All Together Now

The air was bone chillingly cold. The sound of the sleds filled the streets with winter cheer. Though the town was filled with joy, the air was menacing to the lovely little animals who could not seek shelter. The streets were quiet in mid-afternoon. Workers hurried to their offices; every dog remained at home; not a bird was to be seen or heard. The sparrows had been forced to hide themselves from the cold.

Animals of the woods, listen to the Manifesto of Peace. No animal shall eat another. This is Richard, and I’m here with a fable by Aesop, that Bertie has brought up to date for Storynory. Mr. Fox was strolling through the woods when he noticed a plump hen sitting on the branch of a tree. “Ah,” he said to himself. “Lunch.” But he did not say that aloud. No, he was far too cunning to show what he was really thinking. Instead, he said, “Good day to you, my lovely lady. May the angel of peace be upon you.

A certain man had a donkey, which had carried the corn sacks to the mill loyally for many a long year; but his strength was going, and he was growing more and more unfit for work. His master began to wonder if it was worth his while by keeping this old donkey much longer. The donkey, seeing that no good wind was blowing, ran away and set out on the road to Bremen. “There,” he thought, “I can surely be a town musician.” When he had walked some distance, he found a dog lying on the road, gasping like one who had run until he was tired.