The Muisca people of the Andes, believed that Laguna de Guatavita was created by a crashing meteor that transported a golden god who resided in the lake’s floor. The legend says the lake is where the Muisca celebrated a ritual
CURIOUS DITTY BY RAFAEL POMBO
Whilst writing, walking and rehearsing in Bogota, found this gem by Colombian poet Rafael Pombo (1833-1912) just waiting to be turned into a song. The Poor Old Lady Once upon a time there was an old lady With nothing to
THE GIRL WHO WAS KIDNAPPED BY AN ORANGUTAN
Sabah prised the leech from her leg and stabbed it with a stick. She spat on the wound of tiny teeth marks and was about to return to her jungle home, when she felt a grip tightening around her waist.
Captured Kenyan Cockroach Quarantined
All three of us were hoping for free flights for life but when the captured cockroach was presented to the lugubrious steward he quipped, “It’s not mine.” As he whisked it away he offered, “This is a delicacy in China.”
The Taxi Driver’s Tales, Querataro, Mexico
I asked tour manager Blas to ask Francisco if there are any good stories to be found in Querataro. There are many, was the reply. We parked up by the station and here are the basic versions recounted. Tale 1
Dias de los muertos – PiG’s Take 1
Marigolds aka Cempasuchil or, in the Nahuatl language – Cempazuchtli , are the symbolic flowers for the Days of the Dead celebrations here in Mexico. The scent and colour of these vibrant flowers guide the spirits of departed ones towards
The Legend of Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl
The Legend of Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl On a clear day, the towering white peaks of the legendary Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes can be seen from the great metropolis of Mexico City. Rising beyond 17,000 feet in elevation, these two majestic
THIS WEEK’S STORY Three Little PiGs or Three Little Pixies?
This is the first published version of what was to become The Three Little PiGs. THE FOX AND THE PIXIES Dartmoor, England. There was once a fox, who, prowling by night in search of prey, came unexpectedly on a
Tellabrations in Brazil – February 2018
FEBRUARY 2018 On this latest adventure I’ve told a suitcase full of stories from around the world including a couple of Brazilian tales I’ve had in my repertoire for ages: Sambele, the story of a very cheeky monkey and The
Clive in India 2017
NOVEMBER 2017 Adventures in Storyland continue courtesy of Authors Abroad. Telling tales in International Schools in Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Inadvertantly brought back a bullfrog in my suitcase from Myanmar in September. A cobra from India in November? Here’s the