The house was quiet when Oliver climbed out of bed. He could barely see the trees in the moonlight that shone over the mountain, and to himself, he thought, “I still have time.” He quickly tossed an old cloak over his pajamas and then set about leaving the house.

            The floorboards creaked as he walked to the front door, and in the other room, he could hear his father tossing and turning in his bed. He knew his father was worried—The Emporium was the source of all magic in the lands, but it had been locked up tight and no one could cast any spells. Confident he could find a way to reopen The Emporium, Oliver stepped out of his house and into his dark village.

            He crept behind dark houses and sneaked past sleeping dogs to reach the edge of the village. Beyond the wooden fence was a dark forest, with towering trees and blinking yellow eyes between trunks. Oliver wasn’t scared, though. He puffed out his chest and hopped over the fence, charging bravely into the trees.

            He walked along a dirt path until it abruptly stopped at a giant tree, one as wide as a house. He walked around to its far side and saw a white stone doorway made into the wood, lining the entrance to a dark voice. Oliver stuck his hand out and reached inside. Though his fingers disappeared from view, they felt warm. He shrugged and stepped into the void, disappearing from the forest.

            When Oliver opened his eyes, he was standing in a stone room lit by torches. In the corner was a wooden chest, splinted from years of disuse. He opened it cautiously and stumbled back sputtering as a black cloud erupted from the chest.

            Behind him was a high-pitched chuckle. Four short green goblins stood behind him, their skin wrinkled and jagged smiles stretching their faces. “What are you doing here, Little Adventurer?”

            “This is no place for a boy your age,” another goblin laughed, taking a step toward him.

            “I’m trying to unlock The Emporium!” Oliver proclaimed proudly. He pulled out a wooden sword and brandished it towards the goblins.

            “The Emporium is closed?” one goblin asked. He opened his fingers and tried to cast a spell, but only a small cloud of purple smoke came from his palms. His shoulders sagged.

            “No, no! We can’t have this!” another goblin spoke up. He walked over to Oliver and placed his wrinkly hand on Oliver’s back. “Come on, we’re taking you to the Boss! We need to get this sorted out.”

            Oliver and his gang of goblins walked through the dungeon. They passed room after room, and in each one, new goblins, spiders, and gnomes appeared. They were all ready to tousel with Oliver, but when they heard the news that The Emporium was closed, they wanted no part of it. By the time Oliver stepped into the final room of the dungeon, there were at least thirty creatures with him.

            From the depths of the room stomped the Goblin King, with a club in one hand and sandwich in the other. He frowned when he saw his minions approaching with Oliver. “What are you doing, Little Adventurer? Are you taking over my dungeon?”

            “The Emporium is closed! No one can cast any spells!” one goblin yelled.

            The Goblin King took a bite of his sandwich thoughtfully. He didn’t like the idea of not being able to use magic either. “I’ll tell you what,” he said through bites of his sandwich, “I’ll give you something that can help on your quest.” The Goblin King reached into his pocket and pulled out a thick silver coin. He flipped it to Oliver, who could barely hit it in his hands.

            “What’s this for?” Oliver asked, but there was no one left to answer him. All of the goblins, spiders, and gnomes disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, making Oliver cough. He waved away the smoke and found the door to leave.

The sun was already up when Oliver stepped out of the forest and made his way towards Unby, the sprawling city just beyond his little village. It was a place people went to talk, trade, and celebrate—if anyone could tell him about his silver coin, they would be there.

            He stepped through the city gates and ended up on a wide stone street, dodging adventurers with large swords thrown across their backs, women riding horses, and dockworkers walking with giant armored penguins.

            Curious, Oliver approached them. “What are you doing?”

            “Preparing an expedition,” the dockworker said. He sat a wooden box on a wagon and wiped his forehead. “We’re traveling to The Wilds tomorrow to draw maps.”

            “What do they do?” Oliver asked, pointing at the armored penguins. One walked up to him and bent over, looking him in the eyes.

            “They’re our navigators—they’ll tell us which way to go so we can come back home.”

            Oliver nodded, but the dockworker could tell something was on his mind. “What’s wrong?”

            “Would you know anything about this?” Oliver asked. He pulled out his silver coin and handed it to the dockworker. The penguins surrounded him, studying the coin. A few moments later, he shrugged and handed it back. “I don’t know anything about it, but you can go to Enlad’s—maybe someone there will know.” The dockworker motioned to a small building on the edge of the street. A few people lounged around outside talking merrily.

            “Thanks!” Oliver exclaimed.

