Swinging up, swinging down, swinging far and near:
"Poor UncleCrocodile aren't you hungry, dear?"
Four little monkeys sitting in the tree;
Heads down, tails down, dreary as can be.
Weeping loud, weeping low, crying to each other:
"Wicked Uncle Crocodile, to gobble up our brother!"
Another wonderful rhyme from Laura Richards.
SELIGOR'S CASTLE
A great place to visit if you're young or old,every tale a gem.
dottido@hotmail.co.uk will reach me from wherever you are.
I would like to dedicate this story to Charlie the son of my niece Jody and her husband Den, also Sister Kath's first grandson.
Charlie was the first animal story ever wrote, I was ten to twelve years old.
Charlie was a little chimp who went from town to town. He drove a little motor car and never wore a frown. Charlie had adventures and to jungle went one day. but he was frightened by a lion and he up and ran away.
CHARLIES JUNGLE ADVENTURE
Charlie was a young Chimpanzee,helived with his best friend Co-co the clown at Chigley’s Circus and had been there since he was very young. He had been bought over to this country whenhis parents went missing after their trees were cut down. Charlie didn't remember much about the place He had his own special little car; it was red with green bumpers and black leather seats and a little horn that went toot, toot he pressed it, which did a lot of times when he was being chased by the clowns.
Charlie would drive round in the edge the arena inthe big top with the clowns chasing after him; of course theywould never catch him, but they used to pretend to throw buckets of water over him, thebuckets were really full of coloured paper and whenthe clowns missed Charlie, and the water looked like it was going to soak the children inthe front row, theywould scream, then laugh as they realised they weren’t going to get wet after all.
As I said Co-co was Charlie’s best friend, they had a lovely little caravan that they shared, Co-co had one half, well three quarters really and Charlie had the other quarter, they took it in turns to keep it nice and clean. Charlie had his own little bed and wardrobe with all his tiny suits and hats hanging up on coat hangers, to keep them neat and tidy forthe shows. Co-co and Charlie did everything together and Charlie loved Co-co and the Circus so very much.
Oneof Charlie’s favourite jobs was helping Co-co wash the elephants down on a Saturday morning, they both ended up half drowned but it was better than going swimming and they laughed and laughed.
Charlie was beginning to feel really excited. It was time forthe circus to move to a new town and this weekend they were off to Chester. Charlie had never been to Chester before but he knew it was not far from Wrexham, and they had been there last year and Co-co had seen the signposts but what Charlie didn’t know, was that going to Chester was going to be the start ofoneofthe greatest adventures ofhis life.
Theyarrived at the site early the following morning the Council had given Mr. Chigley permission to put up the tents inthe big field by the river Dee. There was a hustle and a bustle from the time they arrived and it was the policy ofthe circus to always ask forthe help ofthe local people in putting up the Big Top and the smaller tents that were needed forthe different venues. Charlie was sat on top of a big barrel, he had a huge smile onhis face, it was so exciting. He was watching two ofthe local men unwinding the ropes ready to be attached to the Big Top; this was the tent that the clowns and Charlie did their act . men had been working very hard and had just sat down to have their tea and biscuits.“ Phew.” said Trevor. “I never realised these ropes could be so heavy, I’m quite shattered.” he added.
They carried on working for a while and then Bert took out his flask and poured another cup of tea. "That's almost it .Trevor." Bert said as he took a biscuit and dipped it inhis tea, "and to think still have that jungle to sort out before can come to the show tonight." Charlie almost fell off the barrel, did the man, Bert know where the lived long ago? Poor Charlie, he didn't really stop to think what he was thinking. All could see his mind was a huge forest full lions and tigers and course chimpanzee's. Maybe just maybe hismum and dad had managed to hide from the bad men and stayed inthejungle. Maybe they were still there ..... always maybe.
