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A Restored Midcentury by A. Quincy Jones Is for Rent in Los Angeles
The 1960 Calvin House features floor-to-ceiling glazing that connects the main living areas with the rear garden and swimming pool.
Unfolding over 2,202 square feet in Los Angeles's Tarzana neighborhood, the single-level Calvin House was built in 1960 by famed modernist architect A. Quincy Jones.
Architect A. Quincy Jones designed the single-level Calvin House in Tarzana, Los Angeles, in 1960.
The Los Angeles architect is credited for designing over 5,000 built projects-most notably for Eichler-and for helping popularize the indoor/outdoor homes that have come to define California modernism. The midcentury-modern residence that Jones designed at 4965 Calvin Avenue has been carefully updated in keeping with the original design, and it is now available to lease for $8,750 per month.
Two sky-blue doors welcome visitors at the entrance.
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home features heritage details including whitewashed walls, custom millwork, and wood-paneled, overhanging eaves that shade the internal courtyard at the entrance. In the main living spaces, lofty ceilings are crossed by posts and beams while internal "floating" walls exaggerate the height of the single-story dwelling.
Internal "floating" walls divide the main living spaces and exaggerate the height of the dwelling.
Floor-to-ceiling glazing at the rear of the home offers pristine views of the San Fernando Valley.
Whitewashed walls complement the wood-paneled ceilings throughout the home.
At the rear of the home, floor-to-ceiling glazing connects the primary living areas with the swimming pool and surrounding garden.
Ample windows usher natural light into the home.
The restored residence features custom millwork, including teak and redwood cabinetry.
Sliding glass doors in the living and dining areas facilitate a seamless indoor/outdoor flow.
Picture windows look out onto the surrounding garden planted with native fauna.
Four bedrooms and three bathrooms are spread across the 2,202-square-foot home.
The restored interior maintains its original, midcentury-modern aesthetic.
The Calvin House by A. Quincy Jones is available to lease for $8,750 per month.
The single-level, midcentury residence includes a large swimming pool and landscaped garden.
Treasury plans crackdown on 'misleading' cryptocurrency ads
Move to change law would see assets subject to the same FCA rules as shares and insurance
Hong Kong government's decision to cull 2,000 hamsters 'super harsh': academic
City University's Professor Nikolaus Osterrieder says he is worried pet owners may overreact and dump their animals even though likelihood of other pets in the city becoming inf...
China forced 2,500 'fugitives' back from overseas during pandemic, report finds
Methods used in Sky Net program range from family intimidation to state-sanctioned kidnappings, says rights group
A Costa Rican House With Privileged Views Of The Pacific
Luxury property in Costa Rica with views of the Pacific Ocean, a charred teak exterior, swimming pool, wide terraces, and large open plan living spaces.
In an era of rightwing populism, we cannot destroy democracy in order to save it
Democracy isn't an institution – it's a practice that becomes stronger through use. The key to defeating Trump lies in mobilising ordinary people to articulate their real needs


Home » Blog » Are you suffering from spreadsheet saturation?
One of the most common situations I come across is "spreadsheet saturation", very often brought about by the business outgrowing the systems that worked perfectly well when it was smaller.
I recently spoke with a business owner who told me that he was turning over some £4million using the same mix of manual actions and spreadsheets that he had put in place when he was turning over less than £100,000. Needless to say, he had called me because he had decided it was time to do something about it!
The problem with spreadsheets is that they are very good at calculating things, and very good at storing moderate amounts of data, but they are not so good once you have a lot of data and require some proactive elements like reminders, or status updates. They can be coded to provide this sort of thing, but not as easily, or as intuitively, as a database solution of some kind.
Spreadsheets are a very good way of visualising data – I often plug them into a database back-end of some sort to allow users to report on ad hoc queries in a familiar environment. They are not so good at the storage aspect … horses for courses!
But a lot of businesses keep motoring on with spreadsheets because they are familiar, easy to use, and they don't have to go through the pain of replacing them … until they fail or become too cumbersome to tolerate.
By the time you get to this stage, the cost of managing these processes will be significant, and the good news is that any actions taken to address the situation are quite likely to be cost-neutral – you would hopefully save more than it costs within a year. In some cases the time savings can run into days every month – the more you are doing, the more time you can save.
Could you be finding life easier?


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Nacionalni krizni stožer, poznat kao i Stožer civilne zaštite je radna skupina Ministarstva unutarnjih poslova za upravljanje pandemijom koronavirusa. Osnovana je za vrijeme prve Vlade Andreja Plenkovića, a ministar unutarnjih poslova Davor Božinović imenovan je načelnikom Stožera.

Izvori

Politika Hrvatske
Zdravstvo u Hrvatskoj
Pandemija COVID-19

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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China Underground > China News > China uses AI technology to prevent suicide
China uses AI technology to prevent suicide
December 6, 2020 January 23, 2018 by China-Underground
China is using AI technology, including pattern recognition, to identify users who express suicidal thoughts on microblog site Weibo in order to to prevent suicide attempts.
Zhu Tingshao, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, conducted a two-year study of online suicidal ideation and set up an AI account to help those who are suffering.
"Suicide hotlines and intervention centers are the most prevalent methods for suicide prevention. Yet only 20 percent of people with suicidal inclinations are willing to seek help. Therefore, web-based research is significant," said Zhu.
According to a paper published last December in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, in 2016, Zhu's team recruited 4,222 microbloggers who had expressed suicidal thoughts in a bid to find language patterns the AI could learn from.
"We used AI technology such as natural language processing and deep learning to collect language patterns from suicidal users. Then our AI account sent direct messages to them online, offering comfort and advice while protecting their privacy," Zhu said.
Many people contemplating suicide share their worries online rather than telling a specialist.
Zhu said his account is quite useful in identifying people who express suicidal thoughts online.
The account has reached more than 20,000 users with suicidal thoughts and has provided online counseling since July 2016.
"We need to track the troubled souls first and detect how urgent their psychological situation is. For those who have strong tendencies, we tell them what their problems might be and send them a list of hotlines and professional intervention centers," said Zhu.
Such AI technology has proved efficacious. Scientists often receive replies thanking them for help during tough times.
If you like this article, please help us by making a donation so that we can continue our work. Please help keep us independent.
Zhu said his team has upgraded the AI tool four times and will open it to more people in the future.
"Many don't know they have psychological problems, and some online psychological quizzes are often misleading. We hope this AI tool can help more Weibo users, not just suicidal ones," said Zhu.
Source: ecns
How is Artificial Intelligence Influencing the Digital Content and its Censorship in China?
Google announces new AI research center in China
China's AI market to reach 11.9 billion U.S. dollars by 2023, paper
China Coronavirus: Death toll rises to 56, 1,975 people infected. China bans wildlife trade
Categories China News, Science in China: News & features Tags AI, health, suicide
China bans Hip Hop culture and tattoos from TV
A man in China accidentally lit himself when smoking in a hospital, wearing an oxygen mask

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Cops are always on the go and whenever they caught someone driving in great speed, they will surely chase after the violators and give them the right punishment.
However, in this video, you'll find a very unusual situation, a cop chasing another cop for speeding. The policewoman is surely committed to her job and even if they are working on the same field, as long as you violate, you must face the consequences.
The other cop was caught driving exceeding 120mph and the female cop never hesitated to chase over the other cop! Check this video below!


Amalga Composites is a leader in the design, engineering and manufacturing of filament wound composite pneumatic and hydraulic cylinder tubing, pressure vessels, food grade tubing, booms and masts, tubular cores, rollers and shafts, electrical tubing and fuse components, torque shafts, magnetic coil forms, launch tubes and other engineered composite components built to specification. Doctoral-level engineering provides the design expertise to meet the toughest requirements and also to offer immediate technical customer support from prototype through production.
Acrodyne carries large stocks of Amalga tubing ranging from 63mm to 300mm and 1″ to 20″ and has full capabilities to cut and dress the tube ready for you to assemble. Our expert staff and custom built machines are able to meet any length requirement up to 3 metres long.


Pogo has released Peggle Slots! You can access the game now by visiting the Peggle Slots game page or by adding it to your favorites.
This game is considered a "Pogo Parlor" game - it uses the same coin bucket as other Pogo Parlor games: Bejeweled 2 Slots and Zuma Slots.
Peggle Slots has 50 ranks and 5 rank badges. Rank points are earned getting Peggle symbols on on the payline(s).


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Q: How to save used range as html file? I have a requirement where I need to save only result sheet as html file so that I can attach it and email using vb scripting. I tried the following code but it changes even the name of the spreadsheet to the target html file name. Also, I need to save just one sheet as html and not all the sheets.
ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Result").SaveAs "C:\Work\Result.html", xlHtml

A: If you record a macro while exporting just the selected range to HTML you'll get something like this, which you can then modify to suit your needs:
Range("B3:C23").Select
With ActiveWorkbook.PublishObjects.Add(xlSourceRange, _
    "C:\Book1.htm" _
    , "Sheet2", "$B$3:$C$23", xlHtmlStatic, "Book1_7762", "Export")
    .Publish (True)
    .AutoRepublish = False
End With

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Search thousands of properties across Lenawee County, MI .
Each Lenawee County tax records search delivers a detailed report with the property owner, market values, mortgage & lender information, sales history, taxes and more! of any property in the US.
Our Lenawee County tax records reports include crucial information all property buyers need. Discover any property's value and ownership, previous sale info, tax records, related properties and lots more!
Copyright © 2019 PropertyTaxRecords.org | Lenawee County Tax Records . All rights reserved.


Few people have exerted such a unique influence in rock music as Howard Devoto. Lyricist and singer with the original Buzzcocks, he recorded with them one of the earliest and most influential punk records, the seminal Spiral Scratch EP, in 1976. After leaving the Buzzcocks he formed his own band, Magazine, who were promptly signed by Virgin and set about redrawing the map of new wave with their first album, Real Life. Devoto released a subsequent solo album, Jerky Versions of a Dream, and in 1986 formed Luxuria. The lyrics for both Luxuria albums are included here, as well as a number of Magazine rarities, plus lyrics written for performance with Bernard Saner.


