seligorscastle the home of diddily dee dots sleepy childrens bedtime stories St Davids
I have hopefully chosen some lovely, happy cartoons for the children of the world. It is very difficult not to know what is right and what could offend but all I can do is hope that I have chosen wisely . Diddily dee Dot
If you have any ideas do leave a message for me at
dottido@hotmail.co.uk
A St David’s Day Out
“But Dad, there is still snow outside the cave, how can we possibly go on holiday when it's still winter?" Rhodri answered looking as surprised as his mother did at his father’s suggestion that they all go on holiday. "And why not may I ask? This cave isn’t the warmest place, and your mother hasn’t hardly been through the door all winter, she could do with a break after being cooped up for three whole months, couldn’t you Marion?" Gwilym said as he reached to get his rucksack out of the big cupboard. "Isn't that so Mother?" Gwilym shouted back into the kitchen. "Yes if you say so Gwilym, though I can't imagine what outdoor clothes I have got to wear, not for this weather anyway." Marion answered him carefully not knowing what it was her dearest darling had planned for the family now!! "Well Mam, I think you can rule your swim suit out, unless Dad can conjure up the sunshine." Rhodri laughed. Trefina walked into the living room. "Well I want to know were we are going before I agree to anything. Snowdon is going to be cold no matter if we travel up it or down it, it is still winter outside Dad! “Who said anything about Snowdon? Eh I didn’t" Gwilym snorted, puffing out two rings of white smoke from his nostrils. "Hey dad, do be careful what you are doing with your snout, where ever we go I want my hairy bits still on my head and my scales still attached to my body, Mum make him tell us were he wants to take us too now?” Marion looked over the top of her reading glasses at her husband and sighed. "Well then my dear would you like to go, they tell me the weather is really nice in the South of France at this time of year." She added seriously. "The South of France, oh yeah we’ll get there and back in a day I’m sure," Trefina said sarcastically "unless you are thinking of flying?" "And there is your answer my darling.” Gwilym answered, “We are going to fly.” "Fly! Fly father…. You're not being serious I hope, since when have we flown anywhere." "Well that's it, we haven't son, Come on lad, when did you last use your wings? "Use them,” Rhodri gasped, “used them, I didn't even know that they were "usable" until Mam stopped me cutting them off last summer, Fancy Dress stuff thats what I thought." "Idiot," Trefina said as she walked past her brother, clacking him on the side of the head as she passed him. "Mind you if your brains were in your wings, and you did cut them off, you wouldn't be missing anything." "Ma-a-am, tell her to stop smacking me across my head," Rhodri wailed and held his talons over his head as Trefina flicked her arm out to clack him again. Marion frowned at her daughter then turned back to her husband. "Right Gwil, are you being serious about this holiday thing? I mean it would be nice to get out and stretch our wings again, but the young ones have never flown?" "All the more reason for them to get some practise in." Gwilym smiled. "It will do them good." "Do us good, it will bloody kill us," Rhodri swore, "I wouldn’t even know where to begin." Trefina laughed, "Oh that easy Rhod, you just go to the ledge outside the cave, I’ll come up behind you and give you a shove, then when your falling, open your wings and flap and you're flying.” “And what happens if they don’t flap, smartypants?” Rhodri asked pulling a face at his sister. “Well in that case you will be dead before you reach the bottom, and will I be able to have your Liverpool shirt, please?” Trefina started to laugh. “Hey mam can you imagine the story in the Blaenau Gazette. "Young dragon found at the bottom of Snowdon, Plaid Cymru worry that there may be more dragons living in the vicinity of the mountains, they are thinking of calling on George the Dragon slayer in England to seek out any more.” "Trefina that is enough, your father is right, it is about time we taught you how to fly, so why not now?” Marion started to lay the breakfast table. “I mean it is St David’s day tomorrow and wouldn’t it be nice to take a trip down to St David’s to have a look at the old place. Maybe go and visit an odd relation or too.” "There now I do have the occasional good idea wife, I knew I could rely on you to help out.” A big smile spread across his face. “ Right it's settled, we are going somewhere nice for St David’s Day and that’s that, come on then you two let's get a bit of practise in before breakfast." "No, no Gwil, let’s have breakfast first, Rhodri can hardly walk on an empty stomach let alone fly. "Well I don’t mind giving it a go, but I think I shall have some egg, bacon and what ever will fit on my plate first, if this is going to be my last meal. I’d like it to be a nice one.” "Goodness me girl, don't talk like that, dragons have flying for a long time, long before man could walk." Her mother said putting the grill on. "Come on then let's get on with it then it’s practise, practise, practise." Breakfast over and the dragon family stood outside the entrance to the cave. Rhodri walked to the edge and looked down. Far below lay the lower mountains of Snowdonia. "Hey Dad don’t you think it would be a good idea to go down the mountain a bit to start with, say like ten foot off the ground. What if I do jump and these puny things don’t open, or they aren't strong enough to support my weight? What then, what if I don’t move the levers properly?" "What levers Rhodri, you don't have any levers son, it will all be in your head you were born with wings therefore you can fly, a bit like riding a bike?" “I can’t ride a bike dad, and I wasn’t born with one so …” For goodness sake Rhodri, don’t be such a whinge, why do you think they are stuck to your back