2013: Year in Review

Hi everyone. Let’s take a look at the last year and what’s coming up next year.

 

Tickling Butterflies

During 2013, I serialized at this website my epic fantasy novel, Tickling Butterflies.

Tickling Butterflies – 128 fairy tales rolled into one.

The book follows King John, who was born with a prophecy of death over his head. King John struggles to save The Land of All Legends by finding out all its secrets. In doing so, he follows the fairy tales back to their source: the magical planet Earth.

Tickling Butterflies is made out of 128 separate fairy tales that together form one epic story.

 

The Indestructibles

In 2013, I finished work on The Indestructibles, an independent, underground science fiction web-series. The Indestructibles premiered in UtopiaFest 2013 as a short film.

The Indestructibles

You can see all 7 episodes at The Indestructibles website, here.

 

 

New Worlds Comics

In 2013 I started a comic book company called New Worlds Comics. New Worlds Comics should premiere by February, 2014. The plan is to create some of the best fantasy and science fiction around, in both story and art. Four different series are in the works. Here are some teaser covers from the first two series: Wynter, a dark SF story, and Goof, a superhero comedy.

  Wynter, Issue #1

Goofiest superhero ever.

Wynter, Issue #2

Goof, Issue #2

 

Stories in Russian

Hatchling, which has already appeared in four languages (I think), was translated into Russian and won Best Translated Story category in the Today Is Tomorrow competition. This led to two more stories that have appeared in Russian and more on the way.

 

Digital Kingmakers

The online magazine, SF Signal, was kind enough to allow me to publish a trilogy of 3 humorous SF stories, masquerading as non-fiction articles, all having to do with a high-tech company called Digital Kingmakers.

Each of the posts was chosen by the magazine as one of the best posts of that month. And recently, 2 of the 3 articles appeared in SF Signal’s list of Top 25 Guest Posts of 2013.

Here are links to all 3 articles in order:

Keep It Stupid, Simpleton

Benedict Cumberbatch, Neil Gaiman, and Guy Hasson Walk into a Bar…

How to Blow the Minds of SF Fans

 

What to Look Forward to in the Beginning of 2014?

• We’re going to launch New Worlds Comics.
• Tickling Butterflies is going to come out in hard cover in Israel.
• In 2014, in a few weeks, I’m going to serialize my science fiction novel for young adults, Life: the Video Game, which was originally published by Bitan Publishers in 2003. You’re going to love the premise.

 

 

‘Tickling Butterflies’ – The Good Luck Seeds

Tickling Butterflies is an epic fantasy, containing 128 fairy tales that together create one huge story.

Here’s the story so far. The story continues:

 

The Good Luck Seeds

(Containing a detailed explanation of the science of luck.)

 

One of the greatest mysteries of the Land of All Legends, Minister Vazir began to regale another tale of the known secrets of magic, has always been the nature of good luck and back luck.

This is a tale of Chance McGee. Chance McGee had a normal childhood and was quite a normal child, except for one thing. Chance McGee was afraid of bad luck. In the beginning, he believed that walking on pebbles incurred bad luck. Then he began to believe that looking at cats incurred bad luck. Then he decided that wearing long clothes incurred bad luck.

By the time he was ten, Chance McGee was so certain that everything incurred bad luck, that he now knew of only one thing that did not bring bad luck: bushes. And so, rather than walk on the ground (which brought bad luck, he believed), he would only walk on bushes. He would jump from bush to bush to visit his friends, to go to school, and to return home. And where bushes did not go, neither did Chance McGee.

One day, Chance McGee was seated on a small bush, when a wise and wizened old man came to him and asked him why he was sitting on a bush.

Chance McGee explained himself as best he could. And then, after having listened to his story, the wise and wizened old man said, “Well, if you are scared of something, why don’t you study it? If you study it, you will conquer it.”

“That is a great and impressive idea, old man,” said Chance McGee earnestly. “But how will I be able to study something that cannot be seen?”