            “If you’re interested in mapmaking, come to Port Chean—we’ll be setting sail from there in a little while. We could use a fresh face.”

            Oliver thanked the dockworker once again before the man loaded up the wagon with a few more boxes, hooked the penguins up to it, and then set off down the busy street.

            Oliver pushed through the door to England’s and stepped inside. Jolly music and jovial laughter poured from the room. Oliver found a table of young people, only a few years older than him. They looked bored. “Hi there,” Oliver started.

            “Are you having trouble with spells too?” a young girl spoke up. She raised her hand and tried to cast a spell, but all she managed to make was a small cloud of purple smoke.

            “We found out why The Emporium is closed,” a boy explained. “Someone didn’t like magic, so they locked it up.”

            “Who would do that?” Oliver gasped.

            “Some say a bully’s dad is an evil wizard, so he got his dad to lock it up and throw away the key so none of us could use magic. I’ve heard the key is a silver coin.”

            “Do you mean a coin like this?” Oliver held up his coin. The older kids’ eyes lit up, and one snatched it from him.

            “This is it exactly!” He exclaimed. “You’ve got to get this back to The Emporium!”

            “How do I get there?” Oliver asked.

            The kids all thought for a moment, and then one lit up with an idea. “Go to Port Chean! You can get the dockworkers to take you to the island The Emporium is on.”

            The sand was squishy and uneven beneath Oliver’s feet. He stepped from the dirt path onto the beach and worked his way down to the shore. Many people in similar uniforms marched back and forth, hooking up floating wooden platforms stacked with boxes to the harnesses attached to gigantic, person-sized penguins. When the dockworker spotted Oliver approaching, he finished hooking a platform up to a penguin and walked over.

            “Little Adventurer! You took me up on my offer.”

            “Not exactly,” Oliver smiled. “I found out what the coin is for.”

            “Oh?” The dockworker smiled. “How can we help?”

            “I need to get to The Emporium.”

            “All the way out there, huh?” The dockworker motioned to the open ocean. In the distance was the hint of a castle, sitting on an island far out into the sea. “I didn’t think it was open.”

            “It will be once I’m done with it,” Oliver grinned. He held up his coin.

            The dockworker understood. “Do you need a ride?”

            “Sure do!”

            The dockworker looked around. All of their platforms were either full of boxes or full of expeditioners waiting to set sail. “Come on, let’s go!” one of them yelled.

            “In a minute!” the dockworker yelled back. He motioned to one last penguin who wasn’t hooked up to anything. He guided Oliver towards it. “This little guy was going to be our navigator, but we can spare him if you want to take a ride.”

            “Really?!” Oliver’s eyes went wide and his mouth curled into a gaping smile.

            “Of course. He can take you to the island. Just let him know when you’re done, and he’ll bring you back.”

            “Thank you!” Oliver grinned.

            The salty water splashed on Oliver as the penguin swam atop the water. He held on tight to the leather harness and was amazed when he managed to not sink below the surf. The castle grew closer quickly, and within a few minutes, they were at the rocky shore. “Stay here,” Oliver commanded. The penguin nodded its head and plopped down on the shore with its orange feet in the edge of the water.

            Oliver walked up the rocks until he eventually found the entrance to the castle. Its wooden door stretched high above him, and in its center was a small, round, silver circle, just the right size for his coin. Oliver pulled out his coin and put it in the center of the circle—and it worked! The door creaked as it opened, allowing Oliver just enough room to step inside.

            Shelves upon shelves stretching higher than the sky greeted Oliver as he walked down grassy aisles. In the far walls of The Emporium, he could see many large caves with cauldrons and materials for potion-making, but all were empty. It looked like no one had been here in months.

            “Hello?” Oliver called out, making his way through the castle. In the distance, he could see a cave with torches flickering inside. He stepped inside and found an old man stirring a potion inside a cauldron. In the corner was a small dragon lying on a pile of silver coins. It flicked its ears as Oliver stepped inside, making him nervous.

            “Little Adventurer, how did you get in here?” the old man asked.

            “With a silver coin.”

            The dragon and the old man perked up at the mention of the coin. The small dragon slid off its pile of coins and trotted over to Oliver. “Where did you find it?” The dragon asked in a hissing voice.

            “The Goblin King gave it to me,” Oliver shrugged.

            The old man and the dragon looked at each other for a long while. “That’s where it was?” the old man laughed. “So he’s the reason we couldn’t open!”

            “What do you mean?” Oliver asked.