Places for the houseplant enthusiast to visit in Los Angeles.
A few weeks ago, I packed my best spring clothes into my carry-on, said goodbye to the dreary Columbus spring weather, and said hello to sunny Los Angeles. I hadn't been there since I was about 6 or 7 years old, so I flew in with pretty much a clean slate, as far as what to expect. Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed at all. During my stay, I hit up some local shops and restaurants where houseplants play a big role.
Located in the LINE Hotel in Koreatown, Commissary combines two of my favorite things: brunch and plants. Commissary takes your traditional glass greenhouse and throws in seating, a bar, and an expansive brunch buffet. With the ceilings lined with trailing plants and the corners stuffed with palms, dracaenas, and ficus trees, it's impossible to not feel at peace with the world around you while sipping on a mimosa.
Known to locals as "the Cactus Store" or "Hot Cactus", this shop in Echo Park specializes in cacti. Ancient cacti specimens, many purchased from personal collections around the world, reside in terra-cotta pots on top of staggered and stacked cinderblocks, creating an urban desert feel. They also have a selection of smaller cacti in plastic pots outside, which the extremely knowledgable employees are more than happy to pot up for you to take home. However, the main focus is centered on the specimen plants, and rightfully so. Many of them are tens of years old and have character like you've never seen.
During my visit, I was never not surprised by some of the massive cacti and succulents living in the yards of residents. Towering cacti, gigantic agave, and massive bird of paradise plants dominate the landscape. Naturally, the closer to the beach you get, the more impressive the yards get, but Los Angeles (and most of California) provides the perfect climate for a lot of those plants. It never gets dangerously cold, and it's almost always sunny, which makes for great growing conditions.
With two locations, one in Venice and one in San Francisco, General Store is one of the best shops for local, hand-crafted ceramics. While the shop in Los Angeles has its fair share of indoor plants situated around the store in handmade pottery, the shop in San Francisco has an entire outdoor porch area where cacti and succulents grow wild for patrons to stop by and admire.


Predict the outcome of 5 matches (Home/Draw/Away) from the 70+ matches listed. Each outcome comes with its own points value (1-4).
The Player(s) who accumulates the highest points after the weekend's games will win or share the pool of money.
It's £5 per game – 20 points is the magic number! How close can you get?
Register yourself to the PITCHFIVE website by clicking on the red 'Join Now' button in the center of the home page.
Enter your name, email address, date of birth, postcode, password, username and how you heard about us.
Then check the boxes to say you understand our terms and conditions and check the PitchFive newsletter Box if you wish to receive weekly information.
Finally select the green 'Register' button, you will now receive an email from Pitchfive asking you to confirm your email address, once selected this will re-direct you to your PitchFive profile page.
Click the Login button on the landing page then click on the 'Lost Password' link this will ask you to input your email address then select 'Get New Password' button.
Once selected it will state 'Check your e-mail for the confirmation link' You will receive an email which will ask you to click on the "Reset Password" button, this will re-direct you to the reset password page where you can enter your new password.
Select the 'How to Play' tab at the top of the page, here you will be directed to our how to play page where you can read the informative text.
Now you're ready to play, please select five teams from the games listed under the 'Fixtures' tab at the top of the website. Each team will have a specified points value attached ranging between 1 to 4 points.
To select your predictions, click on either the Home, Draw or the Away box from the chosen match and this will automatically place your selection in the "your prediction slip" at the side of the page.
Once you have selected your five predictions click the submit button and you will re-directed to our secure payment page.
After making payment your selections will be emailed to you and they will also be listed in the 'My Prediction' tab found in your profile section.
The cut off to select your predictions is before the kick off time, you will not be able to enter after this time if you have not already done so.
Results are taken from the full time result and does not include extra time or penalties.
If a pre-selected match becomes abandoned due to whatever reason you will have the option to re-select your predictions as long as none of your other predictions have kicked off.
Select your profile section, then 'My Predictions' and locate your prediction slip in the 'Awaiting Predictions' column. If none of your fixtures have kicked off you will see Delete Slip in the top right hand corner of the prediction slip which will allow you to delete the slip in question and place a credit under your username for you to re-select your predictions.
If any of your matches have kicked off the outcome of the postponed fixture will be determined by the decision of the 'pools panel' if for whatever reason the 'Pools Panel' cannot make the decision this will be made by the PITCHFIVE panel.
Payment can only be made after you have selected your 5 predictions and selected the 'Submit' button. You will be re-directed to the to the Secure Payment Gateway where you can input your card details.
To view your previous selections, click on the 'My Predictions ' tab located in your profile section and scroll down the 'Previous Predictions' column until you reach the relevant date to view.
The above also applies for both monthly and yearly leaderboards.
We have three standard leaderboards displaying the weekly, monthly and yearly results, these leaderboards will automatically be updated on Sunday evening for you to check your position.
Now select a custom leaderboard name and add your users by typing their username in the user's pane.
Finally select the Create button this will display 'Custom leaderboard created successfully' and also send an email to the user(s) inviting them to accept or decline your request.
If you do not hear back from the user(s) you may select the 'Force Start' tab which will extract any user(s) that have not accepted your request from the created custom leaderboard.
You must register first to be eligible to play on the PITCHFIVE website and you must be 18 years of age or over to register.
10. How can I Win?
There is an end of season prize which will be contested on the last game of the season between the top 50 on the annual leaderboard and the weekly winners.
Prize money will be paid within 7 working days via bank transfer from our associated bank, prize money will only be paid into a personal registered bank account bearing the full name of the registered player.
Please read our full Terms & Conditions before playing.
We aim to answer all emails within a couple of working hours (mon-fri). If your enquiry is urgent or related to a previous game you played with us, please use the call back form instead.


16:52 – [s07e20] episode of the show House M.D.
16:51 – watched [s07e19] episode of the show House M.D.
19:24 – watched [s07e18] episode of the show House M.D.
18:11 – watched 2 episodes of the show House M.D.
19:15 – watched [s07e15] episode of the show House M.D.
11:14 – [s07e14] episode of the show House M.D.
7:11 – watched 2 episodes of the show House M.D.
15:49 – watched 4 episodes of the show House M.D.
17:02 – watched 2 episodes of the show House M.D.
17:00 – watched [s07e05] episode of the show House M.D.
16:59 – watched [s07e04] episode of the show House M.D.


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Samsung's expanding S Pen support won't stop with the Galaxy S21 Ultra
You are at:Home»News»Gaming News»PlayStation 5 pre-orders open tomorrow for next batch on consoles in SA
PlayStation 5 pre-orders open tomorrow for next batch on consoles in SA
By Brad Lang on	 12th Nov 2020 Gaming News, News
With Christmas looming over the horizon, it's a pretty good show that Sony managed to wrangle a few extra PlayStation 5s for South Africa. Starting tomorrow, you can pre-order your next-gen console from Koodoo, the official distributor of the PlayStation 5 in South Africa. Having said that, it's worth bearing in mind how quickly the console sold out when the initial wave of pre-orders hit in September, so maybe be ready for 08:00 tomorrow, 13 November.
The next batch of next-gen PlayStations will be ready for delivery between 16 and 20 December, meaning that hopefully, you won't be disappointing your children on Christmas morning. If you're fast enough, that is. Koodoo tweeted out that there's still a fairly limited amount of stock to go around and considering how quickly consumers flew through the last pre-orders, it's safe to say that will probably be the case this time around too.
Pssst, PS5 Pre Orders are on their way.
So grab a chair, set a reminder, ask your friend to remind you, do what you need to do so you don't miss this!
Pre Orders Go Live on 13th of November at 8am sharp.https://t.co/VAVzggoV5c#KOODOO #PS5 #PlayStation5 #playstation5preorder pic.twitter.com/F3SXvYsdvz
— KOODOO (@Koodoo_sa) November 11, 2020
PlayStation 5 is the gift that keeps on giving… hopefully
Koodoo also confirmed that the PS5 stock will include both the standard edition and the digital edition of the console. The digital edition of the console is exactly the same as the normal model, it just doesn't come with a disc drive so all your games will need to be… well, digital.
It's a pretty great month for gamers all over the world as next-gen finally become current gen. Just this week we had the launch of the Xbox Series X and S in South Africa and the PlayStation 5 will arrive next week with some previews already surfacing across the internet. The second we get our grubby mitts on the PlayStation 5, we'll be sure to test it and give it a thorough review!
Head on over to Koodoo to pre-order your PlayStation 5 tomorrow, 13 November, at 08:00 in the morning! Just remember that if you don't manage to grab one, there'll certainly be more opportunities in the future so don't panic! The standard PlayStation 5 will cost you R12,000 while the Digital Edition comes in at R10,000.
PlayStation 5 priced for South Africa, launches 19 November
Everything announced at last night's PlayStation 5 showcase
Here's your first look at the PlayStation 5s' UI
Don't sell your PS4, you can use it to play PS5 games in another room
Pingback: PlayStation 5 pre-orders open tomorrow for next batch on consoles in SA - PlayStation News
Angie Gillmer on 19th Nov 2020 2:25 pm
Please can you notify me of the next available PS5, I wanted to purchase one for my son for Christmas 🙁 and it is almost impossible to obtain 1 as every where it is sold out, I honestly never knew that it would be so difficult.
fingers and toes crossed that something comes up before Christmas
Thanking you in advanced
Marcus on 24th Nov 2020 12:59 pm
Looking to buy a ps5 please


Promotional Photography courtesy of Le Chop on Facebook and Tracey Brooke Public Relations.
Let's be honest, February is not the most exciting month. Some of us (ok, most of us) are still recovering from post-holiday spending, and the weather generally doesn't make it feel like Spring is actually next month. It's easy to resort to a fail-proof tried and true method: hibernate until the snow is all gone. For those of us starting to get cabin fever, however, February offers up a great (and affordable!) culinary event: Le Chop Montreal.
Atelier Argentine, Le Newtown, Brasserie Decca 77, Decca 77, Guido & Angelina, and Wienstein and Gavinos are all presenting a special three-course table d'hôte, starting from 19$ to 27$. The Nuda-team had the pleasure of dining at Atelier Argentine and we were mightily impressed. The food was not only delectable, but our server was extremely attentive and timed everything just right.
To start, our server brought us not only some nice warm buns (with soft butter- always a plus) but little bready-cheesy-balls. They looked like little tatter tots and tasted liked heaven. Any bread-cheese combinations is always a winner in our books. We ordered the arugula basil salad as well as the coconut shrimp soup to start. Both were delicious, but the soup was more on the spicy side, and less on the coconut-y side. For the main, we both had the grilled salmon steak. The fish was cooked to perfection: lightly charred on the outside and slightly pink on the inside. And for desert, we tried the chocolate cake, and apple & cinnamon crumble. Hungry yet?
What struck me as really special though, is a discreet culinary option located right next to the kitchen. There sits a wooden picnic table with a map of Buenos Aires drawn on it. For 95$ per person, the owner explained to me, the chef will sit with you and bring you dishes from different regions of the country, complete with wine pairings. For anyone looking for an up-close personal experience with the why and how of the restaurant's approach to its cuisine, a date with the chef will no doubt hit the spot!
Check out Le Chop Montreal's facebook page for the participating restaurants' menus: https://www.facebook.com/LeChopMTL.