“Well, then, I suppose it is your good luck, then, that I carry with me these two fruits.” The wise and wizened old man pulled out a red fruit from his right pocket and a green fruit from his left pocket. “The red fruit is a Good Luck Apple plucked from the Good Luck Bush. The green fruit is a Bad Luck Apple plucked from the Bad Luck Bush. If you eat the fruit of the Good Luck Bush, you will have good luck. If you eat the fruit of the Bad Lack Bush, you will have bad luck. However, if instead of eating them, you will plant them in the yard, you will learn how they behave.”

Chance McGee took both fruit and thanked the wise and wizened old man.

Once the wise and wizened old man had gone his way, Chance McGee planted both fruit in his yard and waited. To his surprise, from the Good Luck Apple rose a Bad Luck Bush, and from the Bad Luck Apple rose a Good Luck Bush.

Chance McGee spent his lifetime learning the secrets of good luck and bad luck. The more he learned, the less he was afraid. He had spent a hundred years discovering the secrets and science of good and bad luck. And this was his most important discovery: The Good Luck Apple has Bad Luck Seeds, and the Bad Luck Apple has Good Luck Seeds. This means that good luck grows out of bad luck and bad luck grows out of good luck. It also means that every good luck has Bad Luck Seeds buried deep within it and that every bad luck has God Luck Seeds buried deep within it.

And that is the most important secret of good luck and bad luck.

“Most wise,” King John the Cute said to himself, deep in thought. “The good luck of saving the Land of All Legends will also carry with it the bad luck of my death. That is quite interesting… Please, Minister Vazir, tell me more secrets. Tell me many more secrets.”

“I will, your highness.”

 

(To be continued on Tuesday…)

 

You can win a chance to have a fairy tale written about you in the Tickling Butterflies universe!

‘Tickling Butterflies’ – The Fallen Star

Tickling Butterflies is an epic fantasy, containing 128 fairy tales that together create one huge story.

Here’s the story so far. The story continues:

 

The Fallen Star

(Containing a revealing tale about the nature of the stars in the sky.)

 

I will tell you one of the great secrets of the magic world, said Minister Vazir. This is a story that is known only to a few. It is the story of fallen stars.

For many centuries, scientists did not know why stars fall. The stars are so far away, and none of the stars stop to talk. No one knew where the stars came from. No one knew where the falling stars go.

Tom Talonface, a man who would later become a great magician, went out every night to look at fallen stars. Every time a star fell, he made a wish to know why stars fall and where they go.

Then, one day, a star fell through the sky as Tom Talonface watched. The star began its journey at the top of the sky. It glided down beautifully. Then, at the very last minute, when it was about to go over the horizon, it seemed to hesitate. A split second later, it missed its target. The fallen star suddenly skidded, not down, but sideways, all the way across the mountains in the horizon. It skidded, then slowly came to a stop.

Tom Talonface performed a magic spell and was transported to the top of the mountain, where the fallen star stood. The fallen star was crying.

“Fallen Star,” Tom Talonface said. “Why is your face fallen? Why is your mood fallen?”

“I was frightened,” said the Fallen Star. “At that very last minute, I was afraid to complete my jump, and then I missed it.”

“That is all right,” said Tom Talonface. “That happens to me. It happens to everyone.”

“But now,” said the Fallen Star, “I have to climb my way slowly up the entire sky, and then make the jump again. That can take an entire year. And maybe I will be afraid again and I will have to do it over and over and over.”

“Do not let your mood fall so,” said Tom Talonface. “I will be with you and I will talk to you as you climb up the sky. Friends take away fear. I am sure your next jump will be a successful one.”

The Fallen Star thanked Tom Talonface and began to climb. “On the way,” said the magician, “perhaps I can ask you where fallen stars come from and where they go. I have always wanted to know.”

“It is not a big secret,” said the Fallen Star as he climbed. “Over every horizon there is a big sea of fallen stars. When we fall, we fill that sea. And when that sea is brimming with shiny, little stars, the stars turn into a beautiful animal. Sometimes we become a fish. Sometimes we become a hunter. Sometimes we become a bird. And then that animal leaves the sea and returns to the sky, where it stays forever. That is why the stars make shapes in the sky.”

“And where do the fallen stars come from?” asked Tom Talonface.

“That I do not know for sure,” said the Fallen Star. “I only came to life when I fell. Looking up at where I came from, I think I saw an upside tree, a tree full of stars, and a giant creature shaking the tree loose of stars. But that is all I know. I fell quickly and lost sight of the tree.”

