Guinea pigs with no tails

SELIGOR'S CASTLE HAS A TALE ABOUT A GUINEA-PIG

By Stephen Southwold

Forty More Tales

Alas there isn't a picture for this tale, this one is on page 218.

Did you know that Guinea Pigs love to have a friend, then even like being in a group

guinea pigs

A TALE OF A TAIL

"Why have guinea-pigs no tails?" I asked my pet guinea-pig.

"Don't you know that?" he replied; "listen and I'll tell you.

"Well," he began, "long, long. long ago, all guinea pigs had tails, and they all lived together, every one of them. They were the happiest creatures in the wide world until one day a great dragon came rushing and roaring down upon them and bellowed, 'I'm going to eat you all up.'

"Oh, please don't,' they all cried very piteously.'

"Well," said the great dragon, tell me a funny tale and I'll let you off for tonight."

Now one of the guinea pigs was a great teller of funny tales, and he told one of his best to the dragon, and when he heard it the dragon laughed with such a great breath that he blew the tops off seven mountains. And then he went off to his den to sleep."

" However the next morning he returned to where the guinea-pigs wereand vowed to eat them all up again, but the teller of tales told him another funny tales, and tis time his laughter blew seven stars down from the sky into the sea."

Now this went on for a long, long while, and each night the teller of talessaved the lives of himself and all the other guinea-pigs. But then tragedy the teller of tales died, and when the great dragon heard about it hesaid that he would have to eat them all up.."

But the wisest of all the guinea-pigs had a plan. "Look great dragon I know our tale teller has gone but we do have many tails, enough to last you all your life.

If we give them all to you will you go away and promise to leave us alone, for the dragon thought that the wise old guinea-pig had said TALES!, were in fact the wise old guinea-pig had said TAILS!

And with that the great dragon left and promised to come back in the morning. But much earlier before the dragon arrived the Wise old guinea-pig had removed from every guinea-pig, its tail. And when the great dragon arrived the wise guinea-pig showed him the heap of ninety-nine thousand, seven hundred and forty-six tails.

And the great dragon, who hadn't really a bad heart, thought it such a fine joke that this time the wind of his laughter blew the moon to the other side of the world, and it was a month before it could get back.

But the dragon kept his promise, and the guinea-pigs were left i peace, tail-less but very happy.

And from that day to this the guinea-pigs have never had a tail."

Another great tail, oops tale from the wonderful Stephen Southwold and his book of

"Forty More Tales."

guinea pigs

Guinea pigs are one of the largest and longest lived (5-7 years) of the rodents ...

A few little songs and cartoon to make you laugh on this cold day and night. -2 here.

Dr Dodiddily and the Dee-Dot's : Blog

Dr Dodiddily and the Dee-Dot's : Blog: "Mon, 15 Nov 2010
Acara Pink Baby is the logo for Seligor's Castle

Acara
DR. DODIDDILY AND THE DEE - DOT'S
Welcome you to the Land of Sand

Do you know that the hardest part of sorting through the Countries of the World, is trying to find what actually is left of the country that started off as Africa. Between all the countries of Europe we all seem to have added to or more likely took away much of the original stock and status.

However we can't go backwards in time and put all the wrongs that were committed back again, we must move forward and hope that eventually every country in Africa, even in the World will learn to live in peace and harmony with their neighbours and give and not take what doesn't belong to them. I think I must be on my high horse again, but it is doing something like this that makes you realise just what has gone on in this world, the greed of the big and the strong against the small and the weak of heart not of resistance. I am to old now to try and alter the world, and I definitely haven't the strength of youth on my side any more but I do pray to all the Gods of all the people that they get together on their high altars and make a new beginning. First by taking away the word greed from the minds and hands of the human beings they have such control over. Then after they have written a new set of commandments that are to be used as one by all the holy men that also lay hold on man, woman and child. Oh golly, all this began when I went to find out some things that Chad have to offer and boy, what a shock. I can't find anything except what the United Nations have to say.

'According to the United Nations, Chad has been affected by a humanitarian crisis since at least 2001. As of 2008, the country of Chad hosts over 280,000 refugees from the Sudan's Darfur region, over 55,000 from the Central African Republic, as well as over 170,000 internally displaced persons.'

How is it possible for a country the size of Chad to continue as a nation with half of Africa making their way there for protection and food. Do we know who helps to feed, cloth, bathe, these people etc. etc. It is impossible for the people of Cha to manage on there own.

