FIVE QUESTIONS FOR PEACE

Vijf vragen voor vrijheid........Five questions for freedom. Wie ben ik dat ik ...............Who am I that I de vragen mag stellen............may ask the questions die verwoorden wat...............that put into words in jouw en mijn hart leeft.......what lives in your heart and mine of dat van mijn medemens?........or that of my fellow men? Waarom zijn er grenzen...........Why are there borders die het leefgebied...............that lines the living area van mijn naaste..................of my fellow creature aangeven of dat..................and borders them or van mijn vijand?.................the area of my enemy? Wat is de norm...................What is the standard die afbakent wat.................that marks out what van jou en mij is,...............belongs to you or me, wat van ons of...................what is ours or van die anderen?.................from the others? Waar leeft de plicht.............Where lives the duty die oplegt wat...................that orders me what mijn werk voor jou of............mij my work for you or me betekent en wat voor.............has to mean and what anderen gedaan wordt?............has to be done for others? Hoe vrij is de vrijheid..........How free is the freedom die bepaalt wat..................that defines what jou en mij toekomt...............what is due to you and me wat ons gegund wordt.............what granted to us en wat voor anderen overblijft?..and what is left-over for others? 5 vragen voor vier en vijf Mei..5 questions for the 4th and 5th of May en de rest van het jaar..........And for the rest of the year. Nan van Daalen. 1982. Translated 11-11-2008. Copyrighted.

SUNLIGHT FILTERING THROUGH SPRING LEAVES

A BUNCH OF RECKLESS ANGELS

A bunch of reckless Angels.

At the feet of Jesus were always some Angels, not only glorifying Him, but together with Him gazing to the world. He was also listening in to the prayers, but they often only listened half, for they could not imagine the sorrows of a not perfect world like Heaven was.
And while He had not only time to help those, who needed Him most, He also had time to welcome the souls, that came back home.
That little bunch of Angels did not feel spoiled by being in His presents, no, it was the most normal to be so in Heaven, and what is normal, seldom is appreciated.
So one of the Angels got fascinated by the glitter and glance of the big city’s, the casino’s, the dancing girls and sighed: “Oh, I would like to experience a life like that!”
Another of them was fascinated by the work, a woman did by helping those, that had the most urgent prayers, but did not like the solitude of a convent. So she sighed: “Oh, how I would like to experience a life like that, it would feel like Heaven for me.”
A third of the bunch said: “No, I do see on the other side of this world a lot of pristine land, with plenty of room to roam free, work with the nature, I would be more happy there!”
Yet another and another did see places, their heart yearned to be on thatr places, and Jesus, in His wisdom said: “Did I not teach you, that each and all have its destined place in My plans? That some people have to learn from an experience. That other people do need many life’s to come to the wisdom, that their soul has been given by My Fathers Creation of the universe?”
The bunch of Angels, always sticking together and chatting, when Jesus was busy with something else, nodded yes, but the words did not fall in rich soil, so half of the meaning was lost.
The next time they spoke words like this, Jesus sais: “My lovely praising Angels, My Father did create you to sing His glory in Heaven, be satisfied with what He gave you. And remind yourself to be sure what you do ask for. You even can get it, and when it is not, what you thought it was, you stuck with it.”
The Angels again nodded yes, but had no idea, what Jesus was talking about, while looking at the outside was something different from seeing the inside of a humans mind and soul.
And they were not created as guardian Angels, so they did not got the wisdom. That does fit that job.
The third time Jesus said: “I did warn you, my lovely ones. There is only one cure to heal your yearning: I will send you to live a life on Earth. But nobody of you will meet each other, before you do recognize a kindred soul in the other. All of you will experience the troubles, you did overlook between all the beauty life also gives. Your life’s will be rough and hard ones. The troubles, you did overlook, when we together did look ate the world, you also will experience. All of you will keep the spark of recollection, how Heaven is, and have the urge to make life on Earth just like that.
I keep you Savior and hold my eyes on you, but you will have free will, like all humankind, so I cannot predict, when we are together here again. Do you still wish to go to Earth?”
Only one Angel did see, that the Creator placed her in the right place, the other ones were to curious and all said, they wanted to go.
So each of them got a different place of birth, a different fait to live through, according to their desires in Heaven. But each also was given a task to fulfill before their life should end and the lessons were learned.
Some, who did have the desire to help humankind, without being in a convent, got very hard lives, for they did need a sturdy base in their soul, from where they could do the job, they were yearning for.
For them the memory of Heaven was the only thing, that sometimes could help them through very hard times, and often the were on their knees, asking the Lord: “Why does this all happen to me Lord?”
They had to remember to be faithful, see how their experience could help others, before there was peace able in their hearts. Others had different, but equal hard life’s, sometimes by their own eagerness to live in glitter and glory going through the opposite: from the outside glorious, from the inside empty and hard.
They had to learn, that love is found in your own heart and multiplies by giving.
And there also were those, that did not loose their faith, they kept searching for the others to give them the love, they had still in their soul. Now a few of them have met, they only do not realize….
Lets keep in touch until our time to sit on His feet again!
© Nan van Daalen.

OUR LITTLE PEOPLE ARE GETTING READY

42: Our little people are getting ready.

Outside the snow still is thick on the ground. When we do go out, we are huddled in thick coats, mittens and hats, and if possible thick boots with 2 pair of stockings.
I could still make a snowman yesterday, but still… there are some flowers peeping out of the snow.
Last week I did see the Snowdrops, a thick bunch of them, so I enjoyed: spring is coming soon. Yesterday, just before the snow, I did see the first blue blooms on a Hyacinth, so I stopped to look.
But this morning there is thick snow on the ground again, and the frost was severe. So cold, that soon we can skate not only on the fields, we set water on, so we could skate safely, but also on the ditches and wider waterways.
I do wait, until a grownup tells me, it is safe. Do you know why? I’ll tell you.
Once I was as little as you are now, and I did not listen well. The ice did look lovely and thick, so me and some friends dared each other to try if it was. We told each other: the smallest one first, than one who is bigger and so on.
I was the smallest one, but when only one foot was on the ice, I already went through! Luckily the bigger ones could help me out, and I had to run home with one wet and one dry leg! Brrrr!
It was that cold, I was happy I had not gone under totally! So now I am careful, like you also should be.
Our little friends are much lighter, and they use the snow-shoes I told you of before: when they walk, it looks, like a big bird have walked there, while on the underside they made markings like that.
And may, may, are they busy now!
They almost have a double duty now! Very busy preparing for spring, but now, with the late snow and ice, they also need to rescue the animals, trapped in the ice, or who cannot find their hidden food, while there has to much snow fallen in one night.
So they even asked the elf’s to give an extra hand, while it is almost to much to do at the same time: preparing for spring, ánd taking care that as much as possible animal friends survive the sudden cold.
So there is an going in and out in the dwarf-houses. Luckily not to much of the heat escapes, while there are those extra doors, while they often have to go in and out. That doors keep the heat in.
But the dwarf mom’s are also a bit in the spring mood for their dwarf men did bring in some nice smelling flowers of those Hyacinths. We do not see, when they with careful hands take of one bloom from a stem with a lot of them. Now their houses smell lovely.
They only hope, that spring is not waiting to long any more, for the rooms with the help food are already half empty, and that is not good for their friends.
So they do ask from us: will you too help us to bring our friends in nature through this long cold winter?
That also can be fun: who does not like it to make a long chain with peanuts in the rind for the tits?
You can ask an older person to do the tread through the needle, if you cannot.
And when mom does have some fat left, you can poor in some seed, you can find in a pets-hop, or may be even collected for that purpose in autumn, and ask for some breadcrumbs to lay on a sheltered place, where the little kitty-cat cannot come and catch the hungry birds.
Than our little friends have more time to do some ‘spring is coming’ duty, we cannot do.
Why cannot we do that? Do you know where new bulbs or other flowers are growing under the snow? I cannot, they can.
It is, as if their noses are double good, like dogs-noses, so they smell out new growth, and when to much snow is on top, they take a big part away.
Not all at first, for than a frost would freeze the new leaves, a thin layer of snow protects the leaves for to much frost.
I now stop telling, for I have a pot full of fat, that is used a couple of times, so it needs to be renewed. And I do have bought in autumn a few big sacks of seeds for birds in the pet-shop.
So I go now, and stir all together, put some old sultana or onion sacks in the bottom of old cups and poor all in.
Tomorrow, when all is hardened, I do bind this close and can take them out, to hang in the trees and bushes, besides the sling of peanuts.
All the birds in the neighborhood fly by, for I do this each year.
I am a grown-up. I can work with hot fat, and not burn myself.
You will ask for help from somebody, old enough to do so, will you not? I am sure of that.
So when we wake up tomorrow, and not are going to have some other tasks, you will help too?
But please, be careful, like our little friends.
For now we know that we have, just like them, to be aware of hot from the fat, but also of the cold from the snow and ice, and also, that the animals need us too.
But spring is almost in the air… we just have to wait a bit longer!

© Nan van Daalen.

