Grant and the Great Ruction

Good evening, my little ones! I hope you have had a wonderful couple of weeks since our last talk! Please gather ‘round, grab some covers, and get cozy! I am really excited how all of this is coming together. I have gotten some fan mail over the last couple of weeks and people seem to really like the stories in this old tome of mine. It warms an old lady's heart to know that the lessons that I learned as a chiseller myself still have relevance in your lives today.

I chose a new story to bring you today. It’s an interesting little story about a boyo that can talk with the plants and animals around us. Many folks don’t realize how many creatures of the world think. Sometimes you just have to open yourself up to hear mind speak, or what scientists call telepathy! Now let's see...ah yes, here it is:

Grant and the Great Ruction

A long time ago, in a land far, far away, there lived a little gasson named Grant. Grant was a precocious little boy who loved to play in the woods. Often his mother would be chasing after him, trying to get him to clean up, but he would rather be playing in the mud. He loved playing in the woods because that is where all his friends were. Grant’s friends included the birds, the bees, the flowers and the trees. Everything in the wood knew Grant and he knew every rock and pebble.

Now, this is long before the woods are as we know them. Long before the gnomes and fairies had built the woods dense and lush. This was back when there was land for each being under God.

Woods Like where Grant Played

Courtesy of Wikipedia

That is why it was so shocking, on this particular day, that he heard rumblings and tumblings of discontent throughout the wood.

The trees were arguing and the animals were feuding. It was all a bit much for Grant, who was not used to having his friends behave so. “Mr. Tree, why is it that everyone is so mad?”

Mr. Tree

Courtesy of Deviant Art

Mr. Tree shook his lofty branches grumbling his irritation. “Mr. Mushroom has gotten everyone in an uproar.”

“You’re one to talk, you great big oaf!” Mr. Mushroom cried from his stalk.

“Mr. Mushroom, what is troubling you?”

Mr. Mushroom

Courtesy of Pixabay

“The sun shone on me all day long. It burned the top of my head. Look how I have a crisp top!” Mr. Mushroom bent his head to show how his normally spongy head now looked dry and brittle.

“The fool doesn’t realize that the sun means the world to all of us,” proclaimed Mr. Tree. “Without the sun we would not be able to eat and nourish ourselves!”

“Speak for yourself, Mr. Tree,” hooted Mr. Owl perturbedly. “The sun hurts my eyes so that I cannot see. When it is out I can’t feed. I have to stay inside and sleep!”

Mr. Owl

Courtesy of Pixabay

A chorus of accolades came from those that abhor the sun while a cascade of jeers came from those that love the sun. Grant had had just about enough with this carrying-on.

“Please, everyone, let's keep this civil or we shall get nothing accomplished!” The woods quieted down at this sudden outburst from such a young person.

“What do you suggest that we do, young man?” Mrs. Bobcat purred. “Obviously we cannot tell the sun to not shine. But we also must help those that are being hurt.”

Mrs. Bobcat

Courtesy of Wikimedia

“If the sun shines on me again as it did today, it will surely kill me!” cried Mr. Mushroom in misery.

Inspiration struck Grant like a breathless whisper from a Muse. “What if you worked together?”

Mr. Tree, in the blustery way that was his custom, asked, “What do you mean?”

“Mr. Tree, you have so many branches and such thick leaves. What if Mr. Mushroom came to live near you? You could spread your branches out and provide shade him from the sun’s harsh rays. That way he would not get burned.”

“Well, I guess I could do that…” With that Mr. Tree stretched out his branches in all directions. Instead of holding back his limbs, he reached his fingers out with his leaves and provided relief from the sun on the ground. Many of the creatures on the ground cried out in appreciation.

“If you and all of your brothers stretch out, then you could provide a nice darkened area below for all of the animals to get relief from the harsh rays of the sun.”

“You heard him, my brothers. Spread out!” With that a great groaning of the wood was heard from miles around as the trees stretched out their arms. The light from the sun disappeared from the ground as the trees reached out spreading their woody fingers.

The trees stretching out

Courtesy of Wikipedia

“You are brilliant, Grant!” Mr. Mushroom gushed as the sun's rays left his scorched flesh. “Now I won’t get burned any more!”

Grant grazed his hand over Mr. Mushroom’s head in a loving way. “I’m just glad I could help out my friends. It just goes to show that if everyone gives a little, everyone can gain a lot!”

I hope you liked that little story my friends! It is one of my favorites because it talks about how one little bogtrotter can make the difference for many different creatures of the world. Because of his intervention so many years ago, many of the creatures and plants in the forest live hand in hand, helping each other to live. The fairies, my people, have taught this lesson to many beings all over the world.

This story also has a counterpart with the Indian stories that Laura teaches. One that I found to be very similar is The Worm and The Sun. In that story the worm hates the sun and wishes it would go away much like our Mr. Mushroom. You see the worm needs darkness in order to be able to hide from those that might eat him! And it just so happens, a bird heard him uttering this thought and found him to be quite a little scrumptious morsel. The bird tells the worm how useful the sun was because without it the bird would not have seen the worm, and thus would not have had such an unexpectedly filling lunch. With that the bird ate the little worm.

This is very similar to the carry-on between Mr. Mushroom and Mr. Tree. Mr. Tree loves and needs the sun in order to be nourished. However Mr. Mushroom cannot live in the light and heat of day. He needs darkness in order to thrive. In our version, however, the beings of the woods worked together in cooperation to make life better for everyone. This, my little boyos, this is called compromise. The story from India does not demonstrate compromise. Perhaps if it did it would have a happier outcome. Compromise is the cornerstone of how to survive in the world. Giving a little for the betterment of everyone is a sacrifice we make, and it is a noble one. In Grant and the Great Ructions everyone got to be happy, and no one got gobbled up!

"The Worm and The Sun" from Indian Fables

by Ramaswami Raju

Producers Note:

Ruction = loud arguing or commotion

Carrying On = argument/noise

bogtrotter = country person

For more information on Irish Slang visit here.