I love World Book Day! Hence the reason yesterday I told you about Audible.
I love looking at all the children dressed-up in their favourite outfits. I love the way it can help show them how stories can come to life.
Yesterday, to celebrate World Book Day, another parent and I went into the primary school where our children attend, and read some fairy tales to year 2.
The other parent, Debbie Fixter, was fantastic; she dressed up as Snow White and looked amazing (as you can see here). She really made the afternoon and the kids absolutely loved her.
Debbie, who is co-owner of Little Sprouts Catering, had such a fab way with the children, as she read the tale of Snow White. She was totally in character and the children really enjoyed it.
I, on the other hand, researched some Aesop’s fairy tales. I told the renowned story, ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’, and a less known story called, ‘You Are Beautiful As You Are’. The children were mesmerised and enjoyed the meanings behind the stories.
It was such fun to join them. But I truly think Debbie made the afternoon, she was fantastic.
I’ve included the stories here that I read to the children. They were taken from http://www.storyarts.org/library/aesops/index.html, there are some fantastic stories on this site that all have different meanings.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
There once was a shepherd boy who was bored as he sat on the hillside watching the village sheep. To amuse himself he took a great breath and sang out, “Wolf! Wolf! The Wolf is chasing the sheep!”
The villagers came running up the hill to help the boy drive the wolf away. But when they arrived at the top of the hill, they found no wolf. The boy laughed at the sight of their angry faces.
“Don’t cry ‘wolf’, shepherd boy,” said the villagers, “when there’s no wolf!” They went grumbling back down the hill.
Later, the boy sang out again, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!” To his naughty delight, he watched the villagers run up the hill to help him drive the wolf away.
When the villagers saw no wolf they sternly said, “Save your frightened song for when there is really something wrong! Don’t cry ‘wolf’ when there is NO wolf!”
But the boy just grinned and watched them go grumbling down the hill once more.
Later, he saw a REAL wolf prowling about his flock. Alarmed, he leaped to his feet and sang out as loudly as he could, “Wolf! Wolf!”
But the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn’t come.
At sunset, everyone wondered why the shepherd boy hadn’t returned to the village with their sheep. They went up the hill to find the boy. They found him weeping.
“There really was a wolf here! The flock has scattered! I cried out, “Wolf!” Why didn’t you come?”
An old man tried to comfort the boy as they walked back to the village.
“We’ll help you look for the lost sheep in the morning,” he said, putting his arm around the youth, “Nobody believes a liar…even when he is telling the truth!”
You Are Beautiful As You Are
There was once a crow who did not like his feathers.
“I wish I were a peacock!” he would say.
“You are beautiful as you are!” the other crows insisted.
“How plain and dull you seem to me!” he’d complain, and fly off to admire peacocks.
The peacocks strutted about with their colorful tail feathers outstretched. To the delight of the crow, some of the peacock feathers lay on the ground when the peacocks left.
Crow flew down to the ground and stuck the feathers into his wings and tail. He attached a few sticking up from his head.
“Now I am as beautiful as a peacock,” he said.
But, when he went to join them in their strutting, the peacocks poked him and pecked him. What a fuss!
“You are not a peacock,” they said, “Don’t imitate us!”
Bruised and still dragging some broken peacock feathers in his tail, he returned home.
After all his insults, no one wanted his company!
As he sat alone, the other crows said, “It’s foolish to try and be what you’re not. Learn to love the feathers you’ve got!”