Heart and Soul of Ireland --- The Stories They Weave.

What is so wonderful about the Irish folks is their love for a good story.  The type of stories that take  a person to another place, another time and it's totally magical.   Frank Delaney penned the tome Ireland which features a storyteller who tells three tales and is soon  banished because the audience is not enthralled and amused with his tales.  However, young lad Ronan is not only enthralled and amused, he finds that this is his calling. Ronan follows in the footsteps of the storyteller and carries on the time honored Irish tradition of spinning a good yarn.  It is without a doubt that Irish authors have honed their skills through the very tradition that Delaney writes about.  Which brings about the observation that the folklore of  Ireland gives a glimpse into the heart and soul of the country and its people.


For starters,  the tales always take place a time long ago, in some faraway countryside where it's always greener than green and breathtakingly beautiful.  Who are these storytellers kidding?   It may have been long ago but the countryside they speak of has to be Ireland.  Where else could it be?  To be fair, there could be one small corner of Ireland that has not yet been explored and deep down in the lush green grass there may live tiny creatures that are magical and marvelous.  But the keen reader knows this magical placed could be nowhere else in the world but Ireland. 


It seems that every Irish Folklore has wonderful yet pesky little creatures called Leprechauns.  Every St. Patrick's day, these characters re-emerge with sneaky grins, green hats and black shoes. Always bright red hair is seen peeking out of the hats .   Legend has it is very lucky to run into these Leprechauns but they also warn that they can be quite deceiving as well.  Why shouldn't they be?  After all, every time  a mere mortal finds them they must turn over their pot of gold.  To be honest, that's not a fair deal for the leprechaun, is it?  


An Irish folktale is hardly ever  complete without a hero or heroine who is down on their luck,  poor as poor can be and more often than not, laziest person in the village.  They may even be the outcast of the village.  This is not to say they are bad folks.  They just don't have food on the table or a fiddle to play for the King.  In other words, they may be outcasts because they can't get their act together.   Regardless of their state in life, the reader can not help but root for the beloved impoverished hero/heroine and   hopes that things turn out for the best.  Of course, they always do and there is a happily ever after for all involved.


Three is the magic number.  In all folktales,  not just in Irish tales,  turn of events evolve around three attempts to complete a task or test.   If these hero or heroine's are going to change their luck it's going to take them a little sweat equity to earn their pot of gold.  Once the tasks has been completed the tale comes to it's ultimate completion.  Lessons have been learned.  Rewards have been earned.  Everyone, mortals and magical creatures alike, are very happy.  


This leads us back to what the folktales tell us about the people of Ireland.  They are proud, and rightly so, of their beautiful lush green land which has earned them  the moniker, The Emerald Isle.   Their tales are always  filled with warmth, humor and a poke at human nature. Yet, when all is said and done it is understood that one might be poor, lazy or unlucky,  one still has to do something to earn their keep.   The storytelling spirit is alive and well in Ireland today and may it remain to be that way for a thousand more years.   On St. Patty Day. always remember this :  Be they Kings, or poets or farmers,  They're people of great worth, they keep company with the angels and bring a bit of heaven here to earth."  Ah yes, the Irish good folks with their lively tales can usher in a bit of heaven for those who dream of  a paradise where there is no end in stories or books.    Happy St. Patty's Day to one and all.

SRP One Story One World: Folklore's Magical Creatures

It's spring now, but just around the corner will be summer. The time when children start the chants, "No more pencils, no more books.." and they rush outdoors to begin their few weeks of freedom. For most public libraries across the country, this is the busy season. Especially in the children's area, where parents with children in tow search for activities to keep everyone busy and happy. Summer Reading Programs change the end of school chants to, "Know more characters, Know more books". This year will be no different. The theme "One Story, One World" gives an opportunity for children to explore the world through tales from long ago, the present or into the future.

Every culture has favorite tales that are unique to them. It is true that from country to country, continent to continent, the tales can be unique but they also share some similarity. The themes usually deal with good versus evil or teaching a moral lesson. Each tale may have one or more magical creature who either brings chaos or clarity to a story. These magical characters come in all shapes, sizes and sometimes are familiar to young readers. This year's SRP theme is perfect for inviting these magical creatures into the library for little ones to find. Of course these creatures don't exist except in the imagination and between the covers of books. This should not deter any librarian from collecting statues or pictures of them to grace the library during a summer program that could stir the pot of imagination. As a matter of fact, it can stir up some fun if it turns into a scavenger hunt.

