had fed Freddy's frog flies just before the Fast Frog Frolic, the final race in Flowerpot's Fabulous Frogs Contest.Freddy's frog had been too full to frolic, so Fabian's frog had finished first.Freddy reported the theft to Flossie French, the teacher in charge of Flowerpot's Fabulous Frogs Contest."Fabian Frogmorton registeredFats as his frog." Flossie French fussed."Can you proveFats is your frog?"Since Freddy couldn't prove he'dfound Fats in the pond last Friday, Flossie French couldn'tdo anything about the theft.Freddy was frantic. He did not want Fabian to win Flowerpot's Fabulous Frogs Contest for the fourth Fall in a row.Freddy hadto find another frog.During lunch, Freddy went down to Felix Frasier's creek.Freddy was still fumingabout Fabian, and he did not see the tiny frog until the frog jumped away from him. It was the highest hop, made by the teeniest frog that Freddy Friedman had ever seen!Freddy chased the frog all the way up the bank of Felix Frazier's stream before he caught it.The frog opened its tiny mouth and croaked furiously in protest.It was the most fabulous sound Freddy had ever heard."You are the littlest flibbertigibbet I have ever seen!" exclaimed Freddy."I am going to name you Flib."Freddy hugged Flib and ran back to school to show Flib to his friends.Freddy's friends laughed when they saw Flib.They said that Freddy would never win Flowerpot's Fabulous Frogs Contest with such a tiny frog."Don't fret Flib," Freddy said."You are far faster than my old frog Fats.Fabian Frogmorton will not win Flowerpot's Fabulous Frogs Contest."Flossie French chuckled when she registered Flib the frog, but she also patted Freddy's hand sympathetically and said: "Flib is a fine frog, Freddy.Good luck."There were three trials in Flowerpot's Fabulous Frogs Contest.The frog which won the most trials was declared the most Fabulous Frog in Flowerpot.The first contest was Foghorn Frog, the loudest croaker.Freddy knew thatFats was a famous croaker. Fabian was sure to win.The contestants stood up front with their frogs.Freddy's friends cheered for Flib from the fringes of the crowd. Fabian Frogmorton laughed scornfully when he saw Freddy's frog Flib.When it was his turn,Fabian pinched Fats really hard to make him croak.Fats bellowedloudly in pain.ThenFlib opened his little mouth and croaked so loud Freddy clapped his hands to his ears."Flib wins the Foghorn Frog Contest," Flossie Ffrench said.Freddy's friends cheered and shouted from the fringes of the crowd."That'snot fair!" Fabian whined.The second contest was the FrogLong Jump.Freddy had seen how far Flib could jump.Freddy was sure Flib would win. Freddy and Flib lined up with the other contestants. Each contestant urged his frog to leap as far as it could. Flossie French measured the frog's first jump.Freddy and Flib came just before Fabian and Fats.Freddy's friends cheered and chanted as Flib jumped farther than the other frogs.When Flossie French had her back turned, Fabian Frogmorton stepped onFats.Fats croaked in pain and leapt away from Fabian.Fats jumped even farther than Flib."Fats is the winner!" said Flossie French.Freddy's friends booed.The final trial was the Fast Frog Frolic. The contestants and their frogs lined up.Flossie French fired the gun and all the frogs jumped in surprise and began hopping in all directions."Go Flib, go Flib!" chanted Freddy's friends.While Flib hopped fast and furiously,Fats sat at the starting line and wouldn't move.Fabian fussed and fumed.Finally, he kicked Fats.This time, Flossie French saw Fabian cheatingand disqualified him from the race.To Freddy's delight, Flib crossed the finish line first."Flib is the winner of Flowerpot's Fabulous Frog Contest!" cried Flossie French.Everyonecheered wildly. Fabian howled in fury and threw Fats on the ground in disgust.Flossie French presented Freddy with "Flowerpot's Fabulous Frog" award.Then Flossie Ffrench picked up Fats and handed him to Freddy."Freddy, here isFats." said Flossie French."You have two fabulous frogs.Take good care of them.""I will," Freddy promised.Freddy took Flib andFats over to Felix Frasier's Stream and set them free.Flib andFats floated near the lily pads and peeked out at Freddy."Have a good year,"Freddy said to his fabulous frogs. "See you next Fall!"Then Freddy went home to show his family his hard-won Fabulous Frog Award, while Fabian lurked in the shadows and fumed.

Mexican Fairytales The Bear-PrinceOnce upon a time there was a very poor woodcutter who had three beautiful daughters. Of the three girls, the youngest was the most beautiful. One day the woodcutter went into the forest and was chopping down an oak tree when a very large and horrible bear wrenched the axe from his hands... The Gypsy QueenThere was a king who had one son. When the prince reached a marriageable age, he told his parents, "I want to marry the most beautiful woman in the whole world. Therefore, I am going to journey all over the world until I find her..." The Forbidden ChamberOnce there was an evil wizard who, dressed as a beggar, would go from house to house asking for alms and would steal the prettiest girls he could find. None of them could ever return home...