Poor Charlie he really was in a terrible state. Charlie sat back down onthe barrel and watched the men working all the time his little mind trying to work out ifhe should follow Bert whenhe left the circus. "What ifhe got lost? What if Coco missed him and found another best friend to live with himinthe caravan? Oh dear it was a very, very difficult decision to make." Somewhere a clock chimed twelve o'clock and Bert and Trevor put their ropes down and began to collect their belonging together. Well that's me Bert, I'm off to watch the match onthe telly, I don't envy youinthis heat, having to do all cut all that grass and stuff. Still ifyou really get stuck in, you should be finished for tonight." Trevor smiled and threw his rucksack over his shoulder, "See you tonight then." He patted Bert onhis back and walked off down along the riverside path under the bridge. "Aye I'll be there, it wont take that long once I get rid ofthe deep undergrowth and get big Bertha on it," He said to Charlie who was just sitting there watching as Bert got his stuff together. "What do you think, my little mate. I guess you wouldn't mind staying with me whilst I do it either, I bet it's a long time since you climbed trees if ever?" Bert walked over to the barrel and gave Charlie a tickle under his chin, Charlie looked up at Bert and took the piece of biscuit he held out forhim. "Well it's no good young un, ifI want to come and see you perform tonight I shall have to get on or the Missus will have a fit." And with this Bert turned around and started to walk up the river path but away from the Race Course not towards it as Trevor had done. Charlie made his decision and without another thought jumped off the barrel and started to follow Bert up the path. After what seemed ages and with the trees becoming thicker on both sides ofthe path , they at last came to a long fence. Charlie watched as Bert stopped and then vanish through a tall gate. Beforehe had time to get through the gate banged to and Charlie was left outside. Looking up he could easily have climbed the fence but he wasn'tsure what might be lurking onthe other side and so he made his way to a small gap inthe fence and with a bit of a squeeze and a lot of breathing in Charlie made it through the hole and into thejungle. The chimpanzee crouched down inthe small gap the other side ofthe fence, it had obviously been used by some sort of animal before because a small track wound its way through the dense undergrowth. Charlie sat thinking what he should do nextbefore eventually following the track, so on all fours he made his way deeper into the tunnel of nettles and couche grass. His back was beginning to ache so he stopped and took a step backwards to see ifhe could see over the top, he tried to jump up and landed pretty awkward onhis back leg making him topple to one side. "Hey, do you mind being a bit more careful where you put your scrawney foot." someone shouted up from down below. "Oh gosh I am so sorry, I didn't see you down there." Charlie looked by his foot and shook his head. "I really am sorry but I still can't see you down there." "And you wont unless you come down to my level," the voice answered him. He felt a tugging onhis trousers. "Trousers, what kind of animal wears trousers," the creature said as its nose poked out and sniffed Charlies leg. "Oh your a monkey," the hedgehog spoke again. "No I'm not, my name is Charlie and I'm a chimpanzee and you are a hedgehog." Charlie answered quite indignantly. "Whatever," the hedgehog said, "My name is Clarence, what brings you to this neck ofthejungle?" Charlie felt his heart flutter at the mention ofthejungle. Maybe Clarence might be able to help him. "I've come to look formy mother and father, the man Bert said he was coming to clean up thejungle and I thought I might find them here."Clarence began to laugh, he rolled himself up into a ball,rolled around a bit and kept popping out still laughing. "I am sorry, so sorry." Clarence said unwinding himself and coming up for air. "You have come here to look foryour parents. How long is it since you seen them?" Charlie frowned, he felt like crying. What right had this horrible creature got to laugh at him wanting to find hismum and dad, it wasn't funny at all. "I am so glad you think it's funny, but how wouldyoulike it ifyou had never see your mummy and daddy, at least I don't think I have, but I don't remember but I do know it's not as funny as all that?" A small tear ran down Charlies cheek, he brushed it away with his paw and shook his head as if trying to forget what Clarence said. "I'm sorry." Clarence said "I didn' mean to upset , but thing is.... Just at that moment there was a loud noise, it was a helicopter going over head Clarence forgot about laughing and was already waking said, - "Sorry again mate but I can' stay around to help sort you out, that sounds like enemy at door. lost mysister and brother to oneof them, 'm off to find a good hiding place." Clarence turned and without another word was gone, off track and towards a big tree.