WHAT HAPPENS IN BETWEEN WINTER AND SPRING?

43: What happens in between winter and spring?

That is not the right question when we talk about our little friends, it must be: what happens in the year, after a winter dwarf becomes a real spring dwarf.
Well some answers about that, you already got before.
But today is a special occasion, we are following a special winter dwarf until he is a real spring dwarf.
This winter dwarf told me his name, while I was allowed to see and hear lots of all I am going to tell you.
His name is Olly, and the dwarf maiden, he fell in love with, is Dolly.
They did meet at the winter solstice party and had a big laugh, when both reacted when Olly was called from the other side of the circle.
So this year Olly did make the big climb in the Sequoja tree, and became the dress, his Dolly was going to wear when the dwarf’s wedding was. And on that same day many other dwarf couples got wedded.
After the feast, they got free time to finish their own house.
Remember, that special house with the double doors, so water, wind and unwanted guest would not come in?
That is hard work, for certain when it became clear, they soon had to build 2 extra rooms!
Why 2 extra rooms?
While dwarf women have so much duties underground, but also with healing, they mostly get only once baby’s.
Baby’s? Yes, mostly twins, a boy and a girl, so they always have someone to play with and learn together, what dwarfs need to know.
That is, why Olly whistled his little dragon friend, and asked him: do you know where I do find the softest down? Together they went there a couple of times, so the baby dwarfs did get the warmest mattresses and duvets you can imagine.
With his fox-friend he went for bigger pieces of soft, but sturdy wood, so he could build them nicely decorated beds, and small chairs.
And Dolly went to her animal friends for wool to spin thread, and weave little clothes. And special for her some far flying big birds went to the cotton fields to gather that, so there was enough variety.
In between they also had to dig, make the sides of their house sturdy, so the earth did not fall down when a big animal or human passes by the tree, they had chosen for their living. Luckily all was ready in time.
That is, while each year, this happens, and all the other dwarf friends do help, like they were helped themselves also.
And like human baby’s, dwarf baby do grow quickly, so they also got some nice things, other dwarf children outgrew, like some clothes and toys.
You see: they do love their children just like your parents and family do, but they are also used, not to spill anything, that can be used again with a bit of care and cleaning.
Just a few weeks, before the baby’s were born, there was the special baby shower, where everybody gave the new to be moms and dads gifts.
And still unexpectedly soon there sounded 2 loud crying baby dwarfs in the house: a good sign, for than they have healthy lungs.
Well, you remember, what you mom did, when you were smaller than now, do you?
She gave you something to suckle on, with a bit harder rim to help you getting teeth, so you could sleep.
Luckily Ollie and Dolly had helped out with family when they were kids.
That they were longer than we are, for dwarfs get so much older than we will be.
And by having even more responsibilities, they do need more time to learn all, they do need, even how to care for kids. Dwarf kid and animal kids alike.
Also all about plant and medicines from plants. And who wanted to learn a craft, went to a teacher-dwarf to do so, and mostly lived there, until they were ready.
All this Olly and Dolly also had done, and their twins would do the same, growing up slowly, so they also could help all in nature, animal and plant, and sometimes even, without noticing by them, some human.
But first our lovely dwarf, like all other before them, shared the first year together, so the mom-dwarf could manage alone next spring, when her husband had to go out, to do his duty outside, and has less time to help out in the house and with feeding.
So now you know, why there is a year between being a winter dwarf and a spring dwarf.
I do think is it a very clever solution, that nature made with our dwarfs. And what do you think?
Does it work the same in the human world?
I do think only a little bit the same, mostly the daddy does not get a year of for building his house and helping in the first difficult months. But they do together, as much as possible, is it not?
The other difference between human and dwarf is: you can be an only child, the youngest or the oldest of a few.
That dwarfs do not have, they only have that one twin brother or sister for life, so they are very close.
I do not know what I do like more. I do have brothers and sisters, and you? All in nature comes the way, it is the best, when we take care of things.
But that you are learning very well, now you are growing up, is it not?!
© Nan van Daalen.

On the other side of the world with our little friends.

44: On the other side of the world with our little friends.
Today, while stirring a big pot of thick, wintery soup, my little friends did get an emergency call.
How? It went piece by piece, every time given on to the next fire dragon or big, long flying bird.
And before you ask why, I will tell so: Our dwarfs and elf in Holland have a lot of experience with floods, very wet weather.
That they have not so much on the other side of the world on a continent, that is called Australia.
So the last messenger from there was a Storm-petrel, a bird that mostly can fly for days on end on the winds and airflows.
And so it went on until it arrived over here, and had to ask help to get warm, while it so terribly cold now.
The moment it did clapper with his beak, but could speak again, it said: “I am hungry!”
The other birds of the sea, the seagulls, who had flown with him for the last miles, went out and were catching him a lot of herring and other fish.
After eating Petrel the finally could tell what he came for.
“We do know you are terribly busy with winterfeeding, saving animals of the ice and so on, but can you please share some of your dwarfs and elf to help us?”
“What do they have to do? If we know, we wake the right ones. And the ones, we can miss for a couple of months, for Australia is not just around the corner!” one of our friends commented.
“You see, only once in a very large number of years there does fall that much rain, we have a flood. This year there is so much rain, even the dried out seas in the inland, that only had water 2 times the last 100 years, are overflowing now.
That is a tread for a lot of animals, that usually do live on dry land, even desert like surroundings.
Do you have some older and wiser dwarfs and elf to spare, who can give us directions, how we can handle things?
You see, we also like to store the water for next years, while it might not rain for a lot of years to come, so that makes it a double problem.” The Storm-petrel said, looking very hopeful.
Luckily, after some deliberation, they did remember Wander, the dwarf with the fire dragon, that so much liked to travel.
They also remembered, he had studied all the water works over the world, with this making the long messenger trips he had made, les boring. So he was the perfect dwarf for the job.
There also was an very tiny elf, that seldom came out, while he easily was blown away.
By that reason, he wrote all the stories, everybody told him in the books of the dwarfs and elf, so no knowledge went lost.
“But how do you want to bring an elf to the other side of the world, when on the ocean there is always wind, so I mostly glide on it, to use as less as possible energy?” the Petrel asked.
“We do have, from a time about 50 years ago, a kind of armor of leather, which should fit around him and can over your neck and under your belly.
You only have to ask other birds during the trip to feed you, for he cannot hold his breath that long, or would freeze when wet.” The Petrel nodded.
“After a good night rest and some more food from my friends, can we go? It really is an emergency”.
All agreed, and the next day Wander and his dragon, with a small rucksack with food and a book of the elf flew besides the Petrel, with on his back, just before his wings the tiny elf, in thick, warm clothes and also with some elf food on his back.
3 days they flew, and the message went faster, while the birds with nobody on their back, and only a small piece to fly, took care, there was on every resting spot food and for the elf and dwarf a fire, if wood was available.
In Australia they went not only to the wisest of the dwarfs, no they too went to the elder of the Aboriginals, knowing, they also did remember story’s of thousands of years.
So together they found the solution, one that the humans that came to live over there much later than the Aboriginals could not know.
In some parts under the dry seas and rock, there are basins, hidden under big rock formations, and to be sure, the sweet water did not go at once to the sea, the entrances were closed.
But nobody had thought, to ask the people, who did live that long in this country.
And by themselves, there were not enough of them, to open up all the necessary entrances, so the water could go down, but was not wasted.
All and everyone did help, while the other people did see the Aboriginals opening the way to the basins, did lower the water.
They were not wise enough to see the dwarf, only the kids could, but on that moment nobody had time to listen to that stories: the land had to be dry again first.
When all was done, not all the water was gone underground, but most, and the sun would help, even as the new growth on the new harvest, that now could be planted.
And Wander, the elf and the fire dragon?
They had the time of their life: such a large helping adventure.
They did meet a lot of other little people, fire dragons of another kind, and did do as we all try to do: help nature, just when it does need that little bit of extra help.
For the next years there now was stored underground water, that slowly would fill the tiny water wholes in the inland through the small cracks in the mountains.
Nice to know, is it not?
© Nan van Daalen.