Lets take all the soldiers who are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan away from the fighting, let us use the money we all save, into dropping Wells for Water, Water for Crops, Food to feed the starving, houses to house the homeless. In my own country, the people moan that houses are so expensive, yet we still pay out £500 for a flat backed TV with HD of course etc. etc. When the 280,000 refugees fight for food in the bare country side, How many of them do you think are wearing a £100 pair of shoes or even a £5 pair of sandals bought from a charity shops. Do you know that in my local town their are at least a dozen charity shops, did you read that. I said CHARITY SHOPS,. I myself use them mainly for books but what if we took half the charity shops away and loaded all the clothes etc, into aircraft with the military and made a start on rebuilding the countries that the so called 1st world country's took from the 3rd world country. What a disgrace to mankind that we have the audacity to call Africa, etc etc, third world countries. If they are third world it is because we the western world bled them dry when we imposed our ways upon them.


Phew I really did get in a temper didn't I , I am sorry but when I read of children dying and being maimed all over these countries, it hurts, oh my how it hurts. I shall now go and find some nice rhymes and stories and hopefully some nice music that the little ones will like. I don't suppose there are many internet cafes about Chad and Senegal, Indonesia, Burma etc, for the children, I mean, but if you come across one, please remember there are a lot of children out there that need our help and want it given freely without a price tag tied round their young necks, like those that were tied round the mothers and grand mothers necks since time immemorial.

That's me now, I've have given you my little speech which came directly from my heart and as I now go to bed, I will pray that some one somewhere with enough power to change this world reads it, and instead of saying 'Stupid Bitch.' actually says 'Hey she could be right.'

May your God bless you and keep you safe from harm and hunger.

Diddilydeedot, aka Seligor and Dodie. XXX



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Diddily Dee Dot's Dreamland for Children Everywhere : Blog

Diddily Dee Dot's Dreamland for Children Everywhere : Blog: "Kayleigh of Q brings you a lovely tale about an acorn and a daisy.

KAYLEIGH OF Q. BRINGS TO YOU A STRANGE LITTLE TALE CALLED

Autumn Leaves and Acorns

'YOU NEVER CAN TELL'

WRITTEN BY STEPHEN SOUTHWOLD

It was a warm day in early autumn. Under a great spreading oak tree a late daisy nodded in the faint breeze which swayed the yellowing grass about her.

Suddenly she was startled by a plop! on the ground near her, and saw that a small oval object had fallen from somewhere, and lay beside her.

'Are you hurt?' asked the daisy anxiously. 'And who are you?'

'Me? I'm an acorn, and acorns never get hurt,' replied the newcomer.

Where did you come from?' asked the daisy, 'but you must have come from somewhere, you know.'

Great Oak Tree 'Well, I came from the oak tree above you,' answered the acorn, 'she is my mother.'

'How lovely, to have such a splendid great mother as that,' breathed the daisy. 'I don't think I have ever had a mother at all.

'Don't be silly,' laughed the acorn, 'we all have mothers.'

'Really and truly ?' asked the daisy. And then she went on, 'When are you going back?'

'Back, back where?' said the acorn in surprise.

'Why, back to your mother of course,' said the daisy.

'You are a simpleton,' laughed the acorn; 'don't you know where I'm going presently?'

'No,' replied the daisy, 'where?'

'Why under the ground,' replied the acorn.

'Oh how dreadful!' shivered the daisy; 'it will be so dark and dismal.'

'Not a bit of it,' cried the acorn; 'it will be just splendid. But, I shan't stay there for ever - oh dear me, no !'

Where will you go next?' asked the little daisy.

'I shall come climbing back, up out of the ground,' answered the acorn; and I shall be so different you would not know me, I shall be a little, little, little sprouting tree.'

'Oh !' breathed the wondering daisy.

'And I shall grow and grow and grow,' continued the acorn, 'until one day I shall be - guess?'

'I could never guess, do tell me,' said the daisy eagerly.

'A great oak tree, as big as my mother!' shouted the acorn, breaking into a loud laugh.

'Oh, you are making it all up; it's not true,' gasped the astonished the astonished daisy.

'It is, as true as true can be,' said the acorn ; and when I think of it I feel so proud that I could burst with joy.'

'I should think so too,' said the daisy a little enviously.

Then before the acorn could say another word there was a noise of slow heavy feet, and a pig came waddling towards them, with his hard snout rooting in the ground as he lumbered from side to side.

the great pig He touched the acorn with his nose, and in a flash he had swallowed it

'Oh no! no! no!' screamed the little daisy in terror and dismay; 'oh, whatever have you done!'

'Now then,' grunted the pig; don't you be afraid, I shan't hurt you!'

'Oh, but see what you've done,' whispered the daisy, almost in tears.

'Well, what have I done?' asked the great pig.

Well as usual, the rest of this story is at diddilydeedot's dreamland. Please take a trip to page 17, which is called Kayleigh of Q.



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Seligor's Castle, so much fun for all our children in the land. : Blogs

Seligor's Castle, so much fun for all our children in the land. : Blogs: "Sun, 14 Nov 2010
A new Sad Tale, this Stephen Southwold, writes lovely stories but some are very sad.
The Hobbit 1974, Nicol Williamson.

Nicol Williamson, born 1936, He was the Narrator of this wonderful Record.

Hobbit 70th anniversary


TRUDI'S TALES
INVITE YOU TO LISTEN TO
THE HOBBIT
Narrated and Acted by
Nicol Williamson born in South Lanarkshire in 1936.

Playlist created by

RingsradioDrama.com Thankyou so much.
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein

And now for another Tale of Wonder and Romance
from the pen of Stephen Southwold.
Trudi was a little upset about the title of the Tale but then again with the tales that are written and told by Stephen Southwold, we don't always have any connection to the tale at all!

A SAD TALE.

The rain was drizzling down from the sad grey sky on to a sad grey sea. I sat staring out of my tiny cottage window, watching the seagulls resting disconsolately upon the water, as miserable as I was for lack of the sunshine.
Presently I turned away from the window and drawing my chair up to the fire, leaned back and looked at my queer old clock. It certainly is a queer clock. It is built like a house and in front there are two doors. One door is always open and the other always shut. When the weather is going to be wet a quaint little old man with a ruddy face stands outside his door, and when the weather is fine an equally quaint little old lady stands outside of her door. One is always within and the other always without, and so they never get to see one another or have the slightest chance of a friendly greeting.
And so as I leaned back in my chair and looked at the little old man with his quaint ruddy face, his stiff arms and legs, and a farmer's hat perched awry over one eye.
The seagulls were sad, I indeed none to happy, but the look of misery upon the face of the little old man was so heart rending that I exclaimed, 'Cheer up, old gentleman; the sun will shine tomorrow.'
'So much the worse for me,' he replied, in so woebegone a voice that I had difficulty in keeping from laughter.
'So much the worse for me ,' he repeated, 'for I never get to see the sun. Sunshine for happy folks means gloom and darkness for me; for then I am shut up in this wretched little house, Although. ' he added thoughtfully, my dear wife comes out to enjoy the sun, and I suppose that is something.'
'Your wife ?' I asked in surprise.
'Of course !' he snapped a little crossly. 'Why, who else should could it be ?'
'certainly, certainly, ' I agreed soothingly; but you see I didn't know. How could I ?
'True,' he replied more amiably, 'how should you ?' He was quiet for a moment and then he went on. 'Shall I tell you my sad tale, our sad story, in fact ?'
'The very thing,' I replied eagerly; 'there's nothing like a story on a rainy day.'
'It's very sad you know,' he ventured, putting his head a little on one side.
'A sad tale for a sad day,' I answered. 'Perhaps we'll both feel happier when you've told it. Do go on.'
'Listen then,' he said.
And so, leaning well bacck in my chair, and pushing my feet a little higher up the side of the mantle piece, I drew a deep breath, nodded my head, and prepared to hear his story.

But of course this is only the beginning of the story the rest you will find at Trudi's Tales, on page 52 of Seligor's Castle. But the pictures won't be added till tomorrow. nite nite and take care, Seligor xxx


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Dr Dodiddily and the Dee-Dot's : Blog

Dr Dodiddily and the Dee-Dot's : Blog: "Tue, 09 Nov 2010
San Marino is a wonderful place, TravelerMala has some lovely things to say about it.
Dr. DoDiddily and the Dee Dot's Dee and Dot

Italy and its Neighbours
Italy - Malta - Vatican City - San Marino
Sicily - Florence

Share |

SAN MARINO

I have never been to San Marino but I have found someone who has and this is what she tells us about it.

Traveler MalaAlong with her Pictures.

Please welcome 'Traveler Mala.'

Hey there,,

If ever you were interested in my past, present or future location, you've found a wealth of knowledge here.San Marino

To be honest, it was an obsession that motivated our visit to San Marino. I'm now at the point where if there is a country that we haven't visited within a reasonable distance we simply have to tag it. By we, of course, I actually mean me.

San MarinoSo it was without much prior research or knowledge of the tiny republic, that we set out through multiple awkward train and bus connections to simply get there and not much more. Maybe this is an injustice to San Marino, but it is also a blessing. Without expectations, we were free to be totally blown away.

