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Monthly Meetings 2006
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April 2006 Activity - Tricksters and Wise Fools
At our regular meeting held on 04 April 2006 at the Brantford Public Library, our members told the following tales. I have often been an advisor for Reynard. I was the one who devised a plan whereby Reynard and Isegrim the Wolf could feast on freshly caught fish. If only Isegrim had not been so greedy! It happened like this.
Talla Henry Told an Italian Bolognese version of an ancient tale in which the hunchbacked hero outwits an ogre, thus saving the kingdom and receiving a reward from the grateful king. The stories title is, "Tabagnino the Hunchback".
Maureen Henry Told two stories, "The Giant with the three Golden Hairs", in which a poor woman has a boy child who was born with a condition that foretold his good fortune that in his fourteenth year he would be married to the King's Daughter. The King heard of the lad and of course did not want his daughter marrying a commoner and set about to ensure that the marriage would never occur.
The second story was, "The Fools of Chelm & the Stupid Carp". This story was adapted from, "Stories for Children", written by Isaac Bashevis Singer.
In it the head of the village of Chelm is given a huge fish as a token of appreciation for his great wisdom. When the fish up and slaps him in the face with it's tail, the man must consider a just punishment for such a stupid carp.
Michael Rutledge Told two stories as well. The first was the about a fairy who could grant wishes and an old woman that was not to be pleased. It was called, "The Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle". (Michael had everyone in the room chanting the chorus).
The second story called, "The Chief's Feast". It based on some peoples nature to take advantage and starts as follwos; The chief sent out messengers to announce that he would give a feast and asked that each guest bring one calabash of palm wine. One man wanted to attend very badly but he had no wine to bring.
Barbara Sisson related two stories about Reynard the fox. Reynard, also known as Renard, Renart, Reinard, Reinecke, Reinhardus, and by many other spelling variations, is a trickster figure whose tale is told in a number of anthropomorphic fables from medieval Europe.
Barbara adapted the stories to be from the perspective of Ermelyn Fox, the wife of Reynard the Fox which supplied and interesting point of view. Following is a sample:
Every day a fisherman drove his cart full of fish to the market. As they watched from the side of the road, Reynard and Isegrim salivated at the thought of a fish supper, but they were afraid they’d be killed if they came too near to the cart.
I suggested a plan to Reynard and he immediately put it into action.
My brave husband lay down in the road where he knew the cart would come. He stayed very still, as though he were dead. Reynard has always been a superb actor.
A few minutes later, the fisherman came along with his cart full of fish. When he spied the fox, he halted his donkey, jumped down and approached Reynard, his sharp knife in his hand.................
Hugh Sutherland shared the famous story about, "The Emporor's New Clothes", and illustrated how two trickster and vanity can be embarrashing.
"We are two very good tailors and after many years of research we have invented an extraordinary method to weave a cloth so light and fine that it looks invisible. As a matter of fact it is invisible to anyone who is too stupid and incompetent to appreciate its quality."
Paul Westbrook a first time visitor to our Guild meeting told and interesting tale by H.H. Munro (Saki) called, "The Open Window" where in a very self-possessed young lady of fifteen tricks unsuspecting strangers and relatives with not to subtle incorrect information.
On April 12th, as part of the Family Fun Literacy Evening organized by the Brant Family Literacy Committee Barbara Sisson told two Stories to the youngsters at King George School.
She first told the story of "The Great Big Turnip" by Alexei Tolstoy, in which the children are engaged in an effort to pull the great big turnip from the earth in order to make soup. Demonstrating that through cooperation goals can be achieved.
The Second Story was that of, "The Three Billy-Goats Gruff". A Norwegian tale written by Peter Chr. Asbjørnsen (1812-1885) and Jørgen Moe (1813-1882). This story demonstrates is a humorous, lilting fashion, the hazards of greed to young listens.
On April 19th, at the monthly meeting of the Women's Probus Club of Brant, Barbara Sisson presented stories about Reynard the fox.
These stories were part of the regular meeting where someone gives a short autobiographical talk, in a feature called Who Am I?
The presentations were structure to be from the prespective of Reynard wife,Ermelyn. The stories included The Fish Cart, Who Stole the Sausage?, The Gullible Rooster and Bruin and the Honeycomb.
In Europe, people have been telling stories about Reynard for about 1500 years. We continue to enjoy these tales today because human nature has not changed over the centuries. The characters in the Reynard tales are animals, but they exhibit very human shortcomings, such as greed, gluttony, hypocrisy and toadying to the rich and powerful. We can easily recognize people we know and, perhaps, even ourselves.
Wrap-up
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Honorary
Patron:
(The Late)
Miss Ruth K. Stedman
Board of
Directors:
President:
Maureen Henry
Vice President:
David Lewis
Treasurer:
Michael Rutledge
Secretary:
Vyrt Sisson
Festival Co-ordinator:
Barbara Sisson
Sponsored by:
Last Updated: 14 January 2007 - David Lewis
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