Green leafs and promises of coming spring; Author Nan Van Daalen

45: Green leafs and promises of coming spring.
The spring is slowly traveling North. That is the way it looks, when you live on earth. But when you were an astronaut, traveling in a space station around the world, you would see something different.
The world is turning around the sun, and while it is not a straight line from South-pole to North-pole, but that line is a bit oblique, we got seasons.
You can ask mom and dad how that works, or the teacher can draw this on the blackboard.
Now the seasons in the north are coming to spring, while that side of the earth is turning very slowly more to the sun, while in the south part of the earth it is just the other way around.
I did see the first Snowdrops before it began to freeze again, but luckily the are created this way, they can survive some frost.
I really do hope, the frost stays away now, but certain, we can only be in my country, when it has been the first half of the month of May.
Than all trees start getting green leafs, and not just the very early ones. It is than, the spring dwarfs and elf, the fairy and new fire dragons are very busy to make the world the most lovely place there is!
And do you know what? I am going to help them this year a bit extra. How?
Well, I will do it in several ways, and for most we do not need that much.
A pot with earth, a plastic bag or half a see-through plastic bottle and some seed.
I did lay extra last year some seed of the peas, instead of eating all.
And I dried some beans and put them in a sachet with the name on it. After that I did store it on a dry, but not freezing cold space, with some flower seed and cress.
And with the last I will start, while it does taste so well, and it even will grow on a layer of cotton wool, when mom will give you some plant-food to put in the water.
Hmmmm, I do like cress on my bread! And it only needs a day or 10 to grow, before you can ask if an adult will use the scissors, to take of some to eat.
The other things need a secure timing. Why?
When you do plant a bean, after you have soaked it over night so it is not dry anymore, you have to put in your pot with earth, water it, and cover it either with the plastic bag or the half bottle.
That you do, while that way, you make your own little green house, just like in the grown up world a lot of farmers do, so we also have fresh vegetables in winter besides the ones, that are preserved or frozen in a shop.
But is it not much nicer, to see for yourselves how things grow in the window sill? And to keep looking every day, if the earth in the pot is not to dry, while inside it does not rain, that YOU have to provide.
When you have done this in the right time, than all plants you had under a cover, are so big, you can plant them a bit apart in separate pots with very, very careful fingers, so the roots do not damage.
There will be an adult around, who can tell you, how to do this, I do hope.
Than the big moment comes: there is no frost anymore, and in the same time your seedlings have grown so big, you can plant them in the garden.
That way, you have earlier than others your own beans to eat.
But also your own plants, that give such a colorful display in spring.
And all of that is, while you got a little bit homesick for green leaves and spring coming, even when you do like ice skating or skiing in the snow. The one thing you do outside, the other you do inside the house.
So, now I do not have time to tell more, for in my part of the world spring is in 6 weeks, so I slowly have to start with my ‘helping nature and myself’ thing.
I already made an empty spot in the window sill for the cress, and in a few days I will soak the beans.
With the flowers I will wait another week, but that is not so easy, for this seed is so small, I have to be careful, not to put to much on the same spot, but I did it well last year, so I will do it this year too.
For I do like a flower-full garden with Easter, so than all has to be out.
Therefore I start now. And you?
Will you start too, or do you have the patience to leave all to the nature and our little friends?
Me not, I do like to see as soon as possible the green leafs, that are the promise of coming spring!

© Nan van Daalen.

The message of the deep diving dwarfs, Author: Nan Van Daalen

46: The message of the deep diving dwarfs.

Some kids do think dwarfs only do live on land, but I shall tell you a little secret: some do live on sea too.
Oh, I did tell you so before? Good, for today our dwarf friend Wander and his very wandering fiery dragon are ready helping the flood victims in Australia.
But Wander and his little dragon would not be a pair so special, when they had not already found a new wrong to set right. But again: they cannot do it by themselves, they do need our help.
During the long trip to Australia, they did fly over the great Barrier Rif and of course they were very, very curious about all, that was to see there. The little dragon had to stay on top of the sandy spots, that kept above water, while the salty water of the ocean would have smothered his ability to make a flame.
And of course, that would be a disaster for a fire dragon, do not you think so?
But Wander dwarf did fly along the reef, until he found some other dwarfs, that did live on small boats.
From that base, they could help the Rif, but now these dwarfs were a bit out of idea’s what to do to help.
Oh, I hear you ask why?
Well, our little friends cannot do something, when we humans are doing the things wrong. We are with a lot more and much bigger. So when we are not careful, we do make a lot more mess all around the world. How you can help? Let’s ask the deep diving dwarfs.
They dive deep in the water, and do use their own invention to be able to breathe under water, like we do use pressed air. I am to big to see that, so I do have to believe what our friends do tell me. Now they are very sad. And only we can make things better. Why and how?
It is this way: the Rif does look like a big underwater forest with wonderful colors. In that forest do live thousands of fish in the most wonderful colors: it is like a world of its own.
Corals are build up by very tiny little beasts, that do need each other to sieve all the food they need out of the water. But now we make such a mess of our world, and put so much in the air, that does not belong there, the water is getting hotter. That makes the food of the corals swims to cooler water, and slowly the coral is starving, it is going to be white like skeletons, and does not grow anymore.
That makes, that all the tiny and bigger fish, that have their home on and in the Rif slowly loose their place to live. But what can we do about such a thing, so far away at the other end of the world, and also deep inside the ocean? We are so far a way and still so small. But we can too.
We have to decide, and do not say with everything new we see: that I want to have too! And when it is a little bit colder, we can put on a pull over or a sweatshirt instead of setting the heater a bit higher.
Than we are warm enough too, but the air keeps a bit less hot. That helps a bit, but when we all do, that together makes a big lot, don’t you think?
But before Wander Dwarf comes home, let him tell of the beauty, you can safe too by acting good.
He has told me about corals, that sway in the waves like lace on a branch. He told about other kinds of coral, that has tiny ending, that ‘flop out’ like an opening flower, that do sieve the tiny foodstuff out of the sea, or the ones that looks like a Porcupine with dull stings, among which the little fish with the colors of a clown do hide and lots more.
Lets hope, we act all with responsibility, that is a difficult word for just using your head and think first and act than, so we can make a good choice.
I plan to do that, so in a couple of years the Great Barrier Rif is still there and growing again. Than may be you can have a holiday there, and with a good guide, who does tell you how you can keep all intact, and as beautiful for you to show when your kids have grown up.
Are you with me in helping the little friends and nature? Yes?
Well, I do think so, let’s do it all together, to keep our world as beautiful, no may be even more beautiful as it is now, while a lot of new growth did get a chance!

© Nan van Daalen.

Flying home the long way Author: Nan Van Daalen

47: Flying home the long way.

We have followed our wandering dwarf to Australia to help with the floods, and afterward, when he did see the Great barrier Rif, and now he is flying home with his little fire dragon friend. But Wander dwarf would not be Wander dwarf, when he went straight home. Or did you think he did?
If he was not curious, what was behind the next mountain, or under that big, tall tree, his fire dragon was.
Fire dragons mom was right: her son did deserve a special dwarf friend like Wander, just as curious as he was, even when he still was in the egg!
When you are a bit bigger, you will learn all about the lands of the world, and the place, they do have. But Wander dwarf and his dragon friend are curious now, and luckily we can have a bit of a look over their shoulders, while in one way or the other, all what they adventure, ends up at this pages. Nice, is it not?
The easiest way to fly home, told the great Storm bird, was going along a long row of larger and smaller Islands, people do call Indonesia. There would fire dragon also be able to meet some of his distant relatives, while there are some volcano’s too, even ones, that every now and than spit a bit of fire or hot steam. So they took that route, and landed in a volcano, that for our eyes seemed calm: only some steam, nothing more. But fire dragon did know the spot, where he could find his relatives: the hottest place.
To do that, he left Wander dwarf in an Indonesian temple on the roof. There were a lot of carvings of fire and other dragons, and some bigger and smaller images, of the Gods, that were prayed to in this land.
Wander did go around with a dwarf, living there, and he could eat his belly full with nice hot food. So he did wonder, why it was so hot in the mouth, while it was not on his hands.
“That’s from the peppers”, was the answer. “In most hot countries people also do like the spices, that make the food hot in the mouth. Than they do not feel the heat outside so much” joked one of the other dwarfs. “And they do drink enough, what is very important in a warm or hot country”.
This way, our friend was learning more and more about how all in nature stuck together, that all, that grows in a special place, has a reason for growing there. He had to tell the fairy Queen and his friends a lot, when he was home again! So he did not liked it to go on, but this time his fire dragon was the smartest: “We do have ½ a world to fly back, and we cannot take a life time for that!” so off they went again.
The next stop was in Singapore, while that city is on the tip of a peninsula. The buildings rose sky-high. The ships filled the harbor, and it was hard to find a small one, belonging to a water dwarf, so they went to a Temple again, that there also were in abundance.
This stop, they wondered, why all buildings faced one way, and the streets mostly too. One of the oldest dwarfs told: “in this country people do believe in balancing things. They do call that “feng shui” and that is a very old way of thinking. This way, you get most out of the sun, the breeze, the waters and how they do run, without disturbing nature. You make sure, you do life with it. Some humans even think, it brings luck.”
“Luck” asked the little dragon, “everybody who does live the proper way with nature will have the luck to get all, that nature has to offer. That is what we have learned.”“That is true,” the oldest dwarf told, “But did you not notice, that a lot of people do forget how to live with nature nowadays? Therefore this is a good way, to tell about it, just like other countries do have stories about how to work with nature.” “You mean, like our people tell about the dikes and the floods, and in other counties they tell about the elephants, who eat certain fruits, and thus help to plant new trees with their droppings, or the beaver, who builds his house and that way makes the river flow another way or…” “Stop, stop, you did understand what I told. Sometime the story’s people do say are folklore, have a lot of wisdom hidden in them, only mostly not about machines, more about people, nature and how things should be. So now you have a few more story’s to tell to the little and big people on the other side of the world. When you have eaten and slept, you two better can leave,” he ended.“Why?”wondered Wander. “While it is the season of the winds, and than they do go the way, you want to go to come home. You do not want your friend give some extra burden, just while you did not see something of our town, do you?”“No, of course not. But how could I know about the winds?” he answered. “Well, that is were other dwarf and elf friends are for. This time you better take the route above land, and in every place you stop, search for a little people friend. That way you never can go wrong, for they do know their living place the best of all, so also how to use it.”
And that is how I like it, and you?
© Nan van Daalen.