SENSO Shoes - Free Delivery with Rubbersole.co.uk !
Senso: a subtle blend of luxury and relaxation.
The Australian company that specialises in footwear, Senso, continues to dazzle fans with ever more interesting collections. Senso's style is true to its roots inspiration. The brand's shoes are made of top quality materials. The range extends from flat shoes to heels, maintaining a subtle sense of luxury and relaxation.


Training on dyslexia for all instructors in the Yorkshire and the Humber firearms training collaboration is being delivered after the threat of an Employment Tribunal over the issue from West Yorkshire Police Federation.
The training comes after a case involving a West Yorkshire Police officer – fully backed by the Federation – who suffers from dyslexia and was removed from a South Yorkshire Police run firearms training course he was attending, even though no reasonable adjustments had been made to assist him.
WYPF Equality Lead Guy King says it was good to see firearms instructors were receiving the training after the case.
Guy said: "The officer was going through the initial firearms course and there came a point when they said he would have to leave.
Guy then accompanied the officer to a meeting with the Regional Firearms Training Lead and instructors. "They officially removed the officer from the course at the meeting," he said.
The case was settled in September before the Tribunal hearing was convened, with SYP accepting that training would be provided to instructors on dyslexia. It was also agreed that the force would formally apologise to our colleague.
The officer is now on a new course specialising in Counter Terrorism firearms through West Yorkshire Police and is receiving reasonable adjustments as part of the training. Guy, a former firearms officer, hopes the result will be empowering for other officers.
"Hopefully this will encourage other officers to come forward to be Firearms Officers because it is open to everyone," he said.


The "Planning Digest" is a selection of weblinks related to sustainable development, published every Tuesday by the Metro Planning Department.
December 8 People-oriented roads; a greener traffic light; "circles of death"
October 13 A long-term vision; how traffic jams help the environment; living in the "animal wall"
August 11 Smaller living spaces; are you driving a clunker?; you could call it an "ex-box"
January 6 Transit issues in DC and Sydney; the rewards of living in a "passive house"


The old Montezuma County Justice Building will soon become the new home of the Children's Kiva Montessori School.
The sale of the old Montezuma County Justice Building has officially closed, going to Children's Kiva Montessori School for a fraction of its list price.
On July 9, the Montezuma County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution authorizing Administrator Melissa Brunner to sign a sales agreement with the school, which has been working toward a relocation to 601 N. Mildred Road since early this year.
On July 12, Brunner confirmed that the county officially sold the building for $100,000, less than 7.7 percent of its $1.3 million asking price in January 2017.
The Montessori school is scheduled to move into the new building from its current location on North Beech Street just in time for the beginning of the school year in August.
Brunner said the building's original list price was based on the price per square foot that the city of Cortez paid for the former headquarters of The Journal, now City Hall, at 123 Roger Smith Ave. That building went for almost $3 million in 2015.
But after the Justice Building spent more than a year on the market with no serious offers, Brunner said, the county decided to accept the Montessori school's significantly lower price.
Commissioner Larry Don Suckla said he believes the sale will still save money for the county in the long run.
He also said the sale gave the commissioners an opportunity to get rid of a complex ownership agreement under which the county owned the Justice Building, but the city of Cortez owned part of the parking lot and surrounding property. The City Council voted to terminate that agreement on June 26.
Century 21 real estate agent Jo Ann Cauley represented the county in the sale of the building.
Susan Likes, the Kiva's head of school, said in an email on Wednesday that school staff felt they could offer a lower price for the building because they knew it contained asbestos and lead paint.
The sale's closing date came after months of negotiations between the county and the school, as well as several official actions by the Cortez municipal government. In March, the City Council voted to allow schools as a conditional use in the open zone where the building is located, and approved the Kiva's conditional use permit in April.
Also in April, the county ordered the building's only remaining tenant, the Bridge Emergency Shelter, to leave the building. A new shelter location is under construction on North Park Street, but the Bridge is still searching for a temporary location to use during construction.
The Montezuma County Sheriff's Office evidence locker is also located in the building. On Wednesday, Sheriff Steve Nowlin said his department has two years to find a new location for it.
Although Likes said the remodel won't be complete by the beginning of the school year, the Kiva does plan to open part of the building for students by Aug. 20.


When we talk about the planet's earliest civilization, we are talking about the world's earliest sophisticated society after the last ice age. This means that according to the Vedic time tables, various forms of civilization have been existing for millions of years. But the first record of an organized and developed society was the Vedic culture that arose in ancient India with the Indus Sarasvati civilization, and then spread out from there in all directions around the world.
Often times we see that students, even in India's academic system, have not studied or encountered the contributions that were made by early civilization in the area of ancient India. Not only are they not aware of such developments that had been given from India, but there is often a lack of such knowledge to be studied. Therefore, this book is to help fill that gap of information and to show how this area of the world, indeed, had a most advanced civilization, but was also where many of society's advancements originated.
It can be found that what became the area of India and its Vedic culture was way ahead of its time. This can be noticed in such things as industry, metallurgy, science, textiles, medicine, surgery, mathematics, and, of course, philosophy and spirituality. In fact, we can see the roots of these sciences and metaphysics in many areas of the world that can be traced back to its Indian or Vedic origins.
Furthermore, we often do not know of all the progress that had been made during the ancient times of India, which used to be called Bharatvarsha or Aryavrata. Nor do most people know all that ancient India gave to the world. So let us take a serious look at this.
From the Preface of Indian Tradition of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, the authors relate most accurately: "Hindus are a race who have dwelled on the most fundamental questions about life (& death), about nature and its origins. The bold questioning by Hindus gave birth to theories, axioms, principles and a unique approach to and a way of life. The approach to life and the way of life led to the evolution of one of the most ancient and grand cultures on the face of the earth. The spiritual aspects of Hindu culture are more commonly known, the fact that science, technology and industry were a part of their culture is little known.
"For historical reasons, the achievements of ancient Hindus in various fields of science and technology are not popularly known to Indians. The recent research by Sri Dharmpal and others has shown that the colonial invaders and the rulers had a vested interest in distorting and destroying the information regarding all positive aspects of Hindu culture. The conventional understanding today is that Hindus were more concerned about rituals, about spirituality, and the world above or the world after death. That Hindus were an equally materialistic people, that India was the industrial workshop of the world till the end of 18th century, that Hindus had taken up basic questions of the principles of astronomy, fundamental particles, origins of the universe, applied psychiatry and so on, are not well documented and not popularly known. That ancient Hindus had highly evolved technologies in textile engineering, ceramics, printing, weaponry, climatology and meteorology, architecture, medicine and surgery, metallurgy, agriculture and agricultural engineering, civil engineering, town planning, and similar other fields is known only to a few scholars even today. There are about 44 known ancient and medieval Sanskrit texts on a technical subject such as chemistry alone. The information about the science and technological heritage of India is embedded in the scriptures, the epics and in several of the technical texts. The information needs to be taken out of these and presented.
"Facts like Hindus had the knowledge that the sun is the center of the solar system, about the geography of the earth, the way the plants produce food, the way blood circulates in the body, the science of abstract mathematics and numbers, the principles of health, medicine and surgery and so on at a time in history when the rest of the world did not know how to think, talk and write has to be exposed to people. This can draw the attention of these communities, especially the future generation towards 'ideas' that are essentially Indian.
This is the goal of the present volume, to easily and simply convey this knowledge for the benefit of everyone, for the correct view of history, and to give credit where credit is due.
"The first nation to have cultivated science is India… India is known for the wisdom of its people. Over many centuries, all the kings of the past have recognized the ability of the Indians in all the branches of knowledge. The kings of China have stated that the kings of the world are five in number and all the people of the world are their subjects. They mentioned the king of China, the king of India, the king of the Turks, the king of the Persians, and the king of the Romans. …they referred to the king of India as the 'king of wisdom' because of the Indians' careful treatment of 'ulum [sciences] and all the branches of knowledge.
There have been many scholars, both old and new, who readily agree and point out the progressive nature of the early advancements found in ancient India's Vedic tradition. So let us take a quick overview of some of what was known and developed in earlier times in the Vedic culture of the East.
French scholar Buffon presented a coherent theory that scholars of ancient India had preserved the old learning from the creators of its sciences, arts, and all useful institutions. Voltaire had also suggested that sciences were more ancient in India than in Egypt. Russian born philosopher Immanuel Kant placed the origin of mankind in the Himalayas and stated that our arts like agriculture, numbers, even the game of chess, came from India.
The point is that all science of the Vedic tradition was developed with or in continuation of the ancient Vedic or spiritual knowledge that was a central point in understanding life. It was part of the Absolute Truth, or Sanatana-dharma, by which we could understand how to function in this world, and what is the purpose of both this world and our life in it. From this point, so many other developments took place, not as a means to control the environment, but as a means to know how to work holistically with nature for our material and spiritual progress and growth.
Many are those who have mentioned the antiquity of the Vedic tradition, but how far back does it go? Traditionally, it was there since the beginning of time. However, even archeologically we can ascertain its very early dates.
Along these same lines, further verification was also supplied by the Times of India (May 30th, 1992, New Delhi edition) wherein it was reported that the department of Archeology and Museums in the city of Jaipur, Rajasthan discovered as many as 300 prehistoric paintings on Kanera rocks in an area of 400 square miles near the town of Nimbahera in Chittorgarh district. These paintings are dated between 50,000 to 60,000 years old. That pushes the earliest reaches of Vedic civilization to at least 50,000 years back.
Additional finds such as these are discovered on a regular basis. Another one is reported in the publication called Science (February 23, 2010). It was reported therein that newly discovered archaeological sites in southern and northern India have revealed how people lived before and after the colossal Toba volcanic eruption 74,000 years ago.
The international, multi-disciplinary research team, led by Oxford University in collaboration with Indian institutions, unveiled to a conference in Oxford what it calls "Pompeii-like excavations" beneath the Toba ash.
According to the team, a potentially ground-breaking implication of the new work is that the species responsible for making the stone tools in India was Homo sapiens. Stone tool analysis has revealed that the artefacts consist of cores and flakes, which are classified in India as Middle Palaeolithic and are similar to those made by modern humans in Africa. "Though we are still searching for human fossils to definitively prove the case, we are encouraged by the technological similarities. This suggests that human populations were present in India prior to 74,000 years ago, or about 15,000 years earlier than expected based on some genetic clocks," said project director Dr Michael Petraglia, Senior Research Fellow in the School of Archaeology at the University of Oxford. This exciting new information questions the idea that the Toba super-eruption caused a worldwide environmental catastrophe.
The team has not discovered much bone in the Toba ash sites, but in the Billasurgam cave complex in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, the researchers have found deposits which they believe range from at least 100,000 years ago to the present. They contain a wealth of animal bones such as wild cattle, carnivores and monkeys. They have also identified plant materials in the Toba ash sites and caves, yielding important information about the impact of the Toba super-eruption on the ecological settings.
In this way, recent discoveries show that the area of ancient India was one of the locations for the oldest civilizations the world has known.
History certainly proves that India was also one of the wealthiest countries on the planet in its earlier days. Not only did she have vast treasures of knowledge and developments, but ancient India also had great wealth, such as sapphires, rubies, emeralds, pearls, and other gems, along with sunny climate, great fertility, and much more that was exported to various parts of the world, but the deep levels of knowledge and development was another of her greatest assets. For this reason, the ambition of all conquerors was to possess the area of India.
The pearl presented by Julius Caesar to Servilia, the mother of Brutus, as well as the famous pearl ear-ring of Cleopatra, were obtained from India. The Koh-i-noor diamond, weighing at 106.5 carats, one of the most fabled of diamonds, was taken to England from India. In fact, when Alexander left Persia, he told his troops that they were now going to "Golden India" where there was endless wealth, which made the beauty and riches of Persia look puny.
When the Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni destroyed the famous Somnath temple, he found astonishing wealth in diamonds and jewels. He also sacked Mathura and gathered numerous Deities in gold and silver. Thereafter he went to Kanauj which astonished the tyrant and his followers to such a degree in its wealth and beauty at the time that they declared that Kanauj was only rivaled in magnificence by heaven itself.
Ultimately, it was the wealth of India that drew the barbaric Arabs to the country, and then let the half-civilized Tartars to overrun it. It was the wealth of India that attracted Nadir Shah to ancient India, and from where he captured immense booty, which motivated the Abdali chiefs to renew their attacks on the country.
The people of India were actually not so barbaric as the invaders that forced their way into the country, but rather some of the most civilized in the world, primarily because of their sophisticated level of consciousness and gentleness towards one another caused by their training in the principles of the Vedic spiritual culture.
1. Prof. A. R. Vasudeva Murthy and Prasun Kumar Mishra, Indian Tradition of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Samskrita Bharati, Bangalore, India, August, 1999, pp. i-v.
2. Science and Technology in Ancient India, by Editorial Board of Vijnan Bharati, Mumbai, August, 2002, Foreword by B. V. Subbarayappa.
3. Niranjan Shah, Indian Tribune Newspaper, December 8, 2007.
6. Niranjan Shah, Indian Tribune Newspaper, December 1, 2007.
7. Niranjan Shah, Indian Tribune Newspaper, December 9, 2005.
8. India Tribune, June 1, 1991, Atlanta edition.


