THE STRAWBERRY THIEF - A Fairy Tale with a Moral: Baba Indaba?s Children's Stories - Issue 359

ISSN: 2397-9607 Issue 359

In this 359thÿÿissue of the Baba Indaba?s Children's Stories series, Baba Indaba narrates the Fairy Tale "THE STRAWBERRY THIEF?.

Baba Indaba is a fictitious Zulu storyteller who narrates children's stories from around the world. Baba Indaba translates as "Father of Stories".

A long time ago and far, far away, the mid-day sun was shining brightly as two children ran merrily down the steep grassy slope leading from the little village to the neighbouring forest. Their loose, scanty clothing left head, neck, and feet bare. But this did not trouble them, for the sun's rays kissed their little round limbs.

They were brother and sister; each carried a small jar to fill with strawberries, which their mother would sell in the town on the morrow. They were very poor, almost the poorest people in the village. Their mother, a widow, had to work hard to procure bread for herself and children.

When strawberries or nuts were in season, or even the early violets, the children went into the forest to seek them, and by the fruit or flowers they gathered helped to earn many a groschen. The forest berries were still scarce, and would fetch a high price in the town; this is why they started so early in the afternoon, whilst other people still rested in their cool rooms.

Deep in the forest was many a spot, well known to the children, where large masses of strawberry plants flourished and bloomed, covering the ground with a luxurious carpet. Very slowly the work proceeded, and as the gathered treasures in their small jars grew higher and higher the sun sank lower and lower. Busy with their task, the children forgot laughter and chattering. When his jar was full, Fried helped little Lorchen fill hers.

The task over the children spied at a little distance a small stretch of meadow shimmered through the trees. The bright sunshine still rested on the fresh, green grass, and thousands of daffodils, bluebells, pinks, and forget-me-nots unfolded there their varied beauties. It was a delightful play-place for the children. They hastened thither, placed their jars carefully behind a large tree-trunk, and soon forgot their hard afternoon's work in a merry game

Only when the shadows were long did the children feel the cool, wet dew on their bare feet, and hunger began to make itself felt, did they feel the urge to return home. They ran to the tree behind which they had placed their jars, but oh, horror! The jars were no longer there. They searched farther, behind every trunk, behind every bush, but no trace of the jars could they find.

Now that night had fallen, they shivered in their thin clothing, and little Lorchen wept with fear, hunger, and fatigue. Fried took his little sister's hand, and said: "Listen, Lorchen: you must run home, it is night now in the forest. Tell mother our jars have disappeared, eat your supper, and go to bed and to sleep. I will remain here and search behind every tree and everywhere, until I find the jars.

What happened next you ask?? Well many things happened, some strange, some fun and some serious. Did little Lorchen make it home safely? And did Fried survive the night in the forest? Had someone stolen their precious strawberries, leaving the family to starve? To find the answers to these questions, and others you may have, you will have to download and read this story to find out!

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Each issue also has a "WHERE IN THE WORLD - LOOK IT UP" section, where young readers are challenged to look up a place on a map somewhere in the world. The place, town or city is relevant to the story. HINT - use Google maps.