The new dam builders: the Beavers ; Author; Nan Van Daalen

49: The new dam builders: the Beavers.

Did you hear that tree falling? It was an enormous thud, and all the branches took other branches with them. Still, nobody was hurt. While everybody around did know, it was going to happen.
Of course, while our little friends did tell everybody, that their friends, the Beavers, had woken up out of their half-sleepy winter slumber, and start building again.
That is something, that happens all over the world in spring. And we have learned lately, that all things in nature have a reason, mostly good, even when we do not fully understand all yet.
Why can Beavers build a dam and it is good for nature, and sometime we humans do build a dam, and besides the electricity it often creates havoc? Do you know?
Well, one of my little friends did tell me. Beavers build their dams as a home, that in the same time is there provision store. That is: they do eat the leaves and bark of trees, and the softer branches, while the inside is sweet and nutritious for them.
To get what they need, they have very strong teeth to gnaw the bark, than the inside of the tree, going around it, until it falls. Than they take of the braches with their teeth again, and pull them in their home, called Beaver dam, to strengthen it and have food for a long time. Are they not very busy and hard working?
And while they do love their food fresh, and a Beaver family cannot eat a whole tree, no also not a smaller one, in one go, they do build their dams on a place in a pond or river, where most time of the year is enough currant to keep all fresh.
So they create the landscape, that is fit for them to live in. And the water gets deep enough by this, to have the entrance of their home under water.
This way the young Beavers in spring are happy living in protected chambers of wood, surrounded by the food they need, as soon as they do not suckle anymore.
And between the Beavers home and the rest of the water, there always is place for fish to spawn, that is laying their eggs, between the branches. So it also does protect other animals.
And what happens, if we humans interfere, while we want a good fishing pond, that is deeper than the one, the beavers did build?
Well, they look at the digging from a distance, look at the food store that is also there, and when the spot stays perfect, and there are enough young trees, that promise food for years, they come back and rebuild their dam.
That story went around in this spring festival, while it was that time of year, when all came together, remember? The elf did tell this story to us.
In my country a lot of people are glad, that there are Beavers, that create a special sort of landscape. Some people go out there in a canoe to watch them from a distance.
The little people also are their friends of course, for the wood, to heavy for the Beavers to be drawn to their dams, is used by other animals, so nobody does notice, the dwarf and elf take a share for their own homes, to create the safe place for themselves and the animals they do help.
This year the spring-solstice feast in Holland is celebrated in the Biesbos, a nature reserve, where our Beavers do live, and a lot of other animals.
The Beavers did create a dry place, by letting the trees fall in such a way, they could gnaw of the big branches, and after that there was a circle left, for every one, who wanted to celebrate with them.
What a pity I am to big, and have to do, with what my friends do tell about it! It was marvelous.
But I have not told yet, why our dams are not always good, while the Beavers dams are. Well, we do build our dams strong and nearly straight up, and make holes in them, where we put machines in to make electricity for the people.
To get enough power, the lake behind it has to be huge, and the holes for the water small, so the currant is strong. To strong for the fish to pass by or lay their eggs.
And some dams are placed in rivers, that are the only place, that some kinds of fish can lay their eggs. That did their parent fishes a long time already, and all other animals counted on that for their own food too, while that is how things go.
Although man have thought to make a kind of stairs, where the fish can swim and each time leap to a little bit higher spot, it often does not work so well as what in nature was created.
So what can we do to help all, and also ourselves?
We do look very well what is happening, and if we need a dam or create something else, we look how nature itself did solve the problem.
We like to go fishing when we are grown up too, at least I would.
And you? Just as I did think, you too!
© Nan van Daalen.

One of the big secrets of the little people : Author: Nan Van Daalen

# 50 One of the big secrets of the little people.

Shh, listen… listen very well, for this is a remarkable story, not many kids have heard. But you will today.

In all the stories of the little people, the dwarf and the elf, the fairy and the little fire dragon, but also of their bigger friends, you have learned something about how nature works.

You also have learned, how they always do their duty, to help all in nature to go the way, it is created or to say it easier: meant to work. And now, on the verge of one of their special feasts, that of the spring equinox, I am allowed to tell you, how they themselves find the power, to this difficult job.

Their parents did teach them from very young, what they have to know, but about one thing we did not talk before. How do they find the rest and strength to do all this busy things, and keep going on as long as necessary? For you will have understood with all those stories, they do al lot.

 Well, they are told, how to reach inside their own self, get the calmness that is needed to do their job.

We humans do have such a thing too. It is know by different names, regarding to what you do believe.

The most people would call it praying, so they open their mind for the help they need. A lot of other people, from other parts of the world would call this meditation. What that is?

Wow, that is not so easy to explain, but I will try. When you do pray or meditate, you are sitting very quiet and concentrate on one thing. Praying is concentrating on telling God what lives in your heart.

Meditating does work a bit different, but end with the same result: you find out, what lives in your heart.

Our little people do that every day, and in their heart they do find all the beauty, our Creator did put in our world. So they do find out, how all belongs together, bounded with the light of creation.

That is difficult, is it not? Not really, you can say it simple too. Have you ever tried to make a bowl of clay?

And what did it do, after it was finished, did it stick together? Sometimes, when you did it right, it did, other times it did fall apart. And when the bowl was finished and still in one piece, was it baked in an oven, to become like the bowls your porridge is in?

Well, than you have created a small thing of yourself.

You have concentrated to do it well, and done all the steps to finish it. That you have to do too with meditation.

First you sit silently and easy, so nothing will disturb you. Than you put away all the thoughts in your head, that make it so busy. Just think of nothing and be calm, wait.

That is not easy, so you can teach yourself to do so, like the dwarf did learn: they did think of the light of a candle. After practicing a number of days, that light in your mind guides you to what lives in your heart.

You only follow that, just look and listen, let nothing else be there.

Well, we have to practice that a lot, before we are as good as our little friends, but they did learn how to do so, when they were very young, and they did see their parents do so too.

May be you did see your parents do so as well? Or you do know, how to be calm and pray, so there comes peace in your heart.

In this peace in your heart is a special thing: it shines like the candle and gives light in your heart.

And that light is, what our world keeps together.

But you have to look and listen well to discover it. Sometimes you do see a glimpse of it by seeing a beautiful rainbow, or just a pattern of light on the water.

Or some beams of light shining through the branches in a dark forest. Or you do hear the music of nature in the singing of the birds, the murmur of the brook, you just walk by.

But be not afraid, when it does not work at once: you have a long time to learn all this things, just as you now have mastered to speak and play. And you do know you have a lot more to learn before you are grown up.

Do I myself try this? Yes, of course.

My little friends would not trust me with their stories about all, that concerns them, when I did not do so.

Do I always succeed? Sometimes not, but I try again next day, for each day brings a new thing in your life. And that can be a new understanding too.

The little people ask specially for understanding their duty in this world. And they ask for the love, that is needed, to do that duty.

Each and every day again. So I do the same.

And you? I am sure you will try.

So you do learn a bit more every day of your life, like we all do. And our little friend do too!

Waiting for or doing? Author: Nan Van Daalen

 #51 Waiting for or doing?

Waiting for or doing, that is the question in spring for our little friends have each year. Just like you and me they cannot wait to see all the lovely colors spring brings, so they nearly look the flower buds open, instead of waiting to help a little bit. They just like us love the fresh smells of spring, that is brought by the new growth and more and more are cleaning out their winter sleeping places, so new leafs get the chance to make a fresh roof over their walkways, like in the Fairy Queen tree.

Yes, you do remember well: the winter dwarfs, that are going to be spring dwarf next year, came on solstice time, so all are awake now. But you still have to look very well, to see one of our friends, for there is not so much to hide outside, where it still is a bit cold, and so much to do out of our sight.

So what are they waiting for, so they really can start doing their duty in nature like each year?

They are waiting, until the Ice-saints have had their name day. That is 13th, 14th  and 15th of May, and those take with them the last frost of the year below the high peaks of the mountains, where they do store it till needed again next year.

So some things our little friends can do: in places, where the sun burns a little bit harder, they already are very busy, for there has not been real snow and ice, except for high in the mountains.

And in the lower lands, more to the north, they still have to have a bit more patience, while over there the snow stays longer. There the time for real doing is scarce: a Snowdrop here, a Daffodil there and in very covered places a few Pilewort flowers above their round leafs.

The people who still tell the story’s, they have heard from the Mothers and Grannies, are now going to look for Dandelions and dead nettle, for they do know, there are a lot of good vitamins in them now, that people do need after the harsh winter. And the dead nettle does not really sting, so early in spring.