Charlie didn' wait around either, noise the monster and he quickly followed after Clarence. But the tree Clarence was nowhere to be seen.
sat down underneath long branches, that were covered with apples and leaned against the trunk breathing heavy, little heart was still beating like a tin drum.
"Oh why did I come?" asked himself. "Why did leave Co-co and circus, so many things I should have thought , and now here I am trapped a jungle with a monster and I know how to get out?"
Charlie leant forward and picked up an apple that was lying a little way to his right, he took a huge bite, he hadn't realised how hungry he was, he usually had his dinner with Co-co.
Oh dear the thought of Co-co bought more tears to Charlies eyes and he was really wishing he had never ever left the circus.
He was just about to take another bite ofhis apple when a voice spoke from the tree.
"Hello, why are you crying then?" the voice seemed to purr. Poor Charlie he jumped up just as a long striped tail fell down from the branch, Charlie let go ofthe apple and stood there completely still. "What's the matter with you then, cat got your tongue then boyo?" the cat asked. "I'm sorry your Majesty but I didn't mean to come into yourjungle, Iwould leave but I don't know how to get out, and Clarence says there's a monster loose and I don't know what to do next."
"What on earth are you babbling about bach? Monster, Clarence, your Majesty, I'm a cat mate not a lion or tiger. What on earth are you doing here anyway, shouldn'tyou be at the circus by the bridge?"
The cat said giving herself a wash as she spoke. "Well yes I should," Charlie answered in between his sobs, "but I came to look formymum and dad, and all I've found is a very rude hedgehog, a monster and you." "Well what do you expect in a garden in Chester, elephants and tigers an leopards, I don't really think so bachgen. I know where near the Welsh border and we may have the few odd dragons but we are nowhere near Africa my lovely." Gwenllian purred. "Look you here, my name is Gwenllian and this is the back garden of Bert Jones who is not into keeping the garden in check." She jumped down from the branch and rubbed her head against Charlie's legs, trousers and all. "The thing is what are we going to do with you now, there is no way you will find yourmum and dad here, not in Chester, not today, not any day really."
"I think I know that now, my name is Charlie by the way and I am pleased to meet you Gwenl, gwenll...."
"Don't bother with that, Gwen will do, the thing is we must get you out of here before Bert gets over here with the lawn mower, Monster to you." She smiled and Charlie smiled back at her. "Thankyou so much, it must be getting late and Co-co will be wondering where I am, and who will drive my little car, and, and...", poor Charlie the tears came again. "Come on, no more tears follow me." And Gwenllian was off up the path, all the time the roar ofthe motor followed them.
"Hurry up Charlie, I don't want to have to replace youinthe circus thoughI'm sureI'd be very good on a trapeze." She laughed away to herself as she pushed her way through the long grass and towards the gate. "There you go my lovely, just follow the path close to the river and get home saftly, IfI can make it I'll see you later." she gave a loud purr and a meow and gave Charlie a nudge inthe right direction. Charlie smiled and gave her a quick kiss onher head "Thankyou so much, here you are this is foryou." He reached out his paw and gave Gwenllian a bracelet that Co-co had givenhimforhis birthday. "I can't take this," Gwenllian said looking at the beautiful jewels.
But whenshe looked up Charlie was away down path, heading towards the Circus and his Co-co. Whenhe arrived back Co-co was sitting onthe top step ofthe caravan looking very worried in deed, as soon as he saw Charlie his face lit up and he rushed towards him , picking him up and giving him a huge hug. "Oh Charlie, Charlie where have you been, I've been looking foryou every where? Never mind, not to worry, your here now and that's all that matters." He rushed Charlie into the caravan and got him into his costume forhis show. "Oh Charlie please don't leave me again Iwould be lost without ?"
The show was ready to start, the ringmaster clowns were just getting ready to do there bit. Charlie peeped through curtain and there, sat in corner by the front row was Gwenllian, she was wearing her new diamond bracelet.She looked so beautiful. Bert and Trevor were there with their children and everybody had a wonderful time. Charlie was so happy riding around the ring, hearing the children laughing, it was good to be back home and he vowed he would never leave Co-co again.......
