I am an avid fan of Mr. Brian Jacques, and his Redwall Series. The man knows how to spin a yarn. The tales woven from his forest-world are riveting and filled with memorable characters, feasts, battles, riddles, bad guys, (with names like "Cluny the Scourge" and "Slagar the Cruel"). In addition to being a good old-fashioned storyteller, Mr. Jacques possesses finely tuned literary skills, he utilizes substantial (not dumbed-down) vocabulary and his stories unapologetically champion virtue without being the least bit preachy! Not surprisingly, he's British...what is it about the British that causes them to proliferate quality children's literature?
Like all the best storytellers, Mr. Jacques incorporates a fair bit of poetry into his stories. Some are songs, others are epic history told to younglings, some address serious matters, while others are lighthearted. He's even created a few characters who always/often speak in rhyme (Sir Harry the owl, and my personal favorite, Basil Stag Hare). Here are a few of my favorite verses:
******************************************
Dotti is a young, delicate, but high-spirited hare, who thinks she is beautiful and can sing wonderfully. Though she is wrong on both counts and can be slightly annoying, nevertheless, she has endeared herself to most everyone - even the old and serious Lord Brocktree. Here's a set up before the poem...
"To describe the haremaid's voice as being akin to a frog trapped beneath a hot stone would have been a great injustice, to both frog and stone. Moreover, the instrument she was playing on sounded like ten chattering squirrels swinging on a rusty gate. However, Dotti played and sang on blithely...she broke out into a ditty which caused nearby birds to abandon their nests, chicks and all."
A Ditty by Dotti - The Fatal Beauty
From: Lord Brocktree
Whompin' along with a woffle de ho,
As down the stream I jolly well go,
Shoutin' 'Lower yore rudder an' furl that log,'
There's nothin' on land like a sea-goin' frog.
So oar that paddle an' paddle that oar,
Listen, me hearties, I'll sing ye some more!
I'm a beautiful hare wot lives on the river,
In winter I sweat and in summer I shiver,
I don't need no badger or otter for crew,
I'm cook an' I'm paddler an' captainess too!
So mainsail me gizzards until we reach shore,
Listen, me hearties, I'll sing ye some more!
Ye don't mess with Dotti that ole riverbeast,
I'm grizzled an' fearsome an' that ain't the least,
So swoggle me scuppers ten dozen I've slew,
I'm a jolly young creature - an' quite pretty too!
So mizzen me muzzles an' mop the boat's floor,
I'm sorry, me hearties, I don't know no more!
From the same book...the song of the warrior's weapon:
Badger's Swordsong
My blade like winter's cold doth bite,
Come guide me, Badger Lord.
For truth and justice we must fight,
Wield me, your Battle Sword!
Defend the weak, protect the meek,
My point like lightning, send to seek
The foebeast's evil heart!
"Eulalia!" loud like thunder cry,
Be thou mine eyes and brain,
We join in honour, thee and I,
To strike in war again!
******************************************
This is from Martin the Warrior:
"Night fell over Rosehips' camp. The fires blazed merrily and old songs were brought forth to sing, as everybeast helped with the preparation of a great liberation meal. The young mouse, Hoopoe, wearing a ridiculous hat woven from sedge grass, led the singing, conducting with a long onion shoot."
"Hey, give me cake and bring me ale,
And pudding ripe with plums,
Some cider, dear, so cool and clear,
To swill 'round teeth and gums,
Some round and golden mellow cheese,
And light brown nutbread, if you please,
With honey made by happy bees,
And I will be contented.
O, fie the creature with long face
Who nibbles small and can't keep pace
With tartlets filled with berryfruit
And yellow meadowcream to boot,
Or soup with pepper and hotroot,
And burdock ale to quench it.
Oh, eat up, neighbour, drink up, friend,
May good fortune have no end.
Success to all that you intend,
And leave the pots till morning!"
*******************************************
From Mattimeo:
"From the cellars came the slightly off-key sound of singing, a quavering treble from Basil Stag Hare, backed by the gruff bass harmony of Ambrose Spike:"
Ode to Nutbrown Ale
"O if I feel sick or pale,
What makes my old eyes shine?
Some good October ale
And sweet blackcurrant wine.
I'd kill a dragon for half a flagon,
I'd wrestle with a stoat to wet my throat,
I'd strangle a snake, all for the sake
Of lovely nutbrown beer....
Nuhuhuhut broooowwwwwwnnnnnn beeeheeeyer!"
After an unsuccessful battle to retrieve 3 of their young from captivity, in which some of their most faithful warriors die, those who remain, sit down to study the map and parchment that have been sent from Redwall. The parchment's prophecy:
"Those who wish to challenge fate,
To a jumbled shout walk straight.
Sunset fires in dexteree,
Find where Loamhedge used to be.
At the high place near the skies,
Look for other watchful eyes.
Sleep not 'neath the darkpine trees,
Be on guard, take not your ease,
Voyage when the daylight dims,
Danger in the water swims.
Make no noise with spear or sword,
Lest you wake the longtail horde.
Shades of creatures who have died,
Bones of warriors who once tried,
Shrink not from the barren land,
Look below from where you stand,
This is where a stone may fall
And make no sound at all.
Those who cross and live to tell,
See the badger and the bell,
Face the lord who points the way
After noon on summer's day.
Death will open up it's grave.
Who goes there...? None but the brave."
So, if you haven't read any of this series, I encourage you to do so...and by all means, give your boys access to them!! The stories are appropriate for any age, and can be read independently by ages 9 and up. Jacques sometimes writes dialogue with "accents" making it difficult for some younger readers to decipher...read portions aloud to them using the accent while they look at the text...this will help them get the hang of "hearing" the accent in their head. Happy reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment