The Sweetest Song is an African-American tale about a little girl who ventures out through the fence that her mama and papa have warned her about. She happily plucks her flowers moving further away with each one until she encounters the wolf, attracted by the sweetest, goodest song he has heard - Tray-bla, tray-bla, cum qua, kimo'. The little girl outsmarts the wolf through her sweet goodness, singing him her happy tune all the way back to her gate, where she is safe and sound once more.
Told with a beautiful cadence, sonorous repetition and a cunning simplicity, the tale invites you to defy the rules, confront challenges and assume responsibility for your actions.
The protagonist, known only as 'Little Daughter' is a happy carefree child who eagerly crosses over to the far side of the fence, attracted by all the bright, colourful flowers. Her mama and papa weren't watching and the flowers looked so tempting. She is undaunted by the appearance of the wolf who asks her to sing her sweetest, goodest song again. When the wolf closes its eyes, she tiptoes, tiptoes slowly back to the gate. This happens a few times till she manages to reach the gate and shut it, safe and sound from all the lurking dangers on the far side of the fence.
Why I Like This Story:
- It's pure music to the ears and lips with its repetition and build-up
- The girl is free in every sense of the word, she is a curious child who is determined to pluck those beautiful flowers that seem to be calling out to her despite her parents' warning not to cross the fence.
- Indeed, there are dangers lurking there and that's why her parents warned her about it
- There is no adult intervention or punishment in the story - the girl is not chastised for disobeying her parents.
- There is magic in music and song which have the power to see you through difficult situations
- You need to assume responsibility for the choices you make - the sooner you learn this, the better
- There is a happy ending - the girl can have her cake and eat it too! As they say, no risk, no fun (originally a German phrase from a candy company)!!!
The Blue Coat - a Jewish Story - also appears in the collection 'The Story Tree'
Turning a Coat into a Story - One day, a mother realises that her son, Tom, needs a coat. So she buys the material and sets to work, making him a beautiful blue coat. But with all the romping and through the seasons, the coat is all worn out and the mother sets to work, making a beautiful waistcoat from the beautiful blue coat. With more romping and frolicking through the seasons, the waistcoast is all worn out and the mother sets about to make a bow-tie from the pieces of the waistcoast. When this piece also becomes 'tattered and torn beyond all redemption', she sets about making him a button..and when this is all torn and broken, she is left with the story about the Blue Coat!
Why I Like This Story -
Its beauty lies in its simple repetitive layers, with a new simple addition (coat-waistcoat-bow-tie-button-story) each time
It's an ode to a mother's creativity and a son's joy at having something made with love and hard work
It's a story about up-cycling and re-using instead of dumping and accumulating.
It's also about the magic and power in story-telling and taking one object and following its transformative journey.
And finally, it's all about childhood and what makes children happy - not money, not having the latest brands, but having an object made and remade with love and being able to play freely in or with it.
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