for, winding your mother’s wool?" Gwilym turning to Marion, “but is it true Marion, have we never taught the boy to fly?" "No I don't think so my darling, I don't suppose we had any real reason too before, we usually take the same route as the Snowdonian Railway." Marion sneezed and everybody ducked quickly to one side. “Marion do try to warn us when you’re going to sneeze sweetheart, remember what happened to the poor dog dear.” Gwilym couldn’t help but smile as he thought of the poor dogs tail, one minute long and curly, and the next a smoking wick as it ran into the river to cool its burning bits and pieces. “Well I have been thinking about this holiday Dad, being as you and mum can do all this flying thing…” Rhodri began then let Trefina take over. “And Rhodri and I are quite happy to stay at home, so why don’t you take mum away for the weekend and you can have a lot more fun without being saddled with us? “We are old enough now Mum, and I have already made plans for the weekend,” “ And I was supposed to be going to a fire breathing contest up at Llangernyw quarry tomorrow afternoon.” Rhodri added and looked at his mam with his big green eyes Trefina flashed her a huge smile. “You know this would be a better idea Mam? Don’t you.” She pleaded. “Well I suppose so, what do you think Gwil?” Marion walked over and put her arm around her husband’s shoulders. “Well would you look at that?” Gwilym remarked looking up at the sky. “I do believe we are going to have some more snow, did it say I was going to snow tomorrow Marion?” “Well,” Marion said turning towards the two kids and winking. “Well Gwil, maybe we should leave the South of France for this year, we’ll go next year when the kids are a bit older, eh?” Gwilym smiled down at his wife. “That sound’s like a wonderful idea my love. Sorry kids but it looks like we are going to have to put that holiday off again this year” The two older dragons walked into the cave, followed by two very relieved younger dragons. “Give me five” Rhodri said smiling. “On the side, brother,” Trefina said laughing.
Dorothy Milnes Sinclair, copyright 1986
If you have any ideas do leave a message for me at dottido@hotmail.co.uk
I had this amazing idea that before I let you all loose on the
snowy slopes of
Snowdonia that we should have a little song. It's been ages since I
paid a visit to "Grandma Mary over in Nursery Land" so off I trotted
and returned with this little gem. It's about an Owl
and a Pussy Cat do any of you know which one I mean?
The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went
to sea In a beautiful pea-green boat; They took some honey, and plenty of money
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars
above,
And sang to a small guitar:
"O lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are, you are! What a beautiful Pussy you are!"
Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl,
How charmingly sweet you sing!
Oh! let us be married; too long we have tarried,
But what shall we do for a
ring?"
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the bong-tree
grows;
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig
stood,
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose, his nose,
With a ringat
the end of his nose.
"Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?"
Said the Piggy, "I will."
So they took it away, and were married next day
By theTurkey
who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince* and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon; **
And hand in hand on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon, the moon, They
danced by the light of the moon.
by Edward Lear (1812-88)
Edward Lear was born in London in 1812, the 20th of 21 children.
Raised by an older sister after his father lost his fortune
in the Stock Exchange and his mother abandoned all responsibilities
to the family, he was frequently attacked by what he called
"the Morbids" — debilitating and unpredictable mood swings.
Despite these, however, he nurtured a remarkable talent for
humorous drawing and writing at an early age. By 16 he was making
a living as an ornothological illustrator and beginning what
was to become a lifetime of avid traveling. Following the successful
publication of his first Book of Nonsense in 1846, he
was briefly hired as a drawing tutor for Queen Victoria. Frequent
trips to Europe and the Middle East led him to publish of a
long series of illustrated travel journals. More nonsense stories,
rhymes, and illustrations followed — including the familiar
poem "The Owl and the Pussycat" in 1867. Soon after, Lear settled
permanently in Italy, occasionally submitting nonsense essays
and drawings to weekly gazettes in London. His travels eventually
took him all the way to India in 1874. He died at his Villa
near San Remo in 1888.
A St David’s Day Out 
how can we possibly go on holiday when it's still winter?" Rhodri answered looking as surprised as his mother did at his father’s suggestion that they all go on holiday.
Gwilym said as he reached to get his rucksack out of the big cupboard. 
"Hey dad, do be careful what you are doing with your snout, where ever we go I want my hairy bits still on my head and my scales still attached to my body, Mum make him tell us were he wants to take us too now?” 
wings? 
"All the more reason for them to get some practise in." Gwilym smiled. "It will do them good." 
shove, then when your falling, open your wings and flap and you're flying.”
"Young dragon found at the bottom of Snowdon, Plaid Cymru worry that there may be more dragons living in the vicinity of the mountains, they are thinking of calling on George the Dragon slayer in England to seek out any more.” 
"Well I don’t mind giving it a go, but I think I shall have some egg, bacon and what ever will fit on my plate first, if this is going to be my last meal. I’d like it to be a nice one.”
Far below lay the lower mountains of Snowdonia. 
“We are old enough now Mum, and I have already made plans for the weekend,” 