San Marino
Few cities and likely no other city-states have such a dramatic natural setting. It's as if someone put a city on top of Uluru. It commands sweeping vertigo-inducing views in all directions. In some spots the cliffs drop off at such a dramatic angle, the effect is more of being in a giant lonely skyscraper, rather than on a mountain.

San Marino

The buildings and narrow roads have been built with a gorgeous natural rough cut stone that doesn't fight the landscape but rather feels like a natural progression.

San Marino

Some people may not appreciate the slightly sanitized feel of the place. There's no litter or graffiti or beggars on the picturesque lanes. There is instead a crossing guard on the one 'busy' street watching out for the safety of the pedestrians; not that anyone drives too quickly along the side of a cliff. But if I had a country half the size of Liechtenstein and with only 30,000 citizens it'd make it sparkle too.

San Marino THANK'S MALA

http://www.traveljournals.net/travelers/mala/

Just above here is four wonderful Fairy Tales all in Italian (I think)

A WORLD OF FAIRY TALES

'Like the guardian angel assigned to children at birth, to accompany and protect them on the road to life', wrote the brothers Grimm once upon a time: 'fairy tales have an important role in linking the primeval conceptions of a child's observation with the real world of adults, and introducing one to the other, in part by the way they are spread, in part by their intrinsic nature. They nourish the imagination with the immediacy of milk, light and refreshing, or like honey, sweet and nourishing, without earthly weight.' Children need the affective communication of good fairy tales to regenerate the soul, to develop self-confidence, to overcome their fears, to grow and become conscious adults.

Stamps from San Marino

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Seligor's Castle, so much fun for all our children in the land. : Blogs

Seligor's Castle, so much fun for all our children in the land. : Blogs: "Mon, 08 Nov 2010
The wonderful things about buttons - is - buttons can be a wonderful thing
'Hello and Welcome to Dee and Dot's Special Choice
I have decided to give you a fabulous treat today. something
a bit different. Buttons and what else to start off with than the
wonderful BUTTON MOON wow, this is great.
And after that wonderful playlist how's about some real buttons
How to Start a Button Collection
By an eHow Contributor
I want to do this! What's This?

Button, button, who's got the button? A great many people, it seems. Whether you seek buttons for an antique, art, painting, glass or just a button collection, the variety of these little treasures is remarkable. You may collect them for their beauty, their novelty, their monetary value or just for fun. Buttons collectors can be found all over the world and sharing and discussing this hobby can lead to broadened perspectives and new friends. Best of all, a button collection need not be complicated or expensive to start.

1.

Start with any buttons you may have at home. While it is unlikely that you will find anything of major value, you may get an idea for the type of buttons you would like to collect (a specific color, a material such as glass, wood or Bakelite, a particular shape or a certain image, such as animals). For help on this visit the Button Collecting website (see Resources below).
2.

Check Internet button display sites such as the National Button Society website to see what types of buttons are plentiful or rare and what they cost (see Resources below). Use the facts you find to help you decide on 'your' buttons.
3.

Continue your research with books found at the library, local bookstore or at the A Button Collector's Book List website (see Resources below).
Collect Buttons
4.

Make sure that the type of button you have chosen is easily available. If not, expand your category to include other materials, historical periods or themes.
5.

Start attending live button shows held every year in most places, look them up on google and contacting other collectors near you. If you are interested in modern buttons, you may find something that suits you at your local fabric and craft store.
6.

Consider joining a button collector's club. Find one at the Button Society Links page (see Resources below).

Look for Buttons
Buttonswww.ebay.co.uk
Buttons on eBay for less.

Tips & Warnings

*
The huge variety of buttons to collect can be confusing. It is best to limit yourself to one category of buttons rather than spreading your collection out to include everything under the sun.
*

*
If you decide to collect buttons for their historical value, for example military or Victorian era buttons, be aware that these items are expensive. If your resources are limited, choose a less demanding category.


THIS IS ONE OF MY FRIENDS SCULPTURES USING BUTTONS
SAME BUTTONS, VIEWED FROM ABOVE

THIS BUTTON SCULPTURE WAS MADE BY MY FRIEND
MR. JOOLS CAVE - BERRY

Read more: How to Start a Button Collection | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2044241_start-button-collection.html#ixzz14jZnBzQr

I am a Virgo, and therefore I have a head start on collecting, many of the great collections of strange and weird things are collected by those under the sign of Virgo. I have a fantastic collection of marbles and a huge library of books adding at least three to it every week. They are usually very old ones, and that is why I can come up with a lot of old rhymes and stories.
But I would like to give you another warning.

PLEASE KEEP ALL SMALL OBJECTS AWAY FROM BABIES AND SMALL CHILDREN.