Ocean-Born MaryA New Hampshire Ghost Storyretold byS. E. SchlosserElizabeth and James Wilson were Irish immigrants from Londonderry, Ireland. In 1720 they set sail for America. They had been granted some land in Londonderry, New Hampshire, and were hoping to start a new life there.As they neared Boston, Elizabeth went into labor and gave birth to a daughter. While she was giving birth, a strange vessel accosted the ship. They were fired upon and were forced to heave to. Their ship was boarded by a band of swarthy pirates. Their leader, a surprisingly young man not yet twenty years of age, was dark, handsome, and ruthless. He was called Don Pedro, and his English was flawless as he ordered all the captives killed.At this fatal juncture, the cries of a newborn baby could be heard from down in the hold. Startled, Don Pedro ordered the captain to take him to the child. After gazing for a long time at the tiny girl, Don Pedro said to Elizabeth: "If you name this child after my mother - Mary - I will spare the lives of everyone on this ship." Frightened by the fierce pirate, Elizabeth hastily agreed.Don Pedro sent one of his men back to the pirate ship. When the man returned, he was carrying an armload of gifts. Don Pedro presented these to Elizabeth. Fingering a green brocaded silk with an odd look of tenderness on his ruthless face, he said: "This is for my Mary's wedding dress." Then he and his men returned to their ship and departed.Soon after their ship landed safely in Boston, James Wilson died. His widow and daughter went to Londonderry to claim the land in his name. Ocean-born Mary grew into a tall, beautiful red-haired woman. In 1742, wearing a green brocade gown made from the silk given to her by Don Pedro, Mary was married to James Wallace. They had five children, four sons and a daughter. Sadly, after the birth of his fourth son, James Wallace died.Around that time, Don Pedro, having retired from the sea, decided to build a home in New Hampshire. Having never forgotten his little Ocean-born Mary, Don Pedro began seeking to discover what became of her. Finding her a widow in Londonderry, he married her and brought her and her children to live in his grand mansion in Henniker. He gifted Mary with a stately coach and four, in which Mary would often be seen riding around the countryside. One by one, her sons grew up, married, and settled down near Mary.One day, coming in from an errand to town, Mary saw Don Pedro and one of his retired pirates carrying a large black trunk to the orchard in back. She heard the sounds of digging, and then silence. Don Pedro came back to the house alone, and they never spoke of the matter. But later, he told Mary that when he died, she should bury him and the treasure under the hearthstone. A year later, Mary came home one evening to an empty house. She started searching for her husband and found Don Pedro in the orchard, stabbed to death with a cutlass. Mary buried Don Pedro with his treasure under the hearthstone and there they lay to this day.After her death in 1814, Mary's ghost began to haunt the house where she had once lived with her pirate-husband. People would see a tall, beautiful red-haired woman come walking down the long staircase. Sometimes, she could be seen standing beside an upper window, or throwing something down the well. Others had witnessed Mary driving in her coach and four up to the front door of the house. The house was finally abandoned and later torn-down, although the house where her son Robert lived still stands and is sometimes called the Ocean-born Mary house.A new version of this story is retold by S.E. Schlosser inSpooky New England.

The Fighting Roosters and the Eagleretold by S.E. SchlosserThats it! BlackRooster crowed to himself when he spotted Red Cock flirting with the hens again.Ive had it with that impudent Rooster.I am the Master of the Farm Yard, not him!Black Rooster threw back his head and crowed loudly: Cock-a-doodle-doo!I will fight you.

Red Rooster turned around slowly, fluffing out every feather on his body as he moved.Oh yeah?Just try it, he replied.

The hens squawked and gabbled as the twoRoosters flew toward each other.They huddled together as the Roosters pecked and kicked and pounded one another with outstretched wings.Feathers flew everywhere.RedRooster aimed a mighty blow to Black Roosters head, but BlackRooster ducked and bitRed Rooster'sleg.RedRooster screamed inrageand pummeled BlackRooster with his wings, but BlackRooster was older and wilier than RedRooster and hustled out of reach.Then BlackRooster bit RedRooster from behind, right in the shoulder.RedRooster screamed in agony and flapped away to a private corner to bleed in misery.I won! BlackRooster crowed in delight.I won!He threw out his chest and flapped mightily.Then he flew up to the top of a high wall and stretched his wings to their full length, calling exultantly at the top of his voice.I am the WINNER!High above the farm yard, Eaglefloated lazily on an updraft.His keen eyewas searching for his nextmeal, when he spotted BlackRooster dancing atop the high wall.His keen ear heardBlackRooster crowing in triumph.Ah ha! Dinner at last, saidEagle, folding his wings and diving toward the ground.

I won!I won!I, the mighty Black Rooster, have won!BlackRooster strutted and danced on the high wall above the farm yard.Beneath him, the hens cackled wildly and flattened themselves on the ground as a shadow blotted out the sky.

I wo.Black Roosters triumphant crow was cut off as Eagle snatched him off the wall and carried him away in his mighty talons.

RedRooster peered anxiously from his corner and saw BlackRoosterfloating away in the Eagles grasp.A few black feathers cascaded down onto the head of a broody hen sitting on a nest in the shade of the wall.

RedRooster shook his feathersinto place, gave his wounded shoulder a quick preen, and strutted out into the farmyard.You may have won, butIamMaster of the Farm Yard, he called after the retreating black speck floating skyward in Eagle's talons.And all the hens, strutting back into the yard to feed, happily agreed,Moral:Pride goes before destruction.