Besides that, the cure against that sting is always growing close by: Hoof-leave they do call this in the low countries. When you do crush a leaf of that and rub over the nasty place, all sting is gone.

Tell you how you recognize the right plant? All nerves in the leaf go from stem to point in a straight line! And it has yellow flowers, just in spring, when you need to recognize them, is that not great? So we can make a spring salad or soup with what we found with our first long spring walk.

And what are we doing? Are we waiting or doing something in spring?

I did not wait, the first seedlings are coming up in my window seal, like I have told you before. The first sandwich with cress did taste very fresh and herby, and I cannot wait, to harvest another one. The first sprouts of the one-year-flowers are already small, little tips in the pots, but not big enough to put in a bigger one. And when it is May, and they can go out, they are fully grown, ready to bloom.

Did you try this year to help our little friends? Did you try to look at nature how it grows, when you take care of it, like an adult can teach you?

Well, in that case, you are a lucky one, for your own eyes can see the beauty of our creation, and for most things you even do not need a real garden, although it is lovely to have one of course.

A big pot, just outside the window, so you can water it and see very well what happens, is also a little garden and when a lot of people do that, our big cities grow even more beautiful by that.

For that we only need the stories of our elder people, who did so before us, and to look how nature does work is nice, but does ask for patience.

While almost noting in nature does make haste, good things grow slowly.

So, although I do know it is to early now, I did look in my little garden and took away some of the nasty looking dead plants, I am sure they did not survive the very cold days.

And I did see the first new leafs on my strawberry plants, so I do know, I also now can plant some tomato-seeds in the window seal.

So coming summer my bread will taste mmm, delicious,  with my own grown topping berries.

And yours? I do think you at least will try.

Or will you have to wait a bit longer? Not me, I will go on!

Of that I am sure.

The Cyclamen

THE CYCLAMEN

In the garden of the Lord he planted some bulbs too.
All had to go into the dark earth, to be able to get to leave and flower later.

Than Spring came, and some small, quick ones came into bloom, praising the fresh air and the room they had, thinking it was all there was created.

Next came the later bulbs, and they did see, there were leaves on the trees, and the later ones still did see the blooms in there too.

And still, there were some bulbs, laying dormant, wanting to bloom too, although not their time yet.
They did struggle with the darkness, the ongoing season and their own still being in the dark.

Until summer came, and all others did loose their freshness, the leaves already discolored and out came the Cyclamen, who had waited until autumn, to give the world her beauty before the dark days of winter, just as The Lord had made it.

And only now the Cyclamen did understand her struggle and waiting time.

And she also understood, she had her own beauty and place in His eyes.
And we?

We do enjoy this flower of autumn, delicate, although late in season.
We are thankfull for her beauty...

copyright Nan van Daalen

Christmas fairy tale

The little people and the secret of silence.

On that one, wondrous night, when a star was traveling through the sky, all people did hear a sound, they never heard before. A choir of Angels, the singing of the animals, each in their own way.
And in between all, there was that very tiny Baby, that had a big destiny. What is so different with all the other destinies?
That is what is hard to understand, special when you are not grown old and wise.
But in that special place also were the little people, for they are everywhere, something important in the world happens. That is, while they are a part of this world, a very old part.
And you and me?
We are much, much younger, so we have not learned that much, our little friends have learned. But they are trying to teach us their secrets.
This is what they do tell of this night: When you are small, you still can find it more easily. Why? I’ll tell.
When you are looking with the eyes of a small child, you see all as if it is new. When you looking with the eyes of a grown up, you not only see things, but they are mixed up with memories.
Memories, of what your eyes did see last time, things were as this. So If you see a Christmas tree, there also is picture in your head of the trees, you have seen before.
But that wondrous night, there was no example of something like that before, so everybody did see all that night with the look of a small child’s eyes: for the first time. That must have been marvelous.
The little people watched and were wise enough, not to say much: they just watched and listened, and when the little baby was sleeping, they did ask: “What will be the difference between this Baby and all the other new born babies?”
And Mary smiled: “It has a special gift from His Father, but it is a burden too.”
And the little people were silent and thought.
After a while, there were other visitors too, and they did hide between the animals, the straw, and the wool of the sheep, but silently listened well, and did see all.

After this visitors were gone, they asked again: “What is the difference between the joy over the birth of this Child and all the others?”
And Mary smiled again, while Josef did cover the child up with his own head scarf, so it would be nice and warm and could sleep.
“This Child will carry the world on His shoulders, and thus bring it back to the arms of His Father again.”
About that the little people had to think long again.
And they did so in silence, so the Baby and his Mother could sleep and rest.
Than there were for the third time visitors, very important ones, with presents and a message.
The little people did see and hear all, and when this ones were gone, they not only had a question to Mary:
“Why do you have to take flight, when all do know this Little One is so important?” Again Mary did smile, knowing the Father did send His precious Son for the big and the little people, but not only the normal people, no also, or just for the bad people.
“You do know that not all people do, what is right, do you?”
The little people nodded yes, but kept their mouth.
“This important people did tell us about somebody, who want to be more important than anybody in the world, and that cannot be.”
The little people nodded again, silently knowing, while they had lived as long as the earth was lush and green, and they had been given the instruction, to keep care of all. They knew, and did not need words.
So they said: “When we go with you silently, and unseen by anybody, who is not as wise as You and the Baby, can we stay with You, be of help, and keep doing, what we always do? For it was His Father, who asked us to keep care of nature, and He is now also a part of it.”
Now May smiled, and she nodded.
“Now I also can tell you the difference between Him and all the other baby’s, but also, what is equal.”
All little people did listen very, very careful.
“What is equal in Him and all other baby’s is, they are born with His love, and have a chance, to make something beautiful of their life.
Some baby’s are born to do something important, like My Son, other baby’s also have to do special things, for what they are born.
But only He has the burden of the whole world on His still tiny shoulders.
When we look at all people with the same love, we have learned the first lesson, my Son will teach the world again, while the world seems to have forgotten that.
And there are more lessons to teach, but also more burdens to carry.
Stay around in the same thoughtful silence, and do think deep and well, just as you did today.
Than you will be welcome companions on our road, for that will not be easy. You found a very good way, to receive His message: listen well, look well, and act with love.”
Than they packed all, they could carry, and on the back of the donkey the long travel began.
And in silence, the little people stayed around, and like they helped nature, they also helped the Son of the Creator of Nature and the world all is on.
© Nan van Daalen.

Christmas Angels.

Little Christmas Angels.

A skirt of gauze above cart-board,
what gleaming glitter here and there,
awkward little finger tinker
with cotton wool, glue and scissors.

A little head becomes a thread to hang,
angel’s hair flies all around.
A tip of a tongue sneaks out of a mouth,
and glitter all about.

Scissors cut the little wings of lace,
one also gets a bit torn,
the silver paint spats all around,
the head becomes some color.

A second Angel is included:
a small trumpet at her mouth.
Rickety, oblique and instable
made by a child’s hands.

Finally Christmas-day is there:
they all hang in the tree,
a series of little angels, rickety, oblique
a children’s Christmas dream.

Nan, original 1993, translation 2011.

Chapter 20: Plans for the future.

Chapter 20: Plans for the future.

More sleepy than they ever had thought to be, Billy and Petra woke up after their hour of sleep.
Mom was a bit concerned, while Billy did look so pale, but he did not feel feverish. He ate a hearty breakfast, so she believed him, when he told, he had a very long dream with lots of running and so on.
They all laughed, everybody sometimes did dream that way.

Petra escaped all the teasing, by not showing herself, before they were on their way to Nemo.
Nemo also did look, if he had not slept much, which was true.

It was too interesting, to read about how far technology in the world had developed, a thing, the Atlantians only could hear about, when the mermaids did rescue somebody.

Lately only Billy’s parents were scientists, al others had other jobs, important to know about, but Nemo did like to know all he could and investigate.

“Have you slept a bit tonight?
I have not after you were gone, and there was a big heap more of those sacks in the hallway this morning.
I did not hear you, while I was reading about decompression.”

Billy did rub his eyes again, Petra did yawn a bit, but their eyes were on his face, waiting for him to explain.

“I do think, the Lady did lift a tip of the veil of the future, by telling you to learn, as hard as you can. So your whole family will have to do.
For we are so deep in the ocean, we cannot go up in a very short period of time.
The normal world is not of paper!” he joked, with a wink to the kids.

“Decompression is simply said: very slowly getting used to less water pressure and another mixture of air.
Divers do use different air as the normal air from the world under the sun, or on dry land.”

Here Billy laughed, and told: “In Homeland it always smells fresh, and feels light, quiet different from here!”

“How that works, you will learn in the next years.
But to keep all of you healthy to do some missions for us on dry land, a group of the humans is slowly going up, each month a few centimeters.

For that we have to design, and make, with the help of a lot of this books, and our own special knowledge, a special bubble, that will not be discovered by people, but allow you all to adapt to the other conditions.”