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https://www.unz.com/print/RossGary-1998/
Gary Ross Archives
Gary Ross Archives All Years = 2 FilmsDecade 1990s = 1 Film Year 1998 = 1 Film Current BookDecade 2000s = 1 Film Year 2003 = 1 Film
Gary Ross, Director • 2 Films
Pleasantville (1998)
by Gary Ross
Films: The Way It Never Was (Review)
Kathi Maio
Pleasantville (1998 Film), by Gary Ross
Pleasantville (1998 Film) by Gary Ross
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, March 1999, pp. 88-94
Film: Pleasantville (Review)
Pat Aufderheide
In These Times, November 1, 1998, p. 22
Unpleasantville (Review)
Daniel Wattenberg
The Weekly Standard, November 9, 1998, pp. 38-39
Books and the Arts
On Films: Changing the Past (2 Reviews)
Stanley Kauffmann
Life Is Beautiful (1997 Film) by Roberto Benigni
The New Republic, November 23, 1998, p. 26
Movies: Dyed for Your Sins (2 Reviews)
Peter Rainer
The Cruise (1998 Film) by Bennett Miller
New York Magazine, November 2, 1998, pp. 118-119
Film: Down the Tube (3 Reviews)
The Siege (1998 Film) by Edward Zwick
Living Out Loud (1998 Film) by Richard LaGravenese
National Review, December 21, 1998, pp. 67-69
Counter Cultural Programming: Burn Hollywood, burn (47 Reviews)
Michael Atkinson
50 flicks to get you fighting
Zero for Conduct (1947 Film) by Jean Vigo
It's a Wonderful Life (1946 Film) by Frank Capra
Salt of the Earth (1954 Film) by Herbert J. Biberman
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956 Film) by Don Siegel
Paths of Glory (1957 Film) by Stanley Kubrick
The Manchurian Candidate (1962 Film) by John Frankenheimer
Lawrence of Arabia (1962 Film) by David Lean
Les Carabiniers (1963 Film) by Jean-Luc Godard
The Battle of Algiers (1966 Film) by Gillo Pontecorvo
Greetings (1968 Film) by Brian De Palma
Punishment Park (1971 Film) by Peter Watkins
The Candidate (1972 Film) by Michael Ritchie
State of Siege (1972 Film) by Constantin Costa-Gavras
The Parallax View (1974 Film) by Alan J. Pakula
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974 Film) by Tobe Hooper
Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976 Film) by Barbara Kopple
Network (1976 Film) by Sidney Lumet
All the President's Men (1976 Film) by Alan J. Pakula
Apocalypse Now (1979 Film) by Francis Ford Coppola
Winter Kills (1979 Film) by William Richert
Reds (1981 Film) by Warren Beatty
The Killing Fields (1984 Film) by Roland Joffe
Salvador (1986 Film) by Oliver Stone
Walker (1987 Film) by Alex Cox
Roger and Me (1989 Film) by Michael Moore
The Handmaid's Tale (1990 Film) by Volker Schlondorff
JFK (1991 Film) by Oliver Stone
Thelma and Louise (1991 Film) by Ridley Scott
Panama Deception (1992 Film) by Barbara Trent and David Kasper
Bob Roberts (1992 Film) by Tim Robbins
Lessons of Darkness (1971 Film) by Werner Herzog
Land and Freedom (1996 Film) by Ken Loach
Wag the Dog (1997 Film) by Barry Levinson
Starship Troopers (1997 Film) by Paul Verhoeven
Bulworth (1998 Film) by Warren Beatty
The Thin Red Line (1998 Film) by Terrence Malick
Three Kings (1999 Film) by David O. Russell
Time for Drunken Horses (2000 Film) by Bahman Ghobadi
La Commune (Paris, 1871) (2000 Film) by Peter Watkins
Kandahar (2001 Film) by Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Bloody Sunday (2002 Film) by Paul Greengrass
Power and Terror - Noam Chomsky in Our Times (2002 Film) by John Junkerman
Bowling for Columbine (2002 Film) by Michael Moore
The Trials of Henry Kissinger (2002 Film) by Eugene Jarecki
In This World (2002 Film) by Michael Winterbottom
The Fog of War (2003 Film) by Errol Morris
In These Times, May 31, 2004, pp. 24-25
Partial Cast
Giuseppe Andrews
Marissa Ribisi
Denise Dowse
Harry Singleton
Dawn Cody


text:
ATM stacked with cash stolen in Anantnag
By Guest on 10:02 am April 22, 2017 No Comment
Thieves decamped with an ATM of State Bank of India (SBI), containing Rs 12.18 lakh, in Anantnag district of Kashmir, police said today.
"During the intervening night, some unknown thieves stole an SBI ATM at K P Road in Anantnag district that contained Rs 12.18 lakh," a police official said.
He said the police has registered a case and started investigations.
This is the second incident of a bank being targeted in south Kashmir within three days.
On Wednesday, unknown gunmen looted a branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank at gunpoint in Harmain area of Shopian district and decamped with nearly Rs 12 lakh.
ATM stacked with cash stolen in Anantnag added by Guest on 10:02 am April 22, 2017