“Thank you for telling me this,” said Tom Talonface thankfully.

“Look! You helped me pass the time and now I am again on top of the sky.”

Tom Talonface and the Fallen Star bid farewell to each other, and the Fallen Star let himself fall. He fell down towards the horizon. And then, at the very last minute, he closed his eyes and fell beyond it.

Three years later, in the sky appeared more stars in the shape of a tree. They are there to this very day. And till the day he died, Tom Talonface swore that every night one of those stars winked at him.

And that, King John the Cute, is the story that explains why there are stars in the sky.

King John the Cute nodded. “That is important to know. Thank you for revealing the secrets of magic. Now tell me more.”

 

(To be continued on Sunday…)

 

You can win a chance to have a fairy tale written about you in the Tickling Butterflies universe!

‘Tickling Butterflies’ – A Prelude to a Meeting of Magical Revelations

Tickling Butterflies is an epic fantasy, containing 128 fairy tales that together create one huge story.

Here’s the story so far. The story continues:

 

PART 10

THE SECRETS OF MAGIC

A Prelude to a Meeting of Magical Revelations

(Containing a fantastic prelude to a fantastic meeting of magical fantasy.)

 

One day after his return from adventures detailed earlier in this book of legends, King John the Cute sat on his throne, worried. That day was the one year anniversary of his reign, and the king was not pleased with himself.

A year has passed, and he had not yet discovered the secrets of the Land of All Legends. A year has passed, and he did not yet know what illness plagued the land or how to solve it. A year has passed, and the Fairy Tale Tree has shown that the land was dying. A year has passed, and only one year remained until Prince Charming the Fifth would kill King John the Cute, according to the prophecy.

And so the king made a decision that would change history.

He gathered Colonel Stone, Minister Vazir, Minister Azriel Jones, and Benjamin Miller. This is what he said to them, “A year has passed since I have come to power and I feel I have not done enough to save the Land of All Legends. I must uncover as many of the land’s secrets as quickly as possible. The five of us shall sit here, and Minister Vazir shall tell us all that he knows about the secrets of magic. And we will not move from this place and we will not end this meeting of telling the secrets of magic, until we have discovered something that would help us save the Land of All Legends.”

The three advisors and seven-hundred-year-old man from another world agreed and immediately sat in a circle on the carpet near the throne. Minister Vazir stood up. With all eyes on him, he began to talk.

This has been the short prelude to a meeting full of magical revelations about the secrets of magic and hidden truths of the Land of All Legends.

 

(To be continued on Thursday.)

You can win a chance to have a fairy tale written about you in the Tickling Butterflies universe!

 

 

‘Tickling Butterflies’ – The Frightened Chicken

Tickling Butterflies is an epic fantasy, containing 128 fairy tales that together create one huge story.

Here’s the story so far. The story continues:

 

The Frightened Chicken

(Containing the exciting adventures of Sarah O’Connell.)

 

This is yet another titillating tale, featuring the exciting adventures of Sarah O’Connell.

Sarah O’Connell, the blindfolded woman with the broken-but-mending heart, had been given a task by the man she called John the No Longer Cute. She was to uncover the secrets of the Afterdeath, secrets even Death himself did not know.

In roaming the land, she thought long and she thought hard about how she could discover the secrets of a place she could not visit and return to tell the tale. After thinking long and after thinking hard for seven days and six nights, she remembered a tale she heard at John the No Longer Cute’s palace: Once, until a few hundred years ago, people and creatures died and then stepped out harmlessly through Death’s Door to continue in their adventuring.

Sarah O’Connell searched the land for creatures that have died and returned. Everywhere across the land there were tales of these creatures, but, alas, the Land of All Legends was dying, and its creatures, even those who survived death, died once more and did not return. All creatures that have died and returned, have since died and not returned. All, that is, but one: Sammy the Frightened Chicken.

Sarah O’Connell traveled across the sea in the shell of a huge water snail to the River Red Continent, where Sammy the Frightened Chicken was rumored to live. Upon landing on the continent’s shores, she found Sammy the Frightened Chicken’s hut, and went to interview him. She was not aware of the fact that at that precise time King John the Cute and his party were on the continent, as well, stranded without Chariot.