Well maybe if they went to a real jungle, he just might!!!
ShareSELIGOR'S CASTLE, where there is fun for all our children
HERE IS A LOVELY STORY ABOUT TWO ANIMALS THAT PROVED THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE, IF NEEDS BE YOU CAN BE FRIENDS FOREVER.
After losing his parents, this 3 year old orangutan was so depressed he wouldn't eat and didn't respond to any medical treatments. The veterinary surgeons thought he would surely die for he didn't seem to have the will to live any more. Strnge though it may seemed the zoo keepers found an old sick dog on the grounds in the park at the zoo where the orangutan lived. Without more ado they took the dog to the animal treatment center. The dog arrived at the same time the orangutan was there being treated. Within moments the two animals had bonded, something in their look created a spark in the other's soul and from that day on the two animals became inseparable. They are together 24 hours a day and each helps the other as though they were long time blood brothers. Isn't life strange children and wonderful.
They live in Northern California where swimming is their favorite past time, although Roscoe (the orangutan) is a little afraid of the water and needs his friend's help to swim.
Together they have discovered the joy and laughter in life and the value of friendship.
They have found more than a friendly shoulder to lean on.
I don't know..some say life is too short, others say it is too long, but I know that nothing that we do makes sense if we don't touch the hearts of others.......while it lasts. My grand-daughter Molly adopted an Orangutan three years ago just after he his parents went missing. She called him Tango.
You never know but this could quite possibly be him!
Dobbin has a little friend, Spotted white and sable; Everyday she goes to him In his lonely stable.
Not a miteof dread has she, Not a thought of danger; Lightly runs between his hoofs, Jumps upon his manger;
Lays her soft young cheek to his, Purrs her meek "Good-morning!" Gives the flies that hover near Such a look of warning!
"Dobbin dear," she sometimes says, "Feel my winter mittens! Nice and warm, you see, and made Purposely for kittens.
"Dobbin dear, such times at home! Mother has caught a rat! Brought it home to show to us. What do you think of that?
"Dobbin," she whispers, purring still, "You often get so weary! Why don't you balk or run away, And get your freedom, dearie?"
Then Dobbin gives his head a toss, And says: "For shame Miss Kitty! If I could do so mean a thing 'Twould be a monsterous pity!
"No, no; my master's good and kind! I'll never vex him yet -- never!" And pussy, pleased, still rubs his cheek, And likes him more than ever.
of course another wonderful rhyme from MARY MAPES DODGE.
AND NOW FOR A WONDERFUL TALE ABOUT "ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS." IT IS IN EIGHT, SMALL TEN MINUTE EPISODES, WHICH MEANS YOU DON'T HAVE TO SIT AND WATCH IT ALL IN ONE GO. jUST REMEMBER WHICH EPISODE YOU ARE ON SO THAT YOU DON'T GET LOST IN TRANSITION. XXX
A's for the Antelope always on view which Algernon saw when he went to the zoo.
B was the Bear that came up at a run when Benjamin threw him a very nice bun.
C's for the Camel; "poor thing what a lump!" was what Caroline said when she looked at his hump.
D's for the Deer with the soft pretty eyes; Dodie found them so tame she had quite a surprise.
E was the Elephant: sixpence a ride, but Eric soon found that you can't sit astride.
F was the Fox, very crafty and sly. watching Frank from his den with a cunning old eye.
G's the Giraffe which made Geraldine smile: she was sure with his neck he could see quite a mile.
H was the Hippo asleep in his pool. Harry thought it an excellent way to keep cool.
I was the Ibex, a kind of wild goat Ida though his horns nasty, but liked his fine coat.
J was a Jaguar, like a big cat. But Jane didn't think she would like him to pat!
K was the Kangaroo off with a bound; A fine way thought Ken to get over the ground.
L's for the Lions; they made such a fierce noise Laura wished she were safely at home with the boys.
M's for the Monkeys, all patter and chatter, But Michael couldn't tell what on earth was the matter.
N's for a Nilgai which jumped off a rock: He took such a leap that Nell had quite a shock.
