Black Cats: Beware!

 What would you do if a black cat walked across your path? Would that be good... or bad?

With hallowe'en soon upon us, perhaps, for the safety of all, we should concern ourselves with such topics. Black cats have featured in stories for over 2,000 years! In Celtic folklore, it was believed that black cats turned into fairies and back. In Great Britain, as in Egypt and Japan, having a black cat would bring you luck and good fortune. In the English midlands they make the ideal wedding gift that will bring luck and happiness to the bride. In Japan, it is believed that a single woman who owns a black cat will attract more suitors. On the other hand, in Europe, in the Middle Ages, they decided that black cats were evil and foreboding; that they were really witches or demons. Many black cats were destroyed. People caught with a black cat were severely punished. When European settlers took over North America they declared that if a black cat crossed your path it would bring bad luck.

 

Come out of the weather … and share the warmth by the fire. Stories at Fern starts at 7:30, virtually!

You can sign in from 7:00 pm onward – Please come early to sort out any technical glitches before Al, our host, starts the storytelling at 7:30 pm

We are using Zoom, an online conferencing system. Admission is free, and there is no need to create a Zoom account, however we are asking our friends to register in advance for a secure, enjoyable experience.

To register now click here
or copy and paste this link into your browser:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqdeivrj4tGN0ZNffLh_VmwdHQgax7n4x4

When you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email with the specific instructions for joining us by computer, tablet, smartphone, or regular phone.

We are looking forward to seeing you again and having you join us for our second Fern St. of the season!

Coping with the crisis, the Victoria Storytellers Guild have started a new service: Dial a Story!

Contact info@victoriastorytellers.org and someone will arrange a suitable time and story for you to receive by telephone.

I am a Canadian,... and I have a story to tell...
...If you are a Canadian, you have a story to tell too!
......It's just that you might not know it yet.....

Stories are important. We are the stories we tell.

Stories tell us... where we came from...
                          ...where we are now... 
                              ...and where we are going!

There are so many great stories from Canada's past, but we have forgotten them. We have become overwhelmed by that great myth making machine that lives to the south of us. To them we are no more than the boring inhabitants of the frozen north. There is the image of the Stalwart Mounted Policeman and his mandatory dog, who proudly gets into the way of anyone wanting to have a good time... but that's it.... and they don't even get that one right!

So many Canadians have done so many fantastic things, sometimes against incredible odds. They have been examples of strength, intelligence and endurance that we all could emulate.Guided by stories from the past, you could be the next great person in Canadian history!
 

The next Stories at Fern

Monday, March 16th, 2020: World Storytelling Day – Tales of Voyages

Host: Faye Mogensen
7:30 pm, 1831 Fern St

The Blue Rose

The Blue Rose

It's Valentines Day when some fellows will do anything they can to win the affections of a woman. The Blue Rose, in the Roman myth of Zephyrus and Flora is a good example of how far someone might go to obtain the attention they seek.
The God Zephyrus loved Flora so much that he changed himself into a rose, because the Goddess had eyes for nothing other than her flowers. When Flora saw the rose, she kissed it and thus fulfilled Zephyrus’ wish.

In Chinese folklore, an Emperor's daughter was to be married. Her father allowed he to give one stipulation to her suitors. She said she would marry the man who could bring her the blue rose. This discouraged many seeking her hand in marriage, yet some suitors were determined to win her hand. A merchant paid a florist to give him a painted rose. When he presented the rose to the princess, the paint dripped on to her hand. “This is not a blue rose, I will not marry you,” she announced. Another man threatened a man in his village to find him a blue rose. The man from the village carved a rose, out of a sapphire. When it was presented to the princess, she replied “This is not a blue rose! I will not marry a man whose heart is as cold as this stone.” Another very cunning man asked a wizard to craft him a blue rose. The wizard gave him a box with a picture of an illusion of the blue rose inside. When presented to the princess, she reached her hand out to the rose to find that her hand simply passed through it. “I will not marry a man who is deceitful,” she replied. Later in the evening she told the gardener’s son that she wished she could marry him, they trusted one another and he was dear in her heart. “I will bring you the blue rose in the morning,” He replied. The next morning he presented the princess with a white rose. All pointed and whispered that it was a common white rose. The princess touched the white petals and replied, “This is a blue rose.” The emperor gave his blessing saying that, “If his daughter said it was a blue rose, it was a blue rose.” The princess and the gardener’s son were married. They lived happily ever after until the end of their days

Craft Workshop

This is a workshop for beginning tellers or those who would like a tune up.  The workshop usually fills up quite quickly and I can tell you that it is useful and produces at least a couple of new tellers every year for the Around Town Tellers stage.


Have a look at the poster and feel free to call Margaret or me (250-370-2964) if you have questions 

Stories at Fern February 17

Shirley Routliffe is the host and the theme is: Try a Little Love ... Love, Life, Friendship.