Sammy the Frightened Chicken was old. His yellow feathers have turned white with age. His raw energy of old was replaced with a need to lie down on the beach and stare at the sky.

“Sammy the Frightened Chicken?” Sarah O’Connell stood above him. She could not see him because of her blindfold, but she smelled his feathers.

“I go by ‘the Chicken’ now,” answered the Chicken. “It stands for ‘frightened’, although I am no longer that.”

“I come at the request of the king,” said Sarah O’Connell. “I must question you about your death. What happens after we die? What did you see? What do we not know?”

The Chicken stood up. “Sit down, blindfolded woman with a broken-but-mending heart. I serve my king and I will answer your questions. But to tell you the story of my deaths, I must tell you the stories of my lives.”

Sarah O’Connell sat down on the beach near the Chicken and listened.

“Back when I was young, almost five hundred and fifty years ago, I was a very chicken chicken. I was frightened of everything. I saw the end of the world when a nut fell from a tree or when a stone was kicked loose by a man. Being a chicken chicken, I had many adventures. And they were always the same: I saw something harmless that was not a danger. I then decided it was a danger that would lead to my death. In trying to avoid the danger, I accidentally got myself killed. After spending a day or two in the Afterdeath, I would step out and back into life, and the process would repeat.

“It was very tiring,” the Chicken sighed.

“We all have our own adventures, don’t we?” said Sarah O’Connell. “But please tell me, chick, what is the Afterdeath like? What did you see there?”

“The Afterdeath is always the same, only longer,” answered the Chicken. “It is a huge black corridor. On both sides of the corridors are many rooms, a room for each creature now spending time in the Afterdeath. There were monsters in the rooms, creatures I have never heard of and could not imagine. There were heroes in the rooms, maidens, giants, bats, witches, kings, cats, fish, whales, dragons, and even one Smurf.

“Every time I returned to the Afterdeath, the corridor was longer, because by that time more creatures have died. I do not know what others had in their rooms, but my own room consisted only of a bed and some food, which I admit is all I ever needed in life.

“At the end of the corridor is a door. It is the door Death led me through each time I died. It is a door that leads from this world to the Afterdeath. But it also leads from the Afterdeath back to this world. At the time, any dead creature could simply step out and return to the world he had known. Us living creatures could step out, but never in. It is rumored that Death cannot even step in. But living creatures have not come out of that door for exactly five hundred years and fifty five days, and I suspect that something has happened to the door. For some reason it now allows people to go in… but not out. But I have no idea why that has changed.

“In any case, I have one more fact to tell you about the Afterdeath. One side of the corridor leads to the door that leads to this world. But the other side of the corridor leads to another door, which looks exactly the same as the first.”

“There is another door?” Sarah O’Connell was astounded.

“There is.”

“Where does it lead?”

“I always wanted to try. But you see, blindfolded woman with a broken-but-mending heart, I was always too chicken to try. And so, even though I was tempted many times to walk through that door, I never did. I always returned to life. If there was another creature that walked through that other door, I do not know of him. If he has a story to tell, I do not know what it is.

“All I know is that one day, people stopped returning back to life once they were dead. And on that day, I knew I had to stop being afraid of death, or I would die and remain dead. I came here, to the River Red Continent, a place where creatures go to grow up. Here I grew up and learned how to live my life without fear.

“And that, my dear blindfolded lady with a broken-but-mending heart, is all I know.”

Sarah O’Connell stood up and thanked the Chicken.

She returned to her snail and returned to the palace, but the king was not there. His advisors, she was told, had not been here for more than four months.

Sarah O’Connell became worried that perhaps something had happened to John the No Longer Cute. But, true to her word, she left the palace and continued in her quest to find more information about the Afterdeath and about the second door.

This has been the exciting adventure in which Sarah O’Connell learned that there was something else besides life and death.

 

(To be continued on Tuesday.)

You can win a chance to have a fairy tale written about you in the Tickling Butterflies universe!

‘Tickling Butterflies’ – The Wait for War

Tickling Butterflies is an epic fantasy, containing 128 fairy tales that together create one huge story.