            “The Goblin King’s son got upset because he couldn’t cast spells, so the Goblin King took the most precious item we have—the Opening silver coin! Without it, we can’t open The Emporium!”

            “But thanks to you, we can open our doors once again!” The dragon smiled.

            Oliver made his way back to the shore and told the penguin it was time to go home. The penguin quickly swam back to Port Chean, and Oliver made his way back home. All the children in his village were casting fantastical spells—one was making clouds, another was creating glitter dragons, while another was making trees walk.

            Oliver threw open the doors to his home and saw his father already getting his shoes on. “Come on, Little Adventurer, we have a little adventure to go on,” he said.

The Wicked Brother

Once upon a time, there lived two brothers at the edge of the forest. The older brother was always treating his younger brother wickedly. Whenever the younger brother found anything interesting, the older brother would snatch it from him.

“Give that to me!” he would yell at his younger brother.

“But I found it first.”

“I am your big brother, so I can take it from you!”

The older brother took all the food from the younger one, leaving the poor boy hungry. He would snatch all the nice clothes and leave his younger brother with rags. The older brother was very greedy.

One day, the older brother went into the forest in search of firewood he would sell in the market. He started cutting down the branches of a lot of trees in the forest. He came across a magical apple tree.

“Kind sir, please don’t cut down my branches. If you spare me, I will always provide you with golden apples. You can sell the apples in the market for a lot of money. You will never be poor again.”

The brother agreed and spared the tree. The magical tree gave him a dozen golden apples. He was very happy. He took the apples to the market and sold them for a huge sum of money. He became very rich.

A few days later, the older brother returned to the tree with his axe and said, “Give me more golden apples or I’m going to cut you down.”

“But I already gave you a dozen golden apples the last time,” the tree replied.

“I want more apples. I want all the golden apples you have,” the wicked brother commanded. “Give me all your golden apples now or I will cut down all your branches.”

“You are a very greedy boy,” said the tree.

Instead of apples, the tree rained down hundreds of tiny needles on him. The needles shook him in all parts of his body and he fell to the ground. He was screaming in pain and crying for help but there was nobody in the forest to assist him.

Soon, the younger brother became worried that his big brother had not returned from the forest. He wore his rags and went to search for his brother. He searched all around the forest until he came across his older brother lying on the ground in front of an apple tree. He was bleeding all over from the many needles that covered his body.

He rushed to his helpless brother and started to help him remove all the needles on his body. Once the needles had been removed, the older brother realized that he had been a wicked and greedy older brother. He apologized for treating his younger brother so badly and promised to change his ways. The magical tree saw the change in the heart of the older brother and gifted the two brothers with all the golden apples they could ever need.

The two brothers became very rich and popular. They lived all their lives in happiness and wealth.

Moral: Kindness and wickedness will always be rewarded. It is better to be kind to other people.

Keeping Children entertained at home amidst lockdown

The Covid-19 situation has been challenging for everyone. Especially the kids who are house arrested and withdrawn from the outside world.

Commonly, It is not part of human nature to stay in one place for long and keep the sanity intact.

Your jumpy, over a joyous child, can be daunting to handle in the four walls of the house sometimes.

However, to keep the sanity check parents and guardians need to go overboard with some activities to indulge the child. These activities can keep the child both active and entertained. Plus, mama could have a good nap while the kids are kinda ‘busy’.

 New Games

Your child is isolated at home which means no interaction with the outside world. That could make him slow and lazy to cope up and eventually when the lockdown lifts he might have a hard time coping with the world.

A very good idea is to keep the child indulged in new games. By ‘new’ I mean not the one he has learned all the shortcuts by heart. Here I mean the games that would stimulate a brainstorm. This activity can help the child learn new things and can get some kicks of entertainment out too.

It is preferred that the child plays ‘physical’ games because screen time can cost them their eyesight.

Some of the physical and indoor games include:

• Board games
• Jig-saw Puzzles
• Scrabbles
• Scavenger Hunt

Gardening

 

Gardening is a very therapeutic exercise even in children. The idea of indulging them in an in-house gardening exercise is very helpful. This activity sparkles the child’s interest in nature and enhances his ability to learn about new things, admire the plant growth, and have a feeling of responsibility. Apart from this, the child can be physically involved with his hands and do some exertion while gardening. 

Gardening can also help lower your grocery store visits by helping grow herbs that can be used at home.

Virtual Socialising

The lockdown can also make your child miss his friends and buddies at school or play. Another way of keeping him indulged with his social circle is to arrange virtual parties at video calls. This keeps the child connected and makes him feel fresh.

