A Native American folktale about a spider, who even although she is old and frail and small, proves she has a special kind of strength. A tale of wisdom to remind us there are many ways to be strong. (duration – 11 minutes_ A BONUS episode from Journey with Story, a storytelling podcast for kids.
Full Transcript
Do you have a favorite outfit you like to wear? What about your dad or mum – do they have a favorite outfit they love to wear?
Hello Everyone, I’m Kathleen Pelley – Welcome to JWS.
Since this is the month where we celebrate Father’s Day, and since most of the dads I know enjoy a all kinds of nonsense and fun…todays tale is one of those nonsense poems that makes no sense at all, but is ridiculously funny and will paint all sorts of hilarious pictures in your mind….it is all about an old man who invents a very unusual outfit to wear. It is called The New Vestments by Edward Lear (vestments is just another word for clothing
Let’s take a Journey with ….the New Vestments.
There lived an old man in the kingdom of Tess,
Who invented a purely original dress;
And when it was perfectly made and complete,
He opened the door, and walked into the street.
By way of a hat, he’d a loaf of Brown Bread,
In the middle of which he inserted his head;–
His Shirt was made up of no end of dead Mice,
The warmth of whose skins was quite fluffy and nice;–
His Drawers were of Rabbit-skins, — but it is not known whose;–
His Waistcoat and Trowsers were made of Pork Chops;–
His Buttons were Jujubes, and Chocolate Drops;–
His Coat was all Pancakes with Jam for a border,
And a girdle of Biscuits to keep it in order;
And he wore over all, as a screen from bad weather,
A Cloak of green Cabbage-leaves stitched all together.
He had walked a short way, when he heard a great noise,
Of all sorts of Beasticles, Birdlings, and Boys;–
And from every long street and dark lane in the town
Beasts, Birdles, and Boys in a tumult rushed down.
Two Cows and a half ate his Cabbage-leaf Cloak;–
Four Apes seized his Girdle, which vanished like smoke;–
Three Kids ate up half of his Pancaky Coat,–
And the tails were devour’d by an ancient He Goat;–
An army of Dogs in a twinkling tore up his
Pork Waistcoat and Trowsers to give to their Puppies;–
And while they were growling, and mumbling the Chops,
Ten boys prigged the Jujubes and Chocolate Drops.–
He tried to run back to his house, but in vain,
Four Scores of fat Pigs came again and again;–
They rushed out of stables and hovels and doors,–
They tore off his stockings, his shoes, and his drawers;–
And now from the housetops with screechings descend,
Striped, spotted, white, black, and gray Cats without end,
They jumped on his shoulders and knocked off his hat,–
When Crows, Ducks, and Hens made a mincemeat of that;–
They speedily flew at his sleeves in trice,
And utterly tore up his Shirt of dead Mice;–
They swallowed the last of his Shirt with a squall,–
Whereon he ran home with no clothes on at all.
And he said to himself as he bolted the door,
‘I will not wear a similar dress any more,
‘Any more, any more, any morre, never more!’
Lots of fun words to listen to in this poem –how about Pancakey Coat? Or Beasticles, Birdlings, and Boys
It is great fun to make up words of your own – you can do it by just jumbling up parts of words – like mumble and thimble could turn into thumble or mimble – or thumbly mumbly – why don’t you try making up some fun words with your dad this father’s day. – or you could learn part of this poem by heart together and recite it to each other.
Have fun!
Cheerio then, join me next time for JWS.