Here’s the story so far. The story continues:

 

The Wait for War

(Containing another ghastly tale of Little Soldier Blue.)

 

This ghastly tale will inform you of the further exploits of Little Soldier Blue.

Prince Charming the Fifth had amassed an army, as he had promised King John the Cute that he would. As promised, the army’s entire purpose was to kill King John the Cute.

Prince Charming the Fifth was convinced that he had trained his army to become the best army the Land of All Legends had ever seen. He was convinced that he would be successful, even though he himself was not aware of the prophecy guaranteeing the death of King John the Cute at the prince’s hands.

Although Prince Charming the Fifth was ready to go, and although the army was prepared for war, the prince’s friend and ally, Shadowy Secret, whispered in the prince’s ear that the time was not right.

Shadowy Secret, a cloud of fury and secrets and frustration that had been borne from King John the Cute’s mother, could always sense where King John the Cute was and what he was doing.

Shadowy Secret whispered in the prince’s ear that he had to wait just a little bit longer.

And so the prince bid his army to wait.

Little Soldier Blue and his soldier friends were not happy with the wait.

For months now, Little Soldier Blue was taught how to win a war and how to do battle. In his dreams, he won wars and did battles. During his waking hours, when he was not learning how to win wars and do battle, he was speaking to his soldier friends about winning wars and doing battle.

Winning wars and doing battle was something he ached to do now. Little Soldier Blue needed a war and a battle to feel good about himself, to feel that he had learned something, that he belonged.

Although the prince filled the soldiers’ time with words of winning wars and doing battle, there was nothing to do but talk and practice.

Little Soldier Blue and his soldier friends felt the need for war build up within them, until they could take no more.

One time, when Prince Charming the Fifth and Shadowy Secret went on an excursion for a day, Little Soldier Blue and the rest of the soldiers decided to attack the nearby town of Bambooville. They attacked at noon. They struck the innocent townspeople and did battle with all buildings, breaking glasses and stores and stealing many things from the stores. At the end of the day, they felt that had won a little war, and returned to their nearby camp.

When the prince and Shadowy Secret returned, the soldiers acted as if nothing had happened. But the truth was that they all felt much better. And yet, now that they have had their taste of shedding blood, they wanted to go to war and do battle even more than before.

This has been the disturbing tale that showed that some machines, once built, will be used no matter what.

 

(To be continued on Sunday.)

You can win a chance to have a fairy tale written about you in the Tickling Butterflies universe!

‘Tickling Butterflies’ – Chariot’s Return

You can win a chance to have a fairy tale written about you in the Tickling Butterflies universe!

Tickling Butterflies is an epic fantasy, containing 128 fairy tales that together create one huge story.

Here’s the story so far. The story continues:

 

Chariot’s Return

(Containing a surprising convert of Farmer Moozik.)

 

This is the last tale of the saga of Chariot and Farmer Moozik.

On the very last second of the very last minute of the very last hour of the sixth month of Chariot’s incarceration by Farmer Moozik, Farmer Moozik touched the steel rod once more and released the lightning that held Chariot close to the ground.

As fast as he could, Chariot rose above the farm that had now grown musical notes aplenty. Higher and higher, he floated above the high mountains. Quickly, he passed their peaks and began to search for familiar faces.

“Chariot!” the king’s voice cried through the land, searching, seeking, needing.

“My king!” Chariot cried, and this time followed the voice.

Flying over the River Red, Chariot saw the king’s face. There, he stood upon a grassy knoll, and next to him were Colonel Stone, Benjamin Miller, Minister Vazir, Minister Azriel Jones, and beside them stood the king’s army, ready to attack.

“There!” the king cried, spotting Chariot. “My friend!”

“My king!” Chariot cried and descended upon the grassy knoll.

There was much rejoicing in the next few minutes. The king told Chariot how they had searched all over the continent for Chariot. He explained how his advisors had begged him to return to his quest, but that he would not have it until his friend was found once more. He told Chariot how he had ordered his advisors to return and search for the solutions to the mysteries of the land while he remained here to look for his friend, and how they had disobeyed and remained to help. Then, he at last told Chariot how he had decided to bring in the king’s army in order to search every inch of the continent.