Exaggerating these parties with some themes planned or a snack serving can add up more to it.

Reading

Reading is a very good activity during lockdown. Your child can learn a lot through this activity. Try getting him to read a book. This will help create an imaginative activity in the child’s mind and makes him learn newer ideas and vocabulary.

Some popular books your child might like are:

• Harry Potter series
• The Famous Five
• Nancy Drew Series

This is a hard time to figure out but it is good for health to stay indoors and keep the children too. So rummage through these activities and help yourself and your child out.

Stay Safe, Stay Sane!

Christmas 2020 Idea For a Lockdown Celebration

There is no doubt that Christmas 2020 is going to be different.  This year has been greatly overshadowed by the on-going Covid 19 global pandemic and unfortunately, we may well see another wave of infection as the cold and flu season creeps in. However, don’t cancel Christmas 2020 just yet, as there are plenty of ways to celebrate at home with your loved ones, without risking infection. In fact, one thing that the global pandemic has taught us is how precious life is and what we take for granted everyday. So this year, it’s time to plan some creative ways to celebrate Christmas at home.

Global Pandemic & Cold & Flu Season

The global pandemic has had a massive impact on the economy and on many industries. Not only is this virus a major health concern, but it is also causing companies to close down, mass unemployment and is changing the way we socialise, shop and work. One of the main problems with this particular virus is that it is so contagious and the symptoms are very similar to those of the common cold. Affecting people differently, it is difficult to tell whether you have the virus or not. As the cold and flu season arrives, keeping track of the infection rate and treating patients with Covid 19 along with those with symptoms of cold and flu will become incredibly difficult. Covid 19 is an airborne pathogen and can be transmitted through tiny droplets in the air. When someone coughs, sneezes or even talks within a close proximity to you, or you touch a surface which has been contaminated by these tiny droplets, you can quickly become infected too.

This is why it’s increasingly  important to monitor your own health and limit your risk of contracting this deadly virus. So, rather than attend Christmas parties, go out for Christmas drinks and head to the high street to shop for gifts and presents, this year it is far better to celebrate Christmas at home and opt for a more traditional Christmas celebration. So, we’ve put together some creative ideas and inspiration to get you in the festive spirit for a lockdown Christmas.

How to Celebrate Christmas 2020 at Home

Christmas should be a time that we spend with loved ones. Making memories, relaxing together and forming family traditions. We live in such a fast paced, technologically advanced world, that when it comes to spending time together as a family, we can often be distracted easily with gadgets and screens. Make Christmas 2020 a time for tradition, spending time together and living in the moment, rather than scrolling through Instagram or sitting in front of a screen. Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to celebrate Christmas at home and some traditional Christmas ideas that have been long forgotten.

Traditional Christmas Ideas

There are plenty of fun family activities that you can do that don’t involve buying presents or going to see Santa Claus, that will still get children excited for Christmas 2020. Here are some wonderful and traditional Christmas ideas that you can bring back to life this year.

Hot Toddy or Mulled Wine and Hot Chocolate

For adults only, this traditional Christmas drink not only tastes delicious but it’s actually prepared during the cold and flu season to help soothe common symptoms such as coughs and sore throats. To prepare a Hot Toddy, which according to old wive’s tales, helps to treat a common cold or fight off the flu, mix whisky with lemon, honey and hot water. Lemon and honey can help relieve congestion and prevent dehydration and the spices help sooth a sore throat. The alcohol is also thought to help you sleep. For a festive mulled wine, gently simmer on a low heat, red wine with cinnamon, brown sugar, clove and orange juice. Serve both drinks hot and with a slice of lemon or orange and a cinnamon stick to garnish.

For children, get creative and make festive hot chocolate to enjoy while watching a Christmas movie. To make a hot chocolate extra special, use whipped cream, sprinkles and marshmallows. Add a candy cane to garnish and get cosy as you watch a family movie together.

Look at Christmas Lights

There is nothing that says Christmas more than the twinkle of Christmas lights and decorations on a house. Yet, due to the on-going global pandemic, you may not wish to risk heading to a  Christmas light switch on this year.  To avoid any Christmas crowds and to reduce your risk of infection, make hot chocolate in a thermal flask, pack some festive treats and drive around your neighbourhood and take in the Christmas lights. This is a magical experience and is free to enjoy. Plus, you will be avoiding any potential risk of infection as you’re protected while inside your vehicle.