What magical characters should top the list at this year's summer program? For starters, Leprechauns, Gnomes, Trolls and Elves. These are the magical little people that either cause mischief or good will towards humankind. Although they are small they are mighty. (Gnomes were fabled to be seven times stronger then humans.) Everyone knows that Leprechauns are part of the Irish heritage, but where did the other little people originate. A bit of trivia here, Gnomes are said to originate from Scandinavia. Trolls are from Norway, while Elves are from the German tradition. What could possibly be smaller than all of these characters combined? The Abatwa which comes from South Africa folklore. Abatwas are the size of ants, and life among them in ant hills. In folklore, are very shy but will show themselves to young children, pregnant women or wizards.

No list of magical characters would be complete if unicorns, centaurs and pegasus. Each of these creature have features similar to horses. While mentions of the unicorns can be found in the bible, most avid readers would place the origins of these three with Greek mythology. In he Chinese tradition, the unicorn is called Qilin. Close your eyes and picture an animal that has a body of a deer, the head of a lion, green scales and a long forwardly-curved horn. Nope not a unicorn in our book, but then again, variety is the spice of life!

Going off to the sea, magical creatures from Ireland , Scotland and Iceland, such as mermaids and selkies show up in folklore as beautiful female creatures who capture mens' hearts. In the case of mermaids, some of there tales involve luring fishermen to their watery grave or trading in their scales to become human in order to live with their human soul mate. Selkies are from the Scottish and Icelandic traditions. These beautiful creatures who are half human and half seal, and when they come to shore, if they strip from their seal skin, will become human. Their fate is doomed if a fisherman steal the selkie's seal skin and makes her his wife.

Not to be forgotten are fairies and pixies. Both of these creatures are often depicted as little helpers or notorious pranksters. Either way, they have fluttered their way into the hearts of many readers around the globe. Perhaps the best known, and loved fairy around the world is Tinkerbell, from J.M Barrie's Peter Pan.

Each one of these magical creatures add a vibrant chapter to the world's storybook. It is well worth the effort to find stories, songs and images of them to demonstrate how cultures have similar stories and characters but each adding a unique perspective. The gnome sitting in front of this computer is anxiously waiting to be used as a scavenger hunt prop. He will have to wait along with the leprechaun, troll, unicorn and fairy for summer to roll around. Until then, a reader's bibliography featuring these lovely creatures will be compiled.


If interested in the bibliography, just drop a note at lvnlibrarian@gmail.com

Summer Reading Club: Mermaids Splash Around At The Library

Mermaids are those mystical creatures that have fascinated readers and dreamers for centuries. With this year's theme of Make A Splash!@Your Library there is so much to learn about mermaids and believe it or not quite of few good books out there too! Here are some facts about mermaids and other fantastical sea creatures that may inspire a Children Librarian to do a program or two.

Traditionally Mermaids are seen as beautiful creatures with lovely faces, long hair and signing voices that could lure brave, strong men to their watery grave. Mermen on the other hand, are not as good looking nor do they possess the singing talents as their female counterparts. Let's be honest, is there really anything "beautiful" in a species that is half human, half fish? It must be true that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

The stories of mermaids came from sailors who claim to have seen these beautiful creatures and spun their tales when they returned home after a long voyage. Ah, but did they really see mermaids? Or had they been out to sea for far too long? If one were practical, it could be suggested that the poor sailors mistook a manatee or seal for a human like creature? Then again, does it really matter? The story of the menfolks have entertained for years. Sometimes, practicality has to be thrown out the window.

Where is the first mention of mermaids and mermen? Back to Greek mythology. A little test, do you remember the name of the Greek god who was a merman? Give up? It was Triton. Of course his father would have to be the God of the Seas, Poseidon. His mother was a nymph, Amphitrite. The tools of Triton were a trident and a conch shell that was used as a horn. Eventually it seems as though there were many Tritons because Greek mythology tells the tales of how Poseidon would have merman blow their conch upon his arrival and they were also given the task of pulling Aphrodite's chariot across the waters.