Chariot, in turn, told the king of his own adventures. When he told King John the Cute of the Foreseeing Propheseers, the king was fascinated and wanted to hear it all.

“You must tell me all six stories,” the king said. “Word for word. I must know everything.”

The king listened to every word of every moment of his friend’s adventures. Then, when the story was finished, Chariot said, “But I was never convinced, I was never converted. I am with you to the end. I will fight with you to the death.”

The king shook his head. “You are wrong, my friend. If my death saves the Land of All Legends, you must help me die. That is the favor I ask of you. That is your king’s wish. Farmer Moozik is right. And I believe he told you these stories so that I would hear them, as well.”

“But, my king—” Chariot began to protest.

King John the Cute raised his hand. “I decree it, my friend. The land is more important than my life. If my death helps save the land, you must help me die. Now, come everyone! We have spent six months on the River Red Continent! We have one year left to save the Land of All Legends! We must return to the palace and waste no more time!”

King John the Cute and his party climbed aboard Chariot, while the army returned to the king’s ships. Chariot carried the king in silence.

This has been the story in which both Chariot and King John the Cute had learned important life-lessons from the time they had spent on the River Red Continent. Both had grown. And neither was the same as he had been when he had arrived.

This has been the last tale of the saga of Chariot and Farmer Moozik, for Farmer Moozik and his farm were never seen again.

 

(To be continued on Thursday…)

The Emoticon Generation

‘Tickling Butterflies’ – The Girl Who Wanted Two Things at Once

You can win a chance to have a fairy tale written about you in the Tickling Butterflies universe!

Tickling Butterflies is an epic fantasy, containing 128 fairy tales that together create one huge story.

Here’s the story so far. The story continues:

 

The Girl Who Wanted Two Things At Once

(Containing a sad and terrible life-lesson about a girl who wanted too much too quickly.)

 

Six months had passed since Chariot saw King John the Cute. Six months Chariot has been imprisoned by Farmer Moozik in his farm. And on the last day of the sixth month, Chariot felt expectant, for Farmer Moozik had promised to release him.

Fifteen minutes before the very last second of the very last day of the very last month, Farmer Moozik emerged from his stone house. Chariot’s fluffy heart began to race.

“I will now tell you the sixth story out of six,” said Farmer Moozik. “This is the last tale you shall ever hear from me. Listen to it, and I will release you from your prison.”

“I agree,” Chariot said. “Tell me the story.”

“Once upon a time, in the River Red Continent, was born a wonderful baby girl called Billy Bilby. Baby Billy Bilby was feisty and even from the first moments of her life knew exactly what she wanted. When she suckled, as babies do, from her mother’s milk, she wanted the food so badly that she sucked it in and filled her mouth with milk. But she had sucked in so much, that her mouth was too full, and she coughed. But when she coughed, she cried because she wanted her mother’s milk in her mouth. Baby Billy Bilby always wanted two things at once, and as you can see it began at an early age.

“Even when she was nine years old, the same problem plagued her. When she came out of her house, she saw the boys playing cops and robbers on one side, and the girls playing catch on the other side. Since she wanted to play both cops and thieves and catch, she ran to her right, then her left, then her right, then her left, and played with no one.

“When she grew up and became an adult, Billy Bilby was quite upset. She could not find a job, because there were always two jobs available, and she wanted both. She went hungry, because she wanted to prepare two different dinners, and so she made none. She could not choose between two men and so she chose none.

“Billy Bilby realized that something was wrong. And so she went to see psychologist to see if he could help.

“Upon hearing Billy Bilby’s troubles, the psychologist said, ‘Billy Bilby, your problem is quite simple. You always want two things at once, and so you cannot choose.’

“Billy Bilby understood the truth of the psychologist’s words. She thanked him greatly, and knew that a change was necessary in her life. At that moment, on that day, she decided to change her ways. From that moment on, if she wanted two things she would not choose none – she would choose both!

“And so Billy Bilby who could not choose between two men, married them both. And every day, the men fought and argued with each other. For every dinner that Billy Bilby wanted to make, she made two. And so, within a year, she was as big as a small giant. And when she had to choose a job, Billy Bilby chose both jobs and worked so hard she never slept.