Make a Gingerbread House

This is a wonderful and delicious Christmas at home activity that will take a couple of hours to do and will also teach young children how to bake. You can either buy a ready to assemble gingerbread house and decorate it with candy and sweets, or you can have a go at baking the gingerbread house yourself. As a simple alternative, you can make gingerbread men using cookie cutters and ask younger children to help decorate them.

Play Family Board Games

For many families, playing board games in the run up to Christmas marks a time to catch up, laugh and get competitive. Whether you enjoy a game of Monopoly, a festive quiz or you prefer Charades, Christmas 2020 is the perfect opportunity to plan a couple of family games nights and get out the boardgames. This also helps bring family members together and teaches key life skills to those who are young. Make sure to prepare some snacks and drinks and celebrate Christmas at home with your family. 

Make Your Own Wreath

A traditional Christmas wreath is a great family activity to do together and will give your home a festive feel. To make a traditional Christmas wreath, you first need to form the shape by using cardboard or wire. Once you have a hoop that is strong and secure, you can start creating your festive wreath by adding leaves, pine cones, poinsettias, ribbon or other decorative items such as candy canes and baubles. Hang your wreath on your front door to give your home a festive makeover.

The Gift of Health

The most important and valuable gift of all for Christmas 2020 is health. The global pandemic has taken so many lives worldwide so far, and those who have survived the deadly virus are still suffering with on-going health issues. The gift of health is the best Christmas present you can give your family this year and all you need to do is to follow healthcare advice, reduce your exposure to others, stay at home as much as possible and wash your hands on a regular basis. By doing this, you are putting your loved ones first and protecting those who are more vulnerable in society from the spread of infection. So, make Christmas 2020 memorable for all the right reasons by celebrating the festive season at home with your loved ones.

The Story of Tree and Flower is a humorous collection of short stories by Charlie Jane Anders. Some critics regard it as one of the best works of science fiction ever written. Here are some interesting facts about this book.

The Story of Tree and Flower tells the story of a normal, two-year-old boy named Curtis. His parents are deceased and his childhood was marked by tragedy and loss. Curtis’ sole ambition is to become a flower. He wants to fill the hole in his heart by looking after plants.

He is visited by an old man who gives him an instruction: create a new world with the help of the elements. This is a strange mission, as Curtis is less than sure about what he is doing. Nevertheless, he agrees and, using all the resources at his disposal, he and his friend, Tom, begin building a garden.

As he does so, the garden begins to take form, the plants learn to talk, and a seemingly insignificant creature learns to play a major role in the proceedings.

The book was written by Christopher Aker, who has been married to novelist Susan Scott for over twenty years. She has also served as an editor on several Aker books.

Aker has described the story as a work of fantasy, which combines science fiction and horror.

The Story of Tree and Flower is a much-admired book because of its clever use of language. It is full of references and allusions, whether the author uses them for comedic effect or to develop a deeper meaning. There are many funny quotations throughout the book, some of which draw on the writer’s own experiences and others of which are lifted from other sources.

This book was first published in 1969 and has since then gone through many reprints. However, the book has not been reprinted since 1978. In fact, it has never appeared in a large print edition, although it has been printed in numerous small editions.

Though the Book has gone through numerous editions, the publisher has never attempted to sell it commercially. The publishers of that era would have likely discouraged it from being published in the first place, but times have changed and modern readers want a literary treat.

Aker’s stories have become classics themselves. The Story of Tree and Flower is a popular book that has been one of the most popular books ever printed.

In the later years of his life, Aker began to feel that the story he had written was in danger of falling into obscurity. Thus, he decided to write a sequel. The sequel, The Story of Tree and Dove, was first published in 1990.

Aker continued to write books after The Story of Tree and Dove, but it was not until the mid-nineties that his popularity reached new heights. He wrote The Story of Tree and Flower and The Story of Tree and Figs and created his own publishing company, Aker Publications.

Although most of Aker’s books are short stories, The Story of Tree and Flower is considered to be a classic. It is one of the few works of fiction that Aker has written which can be viewed as a serious novel.

The Story of Tree and Flower has been translated into many languages, including Russian, French, Italian, Chinese, German, and Spanish. Since it was first published, many translations have been published. It has also been made into a movie starring Willem Dafoe and is the basis for a PBS special.

The movie is based on the story of two spies, who fall in love with each other in different environments and follow their own paths to each other’s places.

Dafoe plays a computer expert who falls in love with a woman from the countryside, while Jonny Lee Miller plays a detective who falls in love with a woman who does not like computers. Both men take their romantic wanderings to a small country village, where they come to understand the other’s fears and prejudices.