"Make a vow when solstice comes
to find the light in everyone
keep the faith and bang the drum
on the longest night of the year"
--Mary Chapin Carpenter
Dear friends of puppetry,
Blessings on your Solstice!
The healing imagery found in puppetry is needed now more than ever, as we face the challenges of our times, to remind of us what is essential and true. In this update you'll see news of an upcoming online puppet story event, and ideas for puppet storytelling in the holiday season!
Next Tuesday, December 28th, I'll be continuing the online seasonal series, with the Story of Shingebiss. Shingebiss originates from a traditional Ojibwe First Nation story of a brave 'diving duck' who through patience and perseverance overcomes the big and fierce "Chief Wintermaker". The image of a little duck standing up to the a creature many times his size is a powerful one for children--for us all!
It would be absolutely lovely to share this with you! If you know of anyone who might be interested in this fantastic story of courage in the midst of the strongest adversity, please share this email with them--thank you!
Finger puppet adventures! Here is a little St. Nick finger puppet I created that goes perfectly with a lovely story told by Terri Reinhardt. It so embodies the spirit of the selfless giving at Christmas time, with gentle images of redemption for those finding their way, titled "A St. Nicholas Story: The Fiercest Animal in the Forest".
A story I have used often at Christmas time for kindergarten and nursery is "Who Was Born This Special Day?" You'll see the story below. I use finger puppets for the telling, or if you have a nativity set, you could use them in this way to share the story. As this time of year symbolizes the re-birth of the sun, and the seeds forming in the earth, the story of the birth of the child is a deeply joyful and meaningful story for children of any cultural background.
*Note: As I am currently teaching parent/child classes with toddlers, I tell it less abstractly, as I find it easier for them to follow. For example I have little bunny ask the question "Is it you, little stone?", and have the stone answer in this manner, in rhyme--"No it is not I, ask the tree who grows nearby." That version has been included as well.
Brightest Blessings on your holiday season!
Warmly,
Connie Manson, artistic director and founder of Starlite Puppets
Who was Born This Special Day?
by Eve Bunting and Leonid Gore, edited by Connie Manson for nursery/kindergarten
A little mouse lived in his mossy house. He knew that someone had been born this day. He asked, “Who was born this special day? Was it you, little stone?”
“I’ve been here since the world began, part of the great creation plan.”
No, it was not the stone.
“Was it you, cedar tree?”
“When I was a seedling floating in space, a wandering wind dropped me here in this place.”
No, it was not the cedar tree.
“Was it you, little lamb?”
“Baa, Baa. I was born back in early May, when the breezes of Spring chased Winter away.”
No, it was not the lamb.
“Was it you, little donkey?”
“Hee-haw”.The donkey snug in a coat of gray, shook his head in a donkey way. No, it was not the donkey.
“Someone was born this special day, was it you, mourning dove?”
“Croo, croo. No, not I. I was born in a nest of love with leaves that whispered and sang above.”
“Who was born this special day? Was it the child?”
The child who lies in a little bed, the shine of the star overhead?
Clouds filled with ANGELS shimmering bright, singing of joy this special night.
Who was born this day? It was the child.
Who was Born This Special Day?
inspired by the story by Eve Bunting and Leonid Gore,
as told by Connie Manson for parent/child classes
A little bunny was hopping along, and stopped to nibble on tender twigs and little leaf buds on the bushes in the winter time. A little bird flew along, a singing a song, and said to Bunny,
"Good morning, bunny! Someone was born this special day!"
"Who was born this special day?", asked bunny.
But the bird did not reply, he had already flown on by!
So the bunny looked around to find out who was born on this special day--hippity hop, hippity hop!
He saw a little stone. "Good morning little stone, were you born today?"
"Hello bunny", said the stone, "no, it was not I. Ask the tree that sits nearby!"
So Rabbit hopped to the tree, and asked, "Good morning, tree, so green, were you born today?"
"No, not I", answered the tree, "ask the little lamb close to me."
"But I don't see a little lamb," said the bunny. "Listen . . . " whispered the tree.
The bunny stretched his ears and stood very still. Soon he heard a soft, "Baa, baa . . . " he hopped until he saw a little lamb, standing behind a bush.
"Dear lamb," said the rabbit, "were you born today?"
"No, I was not born today, ask the donkey with his coat of gray!"
"Thank you!", said the rabbit, and hopped until he heard a loud "hee-haw, hee-haw!"
"Good morning, little donkey, were you born today?"
The donkey in his coat of gray, shook his head in a donkey way, "Hee-haw, hee-haw, it was not I! Ask mother and father dear who lives nearby!"
Bunny hopped until he found a house. Who was in the house? A mother and father dear! And . . . who was this?
A child lay in a little bed. The shine of the star high overhead. Clouds filled with angels, shimmering bright, singing of joy this special night.
Who was born this special day? It was the child!