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The Tories want to dismantle the NHS, this tragic story shows why we can't let them
James Aitchison
The recent death of world-renowned physicist Leon Lederman is a stark warning to those fearful of the Conservative Party's mismanagement of the NHS. Lederman, who died on 3 October, sold his Nobel prize in order to pay for rising medical bills. In response to his death, author and doctor Rachel Clarke said the following:
World renowned American physicist Leon Lederman died this week aged 96 – after being forced to sell his Nobel Prize for $765k to help pay his medical bills.
To those who say we can't afford the NHS, how – in the name of decency – can we afford not to? https://t.co/KDYnCXzGYv
— Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) October 6, 2018
Lederman won the Nobel prize in physics in 1988 in recognition for his work on subatomic particles. In later years, Lederman was diagnosed with dementia. He auctioned off his Nobel prize medal in 2015 in order to pay for rising medical costs. The medal sold for $765,000.
Only in America?
The United States is one of the few remaining industrialised nations that don't provide universal health care. Over 12% of Americans do not have health insurance. Those with insurance can still find themselves bankrupt by high health costs. Even with coverage, Lederman would have found it difficult to pay for adequate medical treatment and care.
To some, Lederman's story is uniquely American: a highly respected pioneer in his field forced to sell off the physical embodiment of his greatest achievement in order to afford healthcare:
This is a deeply depressing, deeply American story. RIP Leon Lederman. #nobelprize #healthcare #nhs pic.twitter.com/A2Pzqp54E8
— Donald Iain MacDonald (@dimacdonald) October 5, 2018
So much that is great and terrible about America in one sentence. RIP. https://t.co/Ua5vqd9qAw
— Harold Pollack (@haroldpollack) October 4, 2018
so sad & touching. if Leon Lederman had lived in another, more civilized country, his final years would not have been so desperate.
most amazing that anyone would wish to buy a "prize"–a plaque or icon?–not earned by themselves, & pay so much for it… https://t.co/uPWQSepPhb
— Joyce Carol Oates (@JoyceCarolOates) October 4, 2018
It could happen here
Fortunately, we don't share America's healthcare system. However, thanks to years of austerity and cuts, many in social care find themselves in similar situations to Lederman:
It happens in the UK too.
Some of my nursing home residents have paid upwards of £400 for their care and had to sell their houses to find it. They don't have a choice, then when there's no more money, the council moves them miles away….
— Mark Green (@DrVoles) October 6, 2018
Others pointed out that so long as the Tories remain in power, the NHS is under constant threat:
this is what happens to you when you don't have our wonderful NHS. What will YOU have to sell to get treatment once the #toxicTories have sold it off??
RIP Mr Lederman. https://t.co/1PblNO7mt5
— Frances Hilton (@Florenceofarabi) October 5, 2018
Private insurance limits access to care. That's how it functions. The NHS delivers for everyone who needs care as often as they need it for as long as they need it. Let's hope no-one here is ever treated as badly as Leon Lederman. RIP. https://t.co/M9vEbeBiMO
— Derek Louden (@LoudenDW) October 6, 2018
It always amazes me, that the same people that boast we are the 5th richest economy in the world, also say we can't afford to fund it the NHS.
It also amazes me that these same people, are wealthy enough to afford private health care.
THE NHS IS FOR THE MANY MOT THE FEW!
— Steve Kowalski??????????? (@NeathMedic) October 6, 2018
Absolutely ????we all must fight tooth and nail to stop this act of vandalism against the NHS by unscrupulous politicians
— Steve P (@ParkerP66012506) October 6, 2018
Creeping privatisation
It's no secret that the NHS is in trouble. Years of underfunding by the coalition and Conservative governments and savage austerity cuts to social care spending have left the venerable institution in a state of constant crisis.
In addition, despite overwhelming opposition from the public, the Conservatives seem hell bent on privatising as much of the NHS as possible. Theresa May has refused to quell fears that US-based companies could gain access to NHS contracts as part of a post-Brexit deal with the United States.
Hands off our NHS
There are many laudable aspects of the United States, but its health care system is not one of them. The circumstances in which Lederman found himself should act as a warning to anyone who cares about the future of the NHS. We cannot allow it to be broken apart and sold to the highest bidder. Lederman was able to pay for the care he needed. The rest of us don't have a priceless Nobel prize to fall back on.
– Join The Canary if you appreciate the work we do.
– Read more articles from The Canary on the NHS.
– Take action with Keep Our NHS Public.
Featured image via FNAL – Wikipedia
As anti-fracking protesters begin jail sentences, a week of action is showing resistance is alive and kicking
Watch John McDonnell play the perfect card against the ex MI6 boss trying to stain Corbyn