“We do not yet know the end of the story of Billy Bilby, the girl who wanted two things at once, for Billy Bilby is still alive, and I hear she has set up another appointment with a psychologist. But enough of the story has been told to leave us with a life-lesson.

“And I will tell you the life-lesson of this story, little boy cloud, before you even ask. The life-lesson of this story is that you cannot want two things at once, because you will only get one. You, my little, boy cloud, want your king to live and the Land of All Legends to be saved. You cannot want two things at once, because you can only have one.”

Chariot understood the life-lesson, but did not respond. “Will you release me now?”

Farmer Moozik said, “I will be true to my promise. I will now release you.”

Having promised, Farmer Moozik touched the steel rod, and the lightning from the ground ceased. Chariot was free!

This has been the illuminating life-lesson of Billy Bilby, the girl who wanted two things at once, and of the end of Chariot’s incarceration.

 

(To be continued on Tuesday…)

The Emoticon Generation

 

‘Tickling Butterflies’ – The Story of the River Red Continent

Win a chance to have a fairy tale written about you in the Tickling Butterflies universe!

Tickling Butterflies is an epic fantasy, containing 128 fairy tales that together create one huge story.

Here’s the story so far. The story continues:

 

The Story of the River Red Continent

(Containing a sad but optimistic life-lesson about a witch, a dwarf, and a giantess.)

 

Five months had passed since Chariot had been snatched from the king’s presence. And on the last hour of the fifth month, old Farmer Moozik stepped out of his stone house and said, “Little boy cloud, the time has come for you to hear the story of the River Red Continent.”

Chariot, helpless, said nothing. And yet, there was a hope within him that somehow the old man would reveal a clue that would help him escape, or a hint that would help the king when Chariot would finally return to him. When Farmer Moozik spoke, Chariot listened:

“Once upon a time, a long long time ago,” began Farmer Moozik, “there was a giantess who lived on a cloud in the sky. The giantess was in love with a dwarf who lived on the land, in the Forest of Dreams. It was True Love for the two, and the giantess came down from the sky to live happily ever after with her husband. But when she climbed down from the clouds, she had accidentally crushed a rock that lay on the grass. Unbeknownst to her, there was a child hiding behind a rock. It was the child of the Good Witch of Panache. In coming down to meet her love, the giantess had killed the witch’s young boy.

“The witch was stricken with grief.

“The giantess was beside herself and apologized without end.

“But the witch would not have it. She cursed the giantess thusly, ‘As long as you are alive,’ said the curse, ‘you shall never give birth and never give life’.

“The giantess begged her to take the curse back, but the witch escaped and disappeared forever. Wallowing in despair, she became the first evil witch. With a wave of her now-evil wand, she moved the entire village of Panache from the site of almost everyone who lives. In hiding, she had turned the village of good witches to a village of bad witches. But that, perhaps, is another story.

“Meanwhile, under the plain sight of the sun, the giantess and the dwarf tried to live happily ever after, but the curse marred their happiness. The dwarf became sick and was about to die of sadness. At his deathbed, the giantess said, ‘If I cannot give birth to life when I am alive, then I shall give birth to life when I am dead.’

“The dwarf died, and soon afterwards, the giantess fell ill with grief and was about to die. But the giantess was so big, that she knew that if she died she would fall and crush many cities.

“When her stomach began to bleed and blood ran down her body and even between her legs, she stepped into the ocean and began to walk. She walked for days with massive steps, bleeding all the while. She stopped walking when she found an abandoned and lifeless piece of ocean. There, she collapsed on her back and died.

“Her stomach opened, and inside were trees and flowers, birds and fairies. Once she was dead, everything her blood touched grew and became life. In death, she had given life. Her entire body became a continent upon which lived all the creatures he had birthed.

“As the years passed, her body grew hard and turned into land and mountains, and soon there was no sign of the body of the giantess.

“But until this day, for a few days every month, the river that runs through one side of the continent to the other runs red with blood. And it is that red water that replenishes all life on the River Red Continent. It will grow any seed of any plant, it will give better health to any person. Mothers who are with child and drink the red water will have healthy children.