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A Bit of a Wag. Another wonderful short story by Stephen Southwold. Brilliant

Shaggy Dog Stories

A BIT OF A WAG

By Stephen Southwold.

Soon after Adam arrived in the Garden of Eden all the animals held a great meeting to talk things over. They wanted most of all to talk about themselves. and talk they did for three whole days and nights. At the end of it all they had settled all things with great satisfaction - with one exception.

They knew what their teeth were for,

"Teeth are to rend and slay." Roared the lion

"So they are !" Piped a little rabbit ; "So you'd better be careful."

"Claws !" Coughed the tiger, "claws are to rip and tear."

"Splendid ! lisped the mouse ; "I'm a wonderful ripper."

"Noses !" trumpeted the elephant, "noses are to sniff and scent the air. "

"Mine's a beauty !" chattered the monkey.

"Legs !" snarled the wolf, "Legs are to carry one swiftly to the ends of the earth."

"I love mine best of all," grunted the tortoise.

And so they went on and on, perfectly pleased and satisfied with their bodies and all their parts. BUT when it came to their tails, they simply didn't know what to say. They couldn't see no possible use for tails, and after puzzling over it for a long while, with much wrangling and jangling and bickering, they decided to go and ask Adam.

      So off they trooped in a vast crowd, and presently were come to Adam, seated lazily under a spreading banyan-tree.

"Well , my little ones, my pretty ones, what do you want ?" asked Adam.

The fox, who because of his cleverness had been made spokesman, replied, "Oh Father Adam, we are very pleased with ourselves."

    "So you ought to be," replied Adam, with a smile.

"We love our teeth," went on the fox, "and our claws and our ears and our legs and our eyes and our noses and all things that are ours."

"Well ?" inquired Adam, "What then ?"

"Except our tails," continued the fox.

"You don't like them eh?" laughed Adam.

"Oh we like them all right, Father Adam," replied the fox, "It's just we don't know what to do with them. Are they of any use, or are they just beautiful and no more ?"

"Beautiful and no more !" cried Adam. "Why what more do you want ? Isn't it enough to be beautiful, eh ? You ungrateful rascal !"

"oh yes, of course, dear Father Adam," went on the fox very humbly, "but we should like to use our tails as well. What would you suggest that I should do with my fine bushy tail ?"

"You !" said Adam. "Why, sweep away your footprints with it, and then no one can follow you." And the fox, who was already something of a purloiner, thanked Adam with all his heart and hurried away.

 And then all the others began to crowd about Adam, begging him to tell them the best use they could mmake of their tails.

"Swish off the flies with yours, old Cow," he said to the cow.

"Balance yourself with yours, and sit up as I do," he said to the Kangaroo.

At that moment a loud squealing and squeaking was heard. It was the guinea-pig crying and sobbing that it was unfair because he had no tail. But Adam told him to take himself off, and that perhaps one day if he were good his tail might grow. Alas it never did grow, and we can only think he was a little naughty now and then.

Last of all to come were the cat and the dog together. The cat was in a very bad temper, and as the dog jostled her in his eagerness she cried, "Keep away from me, you clumsy wretch, or I'll scratch your nose."

But the dog only grinned, and lolled out his tongue.

"Grinning ninny !" hissed the cat. "I hate animals who are always grinning. Why do you do it, you dolt ?"

 "Because I'm happy and good-tempered," replied the Dog

"And a very good reason too," said Adam; and resting his head upon his hand he thought for a while.

Presently, raising his head, he looked at the dog and asked, "Are you often happy and pleased ?"

"Nearly always," replied the dog. "Do you know, I really believe that I like every one !"

"And would you like to show all the world when you are pleased and happy ?" asked Adam.

"He does !" interrupted the cross cat; "he grins like a nincompoop."

"Hold your tongue !" cried Adam sternly. "Very well, then,"continued Adam sternly.

"So you shall. When you feel pleased and happy, wag your tail."

"Oh splendid !" cried the dog, careering round and wagging his tail madly.

Then Adam turned to the cat.  "You had better do the same," said Adam kindly.

"I shall do nothing of the sort," replied the cat sulkily; I hate dogs. Lolling his silly tongue and wagging his silly tail, and pleased with every one."

"Well what will you do then ?" asked Adam patiently.

"Easy" said the cat. "I shall wag mine when I'm cross !" hissed the cat.

"You'll soon get tired !" laughed Adam.

"You'll wag it right off !" giggled a mouse, who had been listening.

Oops . . and that was how the first mouse came to be chased by the first cat.

And it also explains why you'll never, never, never see an angry dog wagging it's tail; but you will see cross-patch cats wagging their tails, all day and every day.