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Fairy Tale of the Lithuanian Hedgehog and the Gentleman's Daughter
Fairy Tale of the Lithuanian Hedgehog and the Gentleman's Daughter
Here is another intriguing version of the fairy tale Hans My Hedgehog, this time from Lithuania. At first glance the differences between the Grimm's version and this story may seem slight. But I think they are significant. For further reference please also hit the link Reading Hans My Hedgehog.
(Click on picture to enlarge.)
Once a long, long time ago, there lived a farmer and his wife. They had six acres of land but no children. It was their habit to kneel devoutly every evening and place their heads in a wooden barrel. Their tears flowed liked rivers while they prayed fervently to Dear God to give them a son. But God did not hear their prayers. One evening as hot tears rolled down their faces into the wooden vessel, they asked God to at least give them a child like a little hedgehog. And what happened! The next morning a little hedgehog lay in the wooden barrel. He started talking just like a little boy and began running back and forth in the kitchen.
Now the husband had one small piglet, one grown pig and a rooster. The hedgehog said to his father: "Go into the forest and find the strongest oak standing in the most beautiful spot! The farmer did what he was told. He went into the forest, selected the strongest oak and when he came home he said to the hedgehog: "I have made my selection."
"Good! Then give me the small piglet and the grown pig and take me into the forest!" The father guided him to the oak and left him there. The hedgehog now lived in the forest eleven years. In the first year the grown pig had seven young sows and one boar. But the pigs multiplied every year bearing ten sows and one boar. That was quite a number after eleven years! Once, the father visited his son in the forest. The hedgehog said to his father: "Father drive these thirteen pigs home! Slaughter one and sell the others. You will get a pretty penny." In the meantime, the pigs had become as large as oxen from their rich feed in the forest. "With the money buy wheat and feed your rooster well!" The father did as he was told.
As the hedgehog was living with his herd of pigs in the forest, a gentlemen rode by. He had become lost and rode directly into the herd of pigs. The pigs jumped and squealed around him, tore the reins from the rider's hands and blocked the man's escape. As wild pigs do not understand mirth or humor, the man believed he was staring into death's open jaws. But suddenly the hedgehog appeared and said to the man: "Promise me your daughter! If you do, you will escape with your life and find your way out of the forest!"
The man mulled it over. In the end he preferred to live. He promised his daughter to the hedgehog and placed himself in the creature's service. The hedgehog chased away the pigs and the man rode home. When he arrived he told his household what had happened. He said "Dear daughter. I would not have been able to save my life if I hadn't promised you to the hedgehog!" The daughter began to cry. The father replied: "Do not cry. The hedgehog will not be able to prick you here with his needles! We will dig a deep furrow round our castle, fill it with water, encircle it with a fence and then the hedgehog will not be able to break through."
Another gentleman soon came riding into the woods. He also got lost in the forest and had to promise his daughter to the hedgehog. A third gentleman came riding and he, too, fell in among the swine and had to promise the hedgehog his daughter. The man rode home and told his household everything, just as it had happened. He said: "Dear daughter, I wouldn't have been able to save myself from dying if I hadn't promised you to the hedgehog!" And the daughter replied: "As soon as he rides by, I shall marry him!"
Soon the father of the hedgehog came to visit him in the forest and the hedgehog said: "Father, let us drive all the pigs home now!" And he drove the entire herd of wild pigs home, as if they were tame and the six acres of land became completely filled with pigs. Then the hedgehog said: "Father, sell the pigs. You will get a pretty penny for them and then build a new house! I will ride out to my maid!"
The farmer had fed his rooster with wheat for several years now and it had become as large as a horse. The hedgehog mounted the rooster and rode out to his maid. When he arrived he found the entire courtyard under water. The rooster flew through the air, above the water and arrived below the window of the maid. The bird flapped his wings and cried: "Ki-ki-ker-ri-ki!" The father and his daughter peered through the window and said: "The hedgehog is here!"
Now the hedgehog entered the house and said: "Where is your daughter?" I have come to lead her home!" When the daughter saw the hedgehog, she began to cry and wanted to bury herself in the ground. But the father said "Hedgehog, take whatever you desire from me. Only leave me my daughter!" And so, they negotiated for some time but in the end he gave the hedgehog a coach, a pair of horses and a wagon full of money. Furthermore, the father gave the hedgehog a servant to drive the wagon and now the hedgehog rode on his rooster to the second man. The same thing happened. The man also gave the hedgehog a lot of money. The hedgehog released the second maid from the promise. The man relinquished his money and the hedgehog rode off to the third gentleman.
He rode below the window, the rooster flapped its wings and cried. Now they could see that the hedgehog had arrived. The hedgehog entered the house. But the daughter was not afraid of him. She said: "Father, if you have promised me in marriage, I will marry the hedgehog." The girl's mother said to her daughter: "When you are married and go to bed, he will take off his hedgehog skin and place it on a chair. Then he will become a handsome youth." But before you go to bed, tell your maid servant she must heat water. Then go out immediately, take the skin and place it in the boiling water! Then return and lie down next to him!
The mother immediately got into the carriage with the money and rode off. And the hedgehog rode on his rooster. The parents were happy that their hedgehog son had such a beautiful wife, horses, a carriage and a lot of money. It did not take long for the wedding celebration to be held. The hedgehog brought his maid home.
When they entered the bedchamber to go to sleep, he took off his skin and placed it on the chair. The daughter pretended she wanted to go to sleep. Took the skin and placed it in boiling water and boiled it. In the morning when he got up, he wanted to take the skin from the chair immediately. But it had vanished. What could the poor fellow do? He had to remain in human form. Now that he had become a man, how they celebrated the wedding feast! And I was also there and celebrated the happy event with all the others!
Posted by Rapunzel at 5:06 PM 1 comment:
Labels: Hedgehog Fairy Tales
It's Spring, Almost, in Fairy Tale Land
The weather (finally) seems to be a bit more like spring! And surely beautiful days are on the way! In these times of hopeful anticipation, it's best to read fairy tales celebrating all things related to the garden, flowers, birds' nests and hedgehogs. Here is a selection of my favorite spring fairy tales:
To read tales about mysterious vegetation, including the Wonderflower, Bird's Nest and the spooky Alraun or Mandrake plant, hit the link.
Have you planted your carrots yet? Before you do, read this tale about the King of All Carrots.
Essential reading for understanding the gory mythology of the garden, spring planting and the natural cycles of the earth: the Three Golden Apples.
And my favorite hedgehog tale takes place in the furrows of the garden: Garden States and Merry Mornings
According to European folk tradition, the song of the cuckoo announces spring. Read a fairy tale of How the Cuckoo Came to Call and the fairy tale of the Newt and Cuckoo.
A Fairy Vision and an Easter Vision: the Castle of High Regard (Hohe Acht)
In this fairy tale for Easter: the blasphemy of harp playing, the incredible power of the first blossoms of spring, and a fairy vision.
From the village of Kesseling you can take the road near Weidenbach and travel toward Kaltenborn. About three hours past the Aare River you arrive at the Castle of High Regard. This fortress belonged to one of the knights of Kaltenborn. Later in life this knight had to relinquish the fort to the Archbishop of Cologne, only to seize the property back from this powerful cleric when it became a well-fortified and protected fief. In the last century the ruins of the old castle finally vanished when the last of its owners abandoned it once and for all. These owners lived in Cologne but were not of the Hoacht lineage and did not bear the name.
In ancient times a wild and dissipated robber-baron lived at Hoacht. On the Eve before Easter he and his knights profaned the holy feast with vile dancing, harp music and gluttony. Suddenly the heavens blackened and the sound of their raucous boozing was interrupted with a loud roar. From black clouds came bolts of lightning and thunder could be heard louder and louder. All of the revelers whitened in fear and froze in terror. A lightning bolt hit the chamber and soon flames burst through the doors and windows. The walls crackled and caved under the terrible raging storm, finally crushing the assembled and burying them in the debris.
It was said the robber baron had unimaginable treasures of gold, silver and gems, also valuable utensils and objects hidden in the chambers of his castle. But all trace of such things had vanished in the rubble.
Many years after the fall of the castle, a knight appeared on the Eve before Easter. Alighting on the shore of the Rhine River, his oarsman told him the legend of Hoacht Castle. According to the saga, only one without blemish and pure of heart would be granted a vision of the castle's treasures. This was the Easter Eve of legend and the oarsman urged the young knight not to hesitate but hasten up the path to the fortress before midnight.
Together oarsman and knight hurried up the stony path. It seemed to widen as they went along, until finally at the top of the mountain it opened into a huge chasm. There stood a maiden clothed in snow-white garments. She motioned to the knight with her hand that he should approach while she slowly placed a lily on the ground. If the knight had been thinking properly, he would have immediately seized the flower. But alas, he did not. She motioned a second time and pointed to a hidden spot below the ground.
The knight believed she was pointing to the place the treasure lay buried. That is why he approached the spot but left the lily lying where she had placed it.
At one o'clock there was a terrible noise. The robber baron of yore now stood before the young knight with drinking cup in hand, just as he had stood hundreds of years before. His drinking companions surrounded him, throwing silver and gold coins into the air. But before the knight and oarsman could pick up one of the gold pieces, they all vanished. The lily which the maiden had placed on the ground now became an enormous viper, with thrashing tail and hissing tongue. The knight and oarsman had to retreat from the mountain to safety and were not able to retrieve any of the castle's treasures.
As they ran down the steep path to the river, scornful laughter followed.
More fairy tales can be accessed by clicking on the link:
Translation FairyTaleChannel.org
Labels: Easter Legends, Hoacht
Fairy Tales for Palm Sunday
Intimations of Summer, Illustration Maurice Sendak
The Palm Sunday tradition of carrying and waving palm branches is reminiscent of Jesus's procession into Jerusalem. But ancient European folk customs probably provide the basis for modern Palm Sunday celebrations. In fact ancient spring rituals tied to "palm" festivities can still be found in fairy tales and saga. This website provides two popular tales with Easter ritual as the backdrop: Jorinda and Joringel and the Bird Who Tells the Truth.
In German folk tradition, the word "palm" designated all manner of foliage associated with the new budding green blossoms of springtime. Three "palm" branches could signify three stems of boxwood or sallow, also known as goat willow. Often the native blossoms of hazel branches, juniper or even oak stems were referred to as "palms". This "palm" custom seems to be tied to the belief that a mysterious life force lay dormant in seemingly dead twigs. Now in springtime, these invisible forces were gathering strength, revealed in the blossoms and buds of local flora. Imbued with miraculous healing and regenerative powers in fairy tales, these switches, branches or rods offer redemption and transformation to characters experiencing some sort of malaise, often life-threatening. By touching or stroking the person with the switch, branch or palm, the curative energy of the branch was transferred to the person, facilitating startling transformations in fairy tales. In Christian tradition, these first budding branches were carefully preserved after the spring Easter procession, and were often hung in the home behind the crucifix or in the window, where their blessing continued to flow out and touch both people and animals during the year. In pagan tradition, these first buds of spring were associated with the power to ward off witches and demons. The magical properties of the palm were said to keep goblins, pixies, water men and other malevolent forces at bay.
Labels: Easter Legends, Palm Sunday Fairy Tales
It's time to think about gnomes: fairy tale of the Venetian Gnome.
(Illustration by Harald Wiberg)
A Fairy Tale from Switzerland:
The Venetian Gnome
In ancient times dark-haired persons often traveled from Wales to the Swiss Alps. There they searched for gold in the cliffs and wild mountain streams. The local folk called these dark-haired visitors Venetians. They were popular among the Swiss because they were well-mannered and entertaining and told many stories about foreign lands and their city by the sea. But alpine shepherds thought it odd that these Venetians always carried leather purses round their necks. These little sacks were always filled with gold, even though the villagers themselves never found a single grain of gold dust despite all their searching. They knew that the Venetians were highly skilled and did a great deal more than eat rye bread.
It happened that such a Venetian, a plain-spoken little man, came every summer to Clarus, which is today a beautiful village near the alp called Glaernisch. As soon as the summer cow herders drove their herds into the high mountains, the Venetian Gnome followed. He helped the herders ladle out the milk, ate cheese and bread with them, and also slept in their wild mountain cabin. But while the cow herders kept watch over their cattle and made cheese and butter, the Venetian Gnome vanished between the cliffs and marched through streamlets and gathered stones that glistened in the bright sunlight. When his seven sacks were full, the Venetian disappeared but no one ever knew quite how it happened. When they all thought he was long gone, he reappeared on the alp and began collecting new stones in seven new sacks.