O's for the Ostrich a wise-looking bird but Ophelia remembered the tales she had heard.
P's for the Parrots that had lots to say and tried to peck Paul as he passed by their way.
Q's for the Quagga which Quentin found tame; he is quite like a Zebra with stripes and a mane.
R is the Rhino, a fierce looking beast; Rosie watched him with awe in the midst of a feast.
S is the snake which Suzanne found asleep; He was shiny and slimy and made her flesh creep.
T's for the tigers that gave Tim a fright; He was horribly scared lest they got out at night.
for U (that's the Unicorn) nobody looks; As Una can tell you, he's only in books.
V's for the Vulture, a big bird of prey. Victoria she saw him - and soon ran away.
W's for the Wolf lying flat on the ground, Though when William can near he was up with a bound.
X just looks on and has nothing to do: There's no creature that claims him throughout the whole zoo.
Y is the Yak; he's worthy of note; Yvonne was amazed at his long shaggy coat.
Z's fot the Zebra that kept Zoe so busy
She counted his stripes till she felt she was dizzy.
Charlie has found you a lovely rhyming story about a Hedghog who was reallya Prince
The Hedgehog Where gnarly hedgeroots twine around, A little animal I've found; It has no feet, it has no head, but pins are everywhere instead. I'd like to stroke it very much, But it's so thorny to the touch I'll have to leave it in the sun, The little sleepy, prickly one! I read a story ages since, That told about a fairy prince, Who had to wear a hedgehog shell Until a Princess broke the spell. He journeyed up and down the land But nobody would understand, Until one day a Princess sweet Found Hans the hedgehog at her feet,
And in delight took off her crown And rolled him in it upside down. She put him on her father's chair; His Majesty soon found him there And said: "O dear! O dearie me! What is this animal I see?" Then suddenly to his surprise A prince grew up before his eyes!
The hedgehog's skin he'd seen before Lay flat and empty on the floor. And then the stranger told the King About the spell and everything, And said he was so very glad To shed the horrid spikes he had. The Princess married him one day And that is all there is to say.
So when I saw this huddled heap, So tightly curled and fast asleep, I thought of Hans and let it lie. Perhaps a Princess, passing by Has found it there and knew the spell And charmed away the prickly shell And brought to light a Fairy Prince Who's loved her dearly ever since.
Charlie from Seligor's Castle wants you to meet someone special.
JOSEPH GRIMALDI 1778-1837
Joseph Grimaldi was 3 years old when he first went on the stage of Sadler's Wells with his father and worked there for 45 years as performer and part-proprietor. From his debut in 1806 at Covent Garden in Mother Goose he was adored by all and could fill a theatre anywhere. The name Joey has passed into our language to mean a clown. He lived all his life among the people of Clerkenwell and died at 33 Southampton Street, now called Calshot Street. Islington Council has called the park in which he lies buried the Joseph Grimaldi Park to commemoratea great artist and a great man.
There was a special performance held in 2006 based on the life of the Great Joeseph Grimaldi. Do you know that many, many clowns have makeup that is their trade mark. It is registered and no other clown is allowed to wear his or her style of make up.
Following the clown's show you are invited to a special opening of the Clowns Gallery - Museum. This is the UK's only museum dedicated to clowns and their history. It is normally open just once a month - on the first Friday (from 12 noon to 5pm) (special arrangements can be made for group visits at other times) The address is: All Saints Centre, Haggerston Road, Hackney, London E8 4HT (Tube: Liverpool Street, then bus 149 or 242; map) It is just a few minutes' walk from Holy Trinity Church to the Clowns Gallery.
You may want to combine a visit to the Clowns Gallery with a visit to two other nearby museums: - Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9PA: http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/nmc (map) - Geffrye Museum, Kingsland Road, London E2 8EA: http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk (map)
Clowns International (the organisers of this event): http://www.clowns-international.co.uk.
Theodora Children's Trust: http://www.theodora.org.uk. This is a clown doctor programme, bringing fun and laughter to children in hospital. This important service is provided by a charity (donations are welcomed).
Thank you so much for letting me use these facts, excellent