“It’s so dark, I’m afraid,” said little Joannie.
“Don’t be so scared,” Billy laughed. The other children kept quiet, but they also didn’t like the cold dark streets when the golden rays of the sun had disappeared.
In those far off days in my home town of Cardiff, for years and years, there were no lamp posts to ease the way for boys and girls who played out in the dark as long as they could. But then came ….gas lighting. Lamp posts would be lit every night and glow out their warmth and friendship, chasing away the cold shadows.
“Here comes the lamp lighter,” yelled Tom. “Look there’s his lantern swinging in the dark.”
“I want to carry it for him,” smiled little Joannie.
“No, I’ll carry it,” said Tom.
“No you won’t,” said Will, giving Tom a push.
Billy yelled, “I’m the biggest. I’m the leader. I’m the boss. I’ll carry his lamp.” The rest of the children kept very quiet. They were a bit scared of Billy. He was taller and he was their leader.
The Old Lamp Lighter came up to the children who were gathered by the dark and lifeless lamppost.
“Hello children. How nice to see you. I need someone to hold my lantern safely while I light the lamp.”
“I’ll hold it,” demanded Billy.
“Thank you Billy, but I want Joannie to hold it. But I’ve a very special job for you, Billy,” said the old lamplighter.” Billy looked very happy indeed to get a special job to do. Joannie was so happy, too.
The Old Lamplighter gave the glowing lantern to Joannie and said, “Billy, I want you to stand by Joannie and look after her. In fact, because you’re the biggest and the leader, I want you to always help the other children and encourage them every day. It’s an important job. Do you think you can do that? I believe you can.”
“Yes Sir!” said Billy proudly.
Then the Old Lamplighter lit the lamp and the lamppost glowed out warmth and friendship.
As he walked away, the children heard him say, “The first shall be last, yes, the first shall be last…Feed my sheep, care for my lambs,” and they guessed what he meant.
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Friday, March 27, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Climbing out.
The little cat walked along the narrow path throught the forest. Then she saw a long wide hole in her way. She crept slowly to the edge of the hole and looked in. It was so deep and dangerous!
The little cat said, “It’s such a deep hole, but there’s no way round it!” So she stepped carefully onto a long pole that stretched from her side of the deep hole, to the other side.
Very slowly and carefully, the little cat crept along the pole.
Suddenly, the pole twisted and she clung on to it with her front paws, with her legs dangling there in space!
“Oh no! Oh no! I’m going to fall, I’m going to fall,” she cried. Then her front paws slipped on the wet pole and she tumbled into the deep hole, sliding down it's muddy side.
Dazed and bruised, she stood up and tried to jump out of the hole. The top of the hole was too high; the sides of the hole were too slippery; and she finally lay panting, tired out at the bottom of the hole.
A little while later, another little cat walked along the same path up to the same deep hole. She also tried to walk across on the slippery pole. She also fell in!
“Are you OK?” asked the first cat.
“I think so,” said the second cat. “I’ll walk around a bit and see how I feel.”
She walked around in the mud of the deep hole and said, “I’m a bit bruised, but I’m OK, thanks.”
“I’ve tried and tried to jump out. I’ve tried and tried to climb up the sides; but I just can’t do it!” said the first little cat.
They both lay there in the cold mud and felt so very sorry for themselves.
The first cat had a great idea! “If I jump up to that root that’s growing out of the side…and you jump onto my back…then you can jump out of the hole!”
“That’s a great idea,” said the second cat.
They tried it out and it worked! The second cat jumped out of the hole then lay down and reached her paw down. The first cat jumped up, grabbed hold of the paw and pulled herself out of the deep dark hole.
Bruised and sore, they walked together down the path.
“When we helped each other, we found a way out,” they said and felt much happier.
The little cat said, “It’s such a deep hole, but there’s no way round it!” So she stepped carefully onto a long pole that stretched from her side of the deep hole, to the other side.
Very slowly and carefully, the little cat crept along the pole.
Suddenly, the pole twisted and she clung on to it with her front paws, with her legs dangling there in space!
“Oh no! Oh no! I’m going to fall, I’m going to fall,” she cried. Then her front paws slipped on the wet pole and she tumbled into the deep hole, sliding down it's muddy side.
Dazed and bruised, she stood up and tried to jump out of the hole. The top of the hole was too high; the sides of the hole were too slippery; and she finally lay panting, tired out at the bottom of the hole.
A little while later, another little cat walked along the same path up to the same deep hole. She also tried to walk across on the slippery pole. She also fell in!
“Are you OK?” asked the first cat.
“I think so,” said the second cat. “I’ll walk around a bit and see how I feel.”
She walked around in the mud of the deep hole and said, “I’m a bit bruised, but I’m OK, thanks.”
“I’ve tried and tried to jump out. I’ve tried and tried to climb up the sides; but I just can’t do it!” said the first little cat.
They both lay there in the cold mud and felt so very sorry for themselves.
The first cat had a great idea! “If I jump up to that root that’s growing out of the side…and you jump onto my back…then you can jump out of the hole!”
“That’s a great idea,” said the second cat.
They tried it out and it worked! The second cat jumped out of the hole then lay down and reached her paw down. The first cat jumped up, grabbed hold of the paw and pulled herself out of the deep dark hole.
Bruised and sore, they walked together down the path.
“When we helped each other, we found a way out,” they said and felt much happier.
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