Fairytales: The Twelve Passengers

Toddlers and kids love to listen bedtime stories, fairytales about gnomes, giants and Aesop Fables stories teach them about morals, understanding what the stories are trying to elaborate.

My kids love Aesop Fables very much. Everyday, I would spend 15-30 minutes of my time to tell them different Aesop Fables stories and explain to them what happened, why did it happen and so on. They understand the morals of the various stories well and I was amazed that they could remember the Aesop Fables stories on different events that happen on our everyday life, school, friends and many more.

Recently, I bought this gigantic book called: 365 Days of Fairytales by Brown Watson. It was on sale in one of the local bookstores. Although the book relatively thick, heavy and printed in tiny prints which hardly could be seen ( for a short sighted mom ); I was glad that I bought it because it was worth the price for 365 assorted stories from different countries.

Here, I would like to share with you some of the stories that my kids love to read and hopefully your kids will enjoy them too.

A strange stagecoach drew up just as the bells were chiming midnight. Even though it was the New Year, the sentry rush out to check on the passengers. Twelve in number and all dressed up very strangely indeed.

The first was well dressed. He must have been an important person because everyone else was watching him with an air of hopefulness.

He said his name was JANUARY and then he darted off, saying that he had thousands of things to think of for the rest of the year.

The second passenger said he knew that his life was short and his days were numbered, just 28 days left. So he wanted to enjoy himself while he could. His rowdy fun making antic annoyed the others. He replied snobbishly, " Don't you know that I am FEBRUARY, the Prince of Carnival! "

Don March is the third passenger. He was thin and moody.

The fourth passenger pointed out the silver moon to March and told him that it was a silver treasure which obviously was an April Fool's joke. So, you could have guess by now that his name was April.

To lease March, Madam May sang one of her lovely blossom time songs to ease his anger.

The sixth and seventh passengers were Miss June and Master July, both dressed in summer wear and their only belongings were their swimming suits and sunglasses.

The eighth passenger was Mother August, who had a basket of fruits, full of vibrant colors and freshness. She looks wealthy and overweight because she was constantly perspiring.

The ninth passenger was Professor September, a renowned artist for his method of painting leaves.

The tenth was Count October, who knew all about agriculture. He was proud of himself, preaching about his knowledge.

His neighbour, Sneezy November, a thin tall chap, with a constant cold, couldn't control his sneezes, drown out October's preach.

The last and the least was Grandad December. He was the last passenger. He carried a fir tree which at Christmas, he planned to decorate with lights and tinsel.

Then, the sentry carefully checked all their passorts, saluted them with pride.

"A very good year to all the Month family," he said with a broad smile.