“Why could that not earlier than?” Billy wanted to know.
“I do know my parents sometimes are homesick, although they are lucky here.
They do miss the family on dry land, who now must think, they do not live anymore.”

Petra smiled, looked at Nemo, and almost at the same time they said: “There is a time and place for everything.”
There after they both said something different. Petra said: ”my grandmother told” while Nemo said: “the old books say!”

They started with sorting all the things they collected in Homeland.
“Do I have to learn áll that is in there?” Billy wondered.

“Yes, most of it, but this bubble is not build in one day, as the one that brings the humans up will be.
We take all the time that is needed, mister impatient!”

Than Petra told, what they had thought to ask, so Billy would not say the wrong things: the writing assignment about the house of knowledge.

“That was a good thought,” Nemo answered.
“But soon your parents will know about the going up project.
Let’s start and bring all this knowledge to were it belongs.
After that you have to leave it to the Atlantians, the Lady, and the adult humans, how we share what we know by now, or what we can use.”

“But you have not told one tiny bit of the secret of the healing stones,” Billy sulked a bit, also while he was that tired.

“Well, that is the last I will tell you, before the hard work of bringing all this to the house of Knowledge begins.

You have seen the Axels. You do remember, I did tell you, the world also does have an axel with the same color follow up.
There are also spots, we Atlantians do know, that conduct the energy of the stones from one place to another.
The crossings of those connecting points have even more energy.

Some of this knowledge is saved by the humans as folklore: they do call this path ways ley-lines and the crossing are vortices of power.”

“What are vortices” Petra asked.

“The more energy-rich crossing points.
Some people can feel them, and before electricity most people could feel, they were on the good road, while it was a ley-line-road.

They did build churches and important buildings on this spots, feeling their power.

Well, some of the humans have the difficult task, to burry a heap of powerful stones in buildings like this, or along this lines.
They do have to do that, with out others knowing it, or those easily can destroy it or take it away.

This way slowly the world should be brought into its right balance again.
More of the secret, I am not allowed to tell you now.
Still, you do not have to wonder until you are a scientist yourself, Billy.
Petra will learn as much as you will, while she is your lifelong friend.”

“Did I hear right, the Lady sometimes can come and visit you?” Billy asked curiously, while this made, he was not the only one with a Homelander friend I the bubble anymore.

“Only a few times alas, Billy.
She can, when we do draw her a drawing of my study, the one with the locked book case. Petra will bring that to her.
But while she is the Lady, and does have so much important tasks, it will be not that often.”

Petra told: “Sometimes, there also are friends, that have a great different in age, may be your friend is not born yet” she consoled Nemo, and at the same time let her friend know, he wás very special.

“So let’s start with our own great project, so you, and some others can go up in a few years time as our ambassadors.”

“Ambassador?”

“That is somebody, who can speak for another country or people. It is a very important task, so we start early, more early as I did think before.”

So all went on with discovering learning, and preparing for a clean and healthy future of our world.
On dry land a lot of friends did, what they had to do.
May be we meet some of them in the future, knowing they do have a friend, but mostly not, while we cannot see the friends of others outside Homeland.

And in the bubble Billy, Petra, Lilo, later even Violet and their parents came together with some other humans, when the time was right, and they started the long and slow way up.

But that is another story, may be later we do tell about.
For now how our Homelander friend Petra met Billy and what adventure they had together ends.
But knowing Homeland, and also knowing, it is were all the real secrets of life are saved, you will hear another story about what will happen to them, when they do tell me.


© Nan van Daalen, all rights reserved.

Chapter 19: The big ending ceremony of the Pow Wow.

Chapter 19: The big ending ceremony of the Pow Wow.

Billy and Petra had really a nice time. In between they had to go to their own flag, while the sacks with material for Nemo became to heavy.
Than they took just new ones, and went on, looking, asking, dancing dances from all over the world.

They did taste food, that also was so very different from what Billy was used to, he had to be careful not to eat to much, for his tummy was very full after trying so much different things!

Luckily there was another circle, that had a pool, so they did meet Purple again, who dared them to swim for speed, not showing, she easily could have won each contest. After that Billy was hungry enough to try another bite when he did see something, he never dreamed of being there.

Special the food and clothes intrigued him, being used to very simple ones.
All did look so more colorful, had such different kinds of taste, he was afraid his food home would seem boring, and he said so.

But Petra said: “when you are home again, you do remember how it was, but it never stands in the way of your daily life, remember that promise?”

That made it a bit easier, his life was not always a celebration like this, and again Petra was the wisest of them.

“We do learn in our bedtime stories, that when you have a party every day, it is not a party, but also not normal living.
So enjoy the day, like he comes, and make the best of times like this, so you have a good memory, for when your day does not go smoothly!”

“Your mom and grandmother must be wise women,” Billy said.

“Well, they must be, for I did grow up in Homeland, were all secrets of life are saved, remember?”

Than the Elder came round to announce the last secret ceremony.
They did announce, that all had to prepare for leaving, when this was over in an couple of hours, while otherwise they would not be home, and in their bed at the right time.

And specially for the kids that was very important.
Billy and Petra did look worried to the heap of sacks, they still had to take home, although they did bring so much already to Nemo.

” Hopefully there will be not to much extra we get,” Petra sighed, “otherwise I am afraid we have to mirror hop several times,” she said.

“Did you not always say: in Homeland all is possible?” Billy laughed.
“Keep trust, all will be alright!”

“Now I do act like I am the one, who is here for the first time, you really are the best friend I can wish, while others may be had laughed about me.”

“That I do, but not about you, but to you, so we laugh together.
So lets go. Time is nearly up.
It will be very, very difficult, not to tell the others about this,” he ended.

“May be we can ask Nemo for writing lessons, in which you have to tell about what you have learned about the world above in the house of knowledge, and than tell about that?
Remember that for tomorrow, but now we have to go,” she urged, pointing to all the others, looking their best, and slowly walking to the Secret Circle.

There the drums were already beating, the flutes and other instruments sounded great.

One could not do different as join the others in rhythm and dance, so all danced, like there was one long chain of dancing people.

The most lovely was, it was like there were beads from all corners of the world, while each did wear the costume of his land of origin, when that still was in use.

Billy had a great look, and wished, he had something, like he had seen Lea use: a video-recorder, so she could save all not only in her head, but also to look at.
But alas, that was not there in the Atlantian bubble.
He had to be happy with very good look.

Than Lea came to dance besides him and softly whispered: “I will send Cindy some photo’s, and she will give them to Petra, but you have to promise, that you keep them safe at Nemo’s house, otherwise it is not fair to your siblings.”

After that she danced back to her own place, behind Cindy.
When the dancing finally was over, Wise Feather sat down with next to him the Lady and the Elder.

Than the speaking began.

Only in this case, most came from the Lady, that was the difference with a Pow Wow on dry land, were people came to solve problems between each other or did seek for healing and consultation.

Wise feather held the talking stick with the eagles feathers on it in his hand, so he was the one who could speak first.

“All my friends from Homeland, and the world we come from, My Lady and the Elders have some special words to say.
So all I will, and can do is thank you all, for being here, and both working that hard, still making it a big celebration.”

Than he gave the talking stick to the Lady.
And as always, everybody could hear each word she said.

The lady also thanked everybody for the hard work, and went on: “I do know, that it looks strange, the small tent in the middle of the secret circle.
We have put it there with a purpose.”

Here everybody, also the kids, looked with much anticipation, for they still did not know for certain, what would come of all their hard work.

“I am glad, you all did also have time to celebrate, to learn, who everybody else is, and what was done already.
It was nice, we nowadays have a big circle of friends, but from olden times on, when there is need for much help, there also do appear a lot of friends.
How come, is one of the secrets, that are saved here in Homeland,” on which word almost everybody did laugh loudly, remembering a time, or circumstance, they did forget about that.

When everybody was calm again, the Lady went on: “as you do know, I have been with Petra and Billy to the Atlantic Bubble, but just as you, I do not know, where precisely it is situated.

Only Nemo told, his ancient books tell, it will be some more years from now, before we will meet outside on dry land.

But he has made a plan, for which he needed all the crystals you together did collect, and sorted.
But to make it possible, to implement this plan, for the little ones, that means to make it come true, we have all to make a sincere promise.

Nobody will tell about this when home, while Atlantis, and their knowledge for now have to stay a mythe.”

Everybody nodded and a buzz went round the circle.

But the tone did say, they did understand, as well that they did expected, that people, who did not have a Homelander friend, would think, this was just another fairy tale or old story.

On went the Lady: “”Starting with the people, were the sun rises earliest this day, everybody comes through the pavilion, together with their Homelander friend.

There me or one of the Elder will give you a task, something you have to take care of. Some will need for that some of the crystals, we gathered near the crystal flag. Others will need something different.

We are not allowed by Nemo to tell each other, what we are going to do with the crystals, for when there is a rumor going around the world, there are so much crystals hidden, greedy people will destroy the balance in Nemo’s healing plans.”

Again a buzz went round the circle, and the Lady did let them talk for a moment, knowing, they better could do that here, as in the world.