In Ireland mermaids are known as Merrows. In some folklore, merrows would marry humans and live happily ever after. Offspring from this union would have webbed fingers and toes. What does that matter when a family home is filled with love and bliss?

In Scotland, there is a creature that is similar to the mermaid but is called a Selkie. Selikies are part human, part seal. As the tales goes, Selkies are seals in the water, but once they reach shore, they may shed their fur and become a beautiful woman. Any many who wished to make this stunning creature his wife would steal the fur, thus trapping her in her human form. Once the Selkie is trapped, she is forced to live a sad life longing for the sea home.

Have you heard the story of Melusine? This story comes from France, and it has a very sad ending because it begins with a curse. A fairy who has married a gentleman has been cursed to live one day a week as a mermaid. Her husband is blissfully unaware of this because every Saturday she turns into a mermaid and she mad him promise to go away for the day. After keeping the promise for many years, he begins to be curious as to why Melusine would want him gone. He sneaks back to the house and takes a quick peak. When Melusine realizes that her secret has been revealed she leaves her husband.

In Japan a mermaid is known as Ninygo. A slight difference in their version is that the body is all fish but the head is human. They generally give warning to humans about bad storms approaching.

Haitians have a story of a man who was lured into the sea by a long silver-haired mermaid. His friends saw him go into the sea and were frightened when he did not immediately return. After several months, the man found himself floating on the ocean and returned home. It seems that the mermaid knew he was missing his friends and family, and allowed him to return.

Whether mermaids are friendly, luring, or nasty, they are fun to read about. Here is a list of books that you many want to consider for your summer reading pleasure.

Juvenile and Young Readers Fiction


The Little Mermaid / Hans Christian Andersen

Mermaid Dance / Marjorie Hakala

The Tail of Emily Windsnap / Liz Kessler (Series)

Sukey and the Mermaid / Robert D. San Souci


Young Adult Fiction

Midnight Pearls (Once Upon A Time Series)/ Debbie Viguie

Ingo, (series) / Helen Dunmore

The Girl With the Mermaid Hair / Delia Ephron

The Daughters of Sea: Hannah / Kathryn Lasky

Sirena / Donna Jo Napoli

Selkie Girl / Laurie Brooks

Mermaid Park / Beth Mayall


Adult Fiction

False Mermaid / Erin Hart

It was a wonderful trip through the seas and back. Each tale had a unique spin on mermaids and sea creatures that it makes one wonder that perhaps these creatures really do exist! For a complete list of books, craft ideas and programs please email me at lvnlibrarian@yahoo.com. I'll leave with an old shanty that truly makes one believe the sea faring folks did indeed see mermaids on their voyage.

The Mermaid (Folksong circa 1700)
words and music Traditional
Twas Friday morn when we set sail

And we were not far from the land

When the captain, he spied a lovely mermaid

With a comb and a glass in her hand

O the ocean's waves will roll

And the stormy winds will blow

While we poor sailors go skipping to the top

And the landlubbers lie down below (below, below)

And the landlubbers lie down below

Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship,

And a brave old man was he,

He said, "This fishy mermaid has warned me of our doom:

We shall sink to the bottom of the sea!"

chorus

And up spoke the mate of our gallant ship

And a well-spoken man was he

I have me a wife in Salem by the sea

And tonight she a widow will be

And up spoke the cookie of our gallant ship

And a red hot cookie was he

Saying I care much more for my pots and my pans

Than I do for the bottom of the sea

Then up spoke the cabinboy, of our gallant ship

And a nasty little lad was he.

I'm not quite sure I can spell "mermaid"

But I'm going to the bottom of the sea.

Then up spoke the cannibal who snuck aboard our ship

And a hungry mad invader was he

You can drown right now beneath the cold ocean waves

Or you can be dinner for three, your choice

Then up spoke the parrot of our gallant ship

And a smartarse parrot was she

Brawk, you're going to drown, your going to drown, Brawk

And flew to the shore for her safety

Then three times around went our gallant ship

And three times around went she
T
hree times around went our gallant ship

And she sank to the bottom of the sea