“This has been the story of the River Red Continent. And the life-lesson of this story, my dear, little boy cloud, is that death can bring life. I will leave you now to ponder this life-lesson.”

“Wait, wait!” cried Chariot. “Please tell me more about the village of Panache!”

Farmer Moozik stopped, with his hand on the door handle, and said, “My dear, little boy cloud, there are many stories to tell about the village of witches called Panache, but I promised to tell you six stories and only six stories, and the stories of Panache are not the stories I need to tell you.”

“Please tell me something of Panache.”

“I will tell you one fact, little boy cloud, and only one fact,” Farmer Moozik said, and Chariot listened intently. “The village of Panache is the place where Prince Charming the Fifth will strike the blow that will kill King John the Cute.”

A chill ran through the white drops of the cloud known as Chariot. But before Chariot could regain his composure, Farmer Moozik entered his stone house and closed the door behind him.

This has been yet another fascinating life-lesson from the River Red Continent.

 

 

(To be continued on Sunday…)

The Emoticon Generation

‘Tickling Butterflies’ – The Engine that Lost the Race

Win a chance to have a fairy tale written about you in the Tickling Butterflies universe!

Tickling Butterflies is an epic fantasy, containing 128 fairy tales that together create one huge story.

Here’s the story so far. The story continues:

 

The Engine that Lost the Race

(Containing a disturbing life-lesson about the nature of Life and Death.)

Four months had passed since Chariot’s incarceration. Three stories have been told, and Chariot could not escape and could not understand how three more stories could make him betray King John the Cute. Helpless and unable to respond to his king’s calls, he waited for the next story.

On the last day of the fourth month, Farmer Moozik reemerged from his house, and said, “I will now tell you the fourth story out of six, little boy cloud. Listen closely, for it has an important life-lesson.”

Chariot said nothing. Old Farmer Moozik began to tell his tale,

“Once upon a time, many years ago, there was a train engine called Speedy the Engine. Speedy the Engine was the fastest engine that had ever existed. He was small, but feisty. He was fun to be with, but everything for him was a competition. Whenever he spoke to someone, he would somehow turn it into a race. And whenever he raced, Speedy the Engine would always win.

“When he was young, he raced all his friends. And he always won. When he was a teenager, he raced the other engine boys to impress the engine girls. But even when an engine girl was impressed by him and wanted to talk to him, all he wanted to do was race some more.

“Soon, Speedy the Engine grew to be an adult engine. He always found work, bringing things from one side of the continent to the other. But always he was in a race. As the years passed, all his engine friends became slower and slower. They were married and lived happily ever after, they had children, they retired, they even had grandchildren. And of all the engines, only Speedy the Engine kept on having competitions and races. All those years, Speedy the Engine wanted to prove that he was the best.

“Then, one day, Death came to claim Speedy the Engine. As Speedy the Engine saw Death approach, he knew Death came for him. At that point in time, he also realized that life was the only thing that had passed him by.

“Death touched Speedy the Engine with his hand and claimed his soul. At that very last moment, Speedy the Engine realized that this was the one race he had lost: Life would continue to go on, while Speedy the Engine would now forever stay behind.

This has been the story of the engine that lost the race.”

Chariot listened to the story, horrified. “Why have you told me this story, Farmer Moozik? What possible relevance would it have for me? Why did I have to wait an entire month to hear it?”

Farmer Moozik shook his head painfully. “You are young and you do not understand life-lessons, little boy cloud. The life-lesson of this story is that Death helps Life win in the end.”

Chariot wanted to shout angrily that he did not understand what that meant. But Farmer Moozik’s words reminded him of Death’s prophecy, that one day Death would become Life. But surely, Farmer Moozik did not mean to talk about that, but rather that King John the Cute’s death would somehow bring others life.

Chariot shook off these thoughts. He did not want to think too much about Farmer Moozik’s words, for he did not want to be swayed by the old man’s words.

But when he looked around, Chariot saw that he was now alone again, alone with his thoughts of Death and Life.

This has been yet another disturbing life-lesson from the River Red Continent.

 

 

(To be continued on Tuesday…)

 

The Emoticon Generation