When all calmed down again, she went on: “Do not think your mission is less important, when you did not get any stones with you, for it is not.

It is just the best you, and your friend can do on the place you do live.

Or just important for the whole planet, like the boat-cleaning project, you all did hear about, as the new trees, that are going to be planted, to protect the world.

This way, I can go on till tomorrow, when all of you have to be home.
So now I say goodbye to everybody, see each of you in the pavilion, and after that: have a good mirror hop home, and success with your missions!”

After this, she did give Wise Feather his talking stick back.
He used it, to tell everybody, who was a bit impatient, now the Pow Wow was over, to wait his turn, and he did lead all in fine order.

Billy and Petra got an extra message for Nemo, and the words: “You two will have to sort out in your lessons with Nemo a great lot, we still are not allowed to know.

But be brave, and courageous Billy, it cán be you, who is starting to bring the Atlantian knowledge to the humans of dry land.

So still it is important to learn your lessons well, to come in Homeland every now and than, so you will not look to strange about the world of dry land, when you are that one.

Now go, we will meet again.
Do not forget all those information for Nemo!”

After this, they did say goodbye to a lot of friends, and all kept their promise not to tell, what they had to do.
It was a pity, they would not see each other that often, Billy thought.

But on the other hand, not being used to have so many people around, he was very, very tired too.
It was really as Petra and Cindy told before: that one night in the normal world had been a week over here, so they had all the memories, tiredness, and happiness of that week together too.

When they mirror hopped home, they did see, they could bring the sacks to Nemo, and still had an hour of nice sleep to go, before another day began.

© Nan van Daalen, all rights reserved.

Chapter 18: The big Pow Wow, part 2.

Chapter 18: The big Pow Wow, part 2.

After so much fun and some sleep, Billy and Petra came by a group, that were talking around a flag, with a big, blue ocean on it.
And it was, as if suddenly a memory-switch in Billy’s head was turned over: Purple!

She was the one, with whom all this started, after Petra had come through the mirror. She was the one, who was crying about all the dirt in the oceans, who did make him aware of the word environment, and what that could mean.

Why did he not remember before, Billy did ask himself.
So in this ocean-group he asked: “Does anybody of you know Purple, and have you seen her around?”

Petra looked a bit guilty too, and did softly ask the same to Homelander children, in case the humans did not notice a mermaid.
But here in Homeland all could see, what was going on, so they pointed out, that Purple had a swim to have a great breath, while in the water breathing worked better for her.

But after that, she would swim up the wide ditch, they specially did dig for her, to all circles about the oceans, so she could be there too, and have her say.
Billy and Petra decided to wait for their friend, while Moy and Dory went to the group, with only crystals in their flag first.
They would come over to tell about it, they said.

“That was a lovely thought,” Petra said, when they left, “but Nemo had a lot of questions for them, so we have to go there our self.”
Billy nodded confirmation, but was distracted a bit, while his old friend Purple came swimming in.

“I knew you would come here, or in the other groups with a ditch. This friends have something you will not understand, but Nemo will.
Most of these people are Oceanographers and environmentalists.
That means, their profession is knowing all about the ocean, and the other are very concerned about the pollution, and nature, we talked about that before.
They also came together in the real world,” and there she did laugh loudly, “what was a bit awkward.”

“Why” Petra asked very surprised.

“While when they had met here, they did see each others friends, and when they did meet at an meeting about the pollution, they knew, the others were there too, but they only could see their own friend.
So sometimes they had to go, and sit in a separate room, so they could talk some things over, by asking their own friends!”

Again she laughed: “It is much easier, to have the Pow Wow over here, in Homeland! But the advantage of what they did is, they now do know things, other people with no Homelander friend are busy with too!”

“But how do I tell Nemo, what all those adult scientists are doing, I will not understand most, I guess,” Billy said.

“Not necessarily,” one of them said.
“We did put all on paper, for the Lady told about Nemo, and the knowledge of the Atlantians. So here is what you came for, and Violet can tell in words, you do understand, what is in it.”

This Violet told: “They did invent a kind of factory on a ship. It does resemble a big fishing trawler, only the catch-side is in front.
With that they manoeuvre through the heap of waste in the oceans.
Than sort it out in things, they can re-use by melting, like plastics, and what they have to burn.
The heat of the burning does help to make the plastic melt, so they can directly make either something useable of it, or blocks of plastic, to use later.

Sounds rather complicated by me, but they say, they can do it, so the beasts, the fish, and my friends do not have any trouble with that any more.”

Petra smiled: “that will make you and Nemo very happy!”

But Billy said: “Factories are polluting, I did understand, so how will make that both happy?”

“Me,” said Purple, “while I can stay a mermaid, my folks will not be discovered, as long as we stay out of the way of this rubble-recycling-boats.

And Nemo, while he will see in the papers, they use a part of the rubble, to get with of it, and still re-use, what they can.

Now go on to Moy and Dory, for I do see them waving. There is something going on over there in that circle.
I have to swim a round to come there too, so I can listen in.”

Away she swam.
Billy and Petra picked up the books for Nemo, put them in their carry bags, and went to the crystal circle.

When they arrived there, they had to protect their eyes, for enormous heaps of crystals, sorted to what kind, and what color were made, were laying ready for what there had to be done.

“You are just in time,” Cindy said, who was there with Lea, the Elders and the whole group, that had collected the crystals.

“You do see, that we have worked hard, to do as Nemo has asked.
We even sorted the crystals in the follow-up Nemo suggested by his color axel.

Here,” Lea said, handing them over some sunglasses, “put these on, so you are not blinded by the glitter and shine over here!”

Than the Lady took over again.
She said to Billy and Petra: “We have had about 1/3th of the time, we have to fill one night on earth.
But now we are shorten up your time a bit, by asking to wake up Nemo, and ask him, what he wants with the crystals and the maps.
We will tell him, we duplicated all, so we have enough maps and color-axels for a lot of people.

But we now do not know what to do with them, because our healers only do use crystals with human healing, not with earth healing.
Can you take me with you with the extra drawing please?
I am the only one, who can go everywhere, we have a drawing of. That is because I am the Lady.

I myself will take the pink/purple secret crystal with me in the box.
And all others will wait here for us.
For them it will be a short moment” she laughed.

With big eyes of wonderment Billy and Petra only could shake yes, took their mirror and the drawing of Billy’s bedroom, and with the 3 of them they mirror hopped to there.
Very hush they went outside to Nemo’s house, who was wide awake, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Welcome, Lady, Petra and Billy. I do see a lot of filled sacks, put them over there, if we do not need them directly.
Take a seat at this large table Lady, and you two too,” he pointed some nice chairs.

On the table was one of the maps, he had drawn, but there was a difference with those, he had given them before.
On certain places was drawn an axel of the colors, he had given them.

“Look, My Lady. This is, were all is done for.
You see some of these axels, and some are small, some are large.
I tried to give in centimeters how big they have to be.

There are other spots, that only have one color, and in that color group has to be certain crystals, I did write down by name.
They are marked with the round, colored spots with a number, that says, how much weight they do have to have.

On these spots, all over the world, you have to burry the stones, that have to heal the world.
As you see, there are 2 sorts of healing going on at the same time. The how I am not allowed to tell even to you,” he said when he looked in the Lady’s face.

Than he went further, knowing, the did not have much time: “The people, who do so, are to do this in a way, they will not been seen or in a manner, they are going to be found to soon.
Can you manage to give out the maps and the stones in a way, that nobody does know, where the others put them?”

The Lady did think for a moment and said: “I will do so within the secret circle, and give each one with a friend an instruction, just for them alone.
The smaller ones have to do something for the cleaning up in their own surroundings, or writing something for their classes.
Only Dory has to know, while one of the spots is on her Grandfathers land, but she will not tell.

Than I will end this big Pow Wow with the secret dance of White Feather, and announce a smaller Pow Wow in another ½ year.
There they have to show the things they made or pictures, like you got of this beautiful stone.”

After that she took out the secret box the stone, Nemo longed so long time to find again. Nemo sat down, totally flabbergasted with the honor, but his face was also gleaming like a star of luck.

“Will you take it back, or can I keep it here?” he asked after a short while.

The Lady answered: “The box still seems to want it back, it draws to the stone, so the time for you is not right.
We have learned to listen to an omen like this.”

“Alas,” Nemo sighed.
“But it was an honor, to see it, to hold it, and have such wonderful pictures of it, therefore I could complete my book.
Now, before to much time has gone for Billy and Petra, I have to say goodbye!”

“You are right, my friend.
But I will come, and visit you once in a while, when you made a drawing of your room, and give it to Petra, who can bring it to me.

We have lots of things to talk about, but you do still have not a Homelander friend. I am the only one, who can.
There is a lot to do for me, so it will be not very often.”

Nemo answered: “It would be an honor.”

Billy and Petra had rolled the map together while the adults were talking.
They knew, not all was for their ears.
Nemo or the Lady would tell, what they were allowed to know.

Than Nemo left the room, so they mirror hopped directly to the Lady’s tent.
There Cindy and Petra waited, together with 3 other very trusted friends.
They were send to collect the maps, and were told to mark each one with one axel or colorspot, and than write the name of the friend on it.