The herders thought the little man's comings and goings a bit strange, but nothing more. One day, they decided to play a trick on the gnome. They secretly took one of his seven sacks and hid it in a place they thought he could never find. When the gnome returned in the evening from his gold search and entered the cabin, the Swiss herders were lying around on the grass outside. The gnome approached them: "I have noticed that you have hidden one of my sacks and the stones inside. Shall you fetch it, or shall I?" They laughed and replied "Go get it yourself!" To their amazement the little man ran directly to the spot under a steep drop-off where the cow herders had hidden his sack. Angered, the little man now returned the sack and the stones to the cabin.
As summer ended, the grass no longer grew so tall and snow hung in the air. The shadows were longer these days and the wind nipped at the cow herders' cheeks. The Venetian Gnome took leave as he did every year. But this time he spoke to the herders in a friendly way: "I am returning to Venice. If one of you ever visit me there, I will give you a sack full of silver!"
The Venetian Gnome had hardly departed from the alps when the herders forgot his friendly invitation. Only one remembered; he was a poor man and owned a small parcel in the valley. He remembered the Venetian's words. One sack full of silver would come in handy and help him care for his sick wife and many children.
When the herders now descended the mountain and returned to the valley, the larch trees and oaks had turned crimson and orange. But the poor herdsman quietly departed, crossed the river and the Gotthard Pass, until after a long march he arrived at the sea. In the distance he saw a city with many towers reaching into the heavens. It was the seaside city of Venice, about which the gnome had spoken so often.
When he arrived in the city, which only had a few streets because it was built in the middle of water on a few sand bars, he felt a bit strange because he did not know the house or street where the Venetian Gnome lived. He didn't even know his name. Sadly he walked through several lanes and was already thinking about returning home, when suddenly someone tapped him on his shoulder. He turned around, and a small, distinguished gentleman extended his hand and welcomed him. He immediately asked how things were in Clarus and how the cow herders were faring, whereby he referred to many of the villagers by name.
When the poor herder saw the finely dressed little man, he recognized the unassuming Venetian Gnome, who had shared so many summer days in the mountains with him and his comrades. He was happy when the little man invited him to come to his house and find accommodations there. He was amazed at the beautiful house the Venetian took him to, it was made of marble and the walls glistened. In front of the windows there lay a dark canal and above flew snow-white doves. Now things were going well for the cow herder. He received every sort of food that he desired and wine that was as red as blood. He soon regained his strength.
It wasn't long before the poor cow herder tired of the good life, although he could have spent the entire day lying in silken sheets in bed. His thoughts always returned to his wife and children.
One day he sat in front of the Venetian's fine marble palace, looked sadly around and remembered his distant homeland. The Venetian came out of the house and when he saw him sitting there so dejectedly, tears came to his eyes and he said in a friendly way: "I think you are bored here in Venice! Or are you homesick?"
"That's it," replied the cow herder." I am plagued with homesickness. I don't know what to do."
The Venetian laughed, led him inside his house into a chamber the cow herder had never entered before. There was a magnificent mirror hanging on the wall. "Look into the glass," the Venetian said, "See how things are going in the village of Clarus!"
Wonder of wonders! The cow herd now saw the village of Clarus clearly before him. But he also saw his own homestead, his wife bathing the children and her eyes were full of tears because she was thinking about her husband.
The Venetian now said "Go home! I will give you enough provisions in gold or silver. If you prefer gold, I will you give it to you. If you want silver, then you can fetch it yourself from my treasury." The Glarner herder replied "I only want a sack of silver, like you promised me in Clarus on the alp.!" And with the permission of the Venetian he went into his treasury and filled a sack with silver.
When the cow herder left the marble palace and departed, the Venetian gnome said to him: "Pay attention to that sack so that you do not lose it on your journey. And if you sleep in an inn, take it with you to bed and place it under your head." The cow herd thanked his host for every good thing that had been done and made his way from the seaside city. He wandered higher and higher into the mountains and toward his home.
When he had walked an entire day and night threatened to fall once again, he had to find accommodations in a Welsh village . This was difficult because he was still far from his hometown and the sack he carried was very heavy. But he searched out an inn, went to bed and placed the sack of silver under his head.
When he opened his eyes the next morning he found himself in Clarus, in his own bed with a mattress stuffed with leaves. He heard his cuckoo clock ticking in the kitchen and in front of the cabin he heard his goats bleating! First he thought he had dreamt it all and had never been to Venice. But then he noticed something hard under his head and found the sack full of silver. He rushed to his wife and children who squealed in glee! And how happy his poor wife was when she found his strange pillow. The poor cow herd now became a rich man. His descendants still live honorable lives in Clarus but the villagers call them the family from Venice.
Translation Copyright FairyTaleChannel.org
Labels: Fairies and Gnomes, Swiss Fairy Tale, Venetian Gnome
The Three Feathers
Illustration by Beatrix Potter
Grimm's Fairy Tale No. 63: The Three Feathers
A long time ago there lived a king who had three sons. Two of them were smart and clever. But the third son did not say much. He was a simpleton and was also called the Dumbling. When the king had become old and weak and saw his end approaching, he did not know which of his sons should inherit the kingdom. So he said to them: Go out into the world and whichever one of you brings me the finest carpet shall be king after my death!" He did not want them to argue amongst themselves so he led them outside before his castle, blew three feathers into the wind and said "As they fly, you shall follow."
One feather flew to the east, the other to the west. But the third feather flew straight ahead and did not go far. It soon landed on the ground. The first brother went to the right, the second to the left and they laughed at the Dumbling who stood still next to where his feather had fallen.
The Dumbling sat down and was very sad. Suddenly he noticed a trap door next to where the feather was lying. He opened it and found a stairwell, which he promptly descended. There he found another door. He knocked and listened to the voice he heard within:
"Maid, so green and fine,
Hutzel-bine,
Hutzel-bine's little dog,
Hutzel-here, Hutzel there,
Quick run and see who's there."
The door opened and he saw a fat little toad sitting on the floor surrounded by a large number of little toads. The fat toad inquired what he wanted. He replied "I seek the most beautiful and finest carpet ." The toad cried out:
The young toad fetched a satchel and the fat toad opened it and gave the Dumbling a carpet that was more beautiful and fine than any that could be woven on earth. He thanked her and ascended the stairs again.
The other two brothers thought their youngest brother much too stupid to find anything to bring back. "So why should we work so hard?" they asked. From the first shepherdess they encountered, they took the coarse cloth she carried and brought it to the king. At the same time the Dumbling returned and brought his beautiful carpet. When the king saw it, he was amazed and said "According to law, the youngest should now own the kingdom!" But the two brothers would not give their father any peace and said it was impossible for the Dumbling to become king, because he was not intelligent enough. The father replied "Whoever brings me the most beautiful ring shall become king." He led the three brothers out before his castle, blew three feathers into the air, and told the brothers to follow them. The two oldest brothers once again went east and west. But the the Dumbling's feather flew straight ahead and once again fell near the earthen door. Again the youngest son descended to the fat frog and explained that he needed the most beautiful ring of all. The toad had her large satchel brought immediately and from this, she gave the youngest son a ring brilliantly shining with gems. It was so beautiful that no goldsmith on earth could have made it. The two oldest brothers had laughed at the Dumbling, who wanted to go out looking for a golden ring. They didn't want to expend such effort, but instead took the nails out of an old wagon ring and brought them to the king. When the Dumbling presented his golden ring to the king, the father said again "The kingdom belongs to him." The two oldest brothers would not stop bothering the king until he allowed a third condition to be made. The son who brought home the most beautiful woman as wife should have the kingdom. Once again he blew the three feathers in the air and they flew as they had the first two times.
The Dumbling descended immediately to the fat little toad and said "I must now bring home the most beautiful woman." "Ay," replied the toad. "The most beautiful woman is not immediately available, but you shall have her." She gave him a hollowed-out yellow turnip pulled by six little mice. The Dumbling was exceedingly sad "What shall I do with that?" The toad replied "Just select one of my little toads." So he chose one of the little toads and placed it in the yellow turnip. It was hardly inside when it became a beautiful maiden, the turnip had become a carriage and the six little mice were now horses. He kissed his maid, raced away with the horses and soon arrived at the king. His brothers soon followed. They hadn't exerted themselves at all trying to find a wife, but rather chose one amongst the first servant girls they encountered. When the king saw them he said "The youngest shall inherit the kingdom after my death." But the two oldest brothers once again complained to the king with their moaning. "We can't allow the Dumbling to become king." And they demanded that the one whose wife could jump through the ring lying in the middle of the ballroom should become king. They thought to themselves "Servant girls can do that. They are strong enough. But the delicate maiden will die jumping!" The old king allowed this also. The two servant girls jumped through the ring but were so fat they fell and broke their arms and legs. Then the pretty maiden jumped, whom had been brought by the dumbling. She jumped through the ring as easily as a deer and all complaining had to end. The youngest son received the crown and he ruled wisely for a very long time.
Posted by Rapunzel at 8:15 PM 2 comments:
Labels: Love and Marriage, The Three Feathers
Where God's Finger Points
(God's Finger)
Grimm's Saga No. 350: Oxen Reveal the Holy Site
Near Matten in a village not far from the mouth of the Fermel Valley in Switzerland there lie the ruins of a mighty stone structure. The following legend is told about it: In ancient times the community wanted to build a church to honor St. Stephan. A site was found where the wall was to stand. But every night, to the terror of all involved, the entire day's work of the industrious builders was destroyed. The villagers now decided to span their building tools in the yoke of a team of oxen while praying. Wherever the oxen remained standing, that is where God's finger pointed and where the new church would be built. The animals forded the river and remained standing where the Church of St. Stephan was then constructed.
Labels: Oxen, St. Stephan's Church
Dragons Take Flight in Spring
Grimm's Saga No. 217
Spring Awakenings: the Time of Dragons Stirring
Alpine folk in Switzerland have preserved many legends about dragons and lindworms. In ancient times they dwelled in mountain caverns often raining down destruction on the valleys. Today when a mountain river breaks out of its banks, tearing in its torrent trees and rocks as it descends, people still say: "The dragon has flown out." The following story is one of the strangest of all:
A barrel binder from Lucerne went out to find wood for his barrels. He became lost in a barren, remote area when night fell. Suddenly he slipped into a deep hole filled with mud. It was as if a spring fed its waters into the depression. On both sides of the floor of this cave were passageways leading into enormous caverns. When he wanted to examine these areas more carefully, to his horror he met two terrifying dragons. The man prayed fervently but the dragons wound their tails around his body. But they did him no harm. One day passed and then several. He had to share the dragons' company from November 6 until April 10. He nourished himself on the salty moisture that formed on the cave walls. When the dragons sensed that winter was over, they decided to take flight. The first one departed with loud flapping noise while the other dragon also prepared itself. Seeing this the unfortunate barrel binder seized the tail of the dragon and was pulled upward as the beast flew out of the cave. Once above, the man let go and soon found himself in the city. To commemorate the incident he had a priest's robe embroidered, which can still be seen in Saint Leodagar's Church in Lucerne. According to church records, the story took place in the year 1420.
Labels: Dragons, Dragons and Lindworms
Knight Frankenstein and the Lindworm at the Fountain
Grimm's Saga No. 219: Knight Frankenstein and the Lindworm at the Fountain
In ancient times three brothers lived in the old castle of Frankenstein one-and-a-half hours distant from Darmstadt. Today you can still see their gravestones in the Oberbirbach Church. One of the brothers was named Hans, and his carved image standing on a dragon is still displayed in the churchyard. The village had a fountain, out of which both townsfolk and castle dwellers drew their water. But a horrible dragon nested near the fountain and the people could not fetch water if they did not first feed the dragon a sheep or cow. As long as the dragon was eating they could approach the water. Finally a knight by the name of Hans decided to put an end to this mischief. He waged battle with the worm until finally he was able to cut off its head. He wanted to bore through the rump of the dragon with his spear, which still lay wriggling. The pointed tail of the beast now encircled the knight's right leg and pierced his knee socket, the only spot not covered by his armor. The entire worm was poisonous and Hans von Frankenstein now gave up his life.
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Labels: Dragons and Lindworms, Frankenstein
The Slings and Arrows of Fairy Tales
From the Gesta Romanorum: The Slings and Arrows of Kingship
A very noble king reigned in ancient times. He was wise and rich and had a very dear wife. But the woman, in guilty love with another man, bore three sons outside of her marriage. These sons plotted viciously against the king and did not resemble the monarch in any way. Finally the queen bore a son from her union with the king and raised him. Now it happened that when the king's days were over, he died and his royal corpse was placed in a coffin and sealed. After his death the four sons began to quarrel about who would rule the kingdom. Finally they agreed: they would go to an old warrior who was formerly an honorable scribe of the deceased king and do whatever he decided. And so it happened. When the warrior patiently had listened to all they said, he spoke: "Hear my judgment! And if you follow these words, all shall go well. It is now fitting that you remove the corpse of the blessed king from his coffin. Each of you shall then take your bow and arrow in hand. Whoever bores deepest with his arrow into the corpse shall receive the kingdom."
This advice was well received by the sons. They dug up the corpse and removed it from its place of rest and fastened it to a tree. The first son, who shot his arrow, wounded the right hand of the king. The shot was so good, the onlookers almost immediately made him sole heir and ruler of the kingdom. The second son now shot his arrow and it more or less happily arrived very close to the king's face. He thought with certainty that victory was now his. The third son shot his arrow and it bored through the king's heart. He now thought the matter undisputed and he would certainly receive the kingdom from his brothers. When the fourth brother now stepped forward to take a shot, he sobbed uncontrollably and spoke with wavering voice: "Woe and misery, my dear father, that I must see your corpse wounded by your own sons. I shall never shoot the body of my father, alive or dead."
When the fourth son had uttered these words, the dukes and all people of the kingdom lifted him on their shoulders and placed him on the throne as true heir of the kingdom. The other three were stripped of riches and wealth and driven from the country.
Posted by Rapunzel at 9:43 AM No comments:
Labels: Gesta Romanorum, Hermann Hesse
The Avenging Angels, a Fairy Tale from the Gesta Romanorum
Hermann Hesse Selects Fairy Tales from the Gesta Romanorum:
Of Satan's Wickedness and How God's Judgment Often Remains Hidden
In ancient times a hermit, who piously served God day and night, lived in his cave. Now it happened that a shepherd was tending his flock next to this hermit's cell. One day while the shepherd was overcome by sleep, a robber came and drove off his sheep. When the owner of the sheep returned, he asked the shepherd where his sheep had gone. The shepherd admitted he had indeed lost the animals, but he wasn't quite sure how it had happened. When the owner heard this, he fell into a rage and killed the shepherd. When the hermit saw this, he said to himself: "See, dear God, how the owner has accused and killed an innocent man? Because you allow things like this to happen, I will return to the world and live like other men."
After having these thoughts, he left his hermitage and went out into the world. But God did not want to ruin him, so He sent an angel in human shape to be his companion. When the angel met the hermit on the road, he said to him "My dear man, where are you going?" The hermit replied :"I am going to the city that lies before me." The angel said to him: "I will be your companion on the journey, for I am an angel of God and have come to you so that we can walk together on this path." Together they made their way to the city.
But when they entered it, they asked a knight to provide shelter in the name of God. The knight received them cordially and humbly gave them food and drink, all the finest he had to offer. This knight had an only child, whom he loved dearly and the boy lay in his cradle. At night after they had eaten the evening meal, the sleeping chamber was opened and proper beds were prepared for the angel and the hermit. At midnight the angel got up and strangled the child in his crib. When the hermit saw this, he thought to himself: "This is not an angel of God. This brave soldier has satisfied our every need and has stilled our thirst. He had nothing except his innocent little son. And he killed this small babe." But the hermit did not dare say anything.
In the morning, they both rose early and made their way to another city, where they were honorably received in the house of a burgher. This burgher had a golden cup, which he valued and of which he was very proud. At midnight the angel got up and stole the cup. When the hermit saw this, he thought: "I believe this is an evil angel; that burgher only did good things for us, and in return he stole his cup." But the hermit said nothing, because he was frightened of the angel.
Early in the morning they got up and went their way, until they came to a river, over which a bridge was spanned. When they stepped upon the bridge, they met a poor man. The angel spoke to him: "My dear fellow show me the way to the city," The poor man turned around and pointed in the same direction. But when he had turned around the angel grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him off the bridge, so that the poor man soon vanished beneath the waves. When the hermit saw this, he said to himself: "Now I know this is the devil, not a good angel of God." What evil had the poor man done, and still the angel killed him! He now mulled over how he could be rid of him. But because he was frightened, he said nothing. When they arrived in the city in the evening hour, they entered the house of a rich man and asked him for a night's lodgings in the name of God. But the rich man refused. The angel then spoke to the man:
"In the name of God, let us sleep below the roof of your house, so that wolves or other wild animals do not eat us!" But the man replied: "See, here is the stall where my pigs reside. If you desire it, you can sleep with them. But leave me; I shall not give you another place to sleep." The angel replied: "Because we cannot find anything better, we shall sleep with the pigs;" and so it happened.
Early in the morning when they got up, the angel called to the innkeeper and said: "My dear man, here I give you a cup," and with these words he gave the man the cup he had stolen before. When the hermit saw this he said to himself: "Now I know with certainty that he is the devil. It was a good man who received us humbly and from whom he stole that cup. Now he has given it to that rogue, who didn't even give us a room for sleeping." And so he said to the angel: "I don't want to consort with you any more. I commend you to God."
The angel replied: "Listen to me and then you may go on your way. When you lived in your hermitage, you witnessed how the owner of the sheep slew his shepherd. Certainly the shepherd did not deserve death, because another man had performed the crime. He should not have died. But God allowed him to be killed and through this punishment he avoided eternal death. He had committed a sin before, for which he never did penance. The robber, who escaped with all the sheep, will suffer eternal agony and the owner of the sheep, who killed the shepherd, shall repent for what he has done unwittingly, by richly donating alms and performing acts of kindness. Afterward, I strangled the son of the knight who had given us good lodgings. But you should know that before the child was born, this knight was the best alms-giver and performed many deeds of charity. But since the child's birth, he has become frugal and stingy. He collects and hoards everything to make the boy rich. This child is the cause of his ruin and that is why I killed the babe. The man has become what he was before, namely a good Christian. Then I stole the cup from the man who received us so humbly. But you should know that before his cup was finished, no man walked the earth, who was more sober. But since he has been in possession of the cup, he is so happy to own it, that he drinks the entire day from it and is inebriated two or three times a day. That is why I stole his cup and now he is as sober as before. Then I pushed the poor man into the water. Know that the poor man was a good Christian. But if he had continued only a short way, he would have committed the mortal sin of murder. Now he is saved and sits near God's throne in heaven. Finally, I gave the cup to the man, who denied us hospitality. You should know that nothing happens on earth without a reason. He only offered us accommodations with his pigs, and that is why I gave him the cup, and when he dies, he will sit in hell. In the future bridle your mouth and do not complain to God, because He knows everything."
When the hermit heard these words, he fell down at the feet of the angel and begged for forgiveness. He then returned to his hermitage and became a good Christian.
Hermann Hesse Picks Fairy Tales: the Memento of Mortality
In the next few weeks, the FairyTaleChannel will highlight several fairy tales and legends of the GESTA ROMANORUM or The Acts of the Romans.
The following text is based on Hermann Hesse's preface to these fairy tales, originally published by Insel Verlag. Here is what Hesse has to say about these tales:
The Gesta Romanorum are a collection of stories, legends and anecdotes that were popular in the late Middle Ages. It is assumed that priests or clergy added the strong moral overtones to these tales, which were esteemed both as entertainment and edification by medieval readers. As the title suggests, all of these stories were originally taken from Roman history and saga, and over time a number of legends of the saints were added.
The author-or compiler - of this strange but influential book is unknown. It is rare to have such an important work of ancient literature, which has been so intensively studied, but about which surprisingly little is known. Here is not the place to offer conjecture but rather to describe in few words what we actually know about the Gesta Romanorum.
The oldest handwritten copy of the Latin text Gesta Romanorum was published in England in the year 1342. From that time until the beginning of the 16th century numerous copies, usually in Latin, were in circulation. There were also several English and German translations or reformulations of the text. Often these reformulations contained new material whereas the translations into other languages were strict reproductions of the original Latin. Thus it is assumed that the Gesta were written in England or Germany some time after 1300. Nothing is known about the author, and only a few scholarly, unconvincing theories have been offered. All that we know for certain is that this book of moral anecdotes enjoyed enormous popularity especially in Germany, where it was copied many times over, reworked and reprinted. With the arrival of the Reformation, it gradually disappeared but a portion of its popular material was transferred into early versions of German folktales. Starting in the mid-16th century if not earlier, the tales of the Gesta began to slip into obscurity.
[The version printed by Insel-Verlag/Germany* and selected by Hermann Hesse was translated by Johan Georg Theodor Graesse and originally published in 1842. Hesse compared this 19th century translation to a German version from the 15th century, and found it was not a simple matter to take an archaic text and create a new and vibrant translation. He adds that the version presented by Graesse seemed extremely readable, true to the original and not without appeal.
(* and the basis of the English translations provided here.)]
Fairy Tale of the Memento of Mortality
A long time ago a certain prince took enormous pleasure in the hunt. But it happened that when he rode out one day, he met a merchant, quite by accident, on the same road. When the merchant caught sight of the prince and saw how handsome and pleasant it was to gaze upon him, his fine and expensive garments, he said to himself:
"Dear God, you must love this man dearly; look, how beautiful he is, lively and wonderful to watch! And see how everyone in his company is dressed so decently." As soon as he thought these thoughts, he spoke to one of the servants of the prince: "Tell me, dear man. Who is your master?" The servant replied: "He is master of many lands and indeed mighty because of his riches in gold, silver and servants."
The merchant now spoke: "God must hold this man very dearly in his heart, because he is the most handsome and most wise man of all. I have never before laid eyes on such a man!" When the servant heard this, he secretly told every word the merchant had uttered to his master. When the prince now returned toward evening time to his home, he invited the merchant to overnight with him. The man did not think it proper to object, instead, he made his way with the prince toward his kingdom.
When he had entered the castle, the merchant viewed so many chambers beautifully adorned with gold and so many riches that he soon became spell-bound. When the hour of dinner approached, the prince called the merchant to table and offered the seat next to his wife. When the merchant saw this beautiful and dear lady, it unsettled him. He admitted to himself: "O my God, this prince has everything that his heart desires: a beautiful wife and daughter, sons and servants, and more than too many." As he was mulling it over, food was brought to him and the queen. But look, the most delicious delicacies were served on a skull and placed before the lady. And the assembled were attended to in the great hall and many silver platters were carried by the servants.
When the merchant now saw the skull placed before him, he said to himself: "Woe is me. I fear I shall pay with my life here."
The lady calmed him as well she could. When night came they led him to a well-appointed chamber, where he found a bed made, around which curtains had been hung. In one corner of the room was a large candalabra. When he lay down in bed, the servants closed the doors and the merchant was alone in the room and gazed upon the corner of the room, where a little light twinkled. There he saw two dead men, hanging by their arms. When he saw them, he was gripped by an unbearable fear, so that he could not sleep. In the morning he got up early and said: "Woe is me! I fear I shall also hang next to the others this day." When the prince rose, he called the merchant to him and said: "My dear man, how do you like it here?" The merchant replied: "I like everything except being served at table with food presented on a skull platter. I was seized by such incredible revulsion and loathing, I could not eat. And when I lay down in bed, I saw two youth hanging in the corner of the chamber, and was seized by such overwhelming fear, that I could not sleep. That is why, for God's sake, you must please let me travel on!"
The prince replied: "My dear man, you saw my too beautiful wife and a skull before her. The reason is as follows: The man whose head was placed before you, was once a noble duke, who seduced my wife. When I found them together, I took my sword and chopped off his head. Now, as sign of her shame, I place his head before her every day so that she keeps the sin she has committed in her memory. Thereupon, the son of the murdered man killed two youth related to me, who are now hanging in the chamber. I visit their corpses every day so that I remember to take revenge. When I reflect on the faithlessness of my wife and the death of those youth, I can have no more happiness. My dear man, go in peace and do not judge the life of a man by outward appearances before you know the complete truth of his circumstances." The merchant took leave from him and went on his way to transact his business.
Posted by Rapunzel at 12:17 PM No comments:
The Wild Ghosts of Christmas