Billy and Petra were send to go around the nice things of the Pow Wow, they did not visit yet. So they could see all, and take with them, they had not gotten yet for Nemo.
They had a lovely time until the ending ceremony whould start.
© Nan van Daalen, all rights reserved.

chapter 17: The great Pow Wow, part one.

Chapter 17: The great Pow Pow, part one.

That evening, after playing with his sisters, listening to a story of mom about how they at university were trying to make the Kirlian photo’s that down here, in the bubble ware so normal, Billy asked: “would you like to go back to dry land? Or as you say, to the surface again?”

Mom did ask: “Why do you want to know?” and she did shake her head in wonderment.
“Would you, if you had the chance? And why do you ask?”

“Well….” Than a moment silence followed, “I do not know.
But since I have been in the house of knowledge, I do know there is so much more upside the land, I keep wondering.
And than again, you tell about the university, and how you tried to make those nice color-bubble photo’s Nemo just has to put on a machine for.
Than I do think: the Atlantians, I do know.
They are my friends, and maybe they do know more than the people on dry land.
I really think, I have to learn more about both. Is that silly?”

Mom did shake her head, and dad, who had just listened in, said: “may be the people did learn a lot more in the 10 years we now do live here.
I do not know either. But I am satisfied, mom and me did not drown.
We can do work we like to do, ánd we have you three kids.

In one of the other bubbles do live more nice dry-land people.
May be there is a time, we slowly can go back together, when all kids have grown and things like Purple said lately about pollution, are not solved.

Lets talk about that another time, when you have been sleeping, for that time is already past, and mom and me also have to discuss this with the others.
Promise, we will let you know!”

Billy looked satisfied, although he did know what his father did not: tonight he went to Homeland.
And if the story’s Petra told, were true, this one night for his father, could take more time for him…
So he kissed them al goodnight and happily went to his room.

He and Petra had laid ready the last things to take with them in the bags, also the last drawings, and their new mirror with the books, Lea and Cindy did make for them. They were ready, but they tried to rest till lights should go out.
So when those lights finally went out, their great mirror hop did start a real adventure.

They ended on the place, besides the tent of the Lady, stepping immediately out of the lines, so someone else could use it.
Waiting for them was a line of people, so for the first moment Billy looked a bit shy. So many humans he never had seen together.

In his mind he did miss the trusted form of the longer faces of his daily friends, the Atlantians.
But this was what he had been longing for, even had worked so hard for, so he swallowed his pride and fears, and with his head up high, he asked Petra: “And what now?”

Petra looked for Lea and Cindy, knowing that the most they had done with Nemo, also was investigated by them, and their group of people.
Out of the line came a little boy, very proudly carrying a flag with a book and some crystals.

“Hi, Petra, and you must be Billy.
I will bring you to the circle, that is for those, that have books or drawings ánd crystals. In there are also waiting Cindy, Lea and some elder people, but also a shy little girl, that just as you only once was in Homeland.
Will you help her a bit? Here it is,” he pointed, before he went back to the line to fetch some more people, that should belong to this group.

Lea and Cindy were talking with two very young girls, who hardly looked old enough that they could read.
But both had necklaces of crystals around their neck and arms.

Cindy told: “these are Moy and Dory.
Moy belongs in Homeland and Dory in the mountains of Montana, on high ánd dry land, one could say.”
“And I am Billy from the bubble under the sea, and my friend is Petra from here. What a lovely necklaces you do have!”

Dory said, “I did look for the crystals, that Moy did show me.
My grandfather is a miner, he does know a lot about stones and always tells about them.
Most people do think it is boring, of why do you not sell them for money, but granddad said, there comes a time we are going to need them.
So he stored them in a place, only me and Moy are knowing about.”

Petra, Cindy and Lea were interested, while Billy pondered about the question, so he asked directly: “how does your granddad know?”

The circle round them all became a bit bigger, some more people with books, drawings and crystals joined in and listened.
They did behave mostly, if they knew each other from other times, what was correct.

“Grandpa’s father had a Homelander friend too, and he told this stories, and what adventures they had to my dad, and he to me, so I was not so very surprised when Moy came through my new mirror.
We played a lot with the stones, made necklaces and other nice things with them, and only once before I came here to meet the Lady, who told about the Pow Wow.
Will you help me? I do not know how that works?”
Billy confessed: “I also was here only once before, and while I do live under the sea, all is strange to me.
I never have seen so many humans in the same place! But we have nice friends, and those around us look very friendly, so let’s stick together.”

Lea said: “That is just, what this circle is for.
Cindy, being the lady’s great niece, is the one in charge.
All the others know about what we are doing, and looking for in this circle.
Most have met in between the time the Lady said we will have this Pow Wow and now.

But before we start talking, there will be the big opening ceremony.
We all are going behind the boy with our flag.
The oldest and wisest in front, the ones that are from Indian heritage, who look so nice in their costumes” she added for Billy and Dory,” will dance on the sound of the drums.
When we all are in the secret circle, Wise Feather and the Lady will welcome us, ask the great spirits in the sky, that other people do call God, or Allah, or even other names, for guidance to find, what we do seek.
After that we all dance to our own circle, and go and do the things we came for.”

And so it happened.
It was a lovely, colorful view, some were in nice dresses, Billy later certainly would ask questions about.
But now he had to keep his attention on how he had to dance on the tones of the drums. And even more, to understand all, Wise Feather and the lady told about the why of this Pow Wow.

Luckily Lea and Cindy could explain a lot about all later.
That was very nice, for Petra only had met Wise Feather once, and Nemo had nothing in his books about Indians or other native tribes.

Before they start comparing, what they did bring with them, they did choose a table for food, and did put there a bucket with water and some towels.
Nobody did like their books or drawing fatty with grease of the food.

And on one table, the stones came, everybody did collect, and had no need for to get them back home the next day,
Stones Billy and Petra had not, but Nemo’s drawings and the lists they made, were as good as gold.

And little Dory did already know, she had to leave her shiny toys behind, like her grandpa had told her, as did Moy.

All people in the group wondered, how come, they did not know, there still were Atlantians in few secret hiding places. But when the Lady said so in the secret circle, it hád to be true.
And Billy, living with them, had brought knowledge, most people did know a tiny bit of, like the force of the stones, or the sequence of the colors.
But not much people did know, you could combine most, or that the earth had the same colors hidden in itself.

Carefully they did lay down the drawing of the axel.
Cindy suggested: “Is there some of the elder people, that can make this big copy’s now, mirror-hopping home? And of that list of crystals and names. And when done, come back immediately?”
Two ladies nodded and volunteered, one saying: “When I do the Axel on my color copy machine, nobody will ask, even if one by accident is fallen on the ground, while I am an artist, who is discovering all there is about colors.
Can you do the other ones? In that case, we are back in a whimsy!”

So they decided, and the ones who stayed behind, looked at all the books, now laying on the other tables.

Each table had a motive, so Dory did ask: “I cannot read well, but I do see, that the pictures are almost the same.
Is that while one book is about what Billy calls chakra’s, and another about mountains?”

Billy admired the little girl, for his reading was also not very well yet, but she was right.

Than the Lady and the Elder came in their circle, just when the others mirror hopped back with the copy’s.
Together they talked, how they should divide the tasks.

Than the Lady did ask Billy and Petra, Moy and Dory to come with her outside their book-crystal circle.
There she told them, that a Pow Wow for children also was, to learn about what others do.
To have fun in discovering.
And to see, what more there was in the world.

So she did tell them: “Do not worry about time, as your friends have told before. When this Pow Wow is over, there only will be gone one night in the real world.
So you can go with your friends everywhere, you want to know something about.

Everybody will show you, what they are doing or talking about in a way, you understand. Have fun kids!”

Than she waved and went on, busy like always.

But first Billy and Petra had to tell Nemo’s story about the axel of the world, with the same colors as the axel in everybody’s body, the backbone.
And that Nemo said, they should search as much as possible sets of combinations of this axel in crystals.
And if that was done, they were allowed to go back to the bubble, to fetch some information, Nemo still was working on.

Than the others, seeing the eagerness in the kids eyes, did send them looking in the other circles, while they were looking, what was the same, and what was different in the books of the humans and Nemo’s Atlantian drawings.

Billy and Petra and all the other kids had the time of their life.
In almost all circles was something, they were interested in, or good to taste, or just a nice soft place to take a nap, before going on dancing, talking, asking or just back to their own circle.

Life was busy, but good in Homeland during the Pow Wow.
Billy almost wished, it never came to an end.

But he also knew, there were serious things to do, and he would miss his mom and dad and sisters to much, even Nemo and his Atlantian friends.
So he did the most logical: he enjoyed as much he could, while also asking all questions he could think of.
He even asked some people to write down what they said, while he did not understand what they were talking about.
So slowly but surely the bags, Petra had laid ready, were filled with the answers Nemo was looking for. And in the mean time, they made a lot of fun too!

© Nan van Daalen